Din Tai Fung

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner tonight. It was my first time and he’s been to a few other location ones. We got the sweet chili ribs as an appetizer, which came out within 3 minutes of ordering and they were on the colder side so I imagine they have been sitting out. Which we were upset about that but they did taste good, on the sweeter side tho. We also ordered garlic green beans which were like crack!! You seriously can’t stop eating them and they give you enough for at least four people. Then the pork fried rice was so fresh and light. Great flavor and hit the spot. Last we got the pork soup dumplings, smaller than I expected but good as well. I wouldn’t say outstanding but good. All of our food plus one large beer came out to be $71.83 so it’s a little on the expensive side. If your going with a group of people or for a special occasion this would be the place, otherwise I’m sure you can find just as good for cheaper. Except for those garlic green beans! The best I’ve ever had! 4⭐️ For the cold short ribs, price and also for my water being empty for half the meal, wasn’t filled back up until we got the check.

Saturday rainy evening calls for Dim Sum 🥟 We ordered Vegan dumplings, Chicken dumplings, fried Chicken Wantons, fried vegetarian noodles, egg- mushroom- fried rice and dessert chocolate dumplings. Sorry for half plate photos! We were extremely hungry and started galloping hot- steaming dumplings and food 🤪 Everything was served super fast and piping hot. The waitress was very helpful and shared dipping - spicy sauce making proportions with Soy Sauce, Vinegar and red chilli paste. This sauce made entire food so tasty and yum. It was worth to wait for 1:30 hours for walk-in reservation for such a delicious food.

We faced discrimination. Friends were visiting us from Denver and really wanted to try this place, so yesterday (5/1/22, Sunday evening) we arrived at the front desk and asked for one of the round tables that can seat 6 of us, and they said it can take a very long time like 1+ hour to get the requested table. So we thought we would just wait and take the first seat we get. After waiting for about 40 minutes we are called to be seated and there's an empty 6 people round table to the back of the restaurant so we thought we will be taking that, however, to our surprise we were asked to take the rectangular table near the kitchen that is also along the busy pathway in a congested area while another party (a white family) who came later than us were asked to sit at that round table. We felt being discriminated and immediately brought this up with the manager but she came up with all kinds of reasons why they couldn't seat us at that round table, and did not in anyway try to help. Only option she gave us was to wait an additional 60 to 90 minutes to get one of those round tables which is insane after already waiting for 40 minutes. Anyway we decided to dine in as we were hungry and need to catch the Lincoln square movie show. I've been here multiple times over the years and never had bad experience. Something changed in the recent times and they are not welcoming anymore, and also I feel after COVID this place lost it's taste. Everything we ordered was so balnd and tasteless. Dumplings dough was so thick and dry lacking the juicy flavors. Service was awful and rushed and they misplaced 2 orders. All our food came out to be $193.47 which is still okay considering the inflation and the items we ordered. TLDR: Faced discrimination, poor service, over hyped place that lost it's taste. Never going to be back again to this place.

The Vegan dumplings are my fave, and I'm not even Vegan! I tried the vegan dumplings with my boyfriend at the Din Tai Fung back in San Jose when I lived in the area, and made sure he got a reservation here with his parents when they came visit. They ordered a bunch of chicken and pork and vegan wontons and dumplings and soup dumplings too, and enjoyed them all. The green beans really took everyone by surprise. Very well loved across the table. The only let down was the hot sour soup. I couldn't make it to the dinner so my boyfriend got me vegan dumplings home. Had them the next day for lunch and they were just perfect! Just slightly steamed them over a pan and indulged in the entire thing! Can't wait to go back and try more of the Vegan stuff!