Buddakan

Buddakan has been on my list for awhile and I finally got to go during Center city Restaurant week!
Walking in the restaurant is simplh beautiful. Dim lighting a big Buddha in the middle of the dining area. They checked my coat which was a nice touch and had my table ready.
Only downsize of eating solo is they put you in a table in the corner by the kitchen.
I was able to see out to the restaurant and see the staff buzzing around filling orders. I ordered the Monarch cocktail which was beautiful and very good. For my dinner I went with the spicy rock shrimp baos, the sea bass for my entree and the dip sum donuts for dessert.
Spicy rock shrimp baos were divine! The bao buns so fluffy and light mixed with the spicy and crunchy shrimp. Sooo good. For the sea bass, I thought I got a decent size portion of the fish. The green beans for me were slightly undercooked but the truffle jus made the dish complete. The flavors all mixed together well. The dip sum donuts at the end were a great end to the meal. It came with three different dipping sauces. The staff was fantastic and refilled my water when needed. The manager came over and asked how my meal was. Overall 5/5 experience. I told the manager I was already trying to plan when I come back!

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.

Atmosphere was quite different than I expected! Fun group and I was definitely underdressed :)

Don't quite remember everything but Prix Fixe was delicious but not the most food. The entrees were the highlight for sure.

I had been dyinggg to try Buddakan in Philly so I finally went during Restaurant Week and it is a must-visit! With stunning decor and great service typical of a Steven Starr restaurant, it's a beautiful dining destination.

Don't miss their spicy shrimp buns--they're SO good! I also loved the Pad Tai. Plus, portions are perfect for sharing, so you can order a lot and try every amazing. Get ready for an unforgettable culinary experience!

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!

I went here after 7 years and it is still SOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!! And the portion size for the entrees was amazing!!! Loved the rocky shrimp bao buns and the kimchee fried rice (replaced beef with shrimp)... and loved the yuzu lemonade (virgin).... Even the dim sums and the cashew chicken were really good!!!!

I came to dinner with my husband and it so happened to be that the restaurant was celebrating lunar new year. Each table was decorated with oranges as a symbol of good fortune (that's what our waitress told us). Although the restaurant was packed, my husband and I were able to have a conversation and enjoyed the dimmed lighting and ambiance le. We had a lovely evening and the food was absolutely delicious! We ordered the spicy rock shrimp bao buns and the general tso dumplings and let me tell you those were absolutely delicious! For our main dishes we ordered the char grilled aged beef which comes with the Szechuan fries and salad and just wow! The combination and flavors just wow. The cashew chicken's sauce went perfectly with the Jasmine rice it came with. I am ready to go back again and order this entire meal again!

Last year I could not make a reservation at Buddakan during restaurant week because there was nothing available. I was uber excited when I secured a table for two this year! It was freezing outside and there was a line to get in. We made our way through the coat check process and was seated. Everything was good -The drinks. The food. The dessert. For me the stand out dish was the chicken & ginger dumplings!!! Absolutely delicious! I will visit again just to order those dumplings!

Delicious! Food was very good and service was quite possibly even better. There is a coat check offered when you check in for your reservation, and the restaurant is actually quite big inside with two floors and a beautiful large Buddha on one wall. Quite a large vegetarian and vegan menu which was fantastic. Our faves were the Tofu Bao Buns and Fire Roasted Edamame, and I personally really enjoyed the Wasabi Potatoes. We had asked for no egg in our Pad Thai but when they mistakenly added egg, our server was quick to make us a new one, which was much appreciated. Will definitely come again, but make sure to reserve a table as it can get very busy.

Food: 3
Decor: 3
Service: 2

Dim Sum Sampler $21
two each: chicken, shrimp, szechuan pork and edamame dumplings served with a chili-soy dipping sauce
3/5. The edamame dumplings were quite tasty (probably my favorite item of the dinner), but I thought the rest was just average. Nice to be able to try a sampler though.

Spicy Rock Shrimp Bao Buns $17
pickled slaw
4/5. Thought the buns were quite tasty and a nice balance with the pickled slaw.

Lobster Fried Rice $25
saffron, thai basil
3/5. Generous portion of fried rice so I could only finish about half, but overall I didn't think it was that memorable.

Service was disappointing. They gave my lobster fried rice to the party next to me, and it was slow to get my order taken.