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I was impressed with the service, ambiance, and spectacular food. I didn't have a bad dish. Also dined for happy hour for food and drinks. I was just hungry for sushi but didn't see it in under updated menu. Still worth it. I mostly ordered small bites and it's affordable. I didn't try any entrees but I'm sure they're spectacular. When I visit Philly again, this will have to be my number one eatery. It's elevated casual aesthetic. Wide range of interior/exterior seating. Perfect for dates, casual, and foodies. I highly recommend sampan. Also shout out to my server for the suggestions and welcoming demeanor.
My sister recommended this pan-Asian restaurant. We made reservations for dinner and were promptly taken to our table. The restaurant serves modern Asian small plates meant for sharing. We ordered the crispy chicken bao buns, crispy shrimp, general tso soup dumplings, wagyu beef, Korean bbq beef, and hamachi ceviche. We were a group of 3 so one thing that was nice was that our waiter added 1 additional skewer/bao bun for the meals instead of ordering 2 plates of them. Out of all the food we ordered the most delicious were the meats; the wagyu and Korean bbq beef. They were so tender and lightly seasoned because the beef quality itself was good. The Wagyu beef was paired with an apricot dip that was really good. The chilli crisp chicken bao was also good but didn't have much sauce, so it was on the dry side. It was supposed to have chilli so we expected it to be spicy but it was not. We all really liked the crispy shrimp--it was truly crispy. The sauce and the radish paired really nicely with the shrimp as well. The one meal we did not enjoy were the soup dumplings. When we got them they were dripping of raw dough and had no soup in them. The waiter was kind enough to replace them but we still didn't really enjoy them. I did not try the hamachi ceviche because I'm pregnant but it was also a favorite from the group. For dessert we had the mini ice cream cones. The waiter again added an extra one for us. The flavors were chocolate banana and mango. They were good, small bites. One of them melted so quickly and fell on the table and the waiter was really kind and got us a replacement. I did use the bathroom and absolutely hated it. It was unbelievably dark in there and there were weird sounds playing in there. I went in there to make sure I didn't have food in my teeth but couldn't even see. Super inaccessible, hopefully that's something that can be changed. The service overall was clearly excellent! I would recommend this place, especially if you come for the meats. It was surprisingly filling too.
So busy on a Saturday night. We got there 15 minutes early for our reservation and had to wait to be seated for the people who were running late for their reservations. I did enough watching the food prep and seeing all the amazing dishes go by, so not a total loss . We decided on the chef tasting special. You get to pick a total of 7 dishes and given the ice cream cones with the flavors of the day. We started off with the general two soup dumplings. They were a little gummy and flavor was just fair. The pork bao bun was amazing! Crispy full of flavor and the bun was little, soft but held together. I could have eat dozen more of these they were that fabulous. The crab tacos were crispy and packed with crab meat but I felt the crab was a little watery and texture. The beef sticks were cooked perfectly and I added just a touch of hot sauce from the table and it took the flavor to another level. The duck came next and it was delicious - crispy crunchy skin with scallion and cucumbers which added another layer with the hoisin sauce and buns. The Brussels sprouts were out of this world. You have to try them to fully understand what I mean. The branzino fish was also very good. The small ice cream cones were a great touch to end the meal. The chocolate caramel flavor one was my favorite of the two. Serves was excellent - water glass was always filled. It's a shame that they have to ask for a credit card prior to ordering - guessing they have experienced too many people leaving without paying, unbelievable what people will do or try and get away with.
Went for happy hour during the summer and luckily got a table pretty quickly! This place usually has a line to get in so having the extra tables during the summer really helped. We loved that they opened up the tables outdoors on the street, very cool to see people walking by on a nice summer day. The food was so tasty! As a vegetarian, I got the tofu tacos and the edamame dumplings from their happy hour menu. I do wish they had more vegetarian options (or options that could be made vegetarian) from their happy hour menu, but the things I got were pretty tasty.
Our experience at Sampan was ok but not worth the price. The crispy shrimp, short rib dumplings and strawberry lemonade were outstanding! The char siu salmon and crab wonton tacos were good. There was a great amount of shrimp in the kimchi fried rice but the dish did not taste like kimchi. The branzino main was flavorless and the sauce was on the plate under the fish, so it didn't soak into the fish and you really had to scrape the plate to get any sauce in your bite. We did not have condiments on our table (which we felt the tuna rice cracker needed) even though other tables had little sriracha and soy sauce bottles. The waitress told us to order the kimchi fried rice with our mains so we did - but our mains came out 10 minutes after the rice and by then it was no longer warm. They require you to swipe your card before your meal, which she explained was because of dine and dashers. That was understandable but I've never been to a restaurant that does this and it sets an awkward tone. Bathrooms were dirty, however, overall ambiance was nice.
The Kim chee fried rice is always a go-to. I usually omit the poached egg and have been able to get it with a scrambled egg instead. It comes with shrimp and it is definitely filling. It's not overwhelming with Kim chee, so that could be a miss for die-hard Kim chee lovers and great for people who aren't entirely sold on Kim chee. The service is amazing! Food is quick, waiters are quick and hospitable. 10/10! The ambiance is gorgeous, dimly lit and just a vibe overall. I love the colors inside that light up on the walls. I enjoy sitting at the bar in front of the kitchen. It's an experience!
We decided to do the tasting menu where you get 7 selections. 1.We started our tasting with the crab wontons which was filled with crab but I was hoping for an Asian inspired sauce with it but it was a bit bland. 2. Cheesesteak bao buns- our second favorite of the night, it was accompanied by a pepper relish that was really good too. 3. General tso's soup dumpling- our absolute favorite. It's an explosion of flavor when you bite into the dumpling. We both loved these. 4. Salmon skewers- my husband loved , I don't love salmon. The sauce underneath was pretty good. I let him pick this course 5. Walnut shrimp - disappointing. We both expected it to be sweet since it mentions honey but it wasn't, it was boring. 6.brussel sprouts- I would have liked them cooked a tiny bit more but they had great flavor. 7. Short rib with noodles- the short rib is sooooo tender, I was so full by this course and only had a bite. Our dinner was finished with min ice cream cone with a sparkler to celebrate our anniversary.
Always a good time when visiting here. The food comes out fast, but is always fresh. The servers are always knowledgeable (especially for how much to order because you never want too much that you can't finish). It was pretty packed this evening, but they were able to accommodate our reservation earlier than planned, which was perfect. We were celebrating a friend's birthday and they gave us the mini cones with cute sparklers! A nice touch. The kimchi fried rice and the Korean bbq satay are always my favorites here. Must have those on every visit. Tried the general tso soup dumplings for the first time and they were delicious! Can't really go wrong with the options the offer here.
Sampan has been around a while and it's easy to see why. We dined early and it was already starting to fill up on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant is dimly lit and intimate without feeling cramped like some city establishments. Service was attentive and professional. The kitchen turns out the food quickly. We tried several plates and all were really tasty. Favorites include the tempura cauliflower, mushroom shumai and the edamame dumplings.
Had a reservation at 5pm on a Saturday night with my husband, no wait for our table. Attentive, professional staff. Darker mood with nice changing colors on the walls. Food was phenomenal! Everything we had was delicious, very tasty. The general tso's soup dumplings were delicious. The pork bao buns were an explosion of flavor! We also shared a Kim Chee fried rice and Korean bbq beef satay. The rice texture was perfect and so flavorful with plenty of shrimp as well. For dessert we had the mini ice cream cones chocolate pecan and vanilla guava!!! I could have eaten 10! Definitely going back, excited to try other dishes!!!
This place is one of the more popular restaurants in the Center City area. It is always busy and crowded here no matter when you visit. I came here for happy hour and had a short wait to sit at the bar. The inside has these great designs which light up during your stay. It seems like a fun trendy place to visit and bring clients over. There is an open kitchen where you can watch the cooks make the food which is great to see. They are constantly making high class meals and bringing them out as fast as possible. The waitress was very friendly and guided me through the happy hour menu. I decided to order the Kimchi Fried Rice, Kobe Sliders, and the Thai Punch. These items are listed as sides on the menu but there is a decent amount of food. I was filled with the Kobe Sliders alone. The sliders were the highlight of the meal. They were delicious and packed with wonderful flavor. I would love to eat these every day if I could. The Thai Punch was delicious and washed down the meal. I had a great time here and would highly recommend it to anyone for a great meal at any time of day.
Food: The Kobe beef was delicious, well balanced and perfectly cooked. The tuna was my favorite though, wonderful texture and flavor, slightly spicy but not too much. The Kim chee rice wasn't very good unfortunately. It lacked depth, umami, complexity and the heat was overpowering. Service: excellent, my waitress was attentive but not excessively. She paced everything perfectly! Ambiance: really cool and chic. It was a little loud but I was dining solo so I put in my headphones and that was perfect. The pricing was fairly reasonable and overall I enjoyed it. I'd visit again :)
We came for happy hour and the food here was amazing! We tried a lot of different things and liked a lot of the items. For small dishes, we got the edamame dumplings and the dan dan dumplings. The presentation of the edamame dumplings was very pretty and we enjoyed this dish. The dan dan dumplings were on the spicy side and were just ok. I would just get the edamame ones and skip the dan dan one next time. We got a lot of the bun and wrap items. Of the items we tried, we really liked the pork bao, pork banh mi, and the kobe sliders. The pork bao was the favorite and I also really liked the pork banh mi. We also tried the kobe hot dog and crispy chicken bao - those were both not very flavorful and I'd skip those items. We also had the korean bbq beef satay. Each order is one skewer. This was very good. For the crispy items, we ordered the kung pao chicken wings but the kitchen missed it and we were so full that we just cancelled them. They look delicious though and I'd want to get them next time. For sides, I got the crispy brussels sprout. They were ok but the flavors just didn't go well together for me and I'd probably skip this next time. For drinks, we tried the ming mule and thai punch. Both were good. We went on a Monday and it was still very busy and a long wait for a table. I recommend making a reservation (if you can) when you want to come out here. Service is great and our server was spot on with recommendations - the items he recommended were good and the items we ordered without his recommendations are the items I'd pass on.
9 years ago
I came here few weeks ago for happy hour. My companion and I both got out on the earlier side and were able to obtain some bar real estate as a result of our earliness. The early bird gets the worm, as they say. The happy hour deals are legit AF. $4 gets you house wine, beer, or a "signature cocktail". The signature cocktail on the evening of our patronization was some shit with gin and lime and some other stuff. There wasn't really much of a need to pay attention after "$4". I'm not the biggest fan of gin but who am I to turn down a $4 cocktail. Should I say $4 again? The first round arrives, and then the second round arrives. I will say this though, the bartender was fun and nice but it took a bit of effort to get his attention. I will hold our corner location partially to blame. He told us to throw something at him if we need to get his attention. I suggested a glass and he approved. Deal. $4 says I would've been kicked out for that tho. After a few rounds of the "signature cocktail", I decided to switch it up and give that beer a try. It was alright, nothing special. Can't argue with the price though. Ended up ordering food as well (let's be real). I got like some vegetarian tacos like tofu tacos or some shit, considered getting the edamame which I heard are bomb here but they were advertising something in the onion family being an important component so I passed. My hh accomplice got something with steak or another animal. DUMPLINGS! That's what it was. As it turns out, the tofu tacos were pretty heavy on the onion flavor also. I tried to brush those disgusting shavings off but was still overwhelmed by their flavor. Despite this, the tacos were actually really good. Would've been better without the onion element. the taco shell was like some fried shit or something and it was DELICIOUS. One of the best parts about this place is that in the bathroom they play like dialogue from movies. Interesting. I'll come back for more happy hour or regular dinner food action bc it's popular and I'm basic and I liked the sample I got so far. read more
I wish I could give this place 4.5 stars! The food was actually good asian fusion, very unique combinations and flavors that actually go well together! I'm not a fan of asian fusion, but this is probably the best asian fusion place I've been to. They clearly put thought into each dish instead of just throwing together famous flavors together. Only thing is that portions are quite small and I think it's hard to get full here, but maybe satisfied. Satay Korean BBQ: SO GOOD, my favorite dish here! Comes with two pieces and some kimchi on top, but the meat was so juicy and the flavors meshed so well. Crispy Brussels sprouts: second place dish, I really like the sauce and how crunchy the veggies are. Edamame dumplings: very interesting dish, it's just dumpling filled with edamame mushed up. It's not bad and definitely unique and worth trying, but not my favorite. General tsaos soup dumpling: soup was good, actually tastes a little like general tsaos sauce (tangy and savory) but in a good way. I still prefer classic soup dumplings though. The peel part was ok, it was kind of sticky and stuck to the other dumplings so that they broke when you tried to pull it apart. Beef chow mien: pretty good, a little sour and the noodles were a hit or miss on the chewiness but still a good dish! Pork potstickers: also a good dish, had kimchi ontop, not super memorable Just a note, it has a very dark ambiance and allows for candle lit dinners, haha. They're very nice though, most things are 2 or 4 pieces, but they happily added 2 extra pieces for sharing because we had 6 people. Overall, great restaurant and I'd be down to come back. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Great food and great service! Highly recommend having a reservation. Important note: if you sit inside in the dining room, you aren't able to have any of the happy hour specials so if that's your plan, I recommend trying to get their a littler earlier to find a spot at an outside table or insides at the bar. The drinks were great and the server made great suggestions! read more
7 years ago
Easily the best Asian fusion style restaurant i have ever been to. The server made the best suggestions, and we ordered perfectly to our hunger's desires. I was afraid we'd order to little, but the "Kim Chee" Fried Rice was plentiful and delicious. And that says a lot coming from someone that doesn't like Kimchi. The beef was a tad bit dry, but definitely still good. We also had the cheese steak pot stickers that were a great start to dinner! The environment was is perfect for a date night. It's a little noisy but just low enough to be to have a conversation. I'd definitely bring a lady here to woo her. Haha. At the end of our meal the server threw in 6 of the most adorable little ice cream cones with their house-made chocolate and strawberry ice cream. It was the PERFECT palate cleanser. Love this place. Can't wait to come back next time i visit! read more
Happy hour 4-7, everyday. Graffiti bar, sampan and double knot share a kitchen so they basically have the same menu, at least for happy hour. Keep reading because it gets better. Sampan is ALWAYS packed for HH. My friend and I were lucky enough to walk in as two seats at the chef's table opened up. The open kitchen was a neat view because we saw everything made right in front of us! My friend ordered a ming mule and we shared chicken bao buns, the Vietnamese chicken satay, edamame dumplings, the Kung pao chicken wings, and the vegetarian fried rice ( secret HH item cause it's not on the menu). My favorite items are the edamame dumplings and the fried rice. The wings were average but best bang for your buck because you get about 7 wings per order. Towards the end of our meal, I laid eyes on mini ice cream cones being made for someone else. So naturally, I got one of each flavor: Vanilla latte and Nutella. Final price with tax for 1 drink + 5 plates + 2 mini ice cream cones = $33. See, I told you it gets better. read more
7 years ago
Visited Sampan for dinner Saturday night and I am still thinking about the pork bao buns. This is a must try if looking for pan-Asian food in center city, and their happy hour is fantastic if you are sitting in the bar area. It's also small plates/tapas style, which is my preferred serving method because I can never make up my mind. Weekend nights are typically crowded and I recommend making a reservation before visiting. The restaurant has a loungey feel with a buzzing atmosphere. The service is always very speedy and we were impressed with our last server's knowledge of the cocktail menu! We started off with some drinks (shocking) and had asked the server if any of the cocktails were spicy because we are huge spice people. She recommended the Kantoi Road, which was made with tequila and charred chili peppers - wow this drink was fantastic and my new fav! If you are a fan of spicy margs this drink is for you. The friend I was with ordered an Emperors Garden, which had aloe and cucumber in it, and was very refreshing. I don't have any pictures of the food we ordered because I was hangry (phones don't always eat first). We started off with the pork bao buns, Korean bbq beef satay, and the Brussels sprouts. As I previously mentioned, I am still thinking about the bao buns because they were THAT good. The bbq beef was flavorful and the Brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly + I loved the chili sauce they were in. Next we ordered cheesesteak bao, Szechuan chicken stir-fry, and kimchee fried rice. I'd recommend the pork bao buns over the cheesesteak ones. My other favorite item of the night was the kimchee fried rice - it was yummy and you get a nice size portion for the price. We are repeat diners at Sampan and can't wait to be back to try more dishes! read more
6 years ago
Went to Sampan over the weekend, we were a party of three. Made a reservation and they had a ton of outdoor seating and were abiding by all COVID restrictions, which was great. Dana was our server and she was attentive and happy to make suggestions, all of which were awesome. We were there for happy hour and I'd highly recommend going for happy hour in order to try some of everything. We had spicy tuna roll (4/5- tasted very fresh), the pork bao (4.5/5- definitely recommend!), kimchi fried rice (4/5, the rice was good but it also had shrimp, and I thought the shrimp was fairly flavorless), short rib stay (5/5, our server recommended it and it did not disappoint!!), the chicken wings (4.5/5- definitely recommend!), and the pork potstickers (4/5, very good but I personally didn't think they exceeded expectations for a pork potsticker). Overall, would highly recommend a stop here!! read more
3 years ago
This place is definitely overrated. First off they tried to include too many of the southeast Asian cuisines into one menu. Secondly, they couldn't even spell Peking duck correctly. Honestly I don't know why this has got SOO many good ratings. Maybe people don't know any better? Service was great, friendly, fast. Ambience was amazing. It was romantic, the wall decor was on point. It really was a cool place to come eat, but the food did not live up to the ratings and hype. We ordered several dishes to share. Portions were abysmal. They said it'd be enough to share but not really. Especially at a table with hungry people. The Korean BBQ came out in 2 skewers with a couple pieces of meat, could fit them both in 2 mouthfuls. Also got the Peking duck which was a whopping $21. Enough for maybe 1.5 people. In an authentic Asian restaurant. It would've been the whole to half a duck plus it'd be less than $15 easy. Just shocking how some places will take advantage of the ignorant. Food was over priced which means drinks were just insane. Flavors were too overly exaggerated from the sweet and salty standpoint. Korean BBQ doesn't have to be that sweet nor should it. If you want more authentic flavors and better prices, I suggest going to the Asian part of town. Don't pay for subpar food. Unless you really like this set up and location, go for it! Happy eating. read more
7 years ago
Finally got to do happy hour here because I wanted to try lotsss of the things they had, and happy hour gives a good selection. Philly cheesesteak bao buns - not on the happy hour menu but soooooo worth it. The dip that it came with was awesome Edamame dumpling- good but the broth was not that flavorful Chicken bao bun- chicken was good, but dish itself lacked in the ratio of filling to sauce to bun Tofu tacos- good, on the sweet side, may not be to everyone's liking Chicken soup dumplings - yummy Kimchi fried rice- lacked flavor, good portion size for a side. But again it's a side so I could overlook its blandness which was fixed by adding hot sauce Mushroom lo mein- tasty, bit on oily side Brussels sprouts - an obvious popular dish here considering how many were getting pushed out of the kitchen. The fish oil elevated the fried Brussels sprouts, pretty good. Icecream cones flight- yummmmy read more
7 years ago
2.5 stars for food, 1 star for service. The service is among the worst I have ever received - very cold, slow, inattentive. Also, the seating is way too tight... you will be seated shoulder to shoulder with other parties while there are empty tables throughout. Food: CRISPY ROCK SHRIMP - tasty, good portion size, small shrimp size, lacking in crispiness HONEY GLAZED CHAR SIU PORK - extremely fatty version of the classic char siu pork you can get in Chinatown for a fraction of the price - unnaturally chewy - do not recommend LOBSTER CHOW FUN - tasty, large portion, light flavor, minimal lobster CRISPY BRUSSEL SPROUT - this dish is absolutely offensive... the fish sauce was SO FOUL - extremely potent and extra sour - I know this is not normal as fish sauce is a normal part of my ethnic cuisine I would not recommend this restaurant... go to any other Asian restaurant in Philly, for decent prices, quality Asian food, and better service! read more
5 years ago
Sampan is one of my absolute favorite places from the plethora of restaurants on 13th Street. The fact that it also has Graffiti Bar attached to it is a plus. The food never disappoints and is so consistently amazing on top of very attentive staff. I would recommend the happy hour if you're able to catch it. Definitely a hot spot for dates, catch ups, and everything in between! read more
Went in for Happy Hour, which is 4-7pm everyday. Ordered a few small plates along with their Specialty Cocktails. The food was absolutely amazing and well portioned. From the small plates, we had the Kobe Sliders, Crab Rangoon, Crispy Brussels Sprout, Pork Bao, and Korean BBQ Beef Satay. The highlights of the meal were Crab Rangoon and Crispy Brussels Sprout- both were well-seasoned and packed with flavors. Definitely one of my favorite Happy Hour places in Center City. read more
6 years ago
Let's start with the negatives- We had a reservation for 7:45 and got there exactly then. (We made the reservation 5 days prior for the individual covid friendly covered patio seats). The hostess said they were running behind on reservations and we would have to wait 15-20 minutes- for a reservation we made in such advance. We got seated 35 minutes later than our reservation was for, at the worst table in the joint. Mind you, it was RAINING and our table was not even slightly covered. We then asked to be seated at the place we requested on the reservation and they said it would be another half hour. After seeing a table get up and leave from the patio, I went back to the hostess and explained how we waited 30+minutes to sit in the rain- she finally moved us. The three female hostesses were not accommodating and not friendly at ALL The server we had was Kathy- she was super enthusiastic and friendly. However, we asked multiple times for things such as menus and napkins. It was definitely busy, so we understood the waiting times.We did wait a while for drinks, too, but that isn't her fault. Positives- The covid friendly patio huts are super secluded, warm, and safe. I would 100% recommend sitting here if you are going to Sampan. Ambience was great, here. The food came quickly and was super tasty. I ordered the shrimp pad Thai for main meal, which is categorized under the "sides". The bowl was so big that I could barely finish half of it! Definitely go for it for your entree and not as a side :) We also ordered the AMAZING crispy Brussels, rock shrimp (which is better at other places) and crispy duck (which comes with steamed bao buns) the drinks were really refreshing and strong. I would definitely go back to this restaurant - but wouldn't RUSH back. There are other places in Philly I would want to try before returning. read more
7 years ago
LOVE this place for food and drinks! Came on a Saturday night and got a seat at the bar! Wait times weren't too long if you did want to wait for a table, I have seen it a lot more busier at times so it all depends! I've heard their Happy Hour is pretty awesome so I'll definitely be coming back as they have happy hour every day! Ambience is pretty chill inside with nice lit wall decorations. Seating area to both the right and left sides, with the bar in the middle right when you walk in. Towards the back, there's an open kitchen area where you can sit at that counter and watch they make the food. Right next door is the sister bar Graffiti Bar that you walk through an alley to get to this bar.. but it's always been crowded every time I've wanted to just grab a drink, but cool spot none the less! Drinks Got some pretty cool unique drinks. One in particular that I didn't try were the Scorpion Bowls that's basically a fishbowl size of alcohol! Drink if you're there to get drunk hehe. They've got some good cocktails for everyone, whiskeys, bourbons, mules, wines etc whatever you like. Food The best part!!! Everything I've tried so far is amazing! Because they're a little more upscale, expect to pay a bit more... but if you're with a group, it's so fun to share and try a bit of everything! They have a chef tasting menu that's $45/person and gets you to try a bit of everything! Here's what I had that night: For the Satay, portions are 2 each order Vietnamese Chicken Satay - so good! Wagyu Beef Satay - melt in your mouth goodness! Swordfish Satay - flavors on point! Kung Pao Chicken Wings - huge and meaty, flavor on point, nice and crispy too.. huge portion for an appetizer Crab Wonton - You get 3! These were good, but they had cilantro on top and I'm not a cilantro fan (I'm one of those weirdos where Cilantro tastes like soap haha) but what I did have, it was yummy! Crispy Brussel Sprouts - I needed a veggie haha... but these were crispy and flavored nicely! It was sweet, spicy and a little salty, but I liked it! read more
4 years ago
So tasty! I tried the chef's tasting menu and so glad i did. Everything in the menu was amazing. Our server was great as well! My faves were the kimche fried rice and crispy tuna read more
My goodness gracious Best happy hour deal I've ever seen and tasted. Let me tell you about taste. This place tastes so friggen good. I got the edamame dumplings (almost fell outta my chair from delight and taste bud shock). Delicate, warm, beautiful, fresh...fuuuuuhhhh I also ordered the tofu tacos that didn't even taste like tofu meaning it tasted really really good. Light, crispy bites. Lastly I ordered a "side" of Kim chee shrimp fried rice w egg on top....this came out like a full dish not a side ! Pleasantly surprised. It tasted like heaven. The rice was perfect- a little creamy, a little crispy- great balance. Thank you !!! I will be back here next time I'm in town read more
1 year ago
Went here with two friends for happy hour (which is 4-7pm everyday). It was busy when we arrived so we waited about 10 minutes for a table. We started off with the cocktail of the day, and then ordered kimchi fried rice, brussel sprouts, edamame dumplings, crab rangoon, and Korean BBQ beef satay. My favorite out of what we ordered was the Koresn BBQ beef satay, tender and full of flavor. I also really enjoyed the crispy brussel sprouts. To be completely, I thought the kimchi fried rice was average and would not order it again, but then again I am Korean and therefore am particular about my kimchi fried rice. It was still a nice carby dish to go with the other dishes we ordered. Based on other reviews, I thought the edamame dumplings would be really good. They had an interesting flavor, but I was underwhelmed. If I ordered dumplings again I would order something else. The crab rangoon was good, I would order it again. Service was really nice and made sure our water cups were filled. Overall, I would go here again during happy hour for Asian fusion but would probably try different dishes. read more
4 years ago
Service was great we came in for happy hour but ended up sitting at a table, we had Caitlin A as our server she was amazing for our first time, she gave us information on the menu and how everything would come out. Food came out quickly and we were able to enjoy dinner instead of doing a quick happy hour. The drinks were amazing, definitely recommend the espresso martinis that's what I had and it was amazing, not creamy more on the strong side. Definitely recommend trying a little bit of everything for the table, the vibe was amazing too, dark setting for a nice dinner. Can't wait to be back! read more
4 years ago
So good and such cool vibes! I was traveling alone on a business trip, and a friend said this was his #1 reco and it did not disappoint! I sat at the bar (lucky me - it turned out to be Happy Hour!) and got an old-fashioned, the crab rangoon, and the pork bao buns. All were DELICIOUS. I was told to get the edamame, but I was full. Planning another trip in a few months and will definitely be coming back! read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
To celebrate the end of 2017, I joined a group of 15 friends at Sampan for a four course New Years Eve family style prefix dinner. As a large party I was anxious to see how the family style and seat would work out. We were seated at a long table in the back of the restaurant with plenty of room. The family style dining worked out perfectly, we ended up leaving with plenty of leftovers. Course one consisted of Edamame Dumplings, Tune Rice Crackers and a Green Papaya Salad. Each was delicious, but my favorite of the course was the dumplings, the edamame filling was perfectly unique. The second course consisted of Korean BBq Beef Satay, Prok & Shrimp Spring Rolls and a Pork Bao Bun. I could have eaten the Buns from the Pork Bao all night and would have been happy. For the third course we had the Chicken Stir-Fry, I found this dish too spicy, Beef Short Rib, Roasted Scallops, Kim Chee Fried Rice and Crispy Brussel Sprouts. The Sprouts were a huge hit among the table. The Scallops were amazing and huge and the beef short rib was perfect, you could cut it with a chop stick! We finished the meal with homemade soft serve ice cream, I would come back again just for the unique flavors- chocolate orange and blueberry lemon vanilla. The manager was great, he welcomed us as soon as we were seated, checked in on as a few times throughout the meal and even handed out cookies at the end of our feast. Sampan is totally somewhere I want to check out in 2018! read more
4 years ago
Came here on a Saturday night without a reservation, the wait was about an hour but they make it easy by sending you a text when your table is ready. It's definitely a popular spot with trendy Asian fusion vibes. The interior is dimly light with a young crowd. We ended up sitting outside which is decidedly less scenic. We started by trying a few of their cocktails. I got the Dragon's Flute which had Rum, Dragonfruit, Vanilla, and Bubbles. It was very sweet and not too alcoholic, but I enjoyed it. For food, I would recommend sharing as there are many interesting courses and they tend to come in easily split portions. We tried the tuna rice crackers, edamame dumplings, crab wonton tacos, and lobster chow fun. They were all interesting but I don't know if any were true standouts. As well, the lobster in the chow fun only was left in the claws which made it a messy and difficult process to extract tiny pieces of lobster meat. However, service was good throughout the meal and the courses came at a good pace. Overall, I think this is a fun place to go with a group of friends if you're looking for upbeat and trendy atmosphere. I enjoyed the drinks and the service was excellent. read more
This was a fun Saturday night dinner! The interior has a trendy dim-lit environment and is popping with people. We ordered the tasting menu, where you actually select a bunch of different dishes to try from different categories and they curate it to the amount of people in your party. It was surprisingly much more filling than I anticipated! We also ordered cocktails, which looked a bit on the smaller side (maybe the glasses were just tinier than I'm used to) but delicious nonetheless. The food comes out as it's ready which meant our first four dishes came out extremely quickly and our last three took much longer to come out. Truly not a big problem, just surprised at the sudden change in pace. Still, they came out hot and yummy! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Amazing!! Chef kisses! We got the shared meal for 2 and throughly enjoyed it! This is a must try!! read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
My first time at Sampan in probably almost ten years and it was better than I remembered!! I came with a friend and we decided to just order a few dishes at a time and see how we feel and just order a la carte. So we started with the pork bao buns, Brussels sprouts, ceviche and genera tso soup dumplings. 1) Brussels sprouts was a large portion for being a side dish. We couldn't finish them so I ended up taking them home and ate them for lunch the following day! 2) pork bao buns were amazing. Loved them. Definitely get an order of bao buns. Greatly flavor and great consistency of the bun itself 3) general tso soup dumplings were my favorite. Loveeeeeddd them. When they arrived the waiter told us to poke a hole in each of them because we needed to ensure that they cool down. They could have had more "soup" in them. 4) ceviche was really good. Normally comes with 3 but we got 4 so each of us could have 2. Very good flavor and the soy sauce that the tuna lies in is strong so there was just enough at the bottom of the spoon. Next up we got the beef satay and the shrimp pad Thai. 5) bbq beef Satay was very good and the bbq sauce was incredible. Just came right off the tooth picks. Perfectly cooked. 6) shrimp pad Thai definitely had a kick to it. Also a large portion for being a side dish. Also took this home. This was the least impressive dish on the menu which was surprising as it's definitely one of the most commonly ordered items. read more
More info about Sampan
124 S 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Avenue of the Arts South
Directions
(215) 732-3501
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https://www.sampanphilly.com/?utm_source=yelp&utm_medium=cpc
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Ask the Community - Sampan
Are the prices on the menu per person? or is that the price for your group?
The menu is priced per plate. The restaurant encourages sharing of the majority of the plates, especially the smaller plates and sides. Similar to a tapas style dining. They generally offer a chef's tasting menu as well, which I believe is priced…
Does anyone know if there is meat in their XO sauce? I know most XO sauces are seafood based but some also include cured ham. I'm pescatarian and want to know if I can eat their XO sauce. Thanks!
Im trying to get my daughter to explore more foods. Is this a kid friendly place, Like 9 years old kid?
There's table seating, but the atmosphere, in my opinion, is more of a classy bar. The food is delicious and has a complexity of flavors. Hope that helps
Is happy hour throughout the restaurant from 4-7 PM or just the bar area?
Just he bar - which is quite small. You can also get it at the bar around the kitchen, but make sure you ask the hostess for one of those seats, as they're not first come first served. HH there is great, if you can get a seat!
Do you have thai iced tea?
No, but I did have the lemonade, it was good, I think it was made from scratch
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Sampan - asianfusion - Updated August 2026
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