Din Tai Fung image

Din Tai Fung

Restaurant Chinese restaurant Asian restaurant Taiwanese restaurant

One of the Most Reviewed Chinese restaurants in San Diego


Address

4301 La Jolla Village Dr Ste 2000, San Diego, CA 92122

Website

dintaifungusa.com

Contact

(858) 375-5988

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.60 (2.7K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM to 10 PM
  • Sunday: (Easter), 10 AM to 9 PM, Hours might differ
  • Monday: 11 AM to 9:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 9:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 9:30 PM
  • Thursday: 11 AM to 9:30 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: dumplings (24) time (17) good (16) delicious (15) wait (14) amazing (12) great (12) sauce (12) spicy (11) service (10)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Yi G. 2 years ago on Google
    The food was amazing as always and we love the service. People are friendly and the staff were detail-oriented. I highly recommend the Dan Dan Noodles. It’s a bit spicy. With sesame jam, the noodle melt in your mouth. Taiwan Cabbage was so fresh to chew. Besides, Xiaolongbao is one of the dishes we love the most. I also recommend the shrimp egg stir fried rice. Overall, 2 people with 4-5 dishes would be fairly enough.
    9 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Bryan L. 2 years ago on Google
    Came here for the popular soup dumplings! Favorite was the spicy dumplings. Otherwise everything was okay .. smoothies were bomb. If you are craving soup dumplings, should come here but it is pricey for the food. Wait is a long time if no reservation so plan ahead. Tried to come in earlier than our reservation but no dice, which is completely fine. Service was fantastic. 3 stars mostly for the taste-price ratio.
    9 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 J A. 8 months ago on Google
    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
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brianna V. 2 years ago on Google
    We tried going to this place twice and both times it was 1.5+ hour wait. On the second try we were fortunate enough to be able to take 2 seats at the bar (there was even a wait for seats at the bar after we were seated). And I totally get why. Everything was delicious. We ordered way more food than I have photos of because we were just too excited and dove right in. Would definitely go back! This is the place to go for dumplings.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chelsea G. 2 years ago on Google
    We went for the first time today. This is our new favorite restaurant. We had the mushroom appetizer (I don't like mushrooms) but I loved this dish !! We also got the truffle dumpling, the Kim chi dumpling, the shrimp dumpling soup, the rib appetizer, and the cucumber salad that had an amazing oil to it. We will be having our dates here from now on and telling everyone about it. Also the service from the host to all of our waiters was top tier. The environment is so welcoming and lovely. We can't wait to come back and try more things ! The entry with the staffing making the dumplings was so cool for the ambiance too !
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robby Ticknor (. 2 years ago on Google
    Fantastic soups dumplings! My favorite was a plain pork. The garlic green beans are amazing. If the weight is super long, you might be able to get see you at the bar. First come first serve with a full menu.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Stephen N. 1 year ago on Google
    This is a very popular local dumpling restaurant. You can expect a wait around prime eating hours. We had a variety of dumplings, some vegan, some meat. They were all quite tasty. Once you're seated, there are plenty of service folks taking care of you. I was a little put off with the wait time, an hour after our reservation time and another 10 minutes or so inside waiting. I think I was the only person that felt this way. Everybody else was smiling and having a good time. They have a full bar and lots of places to sit. The views out the windows are great. You can watch the chefs working on all the dumplings. It's a lot of fun.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 J.C R. 2 years ago on Google
    Service was great. Our server was attentive and food was out fast. The food was nothing to write home about. I've had better soup dumplings elsewhere. The sautéed vegetables are a good side dish. The pepper steak was good but too salty. We had the shrimp wantons that are advertised as "spicy" on a spicy scale I give them a zero.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jihee P. 6 months ago on Google
    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
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Glenna T. 2 years ago on Google
    This was so delicious. Tried a lot of their vegan options and was not disappointed. My favorite dish was the vegan wontons. The sauce they came in had a very nice blend of spicy, umami, and sweet flavor. The only feedback I could give would be on the temperature of the cucumber salad, it was a bit lukewarm (I prefer it cold but that could just be a personal preference). The flavors present in the cucumbers were fantastic though! The customer service was very pleasant as well, we sat at the bar and had Aaron as our bartender. He was very attentive and informative! Overall a great vegan selection that I am excited to explore again. Even my non-vegan boyfriend really liked it. These chefs take a lot of pride in making each dish delicious! ❤️🙏🏻
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Pedro Melo R. 2 years ago on Google
    I'm not usually one to try different food. But this was great. And the spicy dishes were not spicy more sweet. I had the braised beef noodle soup was sweet rather than salty so it was different. Dumplings were superb! Def on the expensive side but was good!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 David D. 10 months ago on Google
    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.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brian P. 7 months ago on Google
    This restaurant always had a long lineup during the weekend so we didn't 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 I've 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.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mark L. 3 years ago on Google
    Excellent Taiwanese cuisine served by a terrific and friendly staff. The best soup dumplings and noodles. The food is made fresh to order and has great flavors.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 ryan e. 1 year ago on Google
    The overall atmosphere and appeal is very strong. The employees work very hard to give you 100 percent of their attention and the food was phenomenal. The prices are a bit high but are completely justified for the effort applied and the quality. The wait times are high, so it would be highly suggested to plan ahead and make reservations appropriately. This will help you avoid 1.5-3+ hours of walk in stand by wait time. The only reason I give 4 stars is that perfection does not exist and room for improvement is always possible.

  • 5/5 Nicole C. 6 months ago on Google
    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 you're on the first level then it's 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 you'll 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 don't 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. You're 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 you're unsure of what to get. Once you order your food it comes out as it's 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.. here's 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 didn't 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 couldn't even tell these had shrimp in there. They were very flavorful. 4. Chicken & mushroom buns - I am not a huge fan of the buns. I've tried them at several places and just don't 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 10/10 6. String beans with garlic - these were my husband's 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.

  • 5/5 Michelle R. 10 months ago on Google
    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!

  • 5/5 Dan R. 6 months ago on Google
    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!

  • 5/5 Niti 6 months ago on Google
    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 foodie's dream. And don't even get me started on their dumplings – each little pocket is like a flavor explosion. So, if you're into dim sum or just want a downright amazing Asian feast, Din Tai Fung is where it's at!

  • 5/5 Crystal G. 2 years ago on Google
    Fresh made to order dumplings. Vegan dumplings, 10 per order. Perfect cucumber salad. Must have tarro bun & chocolate buns. The best,!

  • 5/5 Chathuri W. 1 year ago on Google
    I tried this place multiple time. Food is always delicious. Make sure to reserve a table ahead. Waiting time is quite long or you may not even get a reservation. Keep some time for dessert. They have amazing chocolate filled dumplings 💜💜

  • 5/5 Nathan H. 1 year ago on Google
    As lovers of dumplings we had to try this place while we were in town. It was delicious, yes it’s pricier than other dim sum places we’ve been. But that wouldn’t cause me to rate it lower. Between the five of us we ordered about 10 different items and each was wonderful. Nick our server was kind, proficient and seemed like he really enjoyed his job.

  • 5/5 gabriel p. 2 years ago on Google
    Nothing bad to say about this place. Everything was delicious everything even the customer service was on point. Recommend anyone to try this place and they won't be disappointed 👍

  • 5/5 Jeania M. 2 years ago on Google
    This place is amazing and I recommend to anyone considering it. We waited about an hour for a table but we'll worth it and happy we did. We will return!

  • 5/5 Jason Z. 2 years ago on Google
    I def do recommend making reservation as it's fairly packed here all the time. Though the menu is limited, the food is delicious with great service. Also, do note that this is a Taiwanese dimsum spot, not Cantonese, so the style and availabilities of certain dishes are different.

  • 5/5 LULU . L. 2 years ago on Google
    Din Tai Fung is one of the places that we have to eat regularly. Yea, I’m Chinese, I love Chinese foods the most forever. We are getting to check every item on their menu. I want to recommend several my favorites to you. First, I have to say, their Xiao Long Bao is a classic, if you come here the first time, that is the must have. Other than Xiao Long Bao, I recommend Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs, Kimchi Pork Dumplings, Sticky Rice Shu Mai, Green Bean & Garlic stir fry, Red Oil Chao Shou, Chocolate Xiao Long Bao and Taro Ciao Long Bao~~~ but everyone’s taste is different, so just order that you want, I believe there’s no regret for sure.

  • 4/5 Savvy R. 2 years ago on Google
    I am not an advance planner and this place is impossible to get reservations till three weeks out. But decided to brave a walk in and the wait was a little less than two hours and that was during the Labor Day weekend. The good thing about being in the mall is there is lots to do, shopping or drinks at other places while you wait. We had the cucumber salad, xiao long bao, steamed cod dumplings, sautéed bok choy and noodles with house spicy sauce. Everything was so delicious! We ended up getting a second order of the noodles as the sauce was to die for! The hostess seating us and our server were both very friendly. With the late seating, we were some of the last people to leave as they were closing up. But no one rushed us out and the staff gave us friendly good byes and thank yous!


Call (858) 375-5988 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Valet parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Paid parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
    • ✓️ Paid parking garage
    • ✓️ Paid street parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Healthy options
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating
    • ✓️ No-contact delivery

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