DD Soup Dumpling & FuJi Hibachi — Restaurant in New York

Before going, I was skeptical because I look carefully on reviews for just about anything. I trusted my gut because I feel that it’s objectively very hard for a restaurant to be bad with stellar ratings over such a large number of reviews. Before I arrived I double checked over phone if reservations were required and none were needed but when I came in I did have to wait around ten minutes which wasn’t the biggest deal but was meh. They do make you order via iPads which isn’t that weird like people complain about. Maybe the language barrier makes it useful.

Food: Very very nice. If you’re like me and worried about Asian taste authenticity and it being potentially too Americanized, please don’t worry as it tastes like the restaurants at Chinatown. The noodles had the right aroma and taste/sauce (stir fried and not sweet) and crab pork soup dumplings tasted completely fine + authentic. The meat didn’t taste old or anything Not pictured: The fried pork buns maybe could use a little more meat but I think traditionally it tends to be like that with a lot of bun on the outside. The hot and sour soup I disliked but it doesn’t really matter since I never really order soup in general so I doubt I would know a lot about it. (My partner wanted some soup since it was cold.)

Service was good. The server was very respectful and tended to any needs. I asked for extra sauce which I feel bad about because one was more than enough even for two soup dumpling baskets. It’s true that they use iPads but it’s stupid to say they don’t help you with whatever you need when you ask.

Bathroom could use some cleanup routinely during the day as it was kind of chaotic in there and decor of the place is so-so but those factors don’t really matter as long as food is solid.

Overall the one star reviews can be ignored. Mostly Karen’s. I think 18% tips is completely normal nowadays 15% is pretty low-bally. I would even argue 18% is good because sometimes tips can be 20%+. Being forced to tip doesn’t exist. It’s how servers make money and it’s part of compensation for servicing. Complaining about 18% shows how broke you are honestly. Additionally 3% for using a credit card is annoying but it’s literally 3 dollars for a 100 dollar dinner and I doubt the average dinner is that expensive so it’s more like 1-2 dollars. Again broke people complaining.The food is authentic once again so I really do feel like the negative reviews are BS. Plus I wish I went in the past because apparently they used to give you free soup dumplings for a five star google review. Can’t believe people had the audacity to complain...

I really want to give five stars, but I can’t. Overall, I really think this place is great. It is incredibly small, but a great atmosphere. The staff is tremendously attentive and friendly. The food was OK. I love hibachi, we hop around at different hibachi places every time we travel and often back home so we have a pretty good idea of what to expect for the most part. I always get a filet, and it is always amazing. This place made a very good steak and the vegetables were cooked great… But I could not eat the rice. There was so much garlic in the rice that I could not eat more than one bite. It was seriously bad. It did not taste like fried rice at all. It was disappointing. Also, they give you a plastic cup with water and don’t give you the opportunity to order anything else to drink unless you’re getting something from the bar. They also do not include a soup and/or salad with their hibachi option. I was mostly OK with this because it really is so much food and I never finish a salad or soup anyway, but for the cost being the same I expected the same amount of food. You would like to think that the price would be a little less when I can’t even get a drink of my choice, a real cup or a soup/salad. But like I said before, Overall, I really enjoyed this place. I would come here again simply for the filet mignon… I would just tell them to hold the garlic in my rice! :) We made reservations, so there was zero wait and once we got to our table, they were immediately there making food. I think in total we were in the restaurant maybe 45 minutes. The fastest hibachi I...

We love this restaurant for quick small shared meals before or after visiting the neighborhood for movies and Broadway shows. The up-front table seating is very tight especially during this season of puffy coats. Try to get a table (for 2-4) as far away from the front door as possible, as there isn't any vestibule and you will feel the cold air rushing in if you are at one of the tables closer to that entryway. You can also choose to sit at one of the several hibachi tables (which seat about 8 people, so, you will likely be sitting next to people you "haven't met yet"), where you will get a happy but loud show from your hibachi chef along with your tasty food selections. The menu is typical for this cuisine but well-prepared/seasoned and good portion sizes. There are many dim sum options; we always have the steamed bean buns. Note that there are not many non-meat entree options here. As vegans, we generally order a few veggie appetizers to share. They do automatically add in a tip on your check, and a typical bill here for us is at least $30 (with only water, no other beverages ordered). They have a small bar, but we don't drink so I don't know what the prices are there. The service is fast and pleasant. It's a great location and the best option in that area for this cuisine. Real food, prepared well. Ask for chopsticks and soy sauce when you place your order, they are not automatically provided...