It's taken us too long to get here but we've arrived!! And it's everything I hoped for. The beef noodle soup here is one of the best I've had in NY, if not the best?? The noodles are the perfect amount of chewiness (Q, iykyk) and the soup is rich without being too reliant on anise for flavor. The beef is tender and the tendon bits are melty. Love the picked mustard and Thai chili condiments so you can adjust to your heart's content. The braised pork rice plays second fiddle and I think the small size portion is good enough to get the gist. We didn't try the pork chops but they looked banging so next time we come we will definitely try that! As far as apps go, I feel like the numbing celtuce salad is probably slept on and if you're a fan of Szechuan food, you should definitely try it! Bonus, get the guava juice which complemented the Thai chili spice beautifully! read more

Really solid Taiwanese spot in Greenpoint by the owners of 886. The place was very busy on a Friday night. We had a 7pm reservation, but apparently our table was occupied and we couldn't actually sit down until 7:30pm, which kind of defeats the purpose of getting a reservation in advance. We ordered the crispy tofu appetizer, which was good to start with. The tofu was coated with "Taiwan Dust" and the garlic soy paste dipping sauce added a lot of flavor. We also ordered the fried rice and the beef fat chili oil noodle, which we enjoyed, but while the fried rice was yummy it wasn't particularly amazing for $18. The noodles were also good - very flavorful and vinegary, but the beef was a little hard to chew, and the noodles themselves were way too long so it was hard to eat family style. Overall really good flavors, but it is a bit of a trek to get out there. This place has been on my list for a while so I'm glad I got to go, but personally I enjoyed Win Son more! read more

See all

Food is bland and tasteless. The steak in the beef noodles was cold and had a foreign object in it.

randomly saw they were open for lunch, dropped by. basically beef noodle soup or lu rou fan, perfectly fine for lunch. price ain't bad, it was pretty empty though. the sign outside is only in chinese. broth was ok, noodle was great and qq (i got extra wide) i loved the braised tofu as a side, but would have loved some seaweed/kelp instead to provide contrast in texture and taste to the savory noodle soup. they provide 3 condiments: pickled veggie, tallow, and chili. the pickled veggie is traditional and mandatory, i don't care what you believe, add it. i feel like the tallow brought the clean broth back to the level it should be if you ordered street side taiwan, so it's mandatory imo. chili to taste. overall, will work into my lunch rotations. keep up the good work! read more

Wenwen - beef noodle soup with thick noodle - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

TLDR: Came for brunch, never been for dinner. Overall the dishes were Taiwanese but modern in their own ways and tasty enough that I know we'll be back. I have been trying to go to Wenwen for quite sometime but when I saw they had brunch, figured it was a good idea to give it a try. Shrimp toast. Not nearly as greasy at most shrimp toasts. The sambal was salty and punchy which worked well with the battered seafood toast. I'd get this again. Cold sesame noodles. Solid, not too much else to say but it was tasty. BDSM Chicken Sandwich + Seaweed Fries. I know the BDSM chicken is the famous thing here. The sandwich was fine, some pickled cabbage/veggies for crunch and freshness. The chicken itself is very flavorful and super juicy. The fries were a bit on the dry side for me today. That being said, the BDSM was good enough that we'll definitely be revisiting for the whole thing at dinner. Tater Tot Dan Bing. Hands down - my favorite dish from brunch. It's basically a scallion pancake, think a paratha or roti but not quite as buttery. Fried eggs, cheddar cheese, tater tots. It's an incredibly familiar flavor but packaged up slightly different than say your standard kaiser roll or what not. The sauce it came with was a bit sweet, a bit savory, add some chili oil on top and 100% my favorite bites of the day. I would come back for brunch again but definitely we'll be back. read more

See all

This is Eric Sze's second restaurant. His first and Manhattan restaurant, 886 would be more laid back and casual and Wenwen would be a lively dinner party with friends. This is one of my favorite Taiwanese restaurant in NYC. Numbing Celtuce Salad - The best way I can describe celtuce is cucumber-esque. Celtuce has a crunchy texture and does a good job soaking up the numbing spicy and tangy sauce. This was a nice way to start the meal. Popcorn Chicken - The best popcorn chicken in NYC and great appetizer to share with the table. Popcorn chicken is a signature Taiwanese dish of bite-sized fried chicken with classic Taiwanese seasoning. Highly recommend. Fly's Head - Another classic Taiwanese dish of ground pork stir-fried with garlic chives and umami flavors from fermented, black beans. This is perfect with a bowl of rice. Lo Ba Beng - This is one of my favorite Taiwanese dishes and this was amazingly executed. Tender pork belly over a bed of rice with pickled mustard greens to cut the fattiness. Whole BDSM Fried Chicken - HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! BDSM stands for Brined, Deboned, Soy-Marinated. You must order this dish if you have the chance. They make a limited amount of this dish and it goes fast. Perfectly fried and moist chicken with this addicting seasoning. Fried Tangyuan with Ice Cream - You must order this dish. When I saw cilantro in this dessert, I was taken aback, but this was a perfect ending to the meal. Fried black sesame-filled rice balls sitting on more black sesame paste and coupled with vanilla ice cream. The cilantro adds a bit of interest to the dish. My friends and I ordered two of these desserts because it was that delicious. read more

Wenwen - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I'm not one to typically be the biggest fan of Taiwanese food in comparison to my partner who's Taiwanese. I generally prefer the flavor profiles of Vietnamese, but WenWen makes me choke on my words a bit. The Lo Ba Baeng, is a sleeper build. It's essence really reminds me of the savoury and sweet balance of Vietnamese cuisine's Thit Kho, but in a smaller, less guilt inducing form. The entire dish was cohesive, comforting, a myriad of soft and chewy textures, and the perfect balance between savoury and sweet. I found myself spooning out every morsel of rice grains I could muster from the edges of the bowl. The Beef Noodle Soup was comforting and delicious as always. I would definitely recommend requesting some of their chili oil on the side to add to this and the LBB. Their dessert, Tangyuan and Ice cream, was surprisingly delightful. Although it kind of looked like a children's sandbox or art project when it initially came out, my stomach's and mind's eye was quickly opened to the world of flavor and textures it boasted in it's unassuming aesthetic. The service was wonderful--we were seated at the bar after walking in on a weekday as no tables were left. The bartender/server who took care of us was gentleman that new his stuff and was very amicable. We walked out like two overstuffed olives. I don't think I could've done anything but go take the subway home to Manhattan afterwards and lay down in bed. I would 100% go back again and do exactly as I did the first time, again and again. read more

Great ambiance at a place that feels both new and old. Their menu has all the typical Taiwanese dishes you would expect and they are cooked to perfection. I'm not Taiwanese but a friend of mine is and he said it feels like a family meal when you come to wenwen. Service was pretty fast and they have a great bar so if you want to go out and drink a few cocktails while eating some appetizers that's definitely doable at wenwen. Definitely recommend the popcorn chicken! read more

See all

So good!! I'm not in Greenpoint often, but I would make the trek just to come back here. I like 886, but found myself enjoying Wenwen even more. We came for Sunday dinner and got seated right away as a party of 2. Even in the downstairs "alley" seating, service was quick and pleasant. The alley is covered and ACed, so no issues in the heat of the summer. All the dishes we ordered were delicious, but I cannot get over the Shrimp Floss Lettuce Cups. This was the last dish we picked out and I was initially a little dubious, but it was a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. With the aromatic garlic chives and crunchiness from the youtiao and jicama, it went perfectly with the crisp lettuce leaves as your vessel. The 886 Noodles also took me by surprise. I've never had a chickpea based sauce for noodles before, but it added a great richness without being too creamy. The beef shank was also braised well and super tender. Pea Shoots were typical to any Chinese restaurant, but the tofu skin was a nice addition to soak up all the garlic-y flavor. read more

Came here for brunch on a Sunday with no reservation as a party of 2 and managed to be seated right away in the downstairs dining room. We ordered the Tater Tot Dan Bing, Stuffed Shrimp Toast, and Dong Bei Salad, all of which were delicious! Definitely want to come back for lunch/dinner to try some of the more traditional items on the menu as well! read more

See all

Came here on a recommendation from a friend and overall was a very satisfying experience. I liked that the place had two floors for seating, since my party ended up sitting in the bottom level and we got quite a bit of space. Food wise, we just missed out on the BDSM chicken but we got the popcorn chicken to make up for it, which was a solid rendition of Taiwanese fried chicken. We also got the peashoots (nothing noteworthy to call out) and the numbing celtuce salad to round out the appetizers. I don't think celtuce is widely eaten in America, but growing up with southeast Chinese parents I ate it pretty often, and this version of it with the numbing peppercorn and tangy sauce was the best variation I've had and my favorite dish of the night. Rounding out the meal we had the sesame noodles which were good with a nice noodle texture and smooth savory sauce, then finished with the pork jowl fried rice which was tasty but a bit heavy. read more

See all

Following Eric Axe's food journey online and then seeing it in action explains so much. The food at Wenwen is a contemporary take on Taiwanese food, although it might be more accurate to call it Taiwanese-American cuisine. He does an excellent job at fusing the two and showcasing the flavors in a more familiar way for everyone. We got a variety of items for brunch, and while they were all excellent, the Dan Bing was a particular standout. The sauce that comes with it is a perfect sweet-savory-spicy, which cuts the richness of the tots. The space is well decorated, and while you might be sitting really close to the tables next to you, it's very reminiscent of dining in Asia, especially at the nightmarkets. A great overall experience, and I think you can't really go wrong with anything on the menu here. Major props to chef Sze read more

See all

This is the best Taiwanese restaurant in NYC, mainly because of the high levels of authenticity plus innovation. Many dishes are genuine and authentic like the sesame noodles and Lo Ba Beng (rice with ground beef, egg and mustard greens) but others like the Tater Tot Da Bing combines the Taiwanese classic dish of scallion pancake and egg with tater tots! Also their "Sacha Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken" was amazeballs. Their strawberry shaved ice dessert (with a small scoop of strawberry ice cream) was also excellent. Also they feature a wide assortment of Taiwanese beverages including Taiwan Beer, Apple Sidra, Hey Song Sarsaparilla, a lychee beer, guava juice and an anzu hard seltzer. Excellent prompt and attentive service from Angel (pictured) at the bar. A must-visit if you are in Brooklyn! read more

Wenwen - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

A horrific experience with their staff. Refused to seat me even after waiting for 10-15 mins to be seated at an empty restaurant. I see why it's empty, do better and be better. read more

I've been here twice, once for dinner and once for brunch. Dinner was last year so memory is a little blurred. I do remember everything being delicious. Today we came here for brunch on a Sunday, we had popcorn chicken, crispy fried tofu, Lo Ba Beng, and BDSM chicken sandwich. Everything was better than expected. Our favorites was crispy fried tofu. It was perfectly crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside, came with sides of cucumbers, pickled cabbage. More importantly it came with this sauce that's peanut-y and peppercorn-y and nothing I've had before. It worked perfectly with the tofu and everything else. Service was prompt and efficient. Inside was bright and simple. Nothing to complain other than maybe the two top tables were just a liiittle too close to each other. But oh well, I got to see what other people were having very close up and I kinda appreciated it. read more

See all

Great service! Attentive staff. I loved the cocktails I ordered the shy boy my husband got the pink venom. I loveeddd the hot honey pop corn chicken we ate that right up! And then we got the cold sesame noodles. the braised pork belly and cuttlefish fish was a good medium of sweet and savory. Wish we got dessert but excited to come back and try more! read more

See all

This is a newer restaurant in Brooklyn. I learned they only make 5 chickens a day, so I rushed to get a reservation at their first opening at 5 PM. I got there around 4:50 PM, and there were already 3-4 groups ahead of me. They all had reservations too. Luckily my party got seated, and the server told us right away that there would be a chicken ready for us! We also ordered the celtuce salad $12 and fried rice with pork chop ($16 plus extra $8 for pork). The celtuce salad was interesting to try because I've never had celtuce before. It was refreshing, and the flavor was terrific! (Later I would notice the celtuce vegetable in the grocery markets and food stands.) The fried rice was pretty good as I expected it would be. The pork chop (paigu) was the star of the dish. I recommend adding it if you're getting the fried rice. Don't go without it. Then the BDSM chicken $62 arrived. It looked pretty daunting at first, like a giant red fried flower, except it's all meat. The flavor of the chicken was good. It wasn't exactly juicy as you would expect with a fried chicken sandwich. Eating it was messy because the seasoning made my fingers really red. There were some vegetables in the middle that were spicy and numbing. I split this dish with my eating partner, and we couldn't finish it. I would recommend trying this with at least 3 people. I'm not sure I would order it again for just 2 people. This dish is so limited - I would want others to try this too. Bathrooms in the back. Credit card accepted. read more

See all

It's rare for me to go to a new restaurant where I quite literally rave about every single dish we order, and yet, here we are. My friends and I (group of 3) made a reservation for Sunday brunch, although I think we could have gotten in without too much trouble without. We ordered: - Numbing Celtuce Salad (oh my god this is so underrated) - Stuffed shrimp toast - Savory soy milk (the best I've had in a really long time!!!) - Lo Ba Beng (aka Lou rou fan - solid staple) - Sa cha hot honey popcorn chicken Everything was flavorful, uniquely seasoned (in the best way possible), adequately portioned, and absolutely delicious. Dare I say perfect? Because it really was. I would get everything we ordered again and again without hesitation. Service and ambiance were also top notch, because again, perfection. Make your way to Wenwen!! read more

Food (4/5) - Highly recommend the popcorn chicken, the chicken was very moist and tender and the sauce accompanying it was complex and well seasoned, sweet/sour mix. I have a soft spot for pea shoots and thought these were fairly well executed, not drowning in oil and not wilting. The fried tangyuan dessert is pricey but the portion is massive and I enjoyed the black sesame paste combo with ice cream. Service / Ambiance (3/5) - Quite loud, the room echoes a lot, and it took us a while to be seated despite being on time to our reservation on a weeknight. Otherwise it's cute and well decorated space. There are old-style Chinese candies lining the wall outside the bathroom. Price (4/5) - Aside from the dessert, pretty fair for the area and we had a lot of leftovers despite not ordering that many dishes for 2. Probably 30 pp without drinks. read more

See all

A very solid 4.0 star restaurant that satisfied my Taiwanese food itch. The BDSM chicken is their most famous dish. Unfortunately we opted for the 8:30pm reservation over the 5:30 one. Maybe next time? We were seated downstairs. It's a bit cramped, but has some nice plant decor. However, the space is a little dirty and there was a small fly trapped in the room the whole meal. That aside, the food is overall very hearty and filling. Between four people, we got the Sacha popcorn chicken, Crispy fried tofu, Lily Flemming fried rice with pork jowl, pea shoots, and pork belly + cuttlefish. It was more than enough food. The Sacha chicken was a great opener, but the pork belly + cuttlefish was the most authentic and the highlight. Super soft pork belly, bursting with umami and sweet flavors. The cuttlefish adds a nice contrasting texture to cut through the heaviness of the pork belly. I heard really good things about the dessert (fried black sesame tang yuan with ice cream). However, it was only ok. Eating black sesame tang yuan growing up, the dessert didn't really add much. read more

See all

I've been to a handful of new wave Asian restaurants that modernize classic dishes and don't like most of them - but Wenwen is one of the few that I do like. The food here takes a refined approach to traditional Taiwanese food, often with a spin, but doesn't dilute the original essence of flavor like other places do. Interior is so great and cozy, lots of natural light and windows. Didn't get the notorious BDSM chicken but ate plenty of good food. The standout dishes to me were the steamed fish which had fish paste/cake (?) inside, the water spinach (incredible flavor) and the tang yuan of course. Noodle texture in the beef noodle soup was perfect. Bonus is the bathroom is decked out like a Taiwanese karaoke bar. Check it out will definitely try to come back to have more! read more

See all

We got the BTSM chicken!! We made a reservation at 5 and came a little 15 mins early to make sure we got the BTSM chicken. When we got here, there was already a table in front of us for the BTSM chicken. Tofu: ok - had a weird malaa type spice. Not spicy Sesame noodle: one of the best dish Braised beef with cuttlefish: thought it would be great with rice. Not a fan of the cuttlefish BTSM chicken: great and no bones but I wouldn't get it again Steamed fish: seems basic but the fish was great to taste You also need to go to the bathroom for a different experience read more

See all

This review is for dinner. If I'm being honest, I don't quite understand all the hype around this place. I did NOT get the famous fried chicken (and wasn't expecting to), but perhaps my opinion would change I had tried that. I will say, the food is good, tastes homemade, and reminds me of what I ate in Taiwan. But I'm not sure I'd wait more than 20 minutes for a table. Ambiance & Service: casual. Nothing that notable. There's a small seating area not in the main area which is where I sat. It kind of feels like a basement - no windows and very bare. I didn't mind, but if you care about ambiance definitely try to sit in the main dining area. Service was fine. Food: like everyone has said, if you want the chicken make a 5pm reservation and go early and wait for the restaurant to open. I ordered the below for 3 people and did family style (it was too much food), but portions are pretty good. I would def recommend family style. -Pickled Cucumber Standard: standard. Not sure I'd order again. -Peashoots: good, standard. Tastes just like garlic peashoots should taste like. -Three Cup Chicken: huge pieces of chicken. Good, very tender. I would order again. -Lo Ba Beng: this was my favorite dish. Reminds me of Taiwan. It's hearty and flavorful. I would come back for this dish. -886 Noodle: I also liked this dish - it was my second favorite. It has a unique flavor to it. I would order again. -Pork Belly & Cuttlefish: this was my least favorite dish. I would not order again. The flavor wasn't a standout and the cuttlefish was so soooo chewy. read more

See all

Fancy fusionized Taiwanese restaurant tucked away in Greenpoint. Not sure was it because we did comprehensive online research, we skipped all the obviously inauthentic dishes like lo ba beng, popcorn chicken, and the unreasonably pricey BDSM chicken. Their food was unexpectedly better than its sister restaurant 886 lol. It used to be difficult to snag a res. We just randomly picked Wenwen and got a table for 3 on a weekday evening. ＊Lily Flemming Fried Rice w/ Pork Paigu The name Lily Flemming is hilarious lol it sounds like 粒粒分明 in Chinese, which means the rice has a dry and firm outside texture. Their fried rice certainly matched the name as it wasn't soggy or clumpy. Tossed with fried egg, scallion and cabbage, it was well seasoned with enough "wok hei". We added the pork cutlets - crispy skin, quite tender but not juicy enough. ＊ Beef Noodle Soup Average and not spectacular. It had hearty chunks of braised beef, but they were too thick and overcooked. The noodle was chewy and soaked up the rich broth. ＊ Fried Tang Yuan w/ Ice Cream They only serve one dessert on the menu, and it was an absolute standout. We were impressed by the explosion of flavors: the tang yuans were perfectly fried, slightly crispy on the inside while chewy on the inside with black sesame fillings. The freshly fried tang yuan also created a nice contrast with the ice cream. Their seasoning ingredients seem mysterious, yet surprising went great together, including cilantro (what!?), crushed peanut powder, and red dates. While their main dishes didn't blow me away, I will consider coming back for the dessert. read more

Wenwen - Fried Tang Yuan w/ Ice Cream - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Food here is very authentic and super tasty. Portion can be bigger for the price they charge. But overall it is worth it to come try it! read more

See all

Always a solid brunch option - do get the bdsm fried chicken sammie w/ the tater tots, fried tofu and popcorn chicken. Though they open a bit later (noon to be exact), vibes are still quiet & peaceful. Definitely check out the bathroom before you go - Chinese pop karaoke vibes for the win! read more

See all

Got take out there, when picking up, I was amazed about the ambiance. The food is horrible, in another word, luckily it is in greenpoint, otherwise this restaurant will never survive in flushing read more

Wenwen - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I fundamentally am not a huge brunch person, but Wenwen brunch has been on my radar for quite a while so when a friend was visiting from out of town and we needed a brunch spot, I seized the opportunity to give it a shot. We were a group of four and I would honestly recommend going with more than two people so that you can mix/match and share some small plates. We did some Taiwanese beer accompanied by the cold sesame noodles, BDSM chicken sandwich, cucumbers, popcorn chicken, pork belly over rice (don't quite know the name of the dish now). Everything was truly delicious, but they definitely are known for their chicken for good reason. Would highly recommend at least one fried chicken option while you are here. Oh, and I should definitely note that the bathroom slayed with its little disco ball and dancey music :) read more

This was one of my first times having authentic Taiwanese food and I was so impressed! This place is definitely worth the hype and I highly recommend coming here with a group or bring visitors here. The restaurant is pretty small so I'd try to get a reservation (came here on a weekday night so it wasn't too bad). By coming here with a group, you're able to try a bunch of different dishes and have it be a good amount. This restaurant is definitely not considered "cheap eats" so I'd keep that in mind. If there's only one dish you need to get, it's the dessert! The dessert was so good and I want to come back just for the dessert. read more

See all

Confused by the hype around this place. Their sister restaurant 886 is great, and I've been a big fan of the sze daddy chili oil for years, but this was not it. My boyfriend and I made a reservation for a Saturday night and it was a total letdown. I tried: + Two p's in a class cocktail + Taipei Pina cocktail + Lily Flemming fried rice with pork paigu + Beef noodle soup + Seaweed fries + Popcorn chicken Drinks: Can skip the cocktails; they were super weak. Food: The noodles in the soup were overcooked, and it was not that flavorful. The fries and chicken were great but not better than you can get at other less hyped spots. The best thing we ate was the fried rice. Service: Pacing was bad - we were taking the first bite of the apps when the entrees showed up, and would have liked more time because we ended up rushing to eat everything before it got cold. Dishes came out lightning quick and we were there for less than an hour total - kind of felt like they were just trying to turn tables. I don't mind fast-casual pacing/ambiance (like at 886), but they are marketing this place as a higher-end, sit-down establishment. You can get better Taiwanese food with none of the Resy stress at Yumpling, 886, and Very Fresh Noodles. read more

See all

I really wanted to try the BDSM chicken but unfortunately they were out. We got the beef fat chili oil noodle instead and loved it. The beef was tender and the noodles were thick and chewy. What surprised us was the green onion. It was crispy and tasted like a sweet onion and really rounded out the dish. The dessert was also so good. Apparently the BDSM chicken is available as a chicken sandwich for brunch with more availability, so I will have to come back for that! read more

Wenwen - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Wenwen no winwin. I don't know what Eric Sze is trying to do, but if he's looking to dilute and hipster-fy Taiwanese food to the point where my Taiwanese mother can't recognize it--then he's accomplishing his mission. My sister and I were at a loss through most of dinner. The best dish was the Sacha Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken, but it was just okay. The Water Spinach & Shrimp Paste was spicy, watery nonsense. The Three Cup Chicken lacked flavor despite all the decorative basil leaves. The Beef Noodle Soup was an atrocity: instant ramen-thin noodles, superficial broth, forgettable chili oil. Ugh! By the time we got to the YouFan, we had given up. The only good item was the fried tang yuan dessert, which was served with a surprising twist of fresh parsley. The combo of dehydrated peanut butter, condensed milk and black sesame worked well. If only they'd applied half that creativity to the savory dishes. And don't let your server upsell you into getting the $19 MezMarize, which was an absolute waste of mezcal. I didn't have high expectations for a Taiwanese restaurant in Greenpoint, and they were lowered even further when we realized we were the only Taiwanese--nay, East Asian--people dining at the restaurant. But this was neither classic Taiwanese nor modern Taiwanese. It was just sad Taiwanese. read more

See all

Great ambience, delectable food and friendly service. Fabulous spot to do family style dining. DO NOT SLEEP ON THE DESSERT! Omg it was soooo good! read more

Wenwen - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Food and service excellent. Had the whole fish. Moist and deboned. Running on MT drink beautiful and potent. Rice with pork delish. Attentive service. Small tables make dining clumsy. Tip on tax sad and outrageous. read more

See all

Taiwanese favorites with a twist - Wenwen is a great place for that. 1. Numbing celtuce salad: what is celtuce? I honestly have zero clue, but it's good. Think crunchy pickle texture with lots of zingy acidity. Perfect to balance out the other fried apps. Honestly worth ordering imo for some freshness 2. Fried tofu: pretty good with the mala-Esque chili garlic sauce and the pickled cabbage. A part of me wishes the tofu itself was the iconic stinky tofu but I know that would make it hella divisive. Otherwise standard good fried tofu- nothing different but good 3. You fan: very reminiscent of kiampung minus the other meats. Nostalgic flavors if you're used to this good, but otherwise sticky flavorful rice with lots of umami flavor. Good, but wish it came with more meat - maybe throw in some lap cheong like how traditional you fans do. But hey, the sticky rice was superbly cooked and flavors were balanced so aside from the small amount of protein, this was good 4. Fried tang yuan: the only dessert option they have. Pretty good. Think, fried sticky rice balls filled with black sesame with peanut dust and vanilla ice cream. Can't go wrong with this combo. Not too sweet (aka the ultimate Asian auntie compliment). The pop of cilantro also made it interesting. Worth getting if you've never had it or if you're a sucker for sticky qq balls like I am. Makes more sense to have other dessert options though, but this was great nonetheless. Plea to throw in some Taiwanese shaved ice in the mix! Overall, Wenwen is a good and hip place for Taiwanese classics with a subtle twist. Taiwanese food is harder to come by so defo worth checking out if you've never had it. read more

See all

A charming spot with a small, intimate setting that adds to its cozy vibe. The service here is top-notch--friendly and attentive, making for a pleasant dining experience. My standout dish was definitely the shrimp wok lettuce cups. They were bursting with flavor and had an excellent mix of textures. The black sesame dessert was also a highlight; though I'd ask for it without cilantro next time, the textures worked together beautifully. A lovely little gem with great food and service--definitely worth a visit! read more

See all

BDSM chicken ($62) - the dish that brought us here. Crispy, delightfully seasoned on the outside. Succulent, flavorful on the inside. Elusive and pricey, requiring a 5 pm reservation and announcing at the door you want to speak for one of five for the day. Serves 5 to 6. Looks like a crab when plated. You fan ($33) - a traditional dish where they nail the challenging texture. Also pricey. Comes with Neuske bacon and scallions and optional uni ($MP). 886 Noodle ($19) - overly sauced, but otherwise enjoyable! Many chunks of extra-tender beef shank. Peashoots and tofu skin ($17) - a deluxe leafy green, sauteed with a heaping dollop of garlic. Mala Celtuce Salad ($12) - gently tingly only. It almost didn't register that we weren't eating jellyfish; the veggie even looks like jellyfish strips! We enjoyed the drinks we had too, including the old fashioned with five spice and the refreshing birds-eye chili daquiri. read more

See all

Cool Taiwanese restaurant in Brooklyn that I would definitely recommend. We had seen the chef owner Eric Sze on YouTube so we were interested in trying it out. Good service when the moment we got that. We made a reservation and were seated promptly. Our waitress was patient while we went through the menu. We were tempted to get the BDSM chicken but it was too much food for our party. We settled on the numbing celtuce salad, popcorn chicken and the fried tofu for apps. We got the beef noodle soup and the pork belly and cuttlefish. Each dish was excellent. Well portioned and most importantly -- tasty. The beef noodle soup stood out. Great broth and mounds of tender beef. Each dish surpassed my expectations. Capped off the meal with the fried tangyuan with ice cream. Keeping this one on my list for my next Brooklyn adventure. Also - check out the vibe in the restroom. read more

See all

TL;DR: The dessert is a must-try. If you're coming here mainly for the BDSM chicken, you must have a 5pm reservation and make sure to arrive by 4:30pm, maaaybe 4:45 if you want to risk it. The chicken is definitely their best entree so I think if you're going to come here, you might as well spend the extra 15-30 minutes to obtain the full experience. There are other great entrees but they do feel like a bit of a consolation prize in comparison, and there are also many items that I thought could be improved (mostly due to being too salty). The service is great and the ambiance is thoughtfully charming and lively (love the bathrooms). I was finally able to secure a chicken at my last visit here (three times the charm!); as a consequence of my many attempts, I've eaten a good portion of the menu. In order of preference: Tangyuan Dessert - I loooved this. This dessert is one-of-a-kind and had me thinking about it well-after my meal, both times I've had it. I'd come again solely for this. I am really impressed by the creativity of the concept: taking the traditional tangyuan soup, deconstructing it, and modernizing it by frying the tangyuan and switching out the soup with ice cream...it sounds so cliche but as a Chinese-American I felt seen in this dish. I really liked that they used dehydrated peanut butter for a textural contrast and gave a generous amount of black sesame. I also thought the cilantro was a nice touch to give the dessert some brightness. BDSM Chicken -- Pricey and certainly inconvenient to get, but very, very good. The crispiness was so satisfying and the flavors are intense. The spicy, vinegary veggies in the center were much-appreciated to balance out the flavors from the chicken so that this could be a standalone dish. I do wish there were more veggies though. While I wouldn't go out of my way to come to Wenwen just to try this, I would go out of my way to get this if I were already set on coming to Wenwen. Celtuce Salad -- This had the flavors of a jellyfish salad but with celtuce. The mala is not strong and gives a very light numbing effect. It's very vinegary so I liked having bites of this throughout the meal to balance out the salty and heavier entrees. Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken -- If you can't get the BDSM chicken this is a close second and a must-get. A great balance of flavors. The meat can be kind of mixed: some pieces are tender while others are dry. Beef Noodle Soup -- Pretty traditional take on a classic. I loved how rich the broth was. The beef was really tender, but could've been even better had it cooked for longer. Peashoots with Tofu Skin -- Also pretty standard but enjoyable. A good choice if you want some veggies to balance out heavier entrees, and I like that they didn't skimp on the garlic. Dishes I probably wouldn't get again: Fly's head -- Also a classic dish. It wasn't that spicy despite the thai chilis, and saltier than I'd like. Seaweed Fries -- This was executed well but pretty basic, and felt little out of place amongst everything else on the menu. For a starter it's pretty heavy; if you can eat a lot go for it but I personally would rather save that room for the main entrees. Lily Flemming Fried Rice (with pork) -- The first time I had this the pork was limp and fatty, but I was convinced to try this a second time and the pork was way better and satisfyingly crispy. But both times the pork, and especially the rice, were really salty, Everyone I had this with preferred mixing in white rice to balance it out. Adding chili oil also boosted the dish, but I personally wouldn't get this one again. Striped Bass w/ Fish Paste -- The concept of this dish really appealed to me but I was disappointed in the final product, because it was so salty. I wanted to taste the yuzu, but the saltiness of the black beans dominated the dish and made it very one-note. The fish was also surprisingly small for a 'shared' entree, vs. the BDSM chicken. Lo Ba Beng -- Again, I feel like this dish could've been good if the pork weren't so salty. It made it hard to eat this without additional white rice. read more

See all

Loved their brunch menu, which had some fun and surprisingly filling options. There was only bar seating when we stopped by, but the staff was very friendly and attentive. The menu online only shows their standard dinner options, so I was very surprised to see their brunch section. We shared savory soy milk, tater tot dan bing, and a fried chicken sandwich with seaweed fries. It was definitely too much food for two people, but everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. I didn't read the menu carefully, but the soy milk was presented like a soup with super crunchy youtiao chunks floating at the top (delicious). My favorite was definitely the tater tots with the savory sauce, but I also loved how massive the chicken sandwich was lol. The bun was like a garnish on top LOL. Would highly recommend for brunch in the area!! read more

Wenwen - Fried chicken sandwich and seaweed fries - Taiwanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all