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Din Tai Fung San Diego Reviews
This is my favorite restaurant to go to but lately they
This is my favorite restaurant to go to but lately they haven't been doing as amazing. The portions are smaller for the bbq ribs and the food hasn't been the same as when I first started going. Also they are now charging a reservation cancellation fee. I got charged and went to the reservation and the lady said I wouldn't get charged so that's very inconvenient. I am going to try to contact the restaurant again and see if they fix the issue.
The pork xiao long bao are the best.
Also love the garlic green beans and brazed beef soup. If you don't have a reservation be prepared for a LONG wait. At least the one at UTC has a lot of shopping opportunities. Once you are seated you will always be served by energetic, happy employees.
Loved their vegetarian options.
We had noodles with spicy sauce, vegan dumplings, green beans, shrimp potstickers, cucumber salad, and Thai teas. All was great and we will be back.
Always Delicious food, great service, beautiful place.
I have become a regular and plan to continue
Amazing food.
Great servers and always consistent. Just plan way ahead for reservations.
Dining at Din Tai Fung was an absolutely delightful
Dining at Din Tai Fung was an absolutely delightful experience! The food was delicious and truly lived up to the hype. Each dish was expertly prepared and bursting with flavor. The service was impeccable, and the staff ensured we had a memorable meal. If you're looking for a place that delivers on its reputation, Din Tai Fung is the spot. We can't wait to return!
It was my first time ever trying dumplings and this place
It was my first time ever trying dumplings and this place did not disappoint. Everything we got on the menu was delicious and the service was great! You must try the lychee Martini. Great ambiance, only "negative" thing to say was the restaurant was really warm so I had to keep a menu to fan myself. I would revisit this place!
It is always a good time.
The food is delicious and there are plenty to pick from. The space allows for a lot of natural light which creates an outdoors feel.
Man, oh man, oh man! Best sweet and sour pork ribs! Tender,
Man, oh man, oh man! Best sweet and sour pork ribs! Tender, charred just right, and served with a savory sweet perfectly spiced sauce! Save the sauce plate for the rest of your meal. We even ordered ribs to go! And the dumplings live up to their exquisite reputation! The cucumber salad is a good start; also the seaweed and mushroom salad. What a nice experience! Servers are very nice and spot-on. The location at UTC Mall is up the stairs or escalator from Valet parking on LJ Village Drive. We came for lunch and only had to wait about 5 minutes. With a girlfriend at an Irvine location, we had a 30 minute wait which meant shopping at nearby stores.
It is always a good experience whenever I go to Din Tai
It is always a good experience whenever I go to Din Tai Fung. This time I went with my team and they provided us private dining room and excellent service. Food is always top and consistent with the taste. Everyone from my team loved the food, some of them even came first time and they were very happy and wanted to come again. Thank you Din Tai Fung for again creating this experience.
The best restaurant ever!
Din Tai Fung is my very favorite restaurant. All of the food that they have there is just amazing, like the cabbage, the ribs, and of course their famous xiao long bao. I would recommend eating here anytime of the year, anytime of the day, and anytime you want some amazing food!
Bad, tourist trap
Decor and service was great, but the food was not. Overpriced, tiny portions, does not taste that great. Soup dumpling had no flavor and were tiny. I do not recommend this place at all. My family were disappointed by how bad this place was. I rather have bad decor, but great tasting and large portions than this abomination.
Taiwanese acquired taste
Excited to try this place craving dim sum so were giving it a try waitwr suggested shrimp/kurobuta pot stickers are flavorful, Vegan dumpling taste like herbal paste, noodles with peanut sauce is just ok panag is better 😉 green beans is good! Fried rice lacks flavor its fresh, with tiny diced mushroom & green onion no flavor just added chili & soy sauce first time trying taiwanese food- prefer traditional chinese
Love Din Tai Fung!
We visited here as a family and were so impressed by the attentive service and the flawless food. Everything was delicious, well seasoned, and tasted fresh. Will definitely come back and recommend to friends!
It's hard to go wrong here.
It's a popular and well-established chain for a reason. This location in particular is quite busy with reservations usually booked out at least a few weeks. They accept walk-ins, but the wait can get pretty long. But it's nice that it's in a mall so you have a lot of options to check out while you're waiting. It's also first come first serve in their small bar as well. The food is always consistently delicious with our favorites being the shrimp spicy wontons, pork XLB, green beans, pork chop fried rice and their chocolate XLB for dessert. Service is always good, but shoutout to my favorite guy there Ho. He just has such a genuine kindness, is so welcoming, and despite always being busy, he checks in frequently and at the right times. The location is at UTC mall so parking is easy and free for the first two hours. :)
Din Tai Fung has very delicious food.
When eating in, I cannot recommend more the xiao long bao, the green beans, and the cucumber salad. The service is very good, very patient and very personable. It fits in with the vibe of UTC, which is mostly wealthy and slow. I can't give 5 stars because it is overpriced, even though it might be the best dim sum I've ever had. I also can't give 5 stars because the food is not good when it's takeout. I've eaten here ~3-4 times in and it's always been excellent, and I've eaten takeout even more often and it's subpar. If doing takeout, choose a different dim sum place. When taken out, the xiao long bao loses it's texture and flavor, and I've even had undercooked noodles fused together.
Best dim sum ever.
Everything on this menu is delicious. Only problem is having to wait for a table, otherwise I am always down for DTF.
Would order mochi chocolate Plus salted sweet cream, pork
Would order mochi chocolate Plus salted sweet cream, pork long bao x2 . All i need 4 a to go order next time. Yummmm! Exceptional, melt in your mouth deliciousness.
Food is amazing.
Service is great. Ambiance is great too. All waiters are very friendly and perfection . Everything is great from this restaurant. Never disappoints.
Serving delicious food - dumplings of many varieties with
Serving delicious food - dumplings of many varieties with many sauces! Everything is freshly made & cooked to perfection. The wait staff is friendly and competent. Reservations are a necessity as it is very popular or grab some to go!
My friends and I loved this place.
Will go again in the future. Ambiance is good. Servers are professional and friendly . We also love the food.
Great service, excellent food! Everything is made to order.
Love this Taiwanese restaurant!
It is worth the wait! Amazing service.
The flavors of the foods are incredible. Highly recommend everything on their menu. The chili sauce is SOOOO YUMMMY! 10 stars!
You should try to make a reservation, we went on a Saturday
You should try to make a reservation, we went on a Saturday afternoon and the waitlist was 2.5 hours long. We decided to wait it out as we had some shopping to do. The ambiance is very busy, very crowded, and there are so many workers delivering food, bussing tables, and waiters attending to your needs. I don't like the amount of lines we have to get into to get into the restaurant. Line to get added to the waitlist, line to check in after you have been buzzed, line to wait to be seated. And there are always a ton of people waiting in line. The food was elevated Asian. We ordered: - cucumber salad: 6/10, I feel the cucumber was not as fermented as I would of preferred. I find that the cucumber served as most Korean bbq places is better. - garlic string green beans 9/10, these were my favorite. Perfectly seasoned and crisp - spicy vegan wontons, these were delicious 9/10. I'm not sure what the filling is but it was tasty. However, the sauce though is the star of the dish. -pork buns, unfortunately these were not my favorite, 4/10, the buns were dry and the filling was a weird texture and lacked flavor. - shrimp fried rice, 7/10, perfectly seasoned, nice balance of egg, but I wish it had more shrimp. Seems like the shrimp are added at the end and placed on top of the rice, it's not mixed in like traditional fried rice. To drink we ordered the Pear and lychee martini which was not strong when compared to other martinis. I really enjoyed this drink. Overall I would go back and try other wontons and noddles, but will make a reservation.
Very good food but it needs a little time to make .
I rated Din Tai Fung 5 out of 5! The food was very yummy and tasty 😋 and the drinks were also very delicious too! Din Tai Fung is one of the best Chinese restaurants! I recommend you go there , especially if you like Chinese food . The food just always needs some time to make. My experience was very good 😊
Not Good For Business Meetings
Do not make a business lunch reservation here!! They will NOT seat you unless your entire party is present, extremely inconvenient for meeting clients. Also they only have one long line to get checked in, regardless if you have a reservation or not.
Great family outing and meal
We visited DTF today for lunch. I’ve been to Shanghai location so this was second location in the chain. Service and attention to details was outstanding. We were seated immediately ( with reservation…highly recommended). Summarized kings excellent. Crispy pot stickers great. Everything we ate worth doing again including red bean sweets and chocolate buns. Highly recommend Din Tai Fung!
The best traditional Chinese food with international standard
I have visited many Din Tai Fung Restaurant in different place like Singapore, Jakarta Indonesia, Los Angeles & San Diego. The food has a good standard level everywhere and the most favorite menu is Xiao Long Bao (Steam Dumpling) and Pork Chop fried rice. During the weekend this restaurant is very busy, it takes me 2 hour for waiting list but it’s worth it enough to wait
Yum! Must stop!
Great food but probably a long wait! We waited 1 hour. The food is delicious though. Enjoyed the Xiao long bao! So good and juicy!
A unique variation on the average Asian dining experience
We ordered a variety of items from the menu including several variations of won tons, fried rice, shrimp noodles, book Chou, green beans and beef ribs which were by far my favorite. This is a large restaurant and it took awhile for all our food to come, we enjoyed visiting while we waited. Our waitress was very attentive and pleasant. The atmosphere was clean and inviting although a bit on the noisy side. Overall more than satisfied with the entire experience.
Overpriced
Just like DTFs at other locations, this place is packed and requires a long wait, so try to reserve online in advance if you can. Food is good, but overpriced and overrated. There are other venues in this town that serve better Chinese food and charge less.
OMG, don't read this review. Just go and enjoy.
OMG, The food, the staff, the viewing area. We dined and experienced new things for 2 hours. Our waiter was fantastic and explained the right way to enjoy their fantastic menu. He made recommendation on food we have never tried before, and man is their food awesome. Try the Ribs for an appetizer. Order the Xiao Long Bao, which was recommended. This is simply fantastic! The chicken Wonton was great, the Shanghai Rice Cakes with Chicken was aromatic and simply one of the best Asian dishes I have ever had outside of Asia. In short, don't walk, run, grab a table, take some time and try everything. We have business in La Jolla often, so we will defiantly be back.
Din Tai Fung is amazing! From the fried rice to the
Din Tai Fung is amazing! From the fried rice to the dumplings and then the desert, it doesn't get better then that. Will always come back
worth the hype!!! so many vegan options to choose from and
worth the hype!!! so many vegan options to choose from and flavors are wonderful!! Line was quick, food came fast and one after another. Wonderful service and food!
As a fervent foodie and self-proclaimed dumpling devotee, I
As a fervent foodie and self-proclaimed dumpling devotee, I couldn't resist the siren call of Din Tai Fung in San Diego. Renowned for their legendary xiao long bao (soup dumplings), this Taiwanese culinary hotspot had me drooling with anticipation.Upon entering the bustling restaurant, I was greeted by the mesmerizing sight of their open kitchen, where nimble-fingered chefs meticulously folded each delicate dumpling with surgical precision. It was a tantalizing preview of the culinary adventure that awaited me.After much deliberation and suppressed hunger pangs, I ordered a steaming basket of their signature pork xiao long bao. The first bite was nothing short of magical. With a gentle poke of my chopsticks, the delicate skin burst, releasing a flavorful broth that played a symphony on my taste buds. The savory pork filling was perfectly seasoned, and the silky-smooth texture of the dumpling wrapper was truly a testament to the chefs' craftsmanship.But why stop at soup dumplings? My culinary escapade continued with an order of shrimp and pork shao mai, which were equally delightful. The harmonious blend of succulent shrimp and tender pork encased in a pleated wrapper was a match made in foodie heaven. I also sampled their sautéed string beans with garlic, which offered a refreshing and flavorful respite from my dumpling indulgence.Service at Din Tai Fung was prompt and attentive, with our server expertly guiding us through the menu and offering helpful suggestions. It was clear that they took pride in their work and wanted to ensure a memorable dining experience.In conclusion, my visit to Din Tai Fung San Diego was a "soup-erb" encounter that left me thoroughly impressed and yearning for more. If you're seeking a culinary adventure filled with scrumptious dumplings, an inviting atmosphere, and top-notch service, this is a must-visit destination. Just be prepared for the inevitable food coma that follows!
The only great chain food! Get the cucumbers, green beans,
The only great chain food! Get the cucumbers, green beans, and dumplings! Be sure to make reservations in advance.
Very much worth the hype! Service was amazing the whole
Very much worth the hype! Service was amazing the whole team at the restaurant greets as you walk to your table and staff is very friendly. The food was amazing and great portions for sharing! I enjoyed the cucumber salad and garlic string beans very much! We will definitely be back for more
Delicately cooked and very tasty food all around.
* cucumber, A, very tasty and highly recommended * soup dumpling, B + could be better. Meat inside was not the best as my opinion. Not bad. * pork bun - pretty good. A- Could be better * fried rice (chicken) , A-. Pretty good. * chocolate dumpling, A+. Die for !
went there with my family, and we loved it!! you must try
went there with my family, and we loved it!! you must try their xiao long bao, the are to die for! and the wontons, yummm
After all these years, still enjoy the food at this
After all these years, still enjoy the food at this location. For all you foodies, this is the best in San Diego for this style of food...BUT it doesn't come close to how amazing it is in Beijing or Taiwan. Just wanted to clarify. Even the vinegar is aged and delicious in Asia but for some weird reason it's not offered here in California. My all time fave is their spicy shrimp wonton. Sauce is so good that I usually order a side of noodles to mix in. Soup dumplings are a must! Pork is good but pork with shrimp is better. If you like fried rice, try it with a pork chop on top. Fried rice itself is a bit bland but the pork chop makes up for it. Hot & sour soup leaves something to be desired, as do their vegetables. I'd stick to what they're known for, more soup dumplings, rather than waste money on soup or vegetables. Kurobuta pork sticky rice wrap shouldn't be missed. I could actually forgo everything else and just eat two of these. Delicious and filling.
There is great service, everyone is welcoming and kind.
The food is great and fresh. We will definitely be coming back.
Date: 5/22/2022Went to Din Tai Fung in San Diego,
Date: 5/22/2022Went to Din Tai Fung in San Diego, California for vacation on 5/22/2022 and was hit with a two-three hour wait time (reminder for myself to make a reservation a month in advance!) However, the long waits were mended with the service that we provided especially with our waiter, Kevin. Kevin was by far the friendliest waiter that I ever had in my dining experience and I can't thank him enough for giving him such a positive experience that I am writing this Yelp Review almost a year later! See the receipt to identify the Kevin I am referring to :))! Aside from the service, the stand-out foods were the Pork Xiao Long Bao, Chicken Wonton Spicy, and the Noodle with Spicy Sauce. If I could go back in time, I would definitely order the Noodle with Spicy Sauce again as it was so delicious that it overpowered the hype that I had for the Pork Xiao Long Bao. Would definitely go again (with a reservation!!) :)! For all the food dishes we ordered for reference or see receipt: - Cucumber Salad - Pork Xiao Long Bao- Shrimp & Pork Dumpling- Chicken Wonton Spicy - Shrimp Pork Pot Stickers- Noodle with Spicy Sauce - Shrimp and Pork ShaoMai 5pc - Chocolate Bun (2 pcs) - Noodles w/ Diced Bf Shank
So yummy!! First time coming here, and the customer service
So yummy!! First time coming here, and the customer service was great - along with the amazing food. We filled up on pork xiao long bao too
Yum dum.
Food is amazing, service is amazing and ambiance feels like home !!!!!! MUST TRY GO TO DIN TAI FUNG, but there is a wait for a long time
Every single item we ordered was fantastic.
The green beans were unbelievable. It was awesome watching them prepare all the bao in the window! We ordered a lot of food, boba, and dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious.
On a rainy day, there is still a line to eat here.
We had a reservation at 11:30AM, so we got a table relatively quick.Food still the same as I visited 4 years ago except the pork XLB came out steaming warm. Hence the additional star from 4 years ago review. The service is still attentive as before. Price is still on the high end.This is a restaurant for special occasion not for everyday dining for me.
My favorite restaurant in the world.
Nothing beats their xiao long bao and green beans. Always a great experience and quick too!
We went to the din tai Fung at UTC.
This place is always pack. Making a reservation online the same day for lunch is close to impossible. You have to go there as soon as it opens to be on the wait list so that you don't have to wait in line a long time. The food is good, can't say it's great in my opinion for Chinese food. A bit on the bland side for me on some of the dishes. Service is always great though.
Yup. This place is as good as they say. They recommended
Yup. This place is as good as they say. They recommended that we order the garlic string beans, sesame noodles and xiao long bao. I'm so glad we did because all were amazing!!! So incredibly tasty and nothing ever lacked flavor. For dessert, we got the chocolate buns which were to die for. They were hot and steamy and so decadent but not too sweet. The staff was also super nice and helpful especially when explaining the menu. This place is on the pricier side but was a nice treat to do once.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Din Tai Fung! It's always such a lovey treat
LOVE LOVE LOVE Din Tai Fung! It's always such a lovey treat to be able to dine in at this restaurant (reservations can be difficult-- they're SO popular, if you have trouble making reservations and want to give them a try, there's always a take out option, but highly recommend dining in if you get the chance!)The atmosphere is great- very clean and staff are friendly and welcoming. But let's get to the food- it is soOoooOooo extremely satisfying! Everything tasted delicious and flavorful. As you can see, I got so busy taking in the moment that I forgot to take pictures of all the yummy food we had .. hehehe My 5 star go to dishes here are: Sautéed Sauted String Beans with GarlicPork Chop Fried RiceBraised Beef Noodle SoupKurobuta Pork and Chicken Xiao Long BaoShrimp and Kurobuta Pork Shao Mai and/or their spicy won tonsPot stickers- pan fried to perfection!And don't forget their Chocolate and Mochi Xiao Long Bao for dessert! Family style is the way to go when dining here-- so you can sample EVERYTHING .. yummm..
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Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Din Tai Fung San Diego at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Din Tai Fung San Diego page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
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