Din Tai Fung

"Famous for its incredibly thin dumpling skins and standout green beans with garlic, offering a notable dining experience." - Eater Staff

"Din Tai Fung, the Taiwanese soup dumpling chain with locations across the world, debuted its first East Coast location — with impatient fans eager to visit. The sunken space, in the former Mars 2112 building, can feel like a Vegas restaurant, with several checkpoints and massive seating capacity. Once at your table, the real theater awaits. Order the xiao long bao it's known for, but the real can’t-miss items are the pork chops over fried rice and the dumplings in chile oil. Leave room for desserts like the chocolate xiao long bao (or the less gimmicky version with black sesame)." - Emma Orlow, Eater Staff

"This is for the Din Tai Fung fanatic in your life — the one who waited for reservations to drop for its first New York location. The globally renowned soup dumpling chain sells 24 packs of pork buns delivered straight to your couch, without the lines or Times Square chaos. For the dessert-inclined, Din Tai Fung also sells its chocolate dessert buns via Goldbelly." - Emma Orlow

"Washington is one of only five US states where you’ll find the xiao long bao soup dumpling palace known as Din Tai Fung, which now has Seattle-area locations at University Village, Southcenter (Tukwila), Pacific Place, and Lincoln Square (Bellevue). This Taiwanese import is a great place to explore a diverse menu of dumpling, noodle, and rice dishes. It’s almost hypnotizing to watch through the window as workers make the chain’s famous soup dumplings, which are as delicate and delicious as everyone says, although the shrimp-and-pork shao mai are arguably even better." - Jay Friedman

"Verdict: Two years. We waited over two years, from the time they announced their expansion, for this Taiwanese dim sum empire to open in NYC. Was it worth it? Sure. Our colleagues have reviewed other locations, so there weren’t many surprises. The soup dumplings are delicate and well-executed, and the cucumbers in chili oil are as refreshing as ever. If anything, it’s the glamorous subterranean room that’s the star. If you run here, we understand. But maybe just wait until the crowds die down." - bryan kim