Din Tai Fung in San Diego

This restaurant always had a long lineup during the weekend so we didnt get to try it but finally we dined at this place yesterday (Tuesday).The first thing I noticed was how friendly and professional the staffs were. Many greeted us as we were being seated and our waiter was very friendly and talkative. The interior was really nice too.Our waiter (Andrew) was very knowledgeable and professional. I would even say he was the best waiter Ive seen. He explained the menu in detail and answered our questions kindly.The food was amazing too. The portion seemed a bit small but since the food came out one by one, we got to eat it slowly and that helped me not fall into the food coma.Overall the dining experience was really great! No wonder there were so many people lining up at this restaurant.

The amount of friendly service food was a little small, but it was good to eat various things. The cucumber salad was so delicious because it refreshes my mouth every time I eat other food after eating it. Spicy shrimp is a pleasant spicy taste because the spicy sauce is so delicious.The dumpling burst and the juice spread into my mouth, and it was so delicious. It also has a sense of being considerate to customers by making it less hot when it bursts in their mouths than regular Chinese dumplings. Shrimp bubble rice was a small amount, but the shrimp was well cooked and fresh.I felt good every time I chewed the rice because it was alive. We simply dined and contributed other foods to other families..The food submitted was good to go, and even though I took it with me, the food was grea

Din Tai Fung is basically a paradise for anyone who loves awesome Asian food and killer dim sum. Seriously, the moment you walk in, the smell alone is like a foodies dream. And dont even get me started on their dumplings – each little pocket is like a flavor explosion. So, if youre into dim sum or just want a downright amazing Asian feast, Din Tai Fung is where its at!

They’re well known for the dumplings, and although the portions were a little small they didn’t disappoint in terms of everything else from flavor to texture. We ordered fried rice as well, and unfortunately the fried rice dishes leave a bit to be wanted. They seemed sort of bland and there was only the soy sauce and chili oil to season it with. Overall still a pretty good experience where I would come again with friends.

Excellent dim sum! The food is really quite good, however, reservations are an absolute must or the wait will be 1.5-2hrs for groups of 2 or more. Once seated, the service was impeccable and food was very prompt. Their signature cocktails were all pretty good. The DTF Old-fashioned and the Cucumber Gimlet (pictured) were the stars of the drink order. Would definitely go back!

This was our first time here, from the Midwest. We loved it. We had the chicken and pork dumplings which you take a small bite into, drink the soup/broth and then eat the dumpling, was light and a delicious bite. The fried rice both the chicken and the pork (pork is like a pork chop placed on top see photo) was really good! We have the infused cucumbers as well not pictured and the garlic green beans which were amazing. The pear martini pictured definitely was strong but a good balance, definitely a little punch in your mouth.The overall experience was great. Family style experience and the staff were super friendly.Make reservations for this place ahead of time. Family friendly and fast service.For roughly 6 adults we easily spent 400 between drinks and food!

We were in the area and looking for something to eat, of course this place was top rated and we had never had Taiwanese food before so we were excited to try it.First to note, it was difficult to find having never been here before as its located in the mall. Park in the parking structure by the 24 hour fitness and go through the elevators on the opposite side of 24 hour fitness (hope that helps). Once youre on the first level then its rather easy to find.Upon arrival there was a long line, which goes rather quickly. Since we went to this place on a whim we did not have reservations and therefore our wait was an hour to an hour and a half. We were fine with that as we were waiting for traffic to die down so we explored the mall. Recommend making reservations if you know when youll be coming, if not expect a long wait. The great part is you provide them with your phone number and they will text you when to come back so you dont have to physically wait at the resturant.Once we came back, the line was even longer to get back in but they are very efficient and the line moves quickly. Youre told to go wait in the waiting area where you get to sit and watch them hand make fresh dumplings and bao. The hostess somehow knows who you are because they come right up to you in a group of people to take you to your table without yelling out your name. Exceptional customer service.Once at the table you have a paper to write down what you want to order, much like a sushi place. The waitress goes over all the dishes and recommends their favorites if youre unsure of what to get.Once you order your food it comes out as its ready. The great thing is, all dishes are family style and meant to be shared so a plate of dumplings comes out, you share it and by the time your done the next dish comes out hot and fresh.All employees were super friendly, and very professional. They were all cleanly dressed, well groomed, and pleasant to all customers. You can tell they work as a team and everyone helps each other.Now on to the food..... like I stated we had never was Taiwanese food before so the hostess and the waitress both made some suggestions.. heres what we ended up ordering.1. Sweet and sour baby back ribs- waitress warned us these come out at room temp to protect the flavor of the sauce. Ours were still warm which I was happy about. You got about 3 ribs that are cut in half so about 6 bite size pieces. The sauce is amazing and the star of the dish. It is sweet like teriyaki sauce but also a little tangy, very good.2. Crab & Kurobuta Pork Xaio Long Bao - these are essentially soup dumplings. The flavor was great, we were warned that the flavor is a little more fishy due to the fact they use blue crab in these. Only thing we didnt like about these is there was minimal soup inside. But the meat and dumpling itself was delicious.3. Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Shao Mai - these are also a dumpling but just filled with the meat. I am not a shrimp fan but honestly couldnt even tell these had shrimp in there. They were very flavorful.4. Chicken & mushroom buns - I am not a huge fan of the buns. Ive tried them at several places and just dont like the flavor of buns. However, my husband loved them so its just a me thing. The filling was delicious!5. Chicken Spicy wonton - one of my top favorites. The wonton were great, the filling was tasty, and the sauce was something one can only dream of! After we ate the wonton there was still sauce left that I ended up putting on everything I could! Highly recommend ordering any dish with the spicy sauce 10/106. String beans with garlic - these were my husbands favorite, they were also recommended by our waitress and they are very delicious. The greenbeans were not over cooked, and they were generously covered in garlic and the sauce.7. Vegetable fried noodles - this was a close second on the top dishes. The noodles are savory and the vegetables were fresh.8. Chocolate buns - again, not a fan of bun but the chocolate filling was amazing.

I mean, this place is amazing. You definitely need to reserve and come close to your reserve time, we were 15 min early and they wouldn’t seat us. The food here is amazing, it’s pricey but it’s an upscale restaurant. The diced beef noodle is my absolute favorite, I can down one bowl within seconds, definitely try the soup dumplings if you’ve never had them, servers were very nice. The servers literally kneeled down to talk to us, definitely come here if you’re new to Chinese food or want some good ol dumplings

Din Tai Fung has become my top choice for dumplings and the San Diego branch has a special place in my culinary heart.Lets talk about the stars of the show – those dumplings are a taste sensation, each one meticulously crafted with flavors that never disappoint. Same with the noodles.Having explored other Din Tai Fung spots in California, Ive come to appreciate the consistent quality they maintain across their various locations. Its reassuring to know that you can rely on a top-notch dining experience, no matter which branch you visit.Given the popularity of Din Tai Fung, securing a reservation is a wise move. This place is in demand for a reason, and it ensures you wont miss out on the gastronomic delights they have to offer. Whether youre a seasoned fan or a first-timer, Din Tai Fung promises a culinary journey thats well worth trying out.

Authentic and beautiful Taiwanese food. Our first time visiting and weve already been twice in as many days. We havent had a better Taiwanese and doubt we will. The food was THAT good.Both times there was a long queue for walk-ins so its highly recommended to make a reservation.The service was fantastic from start to finish, very quick and professional. During our first visit, the staff explained everything so well and answered any questions we had.The interior is very beautiful, welcoming and bright; and you can even see the chefs prepare your food which is a nice touch.The sweet and sour pork baby back ribs, kurobuta pork xiao long bao, shrimp and kurobuta spicy wontons and shredded kurobuta pork fried noodles were absolutely delicious.10 out of 10 service. 10 out of 10 food.