(212) 989-6612

75 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011 40.74229 -74.004428

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Neighborhoods: Chelsea, Midtown

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 11.30.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Special Occasion Dining, People Watching, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Chinese

What People Are Saying About Buddakan

Featured Review

Erin Behan

Contributor

The cacophonous front lounge bursts with suits and slinky skirts balancing martini glasses as harried staff seek the next table. The interconnected dining rooms seem to multiply: The crown jewel being the sunken ballroom, with soaring ceilings, impossibly large chandeliers and a 30-foot-long communal table. Small touches--stuffed birds, bright porcelain vases, and Buddha icons--help personalize the 16,000-square-foot space. Happily, the Chinese fusion fare (ranging from sweet chili rock shrimp to a king crab hot pot) resounds louder than the din from that nearby table.

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Experiment with sake: Harushika's sparkling Tokimeki is a cross between sake and champagne and makes an excellent opener. End the meal with one of Buddakan's exotic teas, such as Silence, a lightly scented South African tea that's caffeine free.
Where to Sit:
Request a seat in the quieter downstairs "library" room if the catacomb-like upstairs rooms aren't to your liking.
When to Go:
The cocktail lounge stays open until 2am Sunday through Thursday and Friday and Saturday night until 3am. Expect it to be as crowded as a nightclub after 9pm.
ambiance
96.33999824523926% positive
  1. The beauty of the restaurant is almost overwhelming, and the decor was enough to make me want to come back.
  2. The decor and atmosphere were nice.
  3. This is a place where you go for the amazing NYC atmosphere with good friends who are not divas period and want good drinks, good food, and a great environment to have great convo.
  4. The atmosphere is very pleasing, you feel relaxed and at ease, not sleepy.
  5. On the flipside, the food is marvelous (strongly recommend the lobster dumplings, chili rock shrimp, peking duck and chow fun noodles), as is the dining service (the waiters/waitresses are wonderful).
  6. The atmosphere is very cool New York, fancy, night out on the town feel.
  7. decent-looking crowd, chic atmosphere, and tasteful decor.
  8. The decor and space is very cool.
  9. There's five different rooms in this two floor restaurant so you can eat quietly in the library room which is a bit more romantic, or eat downstairs in the one of the big rooms that's loud and boisterous.
  10. The restaurant is humongous and the decor is really cool.
  11. The food was decent and pricey (as expected) but the ambiance made up for it.
  12. the ambience was classy and interesting, and the service was especially incredible.
  13. Good food with nice dramatic decor
  14. The Shrimp and Lobster chow fun is the best dish.
  15. great ambience and energy but food was so so
  16. Buddakan can serve as a great pre-party location, where drinks are coming fast, and the scene is trendy, and fun.
  17. There was no traffic (being off the beaten path), the room was dark and romantic, and the food was great.
  18. Our meal was delicious from beginning to end (the shrimp & lobster chow fun is fantastic!)
  19. However, if you value decor, Buddakahn is great.
  20. The decor is beautiful, and the food is excellent - as a fusion stand point.
  21. Overall, nice location for people watching.
  22. If you go here looking for a quiet, dull romantic evening with tiny $80 dishes and 1000 dollar wine list with some fancy french name you are going to the wrong place.
  23. loved the ambience and the energy of the place.
  24. So go here if you want great food and a lot of fun, and ask for Charles!
  25. The ambiance is fantastic, the place is huge but very well decorated.
  26. HOWEVER, if you cant handle being on time, they dont hold reservations cause they dont have to they do between 600 and 1000 every night which is an insane number of people, which also makes it a loud fun place, great for a big group, but if you are lookin
  27. Probably would not go again though, as you can always find a similar great place to eat with a chill ambience but at a lower price!
  28. Creative food in tasteful ambience
  29. The music and the crowd only add to the beautiful and lively ambiance.
  30. nice decoration, food ok
  31. Nice decor.
  32. Wonderful food and atmosphere
  33. beautiful people and beautiful decor.
  34. Great Food, Great atmosphere, Great Drinks, Great music.
  35. If your looking for a fancy upscale resteraunt where you eat with a bunch of yuppies than this is not your place, if your looking for a trendy place with a nice crowd, great ambiance, upbeat, chilin background music, great food, where you have a few drink
  36. The candles on our table were cool, and the chairs were comfortable.
  37. Trendy, fun, good food
  38. the decor however is stunning.
  39. the decor in each room is gorgeous - perfect lighting, beautiful details, etc. service was top-notch and the food was delicious.
  40. Buddakan New York is fabulous dining experience - great decor, with a lot of space between tables.
  41. The food was outstanding as promised, the decor became even more enchanting as the sun went down behind us, and heck I even liked the bathrooms here!
dessert
88.24000358581543% positive
  1. The combination of chocolate and black tea produced a very unique flavor.
  2. We loved absolutely everything we ordered from the dim sum, bass roll, filet, lamb up to desserts.
  3. That being said, the service was a bit subpar given the type of restaurant --- forgetting a dessert order?
  4. loved the scallion pancakes, alaskan cod (which melted in your mouth), crab fried rice, edamame dim sum, cantonese spring rolls (the crispiest I have ever tasted), peppercorn dessert.
  5. Appetizers were by far the best, entrees were subpar but desserts were sublime.
  6. Everything we had was very good--the edamame dumplings are like eating silken cream cheese.
  7. The crying chocolate dessert was also fabulous.
  8. From the appetizers through dessert we enjoyed one-of-a-kind dishes that were as pleasing to the palate as they were to the eye.
  9. The desert also was amazing.
  10. The portions are well sized and the dessert was big and extremely yummy!
  11. The drinks were great and the desserts were "ok" --- Actually, I guess the desserts were ok since I never received my order although I did sample other peoples orders.
  12. The crying chocolate dish is SO good.
  13. Food was fantastic from starters to entrees to AMAZING desserts.
  14. main course and appetizers were good but dessert was not something id ever order again.
  15. The food was absolutely delicious--definitely try the edamame dumplings, beef tartare, beef filet entree, and spicy chocolate ice cream.
  16. For desert, the lemon tart was really good, but my favorite was the brown sugar panna cota, again, can't go wrong with any of the choices.
  17. Otherwise, the food is good fusion asian, the desserts yummy.
drinks
88.24000358581543% positive
  1. The drinks are tasty.
  2. We both ordered speciality drinks, I liked Charm.
  3. We accepted the offer to have a drink in the lounge before being seated and the cocktails were unique and delicious.
  4. or maybe that was just the drinks which were GREAT - try the "passion
  5. When you walk in the hostesses make you feel like you are checking into a fancy hotel, the bar is a cool scene and has a friendly vibe.
  6. would highly recommend this place for drinks and dim sum at the bar.
  7. would recommend the taro pork lollipops and tea chicken.
  8. Went Sunday to avoid crowd, didn't like being shunted to the bar to order drinks when the table was obviously ready (that's a $ gimmick).
  9. If you go here looking for a quiet, dull romantic evening with tiny $80 dishes and 1000 dollar wine list with some fancy french name you are going to the wrong place.
  10. This is a place where you go for the amazing NYC atmosphere with good friends who are not divas period and want good drinks, good food, and a great environment to have great convo.
  11. The cocktails were good ?
  12. Wonderful cocktails (try the Charm) and outstanding service.
  13. This place is great for drinks after work or for dinner.
  14. If you are looking for a hip dark sleek trendy music infused asian fusion restaurant with killer drinks, banging food and cool people you are gonna have the time of your life.
  15. Buddakan can serve as a great pre-party location, where drinks are coming fast, and the scene is trendy, and fun.
  16. would recommend the charm cocktail if you like your drinks tart.
  17. Our server, Ben, was perhaps the best waiter I've ever had--he walked us through the menu to "design our meal", and suggested what textures, tastes, and wines would complement each other.
  18. Good dim sum and drinks
  19. The drinks were great and the desserts were "ok" --- Actually, I guess the desserts were ok since I never received my order although I did sample other peoples orders.
  20. Well, the food is mediocre, the server we had was clueless and a couple of the drinks undrinkable.
  21. Lots of Menu options, tonnns of drinks and lots of beautiful people.
  22. They really did an amazing job putting this place together -- cool music, dim lighting, great drinks, good service, and unbelievable food.
  23. I wish I were making this up, instead this ordeal ended up costing close to $250 for a less than mediocre meal for two (with 2 cocktails).
  24. Whether you go there for appetizers and drinks in the front room or the full dinning experience, you will not be disappointed.
  25. If you want to show her that you know the places where the most beautiful people in new york wine and dine then this is def.
  26. The combination of chocolate and black tea produced a very unique flavor.
  27. The staff is so busy that they are not the most attentive especially if you are going to settle for seating in the lounge area but the food is tasty and the drinks are great.
  28. This spacious restaurant has an amazing décor, subsequently the service, food, and drink were all impressive.
  29. If your looking for a fancy upscale resteraunt where you eat with a bunch of yuppies than this is not your place, if your looking for a trendy place with a nice crowd, great ambiance, upbeat, chilin background music, great food, where you have a few drink
  30. Heat, one the signature cocktails, is terrific; a tequila based drink muddled with fresh cucumber and Cointreau (I give the bar an A+).
  31. This is also a great place to stop by for a drink with a date before going out.
  32. Anyway, there are a couple of smaller things that will keep us coming back: the food always seems to arrive hot, straight from the kitchen as Asian food should; the chefs haven't (yet) compromised on spice for local palates; and the restaurant really succ
  33. awesome food and two very cool places to have drinks.
  34. The food was great, and the drinks were great.
food quality
87.7299976348877% positive
  1. highly recommend the rock shrimp appetizer!
  2. Ordered the duck rolls, which were a little dry, but very tasty itself.
  3. Recommended dishes (and we tried alot!)
  4. We loved absolutely everything we ordered from the dim sum, bass roll, filet, lamb up to desserts.
  5. The food was absolutely delicious--definitely try the edamame dumplings, beef tartare, beef filet entree, and spicy chocolate ice cream.
  6. Everything we had was mediocre at best and we even had to send back our crab shui mei b/c it was terrible-full of salt and just tasted weird.
  7. Trendy, fun, good food
  8. There was no traffic (being off the beaten path), the room was dark and romantic, and the food was great.
  9. The Shrimp and Lobster chow fun is the best dish.
  10. Deviled tuna tartare was fresh if not inspiring.
  11. Music is "loungy" and not too loud, service was very good, food was amazing!
  12. The food was delicious (I especially recommend the taro puff lollipops and the lamb chops!)
  13. Cocktails are tasty but a little pricey.
  14. On the flipside, the food is marvelous (strongly recommend the lobster dumplings, chili rock shrimp, peking duck and chow fun noodles), as is the dining service (the waiters/waitresses are wonderful).
  15. If you are looking for a hip dark sleek trendy music infused asian fusion restaurant with killer drinks, banging food and cool people you are gonna have the time of your life.
  16. As the night went on and the restaurant got VERY busy, the waitress was no where to be found but at least we got our food, which was delicious.
  17. Nice large interior, creative Chinese food
  18. Best Asian food I've had in a really long time
  19. The portions are well sized and the dessert was big and extremely yummy!
  20. Not to disappoint Buddakan fans, but I would definitely not go back for the food.
  21. Creative food in tasteful ambience
  22. Admittedly, my wife and I like Chinese food a lot.
  23. Save it for short-minded people who think they are somebody for they go to a huge restaurant that will overcharge you for just a tiny bit of food.
  24. Stunning Decor and good food
  25. Personally, I like my food fresh, so you just have to tell the waiter that you would like to order by ear.
  26. It was some of the worst food that I've ever had.
  27. the decor in each room is gorgeous - perfect lighting, beautiful details, etc. service was top-notch and the food was delicious.
  28. The food was mediocre at best.
  29. We had a great experience, the food was good- however the appetizers proved to be the best on the menu, and they were really good.
  30. Otherwise, the food is good fusion asian, the desserts yummy.
  31. The food was great, very modern Chinese/Asian fusion.
  32. If your looking for a fancy upscale resteraunt where you eat with a bunch of yuppies than this is not your place, if your looking for a trendy place with a nice crowd, great ambiance, upbeat, chilin background music, great food, where you have a few drink
  33. The Semifreddo was delicious!
  34. Overall, this is a great restaurant, food, service and overall experience.
  35. It is the kind of place that gives you tiny, poorly executed food on a huge plate and charges you through the roof for it (I am not opposed to spending lots of money on dinner but this was rediculous).
  36. Well, the food is mediocre, the server we had was clueless and a couple of the drinks undrinkable.
  37. Entrees were good: Mongolian lamb was delicious, but not much meat/Shrimp was incredible/Black Cod (meant to rival Nobu's) was under-done and fell short.
  38. Anyway, there are a couple of smaller things that will keep us coming back: the food always seems to arrive hot, straight from the kitchen as Asian food should; the chefs haven't (yet) compromised on spice for local palates; and the restaurant really succ
  39. Though the scallops were delish, they failed to mention on the menu that there were tiny pieces of chinese pork in the menu item.
  40. The Food: Appetizers/dim sum like others have indicated were great --- the dumplings, rock shrimp, etc. (although to be honest, I've had better in Chinatown and Flushing) The entrees are best avoided --- I think everyone of us there agreed that it was pre
  41. We accepted the offer to have a drink in the lounge before being seated and the cocktails were unique and delicious.
  42. The food was great, the setting impressive - and the experience - memorable.
  43. group of four is perfect because you can taste a wider selection as most dishes are perfect to share.
  44. The dishes were disappointing and the service was even worse.
  45. would recommend the taro pork lollipops and tea chicken.
  46. The service was good but they odviously spent all their money on the look of the place and not the taste of the food.
  47. Highly recommend the edamame dumplings and the shrimp entree (the sauce is heavenly.)
  48. food is good.
  49. The food is just good, nothing spectacular, but it's definately an event to go here.
  50. The food is amazing at this restaurant.
  51. The food was amazing -- the lobster with black beans, the edamame dumplings, the potstickers -- everything was delicious.
  52. The food was outstanding as promised, the decor became even more enchanting as the sun went down behind us, and heck I even liked the bathrooms here!
  53. From the appetizers through dessert we enjoyed one-of-a-kind dishes that were as pleasing to the palate as they were to the eye.
  54. Great space, ho-hum food
  55. Chili crab was a huge serving, tasty but simple.
  56. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly and the food was out of this world - with every bite you cant believe how good it is.
  57. Our meal was delicious from beginning to end (the shrimp & lobster chow fun is fantastic!)
  58. Although everything we ate was great, the abundance of lobster, shrimp, and crab dishes we ordered made us so thirsty afterwards!
  59. Heat, one the signature cocktails, is terrific; a tequila based drink muddled with fresh cucumber and Cointreau (I give the bar an A+).
  60. The best entree, I think, was the crab fried rice but realize that that is not a compliment.
  61. They urge you to order all courses at once & we literally had our 1st dish within 5 minutes.
  62. would recommend the Chili Rock Shrimp a choice for an appetizer, and for an entree Sweet and Crispy Jumbo Shrimp- very tasty!
  63. The food was wonderful from vegetarian dishes to noodle dishes to beef entrees.
  64. Almost all the food is good here, and many of the dishes very good.
  65. The service is a little slow, but the food is good, and the waitress we had was very sweet.
  66. Whenever I enter a place like Buddakan, I always expect the same ol' crap: cocky waiters, scene-driven, lousy food, long waits and an outrageous bill.
  67. Two entrees to share, sweet and crispy shrimp were great as well as the sizzling short rib.
  68. The restaurant is beautiful but the food is a real disappointment.
  69. loved the scallion pancakes, alaskan cod (which melted in your mouth), crab fried rice, edamame dim sum, cantonese spring rolls (the crispiest I have ever tasted), peppercorn dessert.
  70. So go here if you want great food and a lot of fun, and ask for Charles!
  71. The tartares (tuna and beef) were excellent, followed by the crab and crispy noodles, which was absolutely great.
  72. prefer going there during the week because it's alot quieter and you can enjoy your food and environment in peace.
  73. That doesn't bother me as long as the food and service are good.
  74. .. amazing restuarant that actually has a very delicious menu to back up all the hype.
  75. Wonderful food and atmosphere
  76. We were very pleased and ready to order our food.
  77. The food was good, not great.
  78. The drinks are tasty.
  79. The black bass was crazy delicious, and we ordered some noodle shrimp dish which was also fantastic (and the first time I've eaten pasta in THREE years).
  80. Very creative and made the fried rice taste different and familiar at the same time.
  81. Excellent food!
  82. liked the edamame dumplings but didnt care too much for the rest of the food.
  83. am not a huge fan of their take on steaks but do enjoy the dim sum and the seafood dishes.
  84. Someone needs to tell these people that just because you serve the food on big plates doesn't make it family style!
  85. The lamb was heavenly as well as the Crying Chocolate.
  86. The food was tasty but I didn't get many chances to taste it!
  87. awesome food and two very cool places to have drinks.
  88. They have great really good food.
  89. Drinks were good, food was tasty and service was prompt.
  90. Exquisite food definitely backs up the reputation!
  91. the food is excellent and the service was attentive.
  92. I wish I were making this up, instead this ordeal ended up costing close to $250 for a less than mediocre meal for two (with 2 cocktails).
  93. The food was delicious and I would recomend the Peking Duck Salad, Crab fried rice, chili rock shrimp.
  94. If you go here looking for a quiet, dull romantic evening with tiny $80 dishes and 1000 dollar wine list with some fancy french name you are going to the wrong place.
  95. Vegetable rice with curry foam was quite good.
  96. great ambience and energy but food was so so
  97. The service was extraordinary, the food was sublime, the prices were right where they should be, and the place, despite being a bit loud, made the dinner experience come full circle.
  98. The food is good.
  99. Friends had poor experiences here with pasta dishes so I recommend you stick with the seafood.
  100. So I went there with a girlfriend of mine after hearing how great the food was at Buddakan.
  101. great food and service
  102. The tuna spring roll, sea bass appetizer, black cod, spinach side and shrimp dish were all melt in your mouth delicious - one of the best meals I've had in weeks.
  103. The food here was amazing.
  104. Some dishes are a bit pricey but it's well worth the money.
  105. suggest having an all appetizer/tapas kind of mean because though then entrees were delicious, it just wasn't enough food for me.
  106. The decor is beautiful, and the food is excellent - as a fusion stand point.
  107. oh the late night hip-hop diner in the meat packing district was awesome!
  108. The steak and the lamb chops were diving and the house special fried rice is the best.
  109. We dont mind waiting for good food but they never came to check on us to see how we were doing or apologize for the wait.
  110. The food was great.
  111. Second, be more vocal if your waiter is so bad and in our case, lackadaisical and mostly absent, during the course of the meal.
  112. The place is spectacular, and the food is delicious.
  113. nice decoration, food ok
  114. The cod fish wasn't bad.
  115. Our server, Ben, was perhaps the best waiter I've ever had--he walked us through the menu to "design our meal", and suggested what textures, tastes, and wines would complement each other.
  116. For my meal me and my gf split a sirloin cooked in a chile cranberry reduction as well as a pork tenderloin in a beautiful chutney.
  117. Everything we ordered were very tasty and fullfilling.
  118. The edamame dumpling and beef scallion pancakes for apps are amazing.
  119. The food was great, and the drinks were great.
  120. edamame dumplings were my absolute favorite, crab dumplings with soy truffle oil, snapper entree, and tofu with cashews.
  121. Beautiful people, good food, confused service
  122. The food is so good, and the service is very efficient once you sit down.
  123. Nice venue, mediocre quality Chinese food
  124. Apps were amazing: edamame dumplings have unique texture and are delicious/crab and corn fritters comes in a generous serving and are great, much like fallafel.
  125. The crispy jumbo shrimp are amazing and so is the black cod.
  126. The food is very good, albeit somewhat predictable at times.
  127. Good food with nice dramatic decor
  128. We lived in Asia for many years and tend to favor the less toyed-with Chinese options, such as the tofu in minced pork and chilli crab over crispy noodles.
  129. Incredible food matched with top notch service
  130. He said that the food was great and that she would enjoy the environment (eye candy etc.).
  131. This spacious restaurant has an amazing décor, subsequently the service, food, and drink were all impressive.
  132. This is a place where you go for the amazing NYC atmosphere with good friends who are not divas period and want good drinks, good food, and a great environment to have great convo.
  133. The food was very expensive and not worth it since it was more like a sampling than a meal (I've eaten larger portions at Whole Foods on sample days) I think the chef made everything in a easy bake oven.
  134. They really did an amazing job putting this place together -- cool music, dim lighting, great drinks, good service, and unbelievable food.
  135. However, we were able to make a great meal off of the appetizer menu and wound up staying for hours.
  136. The food was decent and pricey (as expected) but the ambiance made up for it.
  137. love it, trendy, great food and good music mix.
  138. the rest of the appetizers-shrimp dumplings, and calamari salad were very mediocre.
  139. All the entrees are delicious as well.
  140. The staff is so busy that they are not the most attentive especially if you are going to settle for seating in the lounge area but the food is tasty and the drinks are great.
  141. could not have gotten myself drunk enough to enjoy this food.
  142. If you're going for the venue, it's great, but if you're going for authentic Chinese or Asian food, Chinatown fares better in both price and quality of food.
  143. The crying chocolate dish is SO good.
  144. the space is amazing the food was okay.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. Our waitor was extremely pleasant and knowledgable of the menu.
  2. It's beautiful, the servers are really nice and know the menu very well.
  3. group of four is perfect because you can taste a wider selection as most dishes are perfect to share.
  4. Our server, Ben, was perhaps the best waiter I've ever had--he walked us through the menu to "design our meal", and suggested what textures, tastes, and wines would complement each other.
  5. We had a great experience, the food was good- however the appetizers proved to be the best on the menu, and they were really good.
  6. Lots of Menu options, tonnns of drinks and lots of beautiful people.
  7. We lived in Asia for many years and tend to favor the less toyed-with Chinese options, such as the tofu in minced pork and chilli crab over crispy noodles.
  8. The server we had was so accommodating -- she was really knowledgeable about the menu, gave good recommendations and never made us feel rushed.
  9. However, we were able to make a great meal off of the appetizer menu and wound up staying for hours.
  10. .. amazing restuarant that actually has a very delicious menu to back up all the hype.
  11. For desert, the lemon tart was really good, but my favorite was the brown sugar panna cota, again, can't go wrong with any of the choices.
  12. It's hard not to tho because everything on the menu sounds so good and you want to try it all.
  13. Though the scallops were delish, they failed to mention on the menu that there were tiny pieces of chinese pork in the menu item.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. That makes it fairly egalitarian but still very lively and a good place for big
  2. Also, great value for a restaurant of this standard.
  3. You can obviously tell that this is a great restaurant.
  4. If your looking for a fancy upscale resteraunt where you eat with a bunch of yuppies than this is not your place, if your looking for a trendy place with a nice crowd, great ambiance, upbeat, chilin background music, great food, where you have a few drink
  5. Probably would not go again though, as you can always find a similar great place to eat with a chill ambience but at a lower price!
  6. The service was good but they odviously spent all their money on the look of the place and not the taste of the food.
  7. This is also a great place to stop by for a drink with a date before going out.
  8. Nonetheless, it was good and I would highly recommend this place.
  9. Overall, this is a great restaurant, food, service and overall experience.
  10. It's a great place to go if you're trying to impress a date, a large group, etc.
return potential
50.0% positive
  1. would recommend this place to anyone and will be back myself.
  2. The beauty of the restaurant is almost overwhelming, and the decor was enough to make me want to come back.
  3. recently attended an event here and while the restaurant is aesthetically pleasing, I would not return.
  4. Not to disappoint Buddakan fans, but I would definitely not go back for the food.
service
82.2700023651123% positive
  1. Our waiter was helpful, courteous and attentive.
  2. The service overall was great, although our waiter at times seemed nowhere to be found, he always popped up as we needed him.
  3. They really did an amazing job putting this place together -- cool music, dim lighting, great drinks, good service, and unbelievable food.
  4. Our waitress was incredible, friendly, knowledgeable and was on top of our needs all dinner.
  5. HOWEVER, if you cant handle being on time, they dont hold reservations cause they dont have to they do between 600 and 1000 every night which is an insane number of people, which also makes it a loud fun place, great for a big group, but if you are lookin
  6. Anyway, there are a couple of smaller things that will keep us coming back: the food always seems to arrive hot, straight from the kitchen as Asian food should; the chefs haven't (yet) compromised on spice for local palates; and the restaurant really succ
  7. One thing that did stand out to my boyfriend and I, besides the beautiful interior design, were the number of "tourists" that occupied the space- either embarassingly over-dressed or rudely under-dressed, loud, obnoxious people.
  8. Save it for short-minded people who think they are somebody for they go to a huge restaurant that will overcharge you for just a tiny bit of food.
  9. Actually, the service is amazing for a place this huge.
  10. Overall, nice location for people watching.
  11. The service is a little slow, but the food is good, and the waitress we had was very sweet.
  12. The food is so good, and the service is very efficient once you sit down.
  13. The service was great.
  14. Music is "loungy" and not too loud, service was very good, food was amazing!
  15. Incredible food matched with top notch service
  16. Personally, I like my food fresh, so you just have to tell the waiter that you would like to order by ear.
  17. Whenever I enter a place like Buddakan, I always expect the same ol' crap: cocky waiters, scene-driven, lousy food, long waits and an outrageous bill.
  18. the service was horrible too.
  19. The service was not as good as the one in philly but was not too bad either.
  20. groups/parties. The help is friendly and efficient despite the reservationist telling you on the phone that they don't have anything btw 6:30 and 10.
  21. With the amount of people in the place the service was outstanding.
  22. Not only is it the most beautiful restaurant I have ever seen, but everyone who worked there made us feel so welcomed, especially our bartender (Ben?)
  23. As the night went on and the restaurant got VERY busy, the waitress was no where to be found but at least we got our food, which was delicious.
  24. That doesn't bother me as long as the food and service are good.
  25. Quite possibly the best service I have ever encountered, he made our evening a smash.
  26. Our server was great.
  27. talk about sensitive to their clients needs and service....5**** The waiter was the greatest, he stepped us through the ordering and the recommendations were amazing.
  28. the staff IS nice, hospitable and unassuming - that's how they are hired and trained.
  29. the ambience was classy and interesting, and the service was especially incredible.
  30. Our server, Ben, was perhaps the best waiter I've ever had--he walked us through the menu to "design our meal", and suggested what textures, tastes, and wines would complement each other.
  31. The staff was very attentive and knew where to find us once our table was ready.
  32. wait staff was nice and friendly
  33. Drinks were good, food was tasty and service was prompt.
  34. This spacious restaurant has an amazing décor, subsequently the service, food, and drink were all impressive.
  35. Well, the food is mediocre, the server we had was clueless and a couple of the drinks undrinkable.
  36. the decor in each room is gorgeous - perfect lighting, beautiful details, etc. service was top-notch and the food was delicious.
  37. Someone needs to tell these people that just because you serve the food on big plates doesn't make it family style!
  38. was nervous that Buddakan would be a totally pretentious NY restaurant, but was so happy to find that everyone from the hostesses to the bartenders to the servers were incredibly friendly and helpful.
  39. looked for the manager to thank him once again for making our evening so wonderful.
  40. very trendy, good service
  41. Beginning with the staff, you'd think in a hot, trendy, newish restaurant, the staff would be nice looking and well put together.
  42. That being said, the service was a bit subpar given the type of restaurant --- forgetting a dessert order?
  43. The greeting staff is rude and standoffish, acting as if they are guarding a gateway to heaven.
  44. If you are looking for a hip dark sleek trendy music infused asian fusion restaurant with killer drinks, banging food and cool people you are gonna have the time of your life.
  45. The problem is that our waiter told us that they served everything family style and that for our group of 9 we should order 6 apps and 6 entrees.
  46. Wonderful cocktails (try the Charm) and outstanding service.
  47. The most unpretentious, knowledgable, friendly, warm staff I have ever encountered.
  48. The door/reservation staff is lost and confused, so the service up front is the worst I have seen.
  49. The service was extraordinary, the food was sublime, the prices were right where they should be, and the place, despite being a bit loud, made the dinner experience come full circle.
  50. The staff is so busy that they are not the most attentive especially if you are going to settle for seating in the lounge area but the food is tasty and the drinks are great.
  51. The place is also good for beautiful people-watching.
  52. It's beautiful, the servers are really nice and know the menu very well.
  53. By far the best service in NYC!
  54. The server we had was so accommodating -- she was really knowledgeable about the menu, gave good recommendations and never made us feel rushed.
  55. As a relatively new restaurant, service is not too bad.
  56. The place is beautiful -- it could be a "scene," but thankfully it's not, because there was absolutely NO snootiness from the staff.
  57. Beautiful people, good food, confused service
  58. When you walk in the hostesses make you feel like you are checking into a fancy hotel, the bar is a cool scene and has a friendly vibe.
  59. If you want to show her that you know the places where the most beautiful people in new york wine and dine then this is def.
  60. Overall, this is a great restaurant, food, service and overall experience.
  61. The waiter was extremely snooty CONSIDERING THEY ARE JUST A WAITER FOR CRYING OUT LOUD (the audacity of some people...)
  62. Means someone was not wearing their hair neat at a high end restaurant that people rave about.
  63. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly and the food was out of this world - with every bite you cant believe how good it is.
  64. great food and service
  65. Fantastic duck, Hip environment, Terrible service at the front, Great dinner service
  66. It was a matter of intuition that four big round plates would not fit on a typical lounge round table, but the waitress just looked at him and said ?
  67. We were seated promptly in the Library - within 10 minutes of arriving- and the service from that point on was impeccable.
  68. If the party is big, let say more than 6 people, it will not be a bad idea to get a table instead of the long, 30-plus seat "banch
  69. Thanks to the wonderful staff at the restaurant we could not have had a more pleasant evening.
  70. On the flipside, the food is marvelous (strongly recommend the lobster dumplings, chili rock shrimp, peking duck and chow fun noodles), as is the dining service (the waiters/waitresses are wonderful).
  71. the food is excellent and the service was attentive.
  72. All except, one woman manager -- but I find most places has a great staff and not so great managers.
  73. loved everything and the staff was very nice!
  74. Obviously, a lot of people like Buddakan.
  75. good waitress would have told us that they serve their sake room temp.
  76. The door staff was wonderful and so organized (not snooty at all.)
  77. The service is attentive and generally friendly, if a bit frazzled and frantic at times.
  78. The dishes were disappointing and the service was even worse.
  79. beautiful people and beautiful decor.
  80. The attitude we received from the manager was unacceptable.
  81. We had reservations and were seated on time by the friendly staff.
  82. Good people watching but very dark.
  83. The service was good but they odviously spent all their money on the look of the place and not the taste of the food.
  84. Lots of Menu options, tonnns of drinks and lots of beautiful people.
  85. Second, be more vocal if your waiter is so bad and in our case, lackadaisical and mostly absent, during the course of the meal.
  86. The service was very good, our waiter was engaging.
value
76.1899995803833% positive
  1. The ambiance is fantastic, the place is huge but very well decorated.
  2. am not a huge fan of their take on steaks but do enjoy the dim sum and the seafood dishes.
  3. The food was very expensive and not worth it since it was more like a sampling than a meal (I've eaten larger portions at Whole Foods on sample days) I think the chef made everything in a easy bake oven.
  4. When I first heard about this place I thought "Do we really need another overpriced+over packaged asian place?
  5. Dramatic, soaring ceilings & huge chandeliers painted the same beige as the walls, a long center table surrounded by smaller tables and a second smaller room.
  6. So were those huge chandeliers!
  7. If you go here looking for a quiet, dull romantic evening with tiny $80 dishes and 1000 dollar wine list with some fancy french name you are going to the wrong place.
  8. Also, great value for a restaurant of this standard.
  9. Actually, the service is amazing for a place this huge.
  10. Another overpriced scene
  11. It is the kind of place that gives you tiny, poorly executed food on a huge plate and charges you through the roof for it (I am not opposed to spending lots of money on dinner but this was rediculous).
  12. The service was extraordinary, the food was sublime, the prices were right where they should be, and the place, despite being a bit loud, made the dinner experience come full circle.
  13. Some dishes are a bit pricey but it's well worth the money.
  14. Chili crab was a huge serving, tasty but simple.
  15. If you're going for the venue, it's great, but if you're going for authentic Chinese or Asian food, Chinatown fares better in both price and quality of food.
  16. Althought the restaurant i huge you don't feel lost.
  17. Apps were amazing: edamame dumplings have unique texture and are delicious/crab and corn fritters comes in a generous serving and are great, much like fallafel.
  18. Appetizers - only the Tuna Tartar was great, really great, but the rest of the foods - sorry, overpriced and tasteless.
  19. So we did a huge appetizer feast.
  20. The portions are well sized and the dessert was big and extremely yummy!
  21. The place is huge and loud.
  22. The food was decent and pricey (as expected) but the ambiance made up for it.
  23. Save it for short-minded people who think they are somebody for they go to a huge restaurant that will overcharge you for just a tiny bit of food.
  24. Cocktails are tasty but a little pricey.
  25. However, if you value decor, Buddakahn is great.
  26. Probably would not go again though, as you can always find a similar great place to eat with a chill ambience but at a lower price!
  27. The service was good but they odviously spent all their money on the look of the place and not the taste of the food.
  28. The space is absolutely breathtaking, especially the huge chandeliers above the communal table downstairs.
wait time
85.0% positive
  1. They urge you to order all courses at once & we literally had our 1st dish within 5 minutes.
  2. Best Asian food I've had in a really long time
  3. The service is a little slow, but the food is good, and the waitress we had was very sweet.
  4. If the party is big, let say more than 6 people, it will not be a bad idea to get a table instead of the long, 30-plus seat "banch
  5. My good experience began when we called to make an extremely last minute reservation on a Friday night.
  6. We were seated promptly in the Library - within 10 minutes of arriving- and the service from that point on was impeccable.
  7. First off we requested the big red room and got stuck in a corner 15 minutes after our reservation time.
  8. Dramatic, soaring ceilings & huge chandeliers painted the same beige as the walls, a long center table surrounded by smaller tables and a second smaller room.
  9. That doesn't bother me as long as the food and service are good.
  10. Whenever I enter a place like Buddakan, I always expect the same ol' crap: cocky waiters, scene-driven, lousy food, long waits and an outrageous bill.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/16/12

yuuuuum!

by Tatiana52

Pricey, very delicious! Served family style made it even better for our large group. We even had left overs! Service was as good as it gets in NY. I highly recommend Buddakan!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/20/12

Loved it

by bugplanet

Wow, what a beautiful place in the MP district. Had dinner here with my wife. Not too loud, great food, excellent service. A little pricey but hey it's NYC!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/02/11

what do you mean this doesn't have 5 stars?

by blackswanballerina

buddakan is my absolute favorite. the food is beyond. it's a little pricey but worth it.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/09/11

Love Food

by cornonthekob

I love all types of food, but lately ive been craving and wanting Chinese food like no other.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/24/11

A place for special occasions

by branle

I took my girlfriend to Buddakan last week on her 30th birthday. The place is expensive but nice. We had a good time.

The Details on Buddakan

Place Categories:

  • good chinese food
  • good dinner service
  • great new place
  • great overall experience
  • great restaurant
  • nice wait staff
  • lackadaisical waiter
  • great drinks
  • mediocre everything
  • beautiful gorgeous space
  • worst service
  • beautiful people
  • delicious then entrees
  • big main room
  • pricey cocktails
  • very cool nyc atmosphere
  • best meal
  • beautiful ambiance
  • favorite edamame dumplings
  • big group
  • recommended highly
  • enjoy hip environment
  • tasteful ambience
  • nice dramatic decor
  • memorable evening

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