5 Star experience from the food to the ambiance and the service. We had a reservation but arrived early to have a drink at the upstairs bar first. The host found us at the bar and brought us to our table early. We sat at one of the private tables on the side (not the big communal middle one), which we preferred. We ordered a sushi-like appetizer and split lamb chops, lobster fried rice and the shrimp dish. For dessert we had the mochi donuts. Everything was bursting with flavor. They were able to make all these dishes gluten free and the server was knowledgeable about allergies. Budakkan does such a lovely job making dinner a real experience. read more

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I think the interior is so so cool. The great hall dining is spectacular, but it's fine if you don't snag a seat there because we didn't. The service is good and I like the dark lighting as well as the open waiting room. The food was good too, the fried rice and scallion pancake were so good. And I like the dim sum tasting platter, it was delicious and you can try a wide variety. read more

Went here to celebrate my birthday dinner and it was quite the exclusive ambiance. The entrance is is surrounded by dim lights upon entering which sets the mood for a spontaneous and relaxing atmosphere. It is the most elegant once you step beyond the hostess/main bar area. It can be for after work or celebratory occasions. The restaurant has the socialite area upstairs and the dim dining experience on the lower level. The food was great. Some expectations were wow'd while others were just meeting. They have lots of meat or seafood options on the menu but you can ask for vegetarian dishes without these and still have amazing flavor. That was my favorite part! The waiter suggested the lo mein but I wanted the vegetarian option. It was delectable and I can't forget it. The plates are shareable sizes so if you like to pick at options you can do this here and not spend too great in the same breath. The drinks are perfectly paired and not over the top. Mixed well. I would dine here again. read more

Okay let me start by saying that the service here was superb and so accommodating. The food was tasty but unoriginal and bland. Everything had the same chili sauce on it and that was the only source of flavor. The appetizer options were certainly better than the entrees but still lacked. We did outdoor dining so I wasn't able to experience how stunning the indoor setting is, but that still doesn't impact food quality anyway. With so many American Chinese / Pan-Asian options in NYC, you're better off going elsewhere if you care about more than just ~vibes~ read more

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So delicious and fun experience. Very eye appealing and aesthetically. Loved it and it was very well placed in NYC read more

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I had been looking forward to come back here, but this time the service was highly disappointing. It took us a long time to get seated, to order drinks, to order food, and for the food to come. When our mains came, only 1 out of the 2 plates made it. We had to wait another 7 mins for the 2nd plate to come, and couldnt find our server. By the time we started to eat it, the beef was already cold and overall the meal was not that enjoyable. We were there for more than 3 hours. Other than that, the appetizers were tasty and the ambiance is beautiful. read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

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Refreshingly Different! This restaurant is a gem. Dined here for an early dinner (arrived at 5, when they opened). The Chili Rock Shrimp were ok, but the most prevalent taste was that of hot sauce (not my favorite). For the main course, I chose the Glazed Alaskan Black Cod (recommended by our server). It was great. This fish was lightly season with a slightly sweet glaze and was served with garlic eggplant. I thoroughly enjoyed that combination, as I'm a big fan of eggplant. We paired it with the Dungeness Crab Sticky Rice (also recommended) as well as the Lobster Fried Rice. The Crab Sticky rice was surprisingly tasteful (I've had a lot of bland rice). The Lobster was good, but not as flavorful. Finished off the meal with the Ube Mochi Donuts - another pleasant surprise! These donuts were sweet, but not overly so, and were nicely paired with a crème and sliced bananas. Minus one star for ambiance. It's a lovely restaurant (in terms of location and decor), but the tables are placed so close together, it was a little uncomfortable once the restaurant started to fill up. I understand it, just didn't enjoy it. Regardless, the food was well worth it. Lastly, the server was kind and accommodating - well done! read more

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Lovely restaurant. I ordered the lamb chops. Although very small pieces for the price it was very tasty. Dishes are large for example the lobster fried rice. Pretty all rice and noodles are for sharing. This is a great family style restaurant. It was not overly expensive. The food came out in a fine manner as well. I asked the waiter and bar tender for specialty shots and they told me no. So that was strange to me. Overall delicious food. read more

I'm not even sure I could properly review this place. It's was phenomenal. From the pre dinner drinks to the waiter's suggestions and bus staff making us laugh it was a true experience we can't wait to have again. We had the two person dim sum, sizzling steak and it was PERFECTION! Every course was perfectly portioned, the flavors were incredible well put together. The noise level was decent enough to know this is a popular spot but still able to hold a conversation without interruption. I would recommend this place to anyone 10/10. read more

Great place for special occasions. Food is great and nice ambiance. A little pricy but good for decent occasions.

Classy and affordable - Buddakan is the perfect choice for a date night or just a casual dinner. Since we aren't dining out and are doing take out we decided to go to Buddakan after a long time and the quality and measures taken for even that were outstanding. For take out I was asked to go inside the restaurant to place an order, the wait time was a fair 12-15 minutes and the restaurant was empty inside of course and it felt so strange seeing it so empty since we used to come on a Friday night at least once a month for our Buddakan fix and it was always packed pre-covid19. We ordered their crispy cauliflower lollipops, lobster egg rolls, sweet and crispy jumbo shrimp and black dragon chicken. Decent quantity and the taste survived the 40 minute drive home and still stayed fresh. It was excellent. Everything was packed well. Wish we had gotten dessert but will keep that in mind for next time. Exceptional service as always! A great experience as usual. read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

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Amazing yes, BUT. The drinks and food were great, delicious. Ambiance is clearly just gorgeous. However we had some issues with the service. We came an hour early for our reservation and decided to have drinks at the bar, so we did. After the first round the waitress dropped off the check, without any questions, then we had to let her know we don't wish to close out yet, we'd like a second round. Not a big deal still would've given 5 stars. The second incident happened when I left to the bathroom and my company did as well, when we came back the plate full of food was gone from our table!! I don't have to mention we were not longer than 2-3 minutes, the plate was still full of beef as of we only took 3-4 bites and we were not asked if we're done.. we weren't.. our belongings stayed at the table so assumption of leaving wasn't an option either.. but still.. ASK us first! When we went to ask about what happened with our food we were told they're sorry but we were still charged for it and have not received any discounts.. Overall would've been a nice experience but when something is high value you don't appreciate mistakes like this.. clearing the plate when it was still full and no compensation.. so just make sure someone stays at the table when you visit:) read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

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This lady was SOOOOOO GOOD. Does first when you walk in it has this dark sexy mystique. But ties it all together with with the higher end dinning. Drinks: I had the mock tails, there are very good and sweet. And I love they made it match the look of a regular alcoholic drink. at times the mock tails can look kiddie but this was great. The only think is that the drink option limited as in two options, which odd because creative was everywhere else just not in the space. Food: It is good to know that this dining experience is actually meant to share in our group before works great with the items we chose. The food is amazing! They have an amazing array of options from your pork, beef, noodles. your vegetarian options, etc. Also, our waiter was really great. He actually walked us through some of the things and explained that we should get two of item or meat... and this is what normally works for big groups And was also able to tell us if the food was spicy or not which I am growing to enjoy so I didn't mind the challenge, but everything was plated beautifully. read more

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Service was awful. Ambiance is great. Food is pretty good. The service was just terrible. No drinks, had to get up multiple times to look for the server- only to always ask someone else for what we needed. It wasn't busy, we did a 10pm dinner. lots of wait staff around, our server just didn't care & had an attitude. This is a place you go once to say you've been. read more

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Decided to come here for the hype. The food was good and the portions were decent for the price. Food: we got the edamame dumplings, crispy tofu, vegetable fried rice, and the tai Shan cauliflower. All the food was really good, and it was more than enough for two people to share (we had too much leftover). We are vegetarians, and though options appear to be a veggie option, definitely recommend checking with your server - both the edamame dumplings (broth) and vegetable fried rice (gelatin in the curry) are not vegetarian. We got the edamame dumplings without the broth, but they were still really good. The filling was mash potato esc and they had a good truffle ish flavor. Ambiance - it's a little dark and music is low, but if your looking for a spot to enjoy a nice quiet dinner, this would be it. read more

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I've been here twice, once for a 20 people group dinner where we ordered regular entrees on the menu then once for my friends birthday with a fixed menu. I definitely enjoyed the fix menu more, maybe because we got to try so many different things and they were all good. When we ordered separately I don't think we got the right things because nothing stood out. The ambience is great and I love the staircase, would definitely recommend for a nice dinner date or party. Our favorite was the edamame dumplings and mochi donuts. read more

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This place is definitely an institution with a lot of hype over the years and it's exactly what you'd expect: trendy, sceney, and on the more expensive side, though I do think it's reasonably priced for what it is. Even though it's sceney, I do think the food is good! Ambiance: this place is a perfect spot to eat before a night out, date night, or a celebration. I've come here on two occasions: one for a date and once with girlfriends before going out. It's loud, with moody lighting, and kind of sceney so I don't really think it's necessarily a kid restaurant. Your entire party has to be there in order to be seated, but there's a large bar area you can wait in. The restaurant is huge. **I highly recommend sitting downstairs!** Walking down the stairs and seeing the huge chandeliers and long table is a must. It's more happening downstairs versus upstairs as well. Service: Despite the appearance that people may be a bit pretentious here, I've always had great service! They are friendly and attentive. Food: there's a lot to choose from. I highly recommend family style. Some of my fave dishes include (sadly no photos to include): -Edamame Dumplings -Tuna Tartare Spring Rolls -Chili Rock Shrimp -Glazed Alaskan Black Cod -Wild Mushroom Chow Fun -Chinese Sausage Fried Rice read more

Absolutely beautiful interior - chic and glamorous. Inside is impressively huge, yet they pack you with other parties ever so tightly. Highly recommend the Lobster Egg Rolls and Whole Sea Bass. Also enjoyed the Edamame Dumplings, Tuna Tartare Spring Rolls, and Charred Filet of Beef. Do yourself a favor and skip the Chinese Sausage Fried Rice. Granted, this is coming from someone who can make much, much better ones. read more

This place is great as a vibe but it is TRULY a fusion spot. It is not authentic and you should not expect it to be. It was still delicious and a little bit better than some other bougie asian fusion spots in the area. The best thing I tried was FOR SURE the general tso dumplings, eggpant+tofu, and the passionfruit dessert. read more

Buddakan - Edamame Dumplings & Chili Rock Shrimp & General Tsos Soup Dumplings - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

Probably the best restaurant experience I have ever had. The atmosphere and the food are just amazing. Be prepared the break the wallet though read more

Buddakan - Din Dim Sum Tasting for Two* - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

Food was great, waiter was friendly and accommodating and the ambiance was relaxed, intimate but yet fun. .

We had a reservation for 8:30 and it's 9:15 and we still haven't been seated. This if completely unacceptable. What's the point of making a reservation? read more

I stumbled upon here while visiting the Little Island. You need reservations but the people were nice enough to let us sit outside because we did not have one, thank you guys! They also let us pick our seating which was appreciated. I ordered the Frozen which came with a lychee, the drink was nice & fruity & the alcohol taste wasn't too strong. We also got the vegetable fried rice with coconut curry & the crispy fried tofu I believe! it was all so good I absolutely want to come back here with my loved ones so they can have the same 5 star experience that I did. I left with extra food& as I'm eating now as I write this review it is still very good! Thank you guys so much for my wonderful dinner yesterday & making my evening feel special! read more

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It's OK. Ambiance I'd amazing. Food I'd not spectacular. Shortrib is precooked and packaged. All they do is heat it up. Overall just an ok experience. read more

Went here with my suppliers for dinner and we all ordered tasting menu 3. We enjoyed everything we had and it is totally worth to just order the tasting menu. You can also add additional stuff like lobster fried rice if preferred. Love their drinks too. Will be back here again. Make reservations. Did not have time to take all the food pics but here are a few. Trust. read more

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2.5 stars. We were really excited to eat here but found it pretty underwhelming. Ambiance: 4/5 - fun, clubby atmosphere with loud music and dim lights. Service: 4/5 - staff was fine. Food: 2/5 - Nothing was inedible, but the dishes were severely lacking for this caliber of restaurant. Value: 1.5/5 - Portions were fine, but simply not upscale quality food. The food... Apps - Dim sum for 2: 3.5/5 - Half of the items were good (edemame dumplings, carrot dumplings, general tso's soup dumpling). The other half (spring rolls, shrimp toast and potstickers) were pretty lackluster. Tuna tar tar spring rolls: 4/5 - Delicious, though a bit pricy for what you get. Entrees - Alaskan Cod: 4/5 This was the best of the entrees, yet not particularly special. Well cooked, decently flavored. Felt like a nice American fish dish with a slight Asian twist. Black Pepper Beef: 2/5 - We were told this was their most popular dish. The meat was over cooked, and had a very simple black pepper sauce that lacked complexity. You can find much better at an actual Chinese restaurant and there was no interesting fusion twist to compensate for the lack of flavor or toughness. Budda style gai lan: 1.5/5 - This Chinese vegetable dish tasted like it was steamed and sprinkled with a little truffle oil. Dungeness Crab Sticky Rice: 2/5 - Flavorless. The texture was good but you would have no idea there was crab in it if you closed your eyes. Drinks - we had a few cocktails, they mostly lacked any interesting complex flavor. Answer: 2.5/5 - too sweet for my liking and tasted basically like pineapple juice Solid: 3/5 - very average old fashioned that lacked any interesting ginger flavor Restraint: 4/5 - most unique of the bunch, though it's flavor could be polarizing. TL;DR: There are far better fusion restaurants for the price. The food here for the most part felt like what I would expect from a PF Chang's or Panda Inn. If you are so inclined to visit, stick with the apps and drinks and don't expect much from the food. read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

I'm a creator of habit. I always go when in the City. It is so good. I took my nieces last time. And they both said it was the best meal they have ever had. 18/22 yo. They are not that adventurous and loved it all. read more

I appreciate the patience staff had for me. The ambience is beautiful absolutely stunning. Wine is delicious as well. The Hostesses up front were the highlight of my night, absolutely lovely and so very sweet. I unfortunately had to leave because my date was a jerk and one of the girls knew I needed a hug I just ugh I really needed that lol. Thank you. I wish I had gotten names to show my appreciation but I will say when whole staff can show human compassion in any situation including our waiter, I can say it's a place I recommend and of course the food is delicious read more

My boyfriend decided to take me out for my birthday so we went with Buddakan. Definitely liked the cozy atmosphere. The place is pretty big. They have a bar followed by indoor dinning and then downstairs section which is split in two. The downstairs has a wider space which is most suitable for large parties and than a "library"'side which according to them it intimate. It is not intimate at all. You're directly close to another person and you can hear their conversation. If you want something that is intimate this is definitely not the place. Not great for a birthday occasion or one on one day. Perhaps simple date night. Experience also felt pretty rushed. I made a RSVP for 9pm. Wasn't seated until 9:20. Food I would said 9/10. The food was great. We had the frose + Lobster fried rice. I enjoyed the rice but it was bit on the salty side. Good for two people. We also got the beef pepper and then the charred steak. I honestly preferred the beef pepper it was way better. read more

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This place is so good I ate the crab fried rice and the dim sum tasting super yummy. Service was amazing Ambiance was really relaxing and quiet. My favorite was actually the the mocktail drinks ughhhhh I want more read more

This place was highly reviewed and recommended so had to make a stop here! The environment was amazing! It was so grand and spacious. Though spacious place, but filled with lots of people! This is a very busy hit up spot for dinner. They have a nice waiting area while they setup your table. You can order drinks while you wait. You can make a reservation! Lobster Fried Rice: This was one of the popular dishes. The was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. There were lots of lobster pieces. Crab Stir Fry Noodles: The glass noodles were my favorite! The texture was perfect! Lots of vegetables and meat in the dish! Sizzling Short Ribs: The rubs were so good! I love how there was chow fun noodles and asian pear. The asian pear was a good balance to the flavorful dish! The price was expensive, but honestly it was not bad comparing to how fancy and the quantity and quality of the food we get! Would recommend to come experience it! read more

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Absolutely gorgeous "edgy" interior that really stunned me. The whole restaurant is way bigger than it seems, and if you're lucky you get to sit in the big open long table with the chandeliers. If you're not as lucky however, there's a lot of available tables perfect for big groups but be prepared to talk loudly as the music is practically blasting wherever you go once you're in. Food wise Buddakan offers easily shareable meal options, perfect for large groups. Food is on the more pricier side and while this place is considered Asian Fusion, most food was pretty Americanized and lacked any form of authenticity in my opinion. If you're looking for the higher end experience in the environment you eat in and don't mind food that's more simple and tastes just fine, this place is perfect for just that. Another thing to note is our group brought a cake and we were charged $5 each person to plate half the cake. read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

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Food is incredible. Got the dim sum special to share, sausage fried rice and filet. I've tried an Old-fashioned and Martini, both of which were on point. Ambiance is really cool. It's a huge, dimly lit, Asian temple vibe. The bar area is essentially a dark lounge with comfortable seating and high ceilings. Prices are pretty reasonable for a place like this tbh. Has become one of my favorites in NYC read more

Outstanding! Great birthday dinner. Love the sharing idea! Flavors were on point! Shrimp toast was great. Beef short ribs lobster fried rice delish. Drinks great. Atmosphere quite dark music loud so sit next to your conversation partner. Decor beautiful. They seated us and allowed us to order as guests arrived huge plus! Totally recommend! read more

Love this restaurant so much. Great spot for a date night or an impressive night out. Has an upper level with a separate bar/lounge area if you just want a nice drink and some bar bites. Or you can choose to get a table downstairs for the full menu. We had the Oxtail dumplings, whole sea bass and short rib. All three were excellent. I try to come every time I come visit NYC read more

I dined here at Buddakan September 9th for my birthday. The Service was impeccable. Ms. Yuko was amazing from the time we were seated. She explained how the dishes were prepared and gave her expertise on appetizers. Yuko was very attentive. She made my experience memorable!! Such a sweetheart! When I dine again I will certainly ask for Yuko! Our dishes (lobster fried rice, oxtail dumplings, chili rock shrimp, Mongolian lamb chops, sizzling beef short ribs and tea smoked spare ribs). Everything was a 10!!!! read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

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Nice spot, very dark though! I sat in the main dining room when I came, which was a last minute thing. So I didn't have reservations, however they had seats surprisingly! I do recommend making reservations in advance though since it does get packed. I wasn't dressed up too much since everyone was wearing heels, and crazy dresses. Definitely a dressy place so take that in consideration. Don't come looking like you just came out of the gym or anything like that. The menu options were okay, not the best. The drinks were nice and strong. This place is definitely Instagram worthy but if you are hungry I wouldn't come here. There's many places to choose from. This is just fancy Chinese food lol I got duck and didn't even eat it, not my thing read more

Buddakan - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

SOO I am a big foodie. Service is nice, but they make wait for your table in the lobby even with reservations and on time. Recommendations from server were trash. Food is less than mid. Yellowtail appetizer is great - would recommend IF YOU HAVE TO COME HERE. Only item that was worth it. As my sister said "doesn't even deserve one star". We ordered main dishes that were sweet and sour pork, and lo min noodles. The pork tasted cheap and not good quality at all. Presentation was horrible for what you pay. I did not even want to take a photo. Do not recommend this place. Cool vibe for maybe drinks but not worth it for any kind of food, dinner, lunch, etc. read more

This is one of the nicest restaurants I've ever been. The ambiance leaves you speechless. The main dining area is so classy. And the food was delicious. I booked a table for 4 people. I requested a nice booth in the main dining area and the hostess offered it to us. After we received our drinks, we were ready to place our order. Edamame dumplings, tuna tartare spring rolls, chili rock shrimp, lobster fried rice, pecking duck, chilled udon noodles. All plates were delicious and clean flavored. Of course we ordered 2-3 rounds of our drinks while we were enjoying our food. We finished our dinner with the crying chocolate cake. Service was exceptional. This place is a must try! read more

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If you can literally Yell and you are ok with loud music and a fancy dinner, then you should come here; But if you are looking forward to catch up with and old friend and have a real quality conversation Please don't show up in here. This place is extremely loud but it has good music and descent vegan options. It's a very classy and trendy environment that I'm sure you can enjoy over a date or a big crowd of friends; but I don't think is my type of place because I enjoy a great conversation. read more

Buddakan - Raw fish appetizer - Chinese Near Me - New York, New York

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