This was our first time eating at Buddakan and our group of five went for Winter 2024 Restaurant Week. Even though our reservation was at the end of the night (9:30pm), Ariel greeted us with so much enthusiasm and was so helpful. She really made the entire experience go from 4 stars to 5 stars and above. Between the five of us, three of us got the Spicy Rock Shrimp Bao Buns. These were delicious, and as someone who has made bao buns before, the buns were so light and fluffy. The shrimp had the perfect crunch and the slaw had a nice kick. Two of us ate the Tuna Tartare Spring Rolls and they thought they were excellent. The real star of the night was the Char Aged Grilled Beef, as recommended by Ariel. 4/5 of us ordered this, and one of us ate the Chilean Sea Bass. The beef was cooked medium rare and the sauce was divine. The Szechuan fries that it came with were a perfect crunch. I had a bite of the sea bass and even though I don't particularly love fish, it was very tasty and almost melted in my mouth. For dessert, we ordered all three options between the five of us. The Dip Sum Donuts came out in a takeout style box and three dipping sauces which was a fun presentation. I was so stuffed I could only eat my No-Bake Cheesecake that had kiwi, pineapple and other tropical fruit. It was the perfect way to end the night. This entire experience would not have been complete without Ariel's enthusiasm, recommendations, and overall excellent service. We are all eager to bring other friends back soon! read more

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This place has been consistently great since the decade plus I've been frequenting it. Two menu items I never order without: 1) Edamame dumplings 2) Black pepper beef (with an order of rice) read more

My last visit I ordered: Shrimp LoMein, Chicken Spring Rolls and Curry Cauliflower Everything was delicious read more

Outstanding food, and our server Ray was outstanding. Would highly recommend to anyone in Philly

I was already really enjoying the food and cocktails. Then, when I left, the UPSTAIRS bartender, Rachel, ran my card out to me on the street. I had left my credit card, she returned it to me on the street. read more

First time and it lived up to its reputation. The inside is beautifully done and the Buddha watches over everyone. Our service was impeccable! Our server has been working there for 16 years and he was spot on with everything including cleaning the table between servings. We had both the edamame and the general Tso dumplings both completely different. The edamame skin was softer, thinner and is a light sauce. The general tso's had a thicker skin with some soup inside they were more to my liking. The crispy calamari salad was hands down one of the best salads I have ever had. The calamari was lightly fried and cooked perfectly. The dressing was light and so refreshing. The duck was magnificent - crispy flavorful skin tasty meat cooked to perfection. I can't say enough how good the duck was. The crab fried rice was a nice addition to the meal. The donuts were fabulous however the creme Brûlée was not to my liking which was unfortunate as it is my favor dessert. The Buddha temple was given to the table by the server which added to the whole experience. read more

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Okay, as an Asian person, I was pretty impressed. The food was good, pricey, yes, but very good. And it was beautifully plated to give off a "wow" factor for a few of the dishes. And it was pretty high quality! Ingredients such as the steak were fresh and well-prepared, with "medium" being a true "medium," no more and no less. The two things I enjoyed most about Buddakan were the ambiance - it was a great environment to eat, mingle, and have fun - not too pretentious, but just upscale enough and the diversity of food choices - menu items ranged from the low $10s to $40-$50 depending on what you ordered, so you could get away with just doing small plates and not breaking the bank. I heard somewhere that this was the first Buddakan (feel free to fact check me) before they moved onto NYC (Chelsea market?) and my experience here confirmed that the food scene in Philadelphia truly punches above its weight. Not too pricey, extremely high quality. Finally, our server introduced herself and was pleasant and polite. Very knowledgeable and not too obtrusive. The standouts were the miso black cod and steak dishes (photos!) read more

Buddakan - Steak - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Every time I'm in Philly we make sure to visit this place!! Always love the service and food!! Menu changes regularly! I miss the Edamame truffle ravioli, but they had edamame truffle dumplings which were amazing as well! They have a special vegetarian/ vegan menu upon request which is great! Love their desserts too! Dim sum Five spice donuts are always on the menu. Got the dragon tofu on my last visit, one of the best tofu dishes I have ever eaten! Just wish they had a Florida location. read more

Buddakan - Dragon tofu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here on a Sunday night to take advantage of the Restaurant Week menu - so worth it! We were lucky to snag a reservation last minute and it turned out to be a great meal. Located in Old City, it's pretty easy to find on Chestnut Street. We parked a block or so north and took the walk down. It's a little hit or miss with parking, but can be found. Inside, it's a lively place with two floors, Japanese inspired decor, and lit to provide a cozy but upscale ambiance. I loved that there was a full vegetarian restaurant week menu - my wife and I were able to order a bunch of food and share without feeling limited! We started off with the bao buns (so good!) and the mushroom potstickers, then had their dragon tofu and pad thai (without the egg), and finished off with a helping of the dumpling donuts and an array of sorbets. The meal was delicious. We definitely enjoyed the bao buns and dragon tofu the most - super flavorful and really interesting textures. I know it was a packed house, as it was restaurant week, but the service was definitely slow. Our waiter did a great job in attending to us as he could, but it still just took a bit of time between courses and even getting the check at the end of meal. Still would highly recommend - super worth it especially during restaurant week! read more

Great Asian fusion with a cool interior. I've been to the NY location, and although the menu in Philly is slightly different it's the O.G. location so I had to check it out. The lights are really dim, but that adds to the cool vibe. Similar to my last experience everything was top notch. A group of 4 of us shared plates and it worked out well. If a plate comes with an odd number of items, they can increase the number without needing to order a new dish, which is nice (we didn't do this however) Starters - Smoked Tea Ribs, Lobster Egg Rolls, General Tso Soup Dumplings, and Shrimp Bao Buns. The Ribs were so tender with the subtle tea flavor making them delicious. General Taos Soup Dumplings are a must. Shrimp Bao buns were slightly spicy, but nice and crispy. Lobster egg rolls were just ok, and were truly needed the dipping sauce that came with it. Entrees- Shrimp Lo Mein, Black Pepper Beef, Lemon Sesame Chicken Black Pepper beef was made with tender ribeye cooked to a nice medium rare with a delicious sauce. Shrimp Lo Mein was executed nicely and the Lemon Sesame chicken was pretty good as well. Only the chicken came with rice and so we had to order another. I expected it, but I hate when restaurants charge for an extra side of rice, just seems like nickeling and diming at that point, but whatever Drinks- Szechuan Sour is a winner Overall: Smoker Tea Ribs 5/5 Shrimp Bao Bun 4/5 General Tso Soup Dumpling 5/5 Lobster Egg Rolls 3/5 Shrimp Lo Mein 4/5 Black Pepper Beef 5/5 Lemon Sesame Chicken 3/5 Szechuan Sour 5/5 read more

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Tried restaurant week with a friend. We got chicken & ginger dumplings, spicy rock shrimp bao buns, barbecue pork tenderloin, chilean sea bass, dip sum doughnuts, and mandarinsicle mousse. 2 cocktails and an added Korean meat fried rice (because I like to eat my land-meat with rice). Everything was good/decent. Highlight was the chilean sea bass with how soft and tender it was. I'm grateful that I ended the meal with a refreshing, light mousse. The cocktails Enlightenment and Joy were juicy, chuggable, chilly tasting drinks if that's your preference. read more

Buddakan - Top to bottom is chilean sea bass, korean meat fried rice, and barbecue pork tenderloin. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ambience, food , and service was outstanding. Cocktails were excellent as well. Larry , our server was amazing and very knowledgeable of the menu. read more

We arrived promptly at 5pm for our reservation. The place already had a few tables seated. It was a very mild Friday evening in February. Ambiance is Buddakan. If you have not been, it is an eclectic mixture of Asian and dark woods. Steel chairs with face drawings on the chair backs. A waterfall. An imposing Buddha. Different sections with tables and a long beer hall type table right in the center. Wonderful. We were seated at a primo table for two by the window facing Walnut St. We had Larry as our server and he was excellent with impeccable timing. Professional yet approachable. We started with a couple of specialty cocktails - an Honor, Japanese vodka and Miduri liquor, and a Spirit for my wife a tequila drink with spicy jalapeño. They were great. The cocktails change often. For dinner we stayed on the small plate menu and had the sashimi special, tuna tartare spring roll, a dim sum sampler, Lobster fried rice, tea short ribs, donuts and sorbet. And one espresso. All were delicious. We also had a bottle of Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc, NZ. We used to come here regularly before the foreign virus but have not been for a few years. We are glad we came back. They do not do lunch anymore I used to eat lunch here regularly back in the day. Anyway a great meal with top notch service. Value was in line. $332. for our meal with cocktails and a bottle of wine. We will return. Nancy & Mark. read more

Amazing experience and great cuisine. The ambiance and atmosphere is amazing and different. Great service! Highly recommend read more

Buddakan - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We came here for an early Valentine's Day celebration and they were able to fit us in. We did have to wait an hour for a table, but we didn't mind since we sat at the upstairs bar and had some great drinks. If you want to drink, definitely go to the upstairs bar. We got drinks on the downstairs bar while at a table and it was not as good. We were able to try a bunch of different dumplings with the appetizer and every single one was delicious. The Seabass and the lamb chop is full of flavors and cook perfectly. I cannot wait to come back here again. read more

Buddakan - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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One of my favorite restaurants in Philly! Food is always consistent and so good! Service is great! They always pay attention and keep coming over to ask if anyone needs anything no matter how busy they get and they're always busy!! Vibes are fun! I'm definitely a repeat offender here :) read more

Buddakan - Buddakan Style Sashimi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I've been here a couple of times and have enjoyed coming with a group. The place is gorgeous and the drinks are superb. As for the food... The old hits could have been executed better. Edamame dumplings were room temperature and slightly chilled in the middle. Tuna pizza was an interesting idea but I'm not sure it was executed to my liking. Crispy rice pancake was dense and chewy. Lacked the crispness you'd expect but the tuna on top was fine. General Tso's dumpling was sweet and lackluster but did come out piping hot. Pad Thai was fine and forgettable at this level of dining. Miso black cod was overcooked but had the taste I remember. read more

The best way to describe Buddakan is that it's an upscale P. F. Chang's. The decor and atmosphere has a dark and modern Chinese look. I went for a corporate dinner and had 3 courses family style. The amount of food was extensive with 4-5 dishes for each course. The most memorable was the edamame dumplings, the miso sea bass, and the beignets. The fish was very buttery and melted in your mouth and the beignets were perfectly fried and came with good chocolate and berry dipping sauces. The dessert platter came in a nice presentation. The drink menu is extensive with cocktails and mocktails as well. The waitstaff was attentive to our table's needs. read more

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We had an amazing time for my daughter's Birthday dinner. The food was delicious. Service was amazing.

We first visited Buddakan over ten years ago during our last trip to Philadelphia. We weirdly had fond memories of the Buddakan's chocolate sorbet , so we put it on our list for our return visit. Working backwards, the chocolate sorbet is still really good and probably the best part of our meal. We should have ordered less food and ordered two sorbets instead of sharing one serving at the end :-/ For our main course, we had the barbeque lamb chops and lobster fried rice. We started with the tuna tartare spring rolls, pork, and shrimp dumplings. To summarize, the food I would rank it comparatively to a PF Chang's restaurant. Nothing was inedible, but it was all forgettable (except for the chocolate sorbet ;- ) ). To be fair, the cilantro salad (served with the lamb chops) had a nice kick. Frankly, we would have been more satisfied with a double serving of the cilantro salad, instead of something else. For drinks, we had a peach lemonade, Szechuan sour, and glass of shiraz. All were fine, but once again, not terribly memorable. Our server worked very hard and was attentive. She was aware of our lactose allergy and mentioned it as we were seated, which is better than the Michelin star restaurant we dined at two nights ago! Therefore, we have no criticisms of the service. The total price for the dinner including tax, tip and a 20+% tip for our server was $213. The bottom line of trading off quality with price is that it just wasn't a great value for us. We likely will not return, but we will always have the good memories of the chocolate sorbet! read more

Buddakan - Just started drinking szechuan sour! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Great atmosphere we were blessed sitting right in front of Buddha. Exceptional chef tasting menu, not cheap on any ingredient. Live up to the expectation. You won't go home hungry read more

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Had a delicious meal with three friends for restaurant week here. It was a three course menu where everyone received an appetizer, entree and dessert for $40. For the appetizer I got the shrimp bao buns (which were amazing), for the entree I had the barbecue pork tenderloin, and for dessert I had the donuts. Everything was delicious and had great flavor. I really enjoyed all the dipping sauces for the donuts. For a Tuesday night, the restaurant was very crowded and it took a little longer than expected to get our dishes. (We didn't mind, but was definitely busier than expected). The atmosphere was great, loved the lighting and the building itself was really cool. read more

Buddakan - Barbecue Pork Tenderloin - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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OMG, I love everything about this pricie restaurant. The food is tasty and the drinks are extremely delicious. The Asian feel is an amazing atmosphere. The service is outstanding. read more

Chic Asian. Started with dim sum - a good sampling of all offerings. Followed with a small calamari salad - large serving - big enough for two. Shared Miso Cod also - cooked just right - melted in your mouth. Final was a yummy chocolate dessert. read more

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I went here for my birthday dinner. The service was great! The food was great as well. Very nice restaurant with lots of things to look at. We had an issue this night and management took no time to handle the issue and take care of us. I would return off just that because the customer service was A1! The lamb chops were my favorite. I did not get to try the lobster fried rice but someone in my party did and they loved it! The donuts were definitely a hit! read more

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The food is really great there and our waitress was very patient considering our group not knowing what they wanted to order I recommend trying out this awesome restaurant read more

First of all, shout-out to the valet guy up front for making sure we parked behind the pole up front (we were just slightly past the pole), because apparently the PPA lady does come by and check, and she's real generous with the tickets. Helpful tips: 1. Dress up. I'd recommend cocktail attire, smart casual at minimum. If you're wearing heels, I'd definitely recommend bringing a pair of comfy shoes to slip into if and when your feet hurt. Heels for the pic, comfy shoes for the walk. 2. The food here is served family-style. Dishes are placed in the middle and meant to be served amongst your party. 3. The noise level is moderate-loud. The bar might be a better spot if you're trying to have a conversation. Anyways, to the meat of the review... For a party of 6, we ordered: Appetizers 2 orders of shrimp bao buns (4/5 stars) 2 orders of pork belly baos (3/5 stars) 1 order of fire roasted edamame (5/5 stars) 3 orders of sashimi (3/5 stars) 2 orders of dim sum samplers (2/5 stars) 1 order of tea smoked spare ribs (4/5 stars) Entrees: 2 orders of lobster fried rice (2/5 stars) 1 order of pan-seared sea bass (3/5 stars) 1 order of crispy whole fish (4/5 stars) 1 order of grilled lamb chops (5/5 stars) 1 order of curried cauliflower (4/5 stars) + drinks (I got the Rising Sun--non-alcoholic--and it was really good. 5/5) We ordered two or three orders of our appetizers so we could place a dish on either side of our table. I'd say this was the perfect amount of food for us. We did have some extra fried rice left over that we took home. Could definitely have ordered one less lobster fried rice if we wanted. Overall Review: This place is good. The flavor profiles for some of the dishes were quite radical. I've never had edamame dressed the way that they served it. It was zesty, fiery, and salty in all the right ways. I felt similarly about the cauliflower. I also enjoyed the shrimp baos, but it reminded me a lot of the shrimp from the walnut shrimp dishes at your classic Chinese restaurant (you'd get more there for the same price). The one thing I was quite let down by was the lobster fried rice. It was the one dish I was really looking forward to on the menu, but it just didn't hit. I was expecting to be knocked off my feet by flavor, like the appetizers, but it fell flat. Not sure if the crab fried rice is similar, but I'd avoid the fried rice altogether. Most of the other entrees were quite good. Overall, a pleasant dinner experience, and a great choice if you have something to celebrate, or are feeling fancy. :) read more

Eating at Buddakan was a wonderful experience. We had a waiter who's worked at Buddakan for many years and he offered great service and recommendations throughout our dining experience. While some of the wait times between courses took some time, we didn't mind because it was Father's Day and you could tell that the restaurant was absolutely packed. Despite this, food and drinks came out decently on time. The food was delicious-- particularly the pork bao buns. The bao buns were so fluffy and soft. The pork was cooked well and was very flavorful. The main dishes were delicious as well. Of course, Buddakan is famous for its ambience. The restaurant is large and has a luxurious, open, modern atmosphere. I would absolutely recommend eating at Buddakan Philadelphia-- the OG! read more

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Been here twice and this place never disappoints. Tried a variety of the dishes and they all are good. However, they are definitely pricey. Possibly is the best center city restaurant week deal in the city. $40 for an app, entree, and dessert. The seabass alone a la carte would be $38. So completely worth it. App: Shrimp Bao Buns: fantastic taste and they are big/filling! Would recommend Entree: seabass: melt in your mouth. Delicious fish. Ive gotten the cod before as well and they both are great. Can't choose one Dessert: dip sum doughnuts: chocolate sauce is good and they usually pair it with a seasonal fruit jam as well. Always an enjoyable experience w good waitstaff read more

Buddakan - Pan Seared Sea Bass - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Asian fusion spot in Philly - really nice vibe, but a bit dark and loud, so kind of depends on what you're looking for. Black Cod - 5/5 : Super flavorful, and the soy-based sauce is just the right amount. Would definitely come back just for this. Pork Belly Bao Buns - 5/5 : Easily my favorite app. The pork is crispy, not like bacon, but still super tasty. The buns are soft and juicy, and the little salad on the side is a nice touch. Lemon Sesame Chicken - 4/5 : Pretty solid, but tastes like something you'd get at a regular Chinese spot. Nothing bad, just not super unique. Crab Fried Rice - 4/5 : It's good, but I think I hyped it up too much in my head. Nothing wrong with it, just not a standout. Espresso Martini - 5/5 read more

We love restaurant week! $40 prefixe menu plus a cocktail. For the appetizer, I went with the spicy rock shrimp bao buns and I could honestly eat these for the rest of my days. Think bang bang shrimp on the fluffiest bao bun with a tangy pickled slaw. Heavenly. BBQ pork tenderloin. Maybe I've never ordered pork at an "upscale" restaurant because I was a bit surprised when the server asked how I would like it cooked. Medium well pork is good, friends. Lol. This joint was bomb.com. Sweet and savory. The onion ring pairing was chef's kiss. Dim sum donuts were giving the girls Chinese buffet donuts. So you know they were good! The ginger cream cheese and raspberry jam on the side-- yes! read more

The staff dressed all in black greets you with a smile. There is a cascading zen waterfall feature as you enter and the music has me swaying my hips. With the low light ambience and chic decor this place screams ultra sexy. Celebrating a special occasion, I let my son choose all the dishes. Here is what he ordered... Appetizers: - Buddakan Style Sashimi (gorgeous presentation and taste) - Edamame Dumplings in truffle broth Entrees to share: - Lobster Fried Rice (generous amount) - Black Pepper Beef (rib eye, crispy bird's nest) - Wasabi Tuna Tatami with Ginger Somen Noodles Dessert: - "Dim Sum" Doughnuts w/three dipping sauces (fruit jam, chocolate sauce, and gingered cream cheese) Every dish we had was a hit with us. I can see from the distance that the kitchen was bustling and serving all the dishes out in a timely manner. The care is shown in how meticulous they are with the presentation. I have to say that the Black Pepper Beef was not the most eye-pleasing but WOW, it was our favorite dish of the night. My son requested it rare, it was tender and it was all about that delicious sweet coating. Their Buddakan Style Sashimi gets a special shout-out as it got my tastebuds dancing and excited for what's to come. The service from start to finish was attentive. Larry, our waiter went above and beyond. He wished my son HB quite a few times and I appreciate the sparklers that he put on the dessert so I could capture the moment on camera. The larger than life Golden Buddha illuminates the main dining area. May he bless my son with good health, wisdom and prosperity. Happy Birthday E! read more

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Took a quick getaway to this NY fave located in Philadelphia. Just like their NY counterpart it was a hot spot for upscale Asian fusion dishes. Customer service was top tier and the food left us too stuffed to walk! A must visit everytime we go to Philly! read more

Buddakan - Bao buns - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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10/10 Food service and ambiance. I went here for my birthday and everyone enjoyed the food and the service.I would definitely come back here again! read more

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Delicious food, we were only in the area for a weekend but heard great things about this place so we decided to give it a try! Well worth the stop! The ambiance was great, and we enjoyed everything we ordered! Friendly staff as well! read more

We made a 5PM reservation on a Sunday so the number of dining guests socially distancing was perfect. The servers and waitstaff wore masks and face shields to protect themselves and the patrons. Our drink and food order came out in record time in comparison to pre-COVID. Myself and a dining companion both ordered the same items of Cantonese spring rolls which are shrimp and chicken spring rolls served with a mustard dipping sauce that has a horseradish base so you will get that kick in your nose with each bite (at least that's what happens to me). For dinner we ordered the Lobster Fried Rice. I love rice based dishes so I can not speak to other items on the menu as my go-to when I dine at Buddakan is something with fried rice. For dessert, we had the very delicious donuts that include 3 dipping sauces (a chocolate, a cream cheese, and raspberry). read more

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Walking in, the atmosphere was refined and softly lit. Loved the chairs which we were told by our waiter featured the faces of friends and family of the owner. Our waiter Luca was very hospitable and attentive. The drinks we started out with were the Honor and Shanghai Sour. Both were delicious and you could taste every element of flavor. The fire roasted edamame was an unexpected gem and so amazingly flavorful. Our favorite dish of the night was the miso cod which was so buttery and perfectly cooked to the point of melting in your mouth. The curry roasted cauliflower was well spiced and paired well with the roasted peanuts mixed in. The lobster fried rice had subtle notes of saffron, but wasn't our favorite dish. Would definitely go again just to was the edamame and cod! our waiter recommended the sea bass for next time. read more

Buddakan - Curried Cauliflower on the left, Miso Black Cod middle and Lobster Fried Rice to the right. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Went here for Christmas it was my first time and I would definitely come back. The ambience was amazing. Although reservations were made still had to wait a little bit for a table to be ready. The waiter was pleasant and knowledgeable of the menu. The drinks that I ordered were good and the food was delicious; really loved the crab fried rice. read more

Ordered from the vegetarian menu: Lemon Sesame Tofu, Wok Cashew Tofu, Eggplant, and Mushroom Potstickers. Eggplant and potstickers were delicious. Cashew tofu was great as well - a lot of flavor and good amount of greens. Lemon sesame tofu was underwhelming. It had 4 pieces of tofu lightly breaded with a lemon sauce. Menu stated it came with bok choy but does not. Waitress said the menu hadn't been updated. I didn't taste any sesame in there. I wouldn't order that again. Tried Szechuan Sour and Honor drinks. The sour was good. The Honor wasn't great. Nice ambiance and good service. read more

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Great go-to for downtown dining. Ambience is very club-like, even on weekdays. Food is fantastic - love the appetizers and the asian-style Ceasar salad. Service can be a little slow on the weekends, but what's the hurry? Call for a car and give yourself another hour! Savor the experience! read more