Buddakan

by Katie Z.

Overhyped.This is a good place to take someone visiting NYC who wants to go to a sceney, impressive place.  It's huge.  It's cool.  It's filled with beautiful people and is decorated in impressive and enormous scale.But it's expensive.  The entrees range from the mid-twenties to thirties for SMALL entrees without any sides.  I ordered the spicy shrimp for $25, and was told I may want to order a side to go with that because ALL that came with the 5 shrimp on the place was a few sliced radishes.  So I changed my order to the sliced duck with noodles in broth.  Also about $25, but at least you can call it a meal.  It was good... but not really much better than the nearly same dish at Republic for half the price.She got the tofu with mixed vegetables, which looked good but not significantly different from your local Chinese food place's dish.We got veggie dumplings, and they were good and fine... but nothing special.  They were cute in that they sort of resembled red peppers (red dough with bits of scallion sticking out the top).  I liked that the veggies were coarsely chopped enough to still be recognizable.It's not bad, it's just overrated and overpriced.  NYC has many, many better places.

by m j.

I am only giving a three star because the best part was the decor.  Drinks are not bad. The food was just OK. I was a bit disappointed. I should've just went to china town and order almost the samething for half the price! Plus the food from china town taste better.Their other location from philadelphia, pa is actually better! Drinks and food was great! They have a different menu.

by Young R.fancypants x.Talia R.Jyoti H.Holden W.

The look of the place and the staff were all as they should be for this type of place. The decor was posh -- dark and pretty. The space was large, which I like. Everyone was extremely professional and attentive.The cocktails were delicious! And only $12 which is (sad but true in New York) perfectly good value for a drink at a nice bar.The crispy spring rolls stuffed with duck and foie gras were amazing. The best part of the meal. I tried the edamame dumplings after everyone on Yelp seemed to unanimously say they were good, but I didn't like them! The taste and texture were strange -- it's really just some sort of green paste wrapped in a dumpling...We had the short ribs and the king crab hot pot as entrees. They were good, of course, but don't stand out as much as the spring rolls do. The waiter warned us that everything was family style and that we should order several dishes, so that made us think that portions would be small. But they're not small at all, so we were really stuffed. Sadly, too stuffed to try dessert.First foremost, the food:-chili rock shrimp- spicy flavorful (i'm sad i don't have a plate in bed with me right now.)- beef bao buns- Buddakan used chunks of steak rather than ground meat (i do not like ground meat) so that was it's saving grace.- edamame dumplings- i am disappointed to say I tried this because of the rave reviews it got on here, but the texture of the edamame reminded me of baby food; some people call it smooth silky, i call it pureed to death odd. Horrible.- jade shrimp dumplings- great crunch from the water chestnuts pea shoots. - scallion pancakes with braised beef short ribs apple slices- this one sounded good, but was extremely heavy. I don't recommend this appetizer.- tea: rafia jasmineTotal: $75 (not including tip)Ambiance: overly dark, could be romantic if I was with the bf. It took a minute or two for my eyes to adjust in the dark once I could focus, I saw a super trendy waiting area with even trendier people drinking from beautiful glasses. The space is extremely tall fits right in in the meat packing district. The building is concrete loud with top 40 hits, but the lack of lighting Asian inspired decor brings warmth to a place that could easily be classified as cold, at first glance. Service: very attentive.Why I won't be returning: of the five items we chose: only two made my taste buds happy, two were disgusting in one way or another one was a take it or leave it kind of dish. I don't like those ratios.Fought hard not to have a work dinner here the other night I stand corrected, it was really great.  Went maybe 4 years ago when it first opened, remember it as my first NY exposure to Frank Bruni who was sitting at the next table everyone was whispering/pointing.  Hadn't been back since assuming it had grown in ostentatious B T tragic buddha-osity.  Turns out that stuff is true, but who cares because the food was good, our waitress was a delight the wine was memorable.  Since there are 300+ other reviews to tell you which of the dishes are top notch, I will just say that it's a pleasant surprise I will not let my horrendous snobbery cloud my judgement moving forward.I can't believe I haven't written a review on this place!  I would recommend making reservations a month in advance if you have a party of 6 or more - every time I call - they seem to book up fast.  Price-wise, this isn't so bad.  I think a dinner here, with an appetizer and a few entrees, drinks and dessert, split between a few friends, runs you at about $30-$40.  The atmosphere is really trendy.  It might be a bit too over the top for a first date, but I usually come here for a long-over due catch up dinner with girlfriends. The food is excellent.  The crying chocolate dessert is DELICIOUS.  I usually order a noodle and a meat dish, along with dumplings (careful, these squirt ;) )...HOM NOM! I would probably go back if I had out of town guests and I wanted to take them to something "sex and the city-ish"...i.e. a trendy place (and has happened to be featured in SATC!)I am breaking up with you B, sorry to do over yelp, but instead of sophistication and finesse, the aging makes you less appetizing and slower. I have been kind to you in the last 5 years, so hopefully there is no regrets on your part as well...I have been coming here probably monthly for the last several years, it was my fav place for b-day parties, first dates, valentines, and client entertainment. Food was getting more mediocre and service was getting worse, but I had so many good memories that I just couldn't quite let B go. Until yesterday... the food was so bad (soggy lobster rice, salty crab rice, overfryed duck rolls, tasteless seabass) and service was so reprehensible (40 min wait for a table, had to keep asking for updates, no apologies, waited 30 min for some appetizers with no explanations, had to ask repeatedly for water refills) for an establishments in B's price range that I must call it off.B, you still have several years in you to charm tourists and BTs, but I have to move on something better, hugs

by Bora S.

If I had to use one word to describe Buddakan it would be cinematic.  Yes, I was informed this place was used in the Sex in the City movie.  I'm from California and if I had to imagine what New York's nightlife would be like I would think of phrases like nice ambiance, beautiful people and a young upbeat atmosphere.  Buddakan had it all.  Made me feel like I was in the movie.I have to agree with my fellow yelpers.  Generally, these kinds of places aren't great restaurants.  I'm a hater of Asian fusion because its usually Asian food on training wheels.  Asian food is usually very flavorful and places like P.F. Chang's give you bland food. Not true about this place.  Sorry guys, I can't remember what we got because I had too many Sapphire and tonics before and after the meal.  I do remember that we were really hungry and got at least seven plates (can't remember which were entrees or appetizers) between the four of us.  I can tell you I really enjoyed the jumbo shrimps and that we were really full.  Note that this place is family style.  No complaints on the service.  Very friendly and honest.  Always a good combo.  What else is there to say, except you got to check this place out.

by Siobhan C.

Things did not start out well at Buddakan for me. We had a reservation at 10 on a Saturday night and were not seated until 10:40. The bar area upstairs was super crowded and it was very tough to get a drink while we waited, so I was not a happy camper.But, as much as I wanted to hate it, the food was REALLY good and the space was quite beautiful. We had out of town guests and they were very impressed by the place (minus the wait). We had the deviled tuna tartar - YUM, the pork bellies - again YUM (but I don't think you can really mess up pork belly), the calamari salad was great and the edamame dumplings were also very tasty. Then for mains I had the filet of beef - I am still dreaming about that sauce! And the scallops and shrimp dishes we ordered were also superb. Bottom line, I would go back and am hopeful that I wouldn't have the same problem with waiting for a reserved table.

by Jamie C.

When I heard that we were going to a place called Buddakan,  I thought this sounds like some kind of hookah bar/brothel. Add the fact that I was going there for a client dinner..... Well, either way, I knew this place had to be a fun and 'only in NY' experience. And, it totally lived up to its name. The vibe is young, vibrant, and dare I say edgy. The styling and decorations really don't match any one theme - think grandma's trinkets meets modern meets cathedral. Though nothing made sense together, it works and puts everyone in the right mindset - stuff your face and have a good time. The food was very good. We literally had every single dish on the menu from apps to entree and side dishes to dessert. Needless to say I feel utterly disgusting right now from all that food, but in the best possible sense of course. Favs that stood out were the edamame dumplings, Lobster egg rolls and Beef with lettuce. The desserts .... the spicy chocolate gelato was purely orgasmic....... I want a pint right now! It was Damn Gooooood! They also had a very interesting selection of teas. The one I had had hints of cocoa and almonds. By far, the most interesting and delicious tea i've had (though I'm not very adventurous where tea is concerned. The dress of the crowd was interesting. Though I see some reviewers mention dressing up, I saw people in all kinds of outfits - from club rat to touristy to businessy. I can't wait to come back. This place is perfect for a chill night with friends or a birthday dinner. YUM YUM YUMP.S. Can't speak for the prices since I was on company dime, so I can only give this four stars for now. I'll have to go back to see if I can go for the fifth star

by Lorraine H.

Ate here late (11PM) on a Thursday night. Place was not too busy. Love the decor! We waited at the bar for about 10 minutes for our table to be set. Headed down the staircase and caught eye of the beautiful communal table. Looks like it would seat about 20 people. This is the same restaurant and table that was used in the Sex and the City movie (Carrie and Big's rehearsal dinner). On our menu that night: Taro Puff Lollipops (w/minced pork, sweet sour sauce) - Cute presentation and a yummy starter! Crab Fried Rice (w/wok scrambled egg) - Again...good presentation in a shell and very tasty. Although I only had a couple scoops of it because the hubby scarfed it down. He LOVED it! Charred Fillet of Beef (w/wonton crisps, mustard sauce) - This was just OK to me but the hubby thought it was really good. Mao Poe Tofu (w/minced pork, red chili) - Such a simple dish but my favorite of what we ordered. Came with a big scoop of steamed white rice so it was actually VERY filling. We didn't even get to finish it because we were both so stuffed. Overall...Love the ambiance of the restaurant. Food was delicious. Would be a great place for a large dinner party. I would maybe come back here again.... I only say maybe because I'm not from NYC so when I do come into the city I like to try out different spots for dinner....especially if the place is a bit on the pricey side, which Buddakan is.

by Thomas P.

If you're from Queens or Jersey, GO HERE!If only to keep you from intruding on the rest of the city.I'm kidding (ok I'm not), but seriously, the biggest issue with Buddakan is the crowd and location. The food is decent, if unoriginal and lacking any real creative inspiration. The main dining room is of course spectacular, but unfortunately it's all spoiled by the nightclub vibe and mediocre service stemming from it. Because of it's prime douchebag-centric location in the Meatpacking district, here you can find a mix of investment bankers trying desperately to appear cool as well as wide-eyed tourists and bridge-and-tunnel freakshows seeking a 'New York' experience. It all combines to form something less than desirable in a culinary outing.It may be a decent choice for a quick after-work meal or drinks, but I'll be skipping it for anything more than that.

by Minah L.

I HAVE NOT EATEN HERE SO I AM ONLY GIVING A REVIEW ABOUT THE DECOR. if i actually try their food-- which i highly doubt because my sister said it wasnt worth trying-- i will update this review. The atmosphere at the bar was very lively on a Thursday night. They were mostly a lot of older men, in their late twenties early thirties, im guessing. But it wasn't crowded. it was loud, but spacious. Downstairs where the real dining area was was aboslutely gorgeously decorated. In the center it was a longggggg table like the ones you see in victorian movies-- very elegant and sophisticated. On both sides of the end of the table they had more connecting booths which seemed like the "private" party area. I've only had their drinks, which honestly can't be given a review from me cuz drinks are drinks depending on the bartender. BUT THIS IS A FOOD RELATED REVIEW FROM MY SISTER UNDER MY NAME. according to her, she said the food is yummy but doesn't fill you up. Her and her two other friends each paid about $60 a person but they were all not satisfied. So im guessing the portions are really really tiny.p.s. they have matches. :))

by Young R.

The look of the place and the staff were all as they should be for this type of place. The decor was posh -- dark and pretty. The space was large, which I like. Everyone was extremely professional and attentive.The cocktails were delicious! And only $12 which is (sad but true in New York) perfectly good value for a drink at a nice bar.The crispy spring rolls stuffed with duck and foie gras were amazing. The best part of the meal. I tried the edamame dumplings after everyone on Yelp seemed to unanimously say they were good, but I didn't like them! The taste and texture were strange -- it's really just some sort of green paste wrapped in a dumpling...We had the short ribs and the king crab hot pot as entrees. They were good, of course, but don't stand out as much as the spring rolls do. The waiter warned us that everything was family style and that we should order several dishes, so that made us think that portions would be small. But they're not small at all, so we were really stuffed. Sadly, too stuffed to try dessert.