Dan Modern left a great impression on the table. Ordered the following: 1. Baby Bok Choy 2. Chicken Lo Mien 3. Shrimp Fried Rice 4. Pork/Crab XLB Everything tasted amazing and well prepared. The prices are premium, the quality matches! Enjoyed every dish! read more

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This place is a family favorite. The food is consistently delicious and we highly recommend the Dan Dan noodles with pork chop,Three Cup Chicken, Chinese chicken salad, and the spicy pork dumplings. A special thank you to our server, Eric, who took care of our family. He was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind, making our dining experience even more enjoyable. He also recommended the Dan Dan noodles with the pork chop which we had not tried before and my family raved about. Unfortunately, our experience with the host was the complete opposite. When we asked if we could be seated in a booth, he responded with a sour expression and unnecessary attitude, as though having the booth cleaned was a personal inconvenience. Even after we thanked him for accommodating our request, his response remained cold and dismissive. That interaction is the reason we're deducting one star, because customer service matters just as much as good food. Our family frequently visits the Sawtelle Japantown location, where we've always been welcomed with outstanding hospitality. We hope this location can provide that same level of warmth and professionalism in the future. read more

Based on my experience, this restaurant was just average overall. The service was friendly and attentive, which I appreciated, but the food did not meet my expectations. We started with the pork and shrimp soup dumplings. While they were decent, the flavor reminded me a lot of shumai, and I was hoping for a more distinct taste that would set them apart from other dumplings I've had. We also ordered the dan dan noodles, which were the biggest disappointment for me. As someone who enjoys dan dan noodles regularly, I found the noodles to be overly soft and soggy, which took away from both the texture and overall experience. Lastly, we tried the crab roe fried rice. It was acceptable, but the flavor was quite mild and somewhat bland. We ended up adding soy sauce ourselves to enhance the taste. Overall, the service was good, but the food quality and flavors did not stand out enough for me to want to return. While others may enjoy it, it unfortunately did not live up to my expectations. read more

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First time visiting, they had good quality food, and friendly, attentive staff. It's located in the same plaza as Sugarfish, Uovo and Williams Sonoma. The place was clean and spacious but the chairs were hard and uncomfortable. They have lots of gluten free options. We enjoyed the short rib dan mein made with hand made noodles (good flavor and the meat was tender), shrimp fried rice (had big chunks of shrimp), popcorn chicken (light & fluffy, good flavor, not overly fried), snow pea leaves and pan-fried handmade pork dumplings. The only dish I didn't like was the pickled cucumbers, it was too sour, it's different from the traditional Chinese cucumber salad. This place was a little pricy but you're paying for quality and good service. We will return to try more items on the menu. read more

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came here on a Friday night around 7:30pm for dinner and was able to get seated right away, but it was still a full house! It took a while for the server to come around and take our order but it's understandable during the dinner rush. They also did apologize for the wait. We really like how they had chicken rolls which is different than the tradition beef rolls but we really enjoyed them. The XLB comes in an order of 3 or 5 which is nice if you want to order less or try different kinds. We also noticed that the ginger provided is very fragrant which we liked. The mapo tofu was great over rice, the Dan Dan noodles had a nice spicy kick to it. String beans were fresh and dan mein was super flavorful. Overall a great spot, would love to come back and try more dishes. read more

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We weren't that hungry, but craving some noodles. I wanted to go here because of their half portions. They mostly offer half portions for their dumps and some noodles. We got their Dan Dan noodles. It sure had a kick to it. However, it was pretty tasty. This was a reg order so if you're ordering for yourself then it would be enough or even a little less. The oxtail noodle soup was not bad. It had a few pieces of oxtails. The noodles were ok. It was kind of bland. The broth was pretty clear. Soft noodles. Portion was very small for the price. Not sure how a full size bowl would be lol The scallion pancakes were good. Since the oxtail noodles were bland, I ate the meats with the scallion sauce. Yummy! Overall, it was an ok experience. The restaurant was clean and neat, but it was pretty empty. Meter/street parking read more

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Food was bomb. Mapu tofu with pork is spicy, but a good spicy, we didn't have to add any additional spice to it. Service was friendly. Dan Dan noodles were too mushy for me and it was mainly because of the peanut sauce. I thought the sauce was too dense. The black pepper beef was tender and super flavorful. Restroom score 6/10 - could use more TLC. I would take a dump in there if I had to. I would recommend but for small groups. The space is charming and small - not good for large parties IMO. read more

dan modern chinese - black pepper beef - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

we cannot stop talking about 3 cup chicken. every day my phone is blown up from people asking when we are going back for more 3 cup chicken. i don't know how we lived before the dan modern chinese 3 cup chicken. we also highly recommend the scallion pancake, chili oil wonton, and mapo tofu. value here is also great (we ordered way too much stuff for 4 people and took leftovers home at about $10/meal) the restaurant is so beautiful with a lot of natural light, and eric and brandon are the best people i have ever met. i am still sorry for offering eric an oreo when he was fasting. in my defense, they were limited edition and i just wanted to share all of the best things in the world with eric :) read more

dan modern chinese - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

First of all, the restaurant is located very conveniently in a little plaza at the corner of Cordova and Lake in Pasadena. I like coming here because it is not usually very crowded, and it is possible that it's because the pricing of the food is usually on the higher end. That being said, the food is reasonably good. The seaweed tofu salad has a nice kick to it. The black pepper beef was cooked well and the seasoning was not overwhelming. The crab fried rice tasted good, but the flavor of the crab was not as prominent. The dumpling was solid, but certainly overpriced for five pieces. The Dan Mein with chicken was a solid dish, but probably could get similar dish at the Chinese restaurant in San Gabriel Valley. Parking is easy, on the street or in the parking lot behind the restaurant. You can also park in the parking lot behind the Jamba Juice, which is located south of the Cordova Street. The servers were excellent, very attentive, extremely friendly, and definitely helpful. Would definitely come back, but knowing that it is on the expensive side. For seven dishes, pretty standard ones, it was approximately $150 after including tax and tip. The ambience was definitely immaculate, very clean restaurant, and the food was pretty solid. read more

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Place is always nice and clean. Servers were great. And they have a lot more items on their menu. We specially enjoyed the beef roll with the oxtail filling read more

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This past Saturday, my husband, our little girl dog and I visited the area and decided to make a to go order for lunch here at Dan Modern Chinese. Tucked away in the corner, right across from Philz Coffee, it is an easy miss if you don't walk into this hidden area of restaurants and businesses. My husband made the order inside while my little girl and I sat at one of the tables outside in the courtyard. My husband ended up ordering: Dan Dan Noodle With Pork, $10.50 prior to tax- My husband ordered this one for himself. He liked this dish and had said that even though the portion size looks small, he felt satisfied and full. Sesame Noodle With Pork, $10.50 prior to tax- I liked the chew of the noodles. I also liked the sesame sauce that I poured in (not all of it because I don't enjoy a really saucy soupy type of noodle). The pork was fine but minimal on the portion. ---------------------------------- (Total= $23.20 after tax) Wait time was about 10 minutes, which is fine and reasonable for take out. I like that there is outdoor seating and also numerous of tables out in the courtyard so that we can dine outside with our little girl. I would consider coming back in the future to try other dishes. read more

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Got Doordash since they were having a promo of BOGO pork Xiao long bao (pork dumplings)! Such a good deal since it's usually $23.40 (for 5 pieces) but I got it for $11.70 and it came with 10 pieces! My order arrived pretty fast - less than an hour The Xiao long baos were a bit cold when I got them but it's not a big deal! Normally, it should have sizzling hot soup coming out as soon as the first bite is taken! However, it was slightly dry since majority of the soup most likely dried up. Other than that, the pork dumplings was very flavorful and delicious! The dumplings were a bit small but don't underestimate the size because it was stuffed with plenty of pork! Overall, I felt like I really got the bang for my buck since my entire order of 2 Xiao long bao dishes (including tip) was a little under $18! What a deal! read more

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They were packed on a rainy Saturday evening at 7pm. Although we waited a while, I didn't mind so much because I knew this meant the food was good. When we were seated, our server immediately handed us menus and took our drink orders. We ordered the mapo tofu with crab (spicy but so so so good), the pork and rice, pan fried dumplings and soup dumplings. Everything we had was lovely. I am very curious now about that mapo tofu with crab...I must return to experience it again! We ate everything and were surprised by the reasonable prices (especially given this economy). It was $99.75 for 3 people - not bad! I can't wait to bring folks here now that I know it's a restaurant that provides excellent value for money, great service and just the best Chinese food. read more

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Visited: November 2025. Saturday ~2:00pm. Wait Time: None, but that might've been because of the rain. Food/Drink: - Scallion Pancake ($8.50): Crispy and flaky. I needed to dip it in the soy ginger dipping sauce for flavor. - Crispy Vegetable Dumplings, 5 pcs ($10.75): The crispy layer was impressive. Flavor was lacking. Needed to be dipped in sauce. - String Beans with garlic, half order ($9.50): Good. Had a nice bite to it. We asked for extra garlic and liked it that way. - Shrimp Dan Mein Noodles ($19.25): The noodles were cooked perfectly al dente. The mushrooms added even more texture to the dish. The sauce was savory, but too mild for me. - Egg Fried Rice ($14.25): Standard. Delicious with their chili oil. - Sapporo ($7): Good. A beer is a beer lol. Served in a bottle and I was given a glass to pour it into. Service: Excellent! The server was attentive and pleasant. I was especially impressed because the staff scooted a second empty table next to ours so that we'd have enough space for all the food we ordered. Parking: There's a parking structure directly across the street from the restaurant on Shoppers Lane. The rate is $2.00/15 min with a max of $16. Convenient but steep. Alternatively, there appeared to be metered street parking and other paid lots or parking structures nearby. Next Time: I'd come back if someone else wanted to, but it's not something I'd personally crave. I'd get the Scallion Pancake again and would try the Mapo Tofu and Popcorn Shrimp. read more

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The food is good as described on the menu We enjoyed the lightly Fried tofu and the scallion pancake. The "new" entre we tried was so spicy that it was too much to handle. The server was so kind and tried to help with bringing a sauce to quiet the flavor. All the staff were kind and helpful. Will try soup dumplings next time. read more

Food was really good. It's a small place but plenty of seats to accommodate bigger groups. The service is quick and the staff is friendly. read more

dan modern chinese - Paul liked it - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

This arnold palmer with boba so good . Not only the drinks but also all the foods is good read more

dan modern chinese - Arnold palmer with boba - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

Another visit to Dan modern cuisine and again a great experience. Food is always so fresh. Well prepared and fantastic service. You have to return because they do change up the menu from time to time. Today they added thin noodles as well as a chicken roll Love the sides. String beans were crisp and when you enter you can experience the aroma as they prepare the food. To me it's the spices as well as their mixture of seasonings. Well balanced and truly the star. The food is never too heavy One is in no danger of being disappointed here read more

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Honestly, everything was good and above average. We stumble upon this restaurant on a Friday night around 8:30pm. It's was fully seated but we waited for less than 5min. The servers were really really nice, they checked in on us often and were very patient since this was our first time. What I love about this place is you can order half portion instead of full so you can try a wide variety of things even coming as a smaller party. First off, pork xlb - it was amazing, juicy, full of umami. Then, spicy oxtail noodle soup, exactly what I needed that night, comforting and flavorful, the noddles had a nice chew. We also ordered the short rib fried rice and it genuinely surprised me how good it was, every rice kernel was coated with flavor, the dish was well balanced. The short rib was cooked to perfection, tender and with burst of flavor. We also had green beans, chili oil pork and shrimp dumplings, and brown sugar milk, all of them were delicious. Definitely a place I would come back. The interior was simple and mid-sized restaurant with open kitchen concept where you can see the kitchen behind the glass. Overall, a great experience. read more

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My fave go-to spot for soup dumplings! Hidden gem never busy when I go. I also do takeout, never had an issue.

The staff at the Pasadena location are incredibly friendly and attentive. It's nice to see the food being cooked through the windows to the kitchen. The dumplings were delicious, I would especially recommend the crispy style. The Dan Dan noodles were very good too. read more

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Really nice ambiance and service with delicious Chinese food. The food is authentic and delicious. I especially enjoyed the fried noodles and soup dumplings. Their menu is friendly to English and Chinese readers, but the food is still authentic and delicious. I also appreciate the vegetarian options. So this place is good option for my family due to their variety and good quality food. The service is phenomenal. Eric was our server and he was so attentive and polite. He definitely made it a great dining experience. read more

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The food is pretty good but pricy. An order of 3 dumpings will cost about $6-7. I got the Pork and Dungeness Crab Soup Dumplings and they were really delicious. I also got the Pork and Shrimp Dumplings in Chili Oil - flavorful! The Short Rib fried rice was pretty good, the meat was very tender! There's a lot of seating, and the space is bright and clean. The staff are attentive and friendly. They also give a generous amount of ginger and vinegar! read more

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Dan is a hidden gem into this little plaza filled with AMAZING food. Dan fits RIGHT IN: I cannot stop thinking about the flavors and how delicious everything was. We got mapo tofu, green beans, and cucumbers as sides. The cucumbers are a must: they are crisp and soooooo good. We also got a soup, some rice, and we were in heaven. Parking can be manageable, depending on the day. The service was a 10/10, and we never had to ask for anything. They were very accommodating. read more

dan modern chinese - pickled cucumber - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

I was hoping to have some authentic Taiwanese fusion food but i was overhyped when i entered. The entrance is a bit confusing so it's best to walk around the other corner entry to come into the restaurant if you are walking on Lake Ave. Clean and open space window entry to make the place look bigger with an open kitchen to see the dumplings being made. We ordered Xiao long bao and beef rolls and spicy cucumber and were shocked to see the undercooked XLB. I immediately brought it to the managers attention and said it isn't cooked all the way. She did mention to the waiter to comp the item and she will have the team redo it. Once we got the dumplings back it is Still not cooked thoroughly. I would stay away from the steam dumpling items and go for cooked or fried dumplings. Overall I am not pleased with the fusion food but I am glad for the service of acknowledging to redo the items. Save your tummy ache from eating raw dumplings. read more

dan modern chinese - Xiao x pork raw after re-steaming - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Have been here a few times in the past. Wouldn't have returned if the food was terrible. Decided to stop in w the GF after a long day to have a nice meal. Seated at a table quickly provided waters by a nice polite and courteous gentleman, didn't catch his name. Wished he was our server. Once seated with our waters and ready to order, another couple was seated a few minutes after...provided their waters. At this point our "server" arrives and takes their order ahead of our table, which I found very odd considering how service works...now I'm assuming you'd serve the pair seated first? I could be wrong, but I believe that's how it works in the service industries and just in life in general. Regardless. I'm patient. Didn't think much it just taps into the 20%. Now at this point was 15%. Then, walked by us. Eventually the server walks by and says "will by right w you" heads to the kitchen. Then walks out and says it again but proceeds to walk outside to assist another table. Im just smiling like "cool. It's ok to tip 5%? 0%? I'm assuming that's what he felt he was gonna get anyway. Best part is standing by what seems to be the GM at the door as I waited for my GF. Not a word. No question about service. Oblivious. No need to reply or apologize. No way to Make this right. Will not be back. But, a good training opportunity for the servers if you'd like. Sorely disappointed. Was gonna give 2 stars. After writing this I'll drop it to 1. Big thanks to "Mercado" just a few steps away. The Food was delicious! Our server Rita was amazing! 5 stars to them. read more

Dan is a great place for family dinners because they have an extensive menu that has at least one dish everyone will love. We ordered enough to have a mini tasting session. The table favorite was the crab fried rice and all the xiao long bao. We ordered three different fillings (pork, pork and Dungeness crab, and chicken and shrimp), and each of them came with five. My mom also loved the snow pea leaves with garlic. My personal favorite was the beef roll though because it was stuffed generously with beef and it came with sweet hoisin sauce on the side so that you could dip it if it needed more flavor. We came during Saturday dinner hours and there were plenty of tables available. Our waiter was also kind and attentive as was the manager, Vince. read more

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Dim sum, but with a glow-up vibes! Refreshing to see innovation and modernization with traditional foods and being able to maintain the essence of the cuisine. Think about this, handmade dumplings, scratch-made noodles, and wok-fried everything that's fresh, flavorful, and fancy without trying too hard. Many of the dishes were made with fewer ingredients and every dish lets the food do the talking. If you know me, you know I always love drinks with my food. They have a clean selection of imported Asian beers to pair real nicely with you foot without overpowering it. Why did the soup dumpling go to therapy? It had too much emotional baggage! read more

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One of my favorite spots. Some compare this spot to din tai fung. I prefer this place. Less of a wait and tasty quality food. Small spot with modern interior. Great service. read more

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Eric was our waiter and has some good recommendations after I asked what are the most popular dishes. Had the pork And shrimp dumplings pan fried, which were perfectly crispy and not too greasy! Then have the Dan Dan Noodles with short ribs, which were not shredded pieces of meat, but cubed, similar to a the taste and texture of a ribeye steak-Yummy! Lastly, had SLB with chicken and shrimp. The bao was a perfect size & soup was perfectly heated and didn't burn my tongue, plus the ginger mixed with soy and vinegar made the perfect dipping sauce. The only thing that I would ask for next time is to have it cooked a little longer because the top was a little tough and maybe needed a little bit more steaming. All in all, Eric was the perfect host and made us feel welcomed and would go back again to try other things. read more

dan modern chinese - Dan Dan noodles with short ribs - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The food here is excellent. My office is close by and many of us like to frequent the restaurant. However, there is someone in management that has taken away from the experience on more than one occasion. I would often look the other way, if we only ordered one or two entrees and if she would declare only "one black vinegar, one ginger" is enough. But today we placed a large order for 7 people. When the kind gentleman asked me if I needed condiments or utensils, I said "yes, thank you" and he happily collected those items for me. The woman from management comes from the kitchen and starts instructing him in front of me and my colleague that he is not to give any more than what was already provided in the bag (I didn't realize they had already placed condiments in the bag). He tries to explain to her that I asked for it but she doesn't listen to him. Not only does it come off as unappreciative to be stingy with condiments when your customer has placed a large order, but it shows poor treatment of the employee who is providing good customer service. read more

Got 3 things to go. Popcorn chicken, potstickers and brown rice. The portions of chicken was minuscule, undercooked and not flavorful. Potstickers were good but the sauce was insanely salty and not saying a lot! You expected to be a little salty because of the soy sauce, but this was almost inedible. The brown rice was good. They seal each container with scotch tape that's on some tight that in order to open it you have to tear the flap and can't reseal the food. I paid $30 for three things that weren't very good and would barely feed one person. Overpriced and underwhelmed. Update: after contacting customer service without asking for it because I really wasn't asking for my card was refunded. Hopefully they get things squared away because it's in a great spot and I've heard great things about it before. read more

Nice dumplings and noodles. Quick and easy for takeout as well and pleasant to eat in

Food and service were phenomenal!! And it wasn't too pricey. Doesn't break the bank to feed a family of six!

Oh my. What an amazing meal! I'm seriously in love with this place. Came for my birthday with family and the price was very reasonable for a party of 8. We had dumplings, dungeness crab fried rice(yum) plus chicken fried rice, garlic green beans(yummy tasty and crispy) plus noodles . I tried to take pics but it was so tasty I ate it before I could get the camera out! Do yourself a favor and try it out. The staff was attentive and I will def be back here for round 2! read more

6/10 Got the cucumber salad, scallion pancake, and pork xlb dumplings. I did get the food to go, but for the price I paid it was pretty mid. Not bad by any means but there are better places for the same price. Pork xlb was the best out of the three for sure. read more

My daughter recommended that we go and try this place and I'm glad that we did!! Located around other restaurants. When we entered, they weren't busy so we got a table right away. Before we left, the place was PACKED!! We were lucky to beat the crowd. Many types of yummy food to choose from and it was ALL GOOD. We ordered about five dishes and we finished EVERYTHING. It was the perfect amount for us. The soup dumplings, spinach, beef, noodles all tasted amazing. The waiter was on point. Our food came real fast after we ordered. Nice sitting area inside. I would definitely come back. read more

dan modern chinese - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

Delicious fare and excellent service. very cute, modern and clean inside. You can pay for parking or park on the street (also paid, unless after 6p). In the same plaza as Philz and Sugarfish. We'll be back to dine again! read more

It's my second time here but I still prefer Din Tai Fung for their XLB Soup Dumplings. The skin is thinner here but less flavorful. The Short Rib Dan Mein was really good though and we could see that every table ordered some form of the Dan Mein. And their string beans are better though than DTF - seems much more fresh, the garlic taste is stronger. The mapo tofu was a bit bland...although it seemed like a very popular dish. The food all took some time to come out so we could tell the dishes were well prepared. It got pretty packed on a Friday evening. Service was good overall but we noticed each server did things differently- no one offered us hot sauce but the table next to us was. Thought that was a bit weird. read more

dan modern chinese - Green string beans, mapo pork, dan mein short rib - Dim Sum Near Me - Pasadena, California

Popped in waiting for my car to be fixed nearby. Carlos greeted me and made sure I was welcomed and comfortable. I ordered the Dan veggie noodles, chicken soup, and spicy tofu with jasmine hot tea. Friendly service and prompt. Give Carlos a raise because he's too good to stay as a server. read more

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