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    Sampan

    4.1 (2.4k reviews)
    Open 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Sampan Photos

    SAMPAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Trendy
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Sampan

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    Vincent W.

    I was impressed with the service, ambiance, and spectacular food. I didn't have a bad dish. Also dined for happy hour for food and drinks. I was just hungry for sushi but didn't see it in under updated menu. Still worth it. I mostly ordered small bites and it's affordable. I didn't try any entrees but I'm sure they're spectacular. When I visit Philly again, this will have to be my number one eatery. It's elevated casual aesthetic. Wide range of interior/exterior seating. Perfect for dates, casual, and foodies. I highly recommend sampan. Also shout out to my server for the suggestions and welcoming demeanor.

    Chili crisp chicken bao
    Basma N.

    My sister recommended this pan-Asian restaurant. We made reservations for dinner and were promptly taken to our table. The restaurant serves modern Asian small plates meant for sharing. We ordered the crispy chicken bao buns, crispy shrimp, general tso soup dumplings, wagyu beef, Korean bbq beef, and hamachi ceviche. We were a group of 3 so one thing that was nice was that our waiter added 1 additional skewer/bao bun for the meals instead of ordering 2 plates of them. Out of all the food we ordered the most delicious were the meats; the wagyu and Korean bbq beef. They were so tender and lightly seasoned because the beef quality itself was good. The Wagyu beef was paired with an apricot dip that was really good. The chilli crisp chicken bao was also good but didn't have much sauce, so it was on the dry side. It was supposed to have chilli so we expected it to be spicy but it was not. We all really liked the crispy shrimp--it was truly crispy. The sauce and the radish paired really nicely with the shrimp as well. The one meal we did not enjoy were the soup dumplings. When we got them they were dripping of raw dough and had no soup in them. The waiter was kind enough to replace them but we still didn't really enjoy them. I did not try the hamachi ceviche because I'm pregnant but it was also a favorite from the group. For dessert we had the mini ice cream cones. The waiter again added an extra one for us. The flavors were chocolate banana and mango. They were good, small bites. One of them melted so quickly and fell on the table and the waiter was really kind and got us a replacement. I did use the bathroom and absolutely hated it. It was unbelievably dark in there and there were weird sounds playing in there. I went in there to make sure I didn't have food in my teeth but couldn't even see. Super inaccessible, hopefully that's something that can be changed. The service overall was clearly excellent! I would recommend this place, especially if you come for the meats. It was surprisingly filling too.

    Tofu Taco, Edamame Dumpling
    Puja P.

    Went for happy hour during the summer and luckily got a table pretty quickly! This place usually has a line to get in so having the extra tables during the summer really helped. We loved that they opened up the tables outdoors on the street, very cool to see people walking by on a nice summer day. The food was so tasty! As a vegetarian, I got the tofu tacos and the edamame dumplings from their happy hour menu. I do wish they had more vegetarian options (or options that could be made vegetarian) from their happy hour menu, but the things I got were pretty tasty.

    General Tso Soup Dumpling
    Ilene S.

    So busy on a Saturday night. We got there 15 minutes early for our reservation and had to wait to be seated for the people who were running late for their reservations. I did enough watching the food prep and seeing all the amazing dishes go by, so not a total loss . We decided on the chef tasting special. You get to pick a total of 7 dishes and given the ice cream cones with the flavors of the day. We started off with the general two soup dumplings. They were a little gummy and flavor was just fair. The pork bao bun was amazing! Crispy full of flavor and the bun was little, soft but held together. I could have eat dozen more of these they were that fabulous. The crab tacos were crispy and packed with crab meat but I felt the crab was a little watery and texture. The beef sticks were cooked perfectly and I added just a touch of hot sauce from the table and it took the flavor to another level. The duck came next and it was delicious - crispy crunchy skin with scallion and cucumbers which added another layer with the hoisin sauce and buns. The Brussels sprouts were out of this world. You have to try them to fully understand what I mean. The branzino fish was also very good. The small ice cream cones were a great touch to end the meal. The chocolate caramel flavor one was my favorite of the two. Serves was excellent - water glass was always filled. It's a shame that they have to ask for a credit card prior to ordering - guessing they have experienced too many people leaving without paying, unbelievable what people will do or try and get away with.

    Crispy Spicy Shrimp
    Lizzy O.

    Our experience at Sampan was ok but not worth the price. The crispy shrimp, short rib dumplings and strawberry lemonade were outstanding! The char siu salmon and crab wonton tacos were good. There was a great amount of shrimp in the kimchi fried rice but the dish did not taste like kimchi. The branzino main was flavorless and the sauce was on the plate under the fish, so it didn't soak into the fish and you really had to scrape the plate to get any sauce in your bite. We did not have condiments on our table (which we felt the tuna rice cracker needed) even though other tables had little sriracha and soy sauce bottles. The waitress told us to order the kimchi fried rice with our mains so we did - but our mains came out 10 minutes after the rice and by then it was no longer warm. They require you to swipe your card before your meal, which she explained was because of dine and dashers. That was understandable but I've never been to a restaurant that does this and it sets an awkward tone. Bathrooms were dirty, however, overall ambiance was nice.

    General Tso's soup dumpling
    Kelli M.

    We decided to do the tasting menu where you get 7 selections. 1.We started our tasting with the crab wontons which was filled with crab but I was hoping for an Asian inspired sauce with it but it was a bit bland. 2. Cheesesteak bao buns- our second favorite of the night, it was accompanied by a pepper relish that was really good too. 3. General tso's soup dumpling- our absolute favorite. It's an explosion of flavor when you bite into the dumpling. We both loved these. 4. Salmon skewers- my husband loved , I don't love salmon. The sauce underneath was pretty good. I let him pick this course 5. Walnut shrimp - disappointing. We both expected it to be sweet since it mentions honey but it wasn't, it was boring. 6.brussel sprouts- I would have liked them cooked a tiny bit more but they had great flavor. 7. Short rib with noodles- the short rib is sooooo tender, I was so full by this course and only had a bite. Our dinner was finished with min ice cream cone with a sparkler to celebrate our anniversary.

    Kim A.

    The Kim chee fried rice is always a go-to. I usually omit the poached egg and have been able to get it with a scrambled egg instead. It comes with shrimp and it is definitely filling. It's not overwhelming with Kim chee, so that could be a miss for die-hard Kim chee lovers and great for people who aren't entirely sold on Kim chee. The service is amazing! Food is quick, waiters are quick and hospitable. 10/10! The ambiance is gorgeous, dimly lit and just a vibe overall. I love the colors inside that light up on the walls. I enjoy sitting at the bar in front of the kitchen. It's an experience!

    Pork Bao Bun
    Glory C.

    Had a reservation at 5pm on a Saturday night with my husband, no wait for our table. Attentive, professional staff. Darker mood with nice changing colors on the walls. Food was phenomenal! Everything we had was delicious, very tasty. The general tso's soup dumplings were delicious. The pork bao buns were an explosion of flavor! We also shared a Kim Chee fried rice and Korean bbq beef satay. The rice texture was perfect and so flavorful with plenty of shrimp as well. For dessert we had the mini ice cream cones chocolate pecan and vanilla guava!!! I could have eaten 10! Definitely going back, excited to try other dishes!!!

    Mini cones
    Denaya H.

    Always a good time when visiting here. The food comes out fast, but is always fresh. The servers are always knowledgeable (especially for how much to order because you never want too much that you can't finish). It was pretty packed this evening, but they were able to accommodate our reservation earlier than planned, which was perfect. We were celebrating a friend's birthday and they gave us the mini cones with cute sparklers! A nice touch. The kimchi fried rice and the Korean bbq satay are always my favorites here. Must have those on every visit. Tried the general tso soup dumplings for the first time and they were delicious! Can't really go wrong with the options the offer here.

    Cantonese Spring Roll
    Renee B.

    Sampan has been around a while and it's easy to see why. We dined early and it was already starting to fill up on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant is dimly lit and intimate without feeling cramped like some city establishments. Service was attentive and professional. The kitchen turns out the food quickly. We tried several plates and all were really tasty. Favorites include the tempura cauliflower, mushroom shumai and the edamame dumplings.

    Tarun B.

    This place is one of the more popular restaurants in the Center City area. It is always busy and crowded here no matter when you visit. I came here for happy hour and had a short wait to sit at the bar. The inside has these great designs which light up during your stay. It seems like a fun trendy place to visit and bring clients over. There is an open kitchen where you can watch the cooks make the food which is great to see. They are constantly making high class meals and bringing them out as fast as possible. The waitress was very friendly and guided me through the happy hour menu. I decided to order the Kimchi Fried Rice, Kobe Sliders, and the Thai Punch. These items are listed as sides on the menu but there is a decent amount of food. I was filled with the Kobe Sliders alone. The sliders were the highlight of the meal. They were delicious and packed with wonderful flavor. I would love to eat these every day if I could. The Thai Punch was delicious and washed down the meal. I had a great time here and would highly recommend it to anyone for a great meal at any time of day.

    Tuna Rice Cracker Kim Chee Fried Rice Kobe Beef
    Brianna G.

    Food: The Kobe beef was delicious, well balanced and perfectly cooked. The tuna was my favorite though, wonderful texture and flavor, slightly spicy but not too much. The Kim chee rice wasn't very good unfortunately. It lacked depth, umami, complexity and the heat was overpowering. Service: excellent, my waitress was attentive but not excessively. She paced everything perfectly! Ambiance: really cool and chic. It was a little loud but I was dining solo so I put in my headphones and that was perfect. The pricing was fairly reasonable and overall I enjoyed it. I'd visit again :)

    Dumplings and chicken satay
    Victor S.

    Sat outside in the back of graffiti bar, fresh air, yummy alcoholic bowls, and delicious happy hour appetizers. Service was fast, efficient, and effective. Coming back very sooooon! Love the alleyway

    Thai punch and Ming mule

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    8 months ago

    I love Sampan happy hour!! Plenty of vegetarian options, great cocktails and it's highly enjoyable! The service and food is quick!!

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    Ask the Community - Sampan

    Are the prices on the menu per person? or is that the price for your group?

    The menu is priced per plate. The restaurant encourages sharing of the majority of the plates, especially the smaller plates and sides. Similar to a tapas style dining. They generally offer a chef's tasting menu as well, which I believe is priced… Read more

    Does anyone know if there is meat in their XO sauce? I know most XO sauces are seafood based but some also include cured ham. I'm pescatarian and want to know if I can eat their XO sauce. Thanks!

    Im trying to get my daughter to explore more foods. Is this a kid friendly place, Like 9 years old kid?

    There's table seating, but the atmosphere, in my opinion, is more of a classy bar. The food is delicious and has a complexity of flavors. Hope that helps

    Is happy hour throughout the restaurant from 4-7 PM or just the bar area?

    Just he bar - which is quite small. You can also get it at the bar around the kitchen, but make sure you ask the hostess for one of those seats, as they're not first come first served. HH there is great, if you can get a seat!

    Do you have thai iced tea?

    No, but I did have the lemonade, it was good, I think it was made from scratch

    View All 6 Questions

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    Dan Dan

    Dan Dan

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    We've been coming here for a number of years and enjoy it consistently. The menu is extensive from…read morenoodle dishes, to Sechuan, and Taiwanese selections. The homemade DanDan noodles were our favorite, which are served with ground pork in a spicy peanut sauce. We also got the three cup chicken which was so good, with a sweet, licorice-like glaze. Some other favorites were the black pepper chicken and the long hot chicken, if you enjoy spice. We had the ginger and scallion dish and was not our favorite, as the chicken had a unique consistency and was quite limp. Overall, good service and a relaxing ambiance in a bustling city.

    The spouse had a great meal here in the past, so it was one less place I had to research for…read moredinner. ATMOSPHERE: Intimate spot with a small loft, soft music and big windows for people watching. Takeout and deliveries seemed to be the majority of the business. RESERVATIONS: Not needed on this particular Monday night. PARKING: Street or garage. MENU: Sichuan & Taiwanese dishes. No dim sum. BEVERAGE: Lychee Martini Perfectly chilled and balanced, complete with a whole lychee garnish. FOOD: Dan Dan Noodles We got it plain but proteins were available. Thicker noodles coated in a thick peanut-flavored sauce with a little kick of heat. Very good but I'd definitely add either chicken or tofu to break up the carbs. Dry Pot Dish Served in a steel wok, we opted for chicken which was super tender. Very flavorful dish but it wasn't presented sizzling as the menu stated. Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup If you're a ramen fan and want something different, I think you'll love this as much as I did. A generous amount of thick noodles (available hand-ripped flat noodles are a $1 option), chunky slices of tender and fatty beef swimming in a savory and slightly sour dark-hued broth. Forgot to nix the cilantro but it wasn't overly loaded. Total yum. SERVICE: Greeting was immediate and friendly. Male server was knowledgeable but there was no follow up. OVERALL: A very enjoyable alternative to traditional Asian cuisine.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Dan Dan Noodles
    Dan Dan Noodles
    Dan Dan

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    Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

    Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

    4.2
    (2.5k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Lazy Sunday after an unsuccessful Memorial Day beach weekend. It was cold and rainy all weekend but…read morewe decided to hit up some beef noodle soup place to warm up. On this cold almost summer day, Nan Zhou was hustling and bustling. Separate parties at the same round table and clients coming in and out of the restaurant facade. Warm lighting and active banter. I received my bowl of beef noodle soup was pretty satisfied. Beef was tender with flavorful bites of fattiness. Somehow, the meat tastes beefier than beef. The cilantro had potent herbaceous flavor with some spinach(?) and mustard greens. Noodles were pleasantly chewy w variation in texture. Lowkey, everything else was alright. I like to be nice so I'll say no more. Cucumbers were fine

    We came here around 1pm on a Sunday and ordered the mapo tofu with noodles, the house special…read morenoodle soup, and a shrimp stir fry. This place was packed, which is always a good sign, and even with that the staff stayed super prompt and professional. The house special was my favorite. I got it with the knife-cut noodles and it was perfect with the broth. The noodles had that slightly uneven, chewy texture that really holds onto the soup. I never thought I'd be the type to talk about "mouthfeel" but here we are. The broth itself was rich and savory with a deep beef flavor, a little bit of oil on top that adds body without feeling too heavy. It's that classic, comforting Chinese beef noodle soup done really well. I added a braised egg, which had great flavor soaked into it, though it was served cold, which threw me off a bit. The mapo tofu with noodles was also really solid. It had that signature spicy, numbing kick from the Sichuan peppercorns, balanced with a savory, slightly salty sauce. The tofu was soft and silky, and mixing it with the noodles made it extra satisfying. It's got some heat but not overwhelming, just enough to keep you going back for another bite. The shrimp stir fry was lighter but still flavorful. The shrimp were cooked well, tender with a slight snap, and the sauce leaned more on the savory side with a mild sweetness. It felt like a nice balance alongside the heavier noodle dishes. Couple practical things: it's cash only, but there's an ATM right by the seating area which makes it easy. And the portions are generous for the price, so it feels like a really good deal. Overall, super satisfying spot. Busy, a little chaotic, but the food absolutely delivers. Definitely a go-to if you're craving hand-pulled noodles.

    Photos
    Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
    Braised sliced beef noodle soup
    Braised sliced beef noodle soup
    Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

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    EMei

    EMei

    4.3
    (898 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Celebrating my daughter's partner graduation from Wharton. Had reservations at 8pm for 12 people…read more Arrived 15 minutes early. Place was packed with UBER Eats drivers, about 15+! Hopefully it's good food!? The hostess warned us of 15 minute delay for seatings. No worries. Sat at bar enjoying a beer which was nice. Got to be sat in a room, circular table which was perfect! Then the staff got to work. Took drink orders and food orders. The food was ordered by my daughter so I really don't know what was name of each dish. The Hot and Sour was super. Had a chicken dish like orange chicken that was really good. Something tasted like moshu beef was very tasty. Then they served a spicy chicken that was fantastic! I wish I knew the name!! All in all a good experience.

    Visited EMei on the recommendation of my wife's cousin. Upon arrival, they made a table for seven…read moreand we were seated and given water. We had been walking for a while, so we were thirsty. They had an extensive menu, most of which, I've never tasted. So we requested some egg rolls as an appetizer. I also requested won ton soup. My daughter and I decided to share some Singapore noodles and my son requested orange chicken. My cousin requested beef and tofu and two different kinds of dumplings. The food is served family style and it turned out that we requested too much. However, all the dishes were yummy. Favorites were the spicy dumplings, won ton soup, orange chicken, and beef and tofu. There are so many Asian restaurants in this area that you could never try all of them. Anyway, I'm glad we enjoyed EMei. Recommend.

    Photos
    Nice sized dining area
    Nice sized dining area
    Spicy fish fillet
    Spicy fish fillet
    Coconut Milk 245ml

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    Coconut Milk 245ml
    Han Dynasty

    Han Dynasty

    4.1
    (1.6k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Visiting Philly & I was looking for a decent Chinese restaurant. I was willing to give this a try…read moresince it was walking distance from my hotel. When I first walked in, I was about to walk out as the atmosphere was very hipster-est & not of traditional Chinese restaurant. We sat down. Gave us a menu and tea was served immediately. Good sign. Ordered a twice cook pork and garlic eggplant. It was very good. What impressed me the most was that the food was out within 10 minutes. Now that's authentic! Service is good. Poor server (Angela) was by herself and always kept a happy face. What a professional! Highly recommend if you are looking for good Szechuan food with good service.

    I used to be a big fan of the Han Dynasty in University City when I lived in that area, and when I…read morewas in the Penn's Landing area recently I decided to eat at the Old City Han Dynasty for old time's sake. However, I found that the meal didn't live up to what I remembered at the UCity Han Dynasty or the Sichuan food I've had at other spots. My partner and I ordered the dan dan noodles and double cooked pork belly to share, our longtime regular order. The portions were generous and prices were affordable, but both dishes fell short in some ways. The dan dan noodle sauce was mostly sesame-based with little of the chili heat I remembered, and there was only a bit of the ground pork topping. It left me wondering whether they hold off on the spice at this location due to the clientele, whether they changed the recipe, or whether it was just an off day. The pork in the double cooked pork was overcooked and tough, and the dish didn't have enough of the veggie components (leeks and peppers) to balance it out. Another minor nitpick - there was a World Cup game going on while we ate and the multiple downstairs TVs had the game on. The second floor where we were seated also had a nice big TV, yet it seemed to be left on a screensaver slideshow of random landscape photos. Would have been nice to watch the game! I was overall left feeling pretty meh about the meal. I'd give the UCity location another shot, but don't think I'd come back to the Old City one.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Dry Pot Style tilapia
    Dry Pot Style tilapia
    Han Dynasty

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    Sampan - asianfusion - Updated July 2026

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