Din Tai Fung — Restaurant in Taguig

Very Tasty, Very Educational

So I finally got a chance to dine at Din Tai Fung. The long lines for their Xiao Long Bai always kept me away from trying them but after being told of a 15 minute wait time for a table and as suggested by my friend, we endured what felt more like a 30 minute wait. While waiting for our table we were given an order slip where we needed to write our orders on. They were very thorough and precise with their instructions on ordering and this precision and patience in properly instructing you carried on throughout the dining experience. By the way, the order slip didn't have any prices on it so it helps to check their prices online if you dont wanna go over your budget.

Their space was huge, enough to host those big circular tables for large families. We were seated next to their open kitchen where the magic was made. The busy open kitchen was a good distraction while waiting for your orders. After giving our order slip it was reviewed and told to wait shortly for our orders. Depending on the type of food, most of our orders came in quick with our order slip being reviewed constantly to check whats being served was correct and what was pending was followed up on.

On to the food. We got the house special which was a medly of seaweed and veggies strips. It had a tasty watery sauce which somehow masked the otherwise strong seaweed taste. The fried pork wantons and vegetable noodles came shortly. Both were absolutely delicious. I particularly liked their noodles. While waiting for the rest of our orders, we had a crash course session on how to properly eat and fully appreciate the soup dumplings.One of the servers provided instructions on how to properly eat the baos and how to properly create the sauce (complete with ingredient ratios and a demo too). It was my first time trying their Xiao Long Bao so I had to devote my full attention. Shortly after the very educational interaction, our baos were served freshly steamed. I immediately tried the pork soup dumplings (correctly adhering to the instructions earlier). They were tasty amd had so much pork goodness on them. I had around 2 to three chomps to finish one. We also had some Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao (we were told to have some water first before eating them to cleanse the palate first). I dont normally eat liver but the baos did not have that liver taste I frown on. Every bite of it was a burst of umami flavor that was definitely delightful.

Aside from the baos we also had Salted Egg Yolk Prawns and Spareribs. Both were absolutely good and thats saying a lot as I dont normally enjoy eating anything that has salted egg but I ate so much it and the ribs.

It was a great first experience with Din Tai Fung. I appreciate how the staff had masterful knowledge on how their food can be fully enjoyed by their diners. The attention to detail and patience was truly as spectacular as all the dishes that...

I’ve had the pleasure of dining at various Din Tai Fung locations across the world, from NYC to LA and even Tokyo, so I was really excited to try this one. Unfortunately, it ended up being my least favorite of all the locations I’ve visited, and I was a bit disappointed by the overall experience.

First, the atmosphere left a lot to be desired. Compared to the sleek, modern, and often more refined settings of Din Tai Fung in places like NYC or Tokyo, this location felt a bit underwhelming. The ambiance didn’t have the same polished vibe, and it lacked that inviting warmth that makes you excited to sit down and enjoy your meal. The décor felt a bit dated and less carefully curated than I had expected, which took away from the overall dining experience.

The wait times were another downside. I’ve experienced long waits at Din Tai Fung before, but here, it felt like the process wasn’t as streamlined. There was a lack of organization, and the wait seemed longer than it needed to be, especially considering the quality I had come to expect from the brand. It’s understandable to expect some wait time for freshly made dumplings, but it’s important that it’s managed well, and here, it felt like it could have been improved.

Now, as for the food—don’t get me wrong, it was still good, but it didn’t stand out in the same way it has at other Din Tai Fung locations. The dumplings were decent, but they didn’t have the same delicate, melt-in-your-mouth quality I’ve had elsewhere. The soup dumplings were a bit on the soggier side, and the filling lacked the burst of flavor I’ve come to expect from the chain. The noodles were fine, but not as perfectly chewy and well-seasoned as those I've enjoyed in other cities. It felt like the kitchen wasn't as consistent in this location, which was disappointing given Din Tai Fung’s reputation for quality.

I do appreciate that the restaurant sticks to its high standards of ingredients and preparation, but this location just didn’t quite hit the mark for me in comparison to others I’ve been to. It’s still a good spot if you’re craving Din Tai Fung, but it didn’t live up to the hype I had for it based on my experiences in places like Tokyo, LA, and NYC. If you're in the area and craving dumplings, it’s still worth trying, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit this particular location again if I had other...

Rating: 2.5/5 Branch Visited: Din Tai Fung – BGC

Expectation vs. Reality? Unfortunately, disappointing.

My friends and I went to Din Tai Fung BGC for dinner, expecting a smooth and memorable dining experience—after all, it’s a well-known name with a reputation for quality food and service. But our visit turned into a frustrating one, all because of one server’s behavior.

We were assisted by someone whose name might be “Real.” The restaurant was full, noise bouncing off the walls, so we couldn’t hear him clearly as he explained how to eat the dumplings. But instead of being patient or adjusting to the environment, he repeated himself in a condescending tone, saying something like “Uulitin ko po ha, naiintindihan naman po lahat?” The way he said it made us feel like we were being talked down to.

We’ve worked in customer service too—we understand pressure, high foot traffic, and even bad days. But being dismissive or rude, especially to paying customers, should never be part of the job. We were even left wondering, Was it because of how we were dressed? We were just in casual clothes—but should that even matter?

I immediately raised this to the supervisor, saying maybe the server just wasn’t feeling well. Later, two supervisors followed up to get our feedback on the food and our overall experience, which we appreciated.

Then we were told… the server was actually just a trainee—which shocked us even more. If that’s the behavior he shows while still in training, it really makes you wonder how he got through the front line without proper coaching.

We were compensated for: An overcooked sweet and sour pork, which was removed from the bill. Our chocolate dumplings, which the manager insisted we no longer pay for.

Yes, the gesture was appreciated—who would say no to free food, right? But that doesn’t undo how we were made to feel. I sincerely hope the management takes this seriously and provides proper corrective action and guidance for that trainee. Because in a brand like Din Tai Fung, service should match the standards they’re known for.

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 1/5 Ambience: 3/5 Overall Experience: 2.5/5

Would I go back? Maybe—but definitely not to this branch...