Dan Dan

Love the Taiwanese food here!
They have great lunch portions if you looking to around a bite in center city. I highly recommend the Three Cup Chicken and the Minced Pork over Rice.
The only really negative I have to say is that I know a lot of people like the Dan Dan noodles here. but sad to say I like Han Dynasty’s Dan Dan noodles better. The sauce doesn’t stick onto the noodles as well as it does at Hans, nor is it as flavorful. The noodles are just a little too soft for my liking.
Overall, Dan Dan serves real authentic Taiwanese food that Philly was really lacking. Compared to Empire Garden, this place is 1 000 000% better. If you like Chinese/​Korean/​Thai food, or just Asian food in general, I highly recommend Dan Dan.

So glad I found this place while walking around center city last night. My buddy and I wanted to get something quick, as it was getting late, but fortunately we stopped in here for some authentic Sichuan and Taiwanese food.
There’s a very dark, modern interior when you walk in, and you’re immediately in the bar area. You have to pass the half-​rectangle shaped bar to get to the hostess, who’s in the back corner before the stairs. The bar was busy and there is a pretty cool (semi-​tacky) glowing neon sign that reads Dan Dan down the left wall. We decided to sit at the bar, as we found two stools at the end, near the waiter/​server area. I didn’t get a chance to explore the upstairs, but it seemed like an open area with a decent amount of seating.
Our bartender was a cool guy. He was blunt and told me that the cocktails aren’t that good, which I respect. I told him I was looking for a drink with gin in it, relatively spicy and he whipped me up something nice with a kick (it had this gin that had been aged in whiskey barrels — fantastic).
For starters, I was debating what to get and my friend was like, «Dude, we have to get the dan dan noodles… it’s called dan dan.» So we got the dan dan noodles and they were AMAZING. We got it a 4 spice (out of 5, the standard is 3) and they were delicious. They came surprisingly quickly and it’s a huge size too. We each had two healthy portions of it, along with a little added chili sauce. These things were warm, tender noodles and hit the spot. I was half-​full by the time I finished them, but so well worth it. They’re so simple, but the flavors and spice make it worth your while. They do have some pretty authentic appetizer options.
I asked the bartender what he recommends as the best veggie dishes and he recommended the Cumin Tofu or the Mapo Tofu. There’s also a vegetarian menu on the back of the menu that I neglected to look at, so reminder to you to turn over the menu. I ended up getting the Cumin Tofu and it was unreal. Again, I got it as a 4 spice on the menu and this dish was full of flavor. There are small, fried cubes of tofu that are each seasoned perfectly, along with grilled onions and peppers, stir-​fried in a wok with some chilies and light sauce. Mix in the rice and some of the hot chili sauce and you’re in for a world of flavor that will help you clear your sinuses.
Overall an awesome restaurant and I’ll definitely be back to try the tons of other delicious options on their menu.

Second time here and wow love the food is awesome. The Dan Dan is a must try for anyone. And is fun to share. The bokchoy was buttery delicious. The few chicken dishes we ordered were very good. I’m not afraid to just point at something on the menu and go for it. I’m that confident I’ll be impressed. The servers are helpful to answer your questions about the food. Give them a try !

Nothing… could have prepared me… for this. NOTHING. I am from NYC. A virtual Mecca of every form of Asian food under the sun. Chinese Food of all types, can be had. That being said? Dan Dan, might be (no joke, and no I am not kidding) THE BEST CHINESE FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD. Yup, that’s right! Nope, not kidding!!!
Sichuan and Taiwanese food, has to be done RIGHT. So often, SO often it’s all about heat and blaze, and often when you’re dealing with said heat and blaze, FLAVOR is lost. Dan Dan and their team of chefs understand inherently how to balance the heat, with the flavor. The nuances of their dishes are so complex, you’re going to sit there and (as did my husband and I) you are going to DROOL, and make nommy noises, and well… there’s no polite way to put this, you are going to have an ORGASM and an out of body experience all at the same time.
Firstly, ORDER Dan Dan noodles, when at…(duh) DAN DAN! No noodles in some overwrought peanut and chili oil, are these, oh no no no. These are a work of ART. They come hot and steaming and are tossed tableside. I wanted to shove my whole head into the bowl and just stay there. The nuance of the spice and the pork make these such a cut above the rest. Order the Sichuan Farmers Lamb Dry Pot. OMG!!! Also OMG? The Chicken Dry Pepper Dish. I’ve had it at Mission Chinese Food and IMO, Dan Dan does it BETTER. Lighter. HOTTER!
Just go there. Book a table and come hungry. It’s like nothing you’ll EVER have again.

My colleagues spoke pretty highly of Dan Dan, so I was excited to have dinner here with my girlfriends. We had reservations for an early Sunday evening. I was the first to arrive, and even though the restaurant did not appear busy, they refused to seat me until the entire party arrived. (Fast forward to when the other girls showed up, we are led to our table upstairs, where, oh — there are a few open tables, just like I thought.)
We shared:
— spicy crispy cucumbers
— dumplings in chili oil
— fiery ribeye brew pot
— bok choy
— spicy basil clams
The brew pot and clams had a nice spice, but it wasn’t overwhelming. The dumplings were OK — just a little bland for me. Overall, I thought the food was decent and worth coming back to give some other dishes a try.
Recently I returned with my husband for dinner. We were seated immediately for our reservation, but a server did not come to take our order until WELL after 15 minutes had passed! No one even brought water or tea! A busboy cleaned up 3 other tables around us, so clearly someone saw us sitting there with menus. When we finally had our order taken (20 – 25 mins into dinner), our first dish still arrived before any water or tea. This was a major no-​no in my book.
For dinner, we had:
— dan dan noodles (OK, tasted like I could make this.)
— salt and white pepper crispy chicken (favorite of the night, had a little hint of savory sweet to it.)
— scallion pancake (OK, but I’d pass going forward)
— napa goji w/​chestnuts (loved the chestnuts, but overall needed a little more salt to make it less bland)
— Taiwanese hamburger (pork belly was too dry, wasn’t crazy about this.)
This experience wasn’t my favorite — if we return, it may just be for take out.

This is our favorite Taiwanese and Sichuan restaurant in Philadelphia! The atmosphere is modern Asian, and they provide ample seating across two floors. We went authentic Taiwanese style and ordered the beef noodle soup, hakka style stir fry, golden dish with fish, and pork belly bun on the side. The service was prompt and food was fresh, what else could we ask for! We will definitely be back again!

I have had my eye on this spot for sometime, and finally dined out with some friends last night and I must admit, I was HIGHLY impressed.
It is a beautifully decorated and designed space. Clean modern open relaxing ambiance — from the awesome large paper lantern style lights to the lit Dan Dan sign, my eyes kept wandering!
The service was just absolutely wonderful. Our server gave us great information on the food (being our first time there), and even at one point, heard one of my friends saying he wished he had some milk to dial down some of the spices, and he came over the the table with 3 sugared lemon wedges, apologized that they didn’t have any milk, but that the sour of the lemon would cut down on the spice — we didn’t even ask, he was just that thoughtful — and that type of above-​and-​beyond service speaks major volumes to me — Bravo Dan Dan!
The food — I will definitely be back! Our plates were amazingly delicious, and at such a great price as well! We split an order of the Dan Dan Noodles (you can’t just NOT get them!) They would absolutely be enough for a full meal for one, with left overs! Huge portion (they serve family style portion sizes) The flavors are unbelievable. For my main meal, I went with the Pork Belly Twice Cooked Dish. What a beautiful looking dish, with all the sauteed veggies and pork — the leeks in particular were a very delish addition to the plate. My friends split the Pressed Tofu Long Hot Pepper Dish — which is a very large dish — and that was very flavorful as well. All the dishes came with rice (brown rice will cost you a little extra, like most everywhere else).
The drinks were amazing as well! I had their spin on an Muddled Old Fashioned and I was not disappointed, very yummy! My friends went with the Delicate Petal which was a really nice pineapple vodka drink, very great flavor!

Been here twice so far and have to say both times I really enjoyed what I had! It’s tiny inside so try to make a reservation or you can also sit at the bar. The one complaint I have about the bar is the stools… they were super heavy and uncomfortable. Also kinda low. I needed a pad or something. Being short really didn’t help the situation but I made it work still. The service both times was great and the prices of food are also great. It kinda reminds me of Sampan but a lot less expensive which is great and the quality of food is just as good. (Just wish they had those edamame dumplings! Haha)
The drinks are good too. They make their own ginger syrup so you can get ginger-​ale or a mule. I also like how they give you complimentary hot green tea, which was a nice surprise on the brisk day I was there. Everything I got there both times was definitely high on the spice level so if you are sensitive to at make sure you ask for it to be either less spicy or get something else! I love spicy food. The Dan Dan noodles are awesome and so are the pork wontons in the chili oil which are my favorite! Definitely try it out if you are around the area. It won’t disappoint.

Always love a good Asian meal, and Dan Dan provided just that. It’s located in the middle of all the action in Philly and is pretty easy to get to if you’re staying nearby. The place has kind of a modern/​trendy feel to it and there are multiple floors.
Came here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon and had the Kung Pao shrimp and some spicy wontons with pork. The Kung Pao was good. Shrimp seemed fresh and the overall sauce was a good mix of peanuts and vegetables. I’ve had better version of this dish elsewhere, but it was good. The spicy wontons were really good. Not very spicy, but a delicious dish.
The service was great and moved very quickly. The food was on the table within minutes of ordering it and overall they seem to be turning over tables at a fast pace.
Good food, great service and a cool atmosphere for either lunch or dinner.

So after going through the typical evening routine:
«where do you want to go for dinner?»
«I don’t know…»
We decided we would try Dan Dan. I had recently been introduced to Dan Dan noodles (why has it taken so long for me to stumble across these noodles sent from heaven??) and as spicy food hound I am, I jumped at the chance for a little spice.
Naturally, by the time we decided on where we were going to eat it was later in the evening. It was a Friday night and we arrived to Dan Dan probably around 8:45? The place was still pretty crowded with lots of people picking up food and moving about.
This is why it is 4 stars instead of 5. When we arrived the hostess wouldn’t make eye contact with us for at least 5 minutes of us waiting there. It was odd. Instead of asking if we could wait a minute she just ignored us as she handled other costumers. She was really friendly once she wrapped up with the other patrons, but it was a weird 5 minutes. Also, the waiting space is tiiiiny. You are basically pushed up against a wall because people still have to get by and there are bar stools in the aisle. I’m docking the star for basically this reason alone. Maybe I’m just awkward and I felt awkward waiting in that space when I was very obviously in the way???
Other than that the experience was GREAT! We were seated upstairs which was cozy and intimate. Our server was extremely nice and helpful. She even told us tricks about reheating noodles and leftovers (ya right. like we had leftovers. HA!). She was very attentive though and refilled our rice and drinks without skipping a beat.
We started with the Dan Dan noodles (of course!) and they were perfect. They mix them up fresh at the table. As they mix you can smell the wafting spice and peanuts. I would say that bowl could probably be split with one or two other people. It is a pretty decent size portion! I also don’t think it is too spicy but has just enough kick to taste it. However, I have an impervious pallet for spice so I might be a bad judge?
For my main meal I tried the Sichuan Farmer’s Dry Pot Lamb. HOLY MOLY. Friends– this is delicious! It is spicy and lamb-​y all at once and it is the perfect combination. I think Dan Dan really nailed the flavor combination here. I could not stop eating it even well after I was full. It was a really fantastic dry pot. I would order again. and again.

I came here for dinner last night with a couple of friends. The waiters and atmosphere were very nice. I somehow ordered the wrong drink; the bartender came up and made me a new drink without any hesitation and it was delicious.
The appetizers were my favorite part. We ordered scallion pancakes (yum), veg dumplings (yum) and spicy crispy cucumbers (eh, I would skip this — it’s fresh cucumbers dipped in very spicy sauce even though it only had 2 stars)
For my meal I had the garlic dish with tofu. It was about a pound or two of tofu with a scant amount of vegetables. I would have preferred more vegetables. They serve it with rice. They also give you tea for the table.
Not my favorite place but the scallion pancakes and dumplings were good. The prices seem reasonable.

Menu and food is almost identical to Han Dynasty in University City which is a good thing. I’ve read the owners of this restaurant used to manage and operate that Han Dynasty and her brother started Han Dynasty. So, I basically ordered what I enjoyed at Han Dynasty — the dan dan noodles and double cooked pork belly. My wife wanted to try something new so we got the Pickled Chili style shrimp. Now, let me tell you, that was the star entrée for the evening. It was perfect. I would order this every time I dine there. The Chinese cabbage with Dry peppers was pretty good too. Now, the reason I didn’t give this place five stars was the disappointing Taiwanese style Zhajiangmian. I thought it was too sweet and I didn’t like the flavors too much. Glad this is in Center City, so you don’t have to drive to University City during rush hour traffic.

Sichuan & Taiwanese style food are one of my new favs because of this dinner. I am so happy we decided to try this restaurant tonight. The dishes were all flavorful, excellently prepared and the presentation made everything look that much better. We ordered The Fried Pot Stickers and Scallion Pancakes for appetizers. Both were delicious and had a fabulous tasting sauce to accompany each of them. We ordered several entrees, Ginger Shredded Duck, Chicken w/​Garlic Sauce and a special which was called Lions Meatballs or something like that :) I don’t want to go into too many specifics about each dish but I can say that we polished every last bite off of every last plate. The portions were large enough to take home, but nothing made it into the doggie bag. Ya know what I’m saying?

Let me start off by saying, I should have tried the Garlic Sauce Dish since that was a staff favorite. Alas! It was not a mistake because my dish was just as awesome: Dry Pot Dish w/​Shrimp.
First thing I noticed about Dan Dan is that the décor is modern and hip from the furniture to the speakers (if your fan of popular music that is). Seating is limited and goes extremely fast once noon time hits, so make a reservation or go after the lunch time rush. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu.
A MAJOR plus is that the spiciness of about 90% of the dishes can be increased or decreased depending on your liking, therefore; do not allow the intensity of any dish shy you away.
I only wish I could have stayed longer and tried other menu items like there famous Dan Dan noodles!

I went to Dan Dan with my sister yesterday for a quick dinner before a show. We grabbed seats at the bar since we figured service would be faster, and it was; we had menus and water within a minute of sitting, and food within 15 minutes.
We ordered the dan dan noodles and the spicy tofu fish. We only ordered two dishes because we didn’t want to have leftovers since were were going someplace after, but we had a LOT of leftovers (the spicy tofu fish is a pretty large portion).
The dan dan noodles are great, but I wish they would add a bit more meat and a lot more scallions. If you’ve had dan dan noodles at Han Dynasty, this is pretty much identical. The spicy tofu fish is super spicy (I know that I should have understood that from the name) so if you don’t have a good heat tolerance maybe ask them to turn it down a bit. The fish is really flaky and moist, and they use soft tofu that basically melts in your mouth. There’s also a bit of crunch (soybeans maybe?) which is really nice in contrast to the soft tofu and tender fish. The drinks also looked pretty incredible, but unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to try one. Maybe next time!
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this place if you’re in the area and in the mood for Sichuan.

The question you hear often is, «Which is better? Han Dynasty or Dan Dan?» (especially because Dan Dan is owned by Han’s sister, FYI)
My answer? Depends on what you get.
In my opinion, I would go to Dan Dan any day over Han Dynasty (HD) for their…
**Dan dan noodles!
Mixed in an authentic, bold, and savory spicy peanut/​sesame sauce that packs a punch. Their umami flavor is stronger than HD, which is exactly why I love it. The noodles are also cooked to a perfect al dente texture.
Compared to HD, this dish is less oily and doesn’t rely on being drenched in red chili oil or red peppers to appear as «spicy». Dan Dan relies on their creative culinary skills and fresh ingredients to overwhelm customers. A master chef at work indeed.
I have yet to try more dishes, but I’m looking forward to in the future. Only thing I wish is that this place is bigger to accommodate more people. But as of now, I must say I am thoroughly impressed!

Details re: your next meal.
Great food. Bold flavor, pungent spices; smoked, braised, steamed, and stir-​fried.
Long story short:
— A double-​decker, and upscale Sichuan/​Taiwanese themed restaurant.
— Serves damn good food. Try the «Three Cup Chicken: pure awesomeness.»
— The «Baby High-​Five Happy Hour «features $ 5 beverages, and bites on weekdays 4:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
— Small space.
— Full-​size entrees and small tasting plates
— Gluten-​free and vegetarian dishes can be accommodated.
Four Unilocal

This is Han Dynasty for the uninitiated, perhaps even the timid.
From the rumor mill, it’s been said that this restaurant came as a result of a family feud (Han and his sister?) — and thus Dan Dan and also Han’s namesake famous noodle dish came to be. I think we can live in a city where Han Dynasty and Dan Dan can coexist.
Han Dynasty is the traditionalist, more authentic with a kick, while Dan Dan is (can I say it?), more Americanized.
Perfect quick lunch spot in a conveniently modern space, with service to match. Three dishes to split for two and you are more than fine, and perhaps even stuffed.
My standard: Dan Dan (duh), bok choy, and a protein to go with (have your pick).
Can’t lose.

Came here with some friends over the break and got here during lunch. Ordered the dan dan noodles again (comes with pork, but you can get that on the side). Noodles are fresh and soft with the nice sauce that they stir together at your table.
— I ordered the cumin beef (had lamb last time). I’m not typically a fan of cumin, but i’ll order this dish. It’s delicious and has this mild spicy flavor that gets to you eventually. It’s subtle and you’ll be sweating by the time you finish eating the dish. Good level of spice and comes with onions and peppers.
— Also go the chicken dumplings which were okay — 4 fried dumplings with a dipping sauce.
— We also ordered the twice cooked chicken (black bean sauce, leeks, & hot peppers) which was good, but not as good as the cumin dish.
— Tried the dry pot beef (comes in an open flame and comes sizzling — not as spicy with bamboo shoots, peppers and mushrooms) and dry pot chicken (similar to popcorn chicken) — thought it was okay — not as much flavor. It’s triple fried — definitely crispy.
Good spot and dishes come out relatively fast!

My, oh my, Philly you are doing it right these days. I’m so happy to see more Asian restaurants open up with trendy décor, about time they get on that bus!
Although you can walk 0.5 miles east for food that is half the price of Dan Dan, you cannot deny the great service and ambience Dan Dan has to offer.
I came here on a tuesday evening around 5:30pm and there were only a few people here. The restaurant has an open loft concept, so noise levels can be tricky. The bar is in the middle of the room with a few small tables against the window. We had a reservation and we were led upstairs where there was additional seating.
Being a huge spice and noodle fanatic, I had to get the dan dan noodles. My friend and I also ordered the twice cooked fish. Fish is amazing if it’s cooked right with the szechuan flavors, so I had my expectations up.
The service was on point — the waiters were very friendly and honest about their opinions when I asked about their recommendations. They were not too pushy and they definitely paced the meal well.
The noodles were peanut (y), which had a kick! I was pleasantly surprised. The fish was tasty, as for the sauce, it reminded me of black bean sauce. Nonetheless, paired with rice and the noodles, we were pretty full at the end of the day. The portions were just right!
I’d still prefer going to chinatown, but I’d recommend this place to anyone who just needs their szechuan fix in Rittenhouse!