Students from EF Academy share their monthly dining experiences at Din Tai Fung, praising its famous Xiao Long Bao, quality service, and clean atmosphere–despite the long wait list.
Din Tai Fung is an internationally known Taiwanese restaurant famous for its soup dumplings and their consistent service. They hold stores worldwide and a lot of students in EF Academy visit in both their home country and in Los Angeles. EF Academy students often visit the Arcadia Mall and Glendale location—both around 20 minutes drive from school—when attending.
Students are always coming back to the restaurant after every visit, attending at least once per month, overcoming their challenges to eat their delicious food.
The most popular menu item among students is Xiao Long Bao, which is one of the most famous menu items customers always order as well. They serve different flavors of Xiao Long Bao as well but among them, the Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao was every student’s top pick. Students recommended not only Xiao Long Bao but many other menu items they offer: Shredded Kurobuta Pork Fried Rice, Bok Choy with Scallion-Infused Oil, Noodles with Sesame Sauce, Cucumber Salad, Taiwanese Cabbage with Garlic, and more.
Ai Hiruma, 12th grader, described the Xiao Long Bao as, “perfectly seasoned, juicy, and always served fresh.” She said that, “Kurobuta Xiao Long Bao” is the “must ordered menu [item]” that she orders on every visit. In addition, she highly recommended people to, “try a different menu” as well since, “all the menu they offer are very delicious.”
Hijiri Nakamatsu, 12th grader, emphasized the “rich and flavorful” taste in every dish. She also recommended everyone to try the new drink, “Matcha Jasmine Latte.” She stated that their matcha latte was, “the best matcha I have ever tried.”
Students praise Din Tai Fung because it delivers hot and perfectly prepared meals even when the restaurant is full of customers.
The restaurant staff operates at high efficiency because they deliver professional service with friendliness, which generates continuous positive customer reviews. Despite the crowded and busy restaurant, staff are always polite and serve well with excellent service.
Felix Tsai, 12th grader, noted that, “even though they are busy with a lot of people, they serve fast with great quality.” He emphasized that the restaurant has a “clean, pleasant, and lively vibe,” which makes him enjoy not just the dishes but the atmosphere as well.
Maria Umezawa, 10th grader, called the staff “polite and efficient.” She mentioned that “food always comes out fast, fresh, and hot,” allowing customers to experience comfortable dining.
Nakamatsu also stated that their “staff are attentive,” and the “service is very smooth.”
All the students appreciated how the restaurant offered a calm, clean, and comfortable atmosphere.
Students consider the restaurant prices as “average” or “reasonable,” but fair for the quality and portion sizes.
Hiruma stated that, “food quality and portion size match the price perfectly.” She emphasized that what they offer—food quality, flavor, service, and atmosphere— makes the price worth it.
Umezawa is also “satisfied with both the quality and the service.” She mentioned how she can always be “very full” with just ordering one dish and one appetizer.
Tsai strongly stated that the price is “definitely worth it.”
Most of the students agreed that the combination of flavor, quality, and service makes it worth the cost.
The main negative aspect students experience at the restaurant involves long wait times and slow table turnover.
Nakamatsu mentioned, “the only downside is that it’s too popular” that the restaurant is “always packed, and the turnover is slow.” She sometimes had to “give up” and “go next time,” leading her to choose different restaurant where there is “less time to wait,” even though she wanted to eat at Din Tai Fung. She added that she does not “want to wait too long.”
Additionally, Tsai also stated, “I wish they could open more locations since every store I visit is always crowded.” He complained how he had to “wait for three hours and still could not get in” when he attended last time in Glendale.
Hiruma added how she sometimes just orders delivery instead of visiting in person because the restaurant is often crowded.
Due to the long wait time, a lot of students order through delivery apps. However, most of the students prefer to go out and eat since the quality is better than the delivery.
Overall, Hiruma and Umezawa gave 5 stars while Nakamatsu and Tsai gave 4.5 stars due to the long waiting time. Despite the crowds, students continue to visit the restaurant since their quality and taste always bring them back. The restaurant serves as a monthly tradition for EF Academy students who seek comfort, taste, and friendship through their dining experiences. Din Tai Fung will always and continue to be the students’ favorite place for dining.
