Harpers Asian Bistro — Restaurant in Hockessin, Delaware

As someone who’s lived in this area my entire life, I’ve always valued supporting local restaurants. I remember when this location was The Crownery — in its prime, it was a neighborhood gem. Naturally, I had high hopes for what would follow, and I truly wanted Harper’s Asian Bistro to succeed.

A few weeks ago, I celebrated my birthday here and had a great dine-in experience. The appetizers and sushi were fresh, well-prepared, and full of flavor. That first visit left a strong impression and had us excited to come back.

Unfortunately, our second visit told a different story. This time we tried main entrees like General Tso’s chicken, beef & broccoli, and some noodle dishes. While the appetizers were still enjoyable, the entrees were a letdown — small portions, bland flavor, and a general lack of care in preparation. We didn’t raise the issue at the time, but we left disappointed.

Hoping it was a one-off, we recently tried takeout. While the portions were larger, the quality was lacking. The chicken dishes all tasted nearly identical, with soggy breading and sauces that didn’t stand out. It honestly felt like the same base chicken was used across different dishes. Even the sushi, which we had enjoyed before, was tough and fibrous — a noticeable drop in quality.

After spending a fair amount here, I can’t help but feel like my money could have been better spent elsewhere. I’m more than willing to pay for good food, but it has to feel worth it — and lately, it hasn’t.

I truly want to see Harper’s succeed. This community appreciates quality and takes pride in its local spots. But we also have standards, especially in a location with such a strong legacy. I hope the team takes this feedback to heart and refocuses on delivering consistency, care, and value...

This place is AMAZING. We went on the 5th night they were open and were definitely still working out some kinks. Despite this, things were smoother than expected! We didn't make a reservation (I suggest one if you want to dine-in for dinner), but after a short wait we were able to snag two seats at the bar. They were packed and understaffed, yet did a great job at getting our orders in a timely fashion. Despite running around like crazy, our servers made sure to check in on us and see how we were doing. We ordered the lollipop roll, fire dragon roll, firecracker roll, and sunset in Hockessin roll. Delicious, innovative, and priced well. We also ended up ordering the spicy Singapore style noodles to go and they were perfect. It was a large portion with just the right amount of seasoning, veggies, and meat. Overall, the staff was so kind and helpful despite being under immense stress, the interior is beautiful and upscale, the food is incredible. We will absolutely be returning as we've been looking for a new regular sushi spot after our last...

We were looking for a new sushi place because our go-to took our favorites off the menu. We have been here a few times since it first opened. The first time, they did not have their liquor license yet and things took awhile, but the server thanked us for our patience as they were still working some things out. They have since received the liquor license, the staff is very friendly, and the sushi is creative and delicious. There are a lot of things we want to try on the menu. We were not fans of the shrimp shumai or vegetable dumplings, they had a weird taste and texture. But the pan-fried pork dumplings were on point, along with the kani kappa salad, mango crabmeat salad, and mango lobster roll. The server commented I must like mango as she brought me a tasty mango drink. I don’t remember what it was called, but it was delicious! The pork pad thai was tasty but had way too much tofu which we do not like. It’s a quiet restaurant with plenty of room at the bar. We will...