Han Dynasty

This place is seriously the bee’s knees.
Service is amazing. Our server was so cool, cracking jokes left and right. Also very serious though. Super knowledgeable of the menu as well as the whole gluten free issue below.
First of all, my little brother has celiac so HAS to eat gluten free (like legit gluten free, no cross contamination, no «im just on a diet» nonsense). They offer EVERYTHING on their menu as gluten free. I personally loveeeeee rice noodles so I was all about sharing with him.
My favorite apps: dan dan noodles, spicy crispy cucumbers, dumplings in chili oil. I certainly eat more than most people but dining with three people, this is PLENTY. Everything on their menu is sharing style so don’t come with your picky friends (we all have some).
All of the hot pots are exceptional. To date, my favorite was one we ordered off of the special menu… Sorry I was just wiping the drool off of my face. Half kidding.
We ordered pork shoulder in a spicy brown sauce filled with bok choy, eggplant, green beans, and other veggies. The pork was crispy on the outer layer and just the right amount of juicy fat. It was so succulent and literally fell off the bone
Between three of us, we no where near finished. But I had an awesome lunch the next day!
They offer some decent craft beers and have a few TVs which can be great if you’re dragging someone to dinner and they can’t miss «their» game (I still don’t understand how the game belongs to them).
PS. The prices are insanely cheap and I am still unsure why but I will not be complaining anytime soon.

I can’t sat enough good things about han dynasty. The food and staff are amazing.

Han dynasty used to be one of my go to dinner spots, but when I went earlier tonight I was a little bit disappointed (the Old City location is still great though.)
We ordered cold pork with chili oil, garlic eggplant, dan dan noodles, black bean fish, and fried tofu. The pork belly is awesome and I’d definitely recommend it, and the black bean fish was really flavorful and fresh as well (tons of veggies so my mom was really happy), but I wasn’t in love with anything else. The eggplant wasn’t as soft or creamy as it has been in the past, the tofu was a bit dry, and there wasn’t very much pork in the dan dan noodles.
The UCity location is still good, just not as great as it was before.

This is the best most consistent meal in Philadelphia hands down. Han you rock. When I start heading to Han to eat my mouth immediately starts salivating !

Nice place with plenty of seating in University City. I have been to the locations in Center City and out by King of Prussia. This location keeps up with the high standard of delicious food and I would definitely recommend it.
Watch out for the spice level if you are sensitive to it. I would not recommend anything higher than a 4.

Hands down my favorite restaurant in university city. If you’ve never been to Han you have to try the Dan Dan noodles when you get there. It’s out of this world. Sometimes I just get two Dan Dans and a beer or two for lunch. The place is decently spaced out, there’s a bar where you can sit at. They have a good selection of brews.
The food is pretty good too. The menu has spicy ratings next to each item but You can pick the level of spiciness on a scale of one to ten. The service gets slow if when it’s busy, mostly kids from Penn and Drexel working there. I would definitely recommend anyone and everyone to try Han dynasty at least once if not many more times.

The meals were alright. This maybe due to the meals we got but there seemed to be an excessive amount garlic. The other issue that I ran into was the spice scales were off, I had a 3 that a was spicier than a 7. Not really sure as to why that was, but amongst my friends, I wasn’t the only one who came to similar conclusion.
Besides those issues, the portions were large, which made it great for sharing. The service and price were noteworthy.
I do recommend the cranberry lemonade combo as somewhat of a spice antidote if it gets too spicy.

i used to work only a few blocks away from here, which made it incredibly easy to stop by for lunch. those were the days… i’ve tried a little bit of everything on the menu by this point, even though i still rely on my two favorites — chicken with garlic sauce and dan dan noodles.
other good picks include:
— wontons in chili oil
— cold sesame noodles
— eggplant with garlic sauce
— dry pot style lamb
— hot sauce style fish (completely boneless, if you were wondering)
— cumin style chicken (warning! this will make you smell like cumin for the rest of the day, so don’t eat it for lunch if you’re going back to the office because everyone will avoid you)
— salt and pepper style shrimp
— crispy rice style chicken (very mild and a little sweet, which is the complete opposite from the rest of the menu)
— scallion style chicken (also on the milder side)

I have heard of authentic Chinese food and I said to myself I am tired of the generic Chinese food. You know the one from every the corner store in the suburbs. So I decided to embark on a journey to eat Szechuan Chinese cooking. That’s is how I ended up here. The ambience is lively the décor is modern. The restaurant is clean, active and I thought to myself. I don’t mind being stuck here during a zombie apocalypse i.e. with the kitchen&bar still in operation. I am not sure whether the waiters have their particular tables. For different waiters serviced our table, the table was active. Very impressive, libations were continuously refilled empty plates taken away at a continuous rate.
The menu is graded 1 – 10 the latter being the hottest. The menu is not like any ordinary Chinese restaurant where some the menu is a copy and paste. For the fans who like spicy food this is the place. There is a room too for my hop friends, good craft beers in this place. Pricing is fair for the ingenuity that is put on the plate. I suggest you come with a big appetite or as a big group. So as to have a diversity of the menu selections on your table.

Great local chain that’s not scared of making things spicy. The Dan Dan noodles seem to be the must order dish. They get tossed by the staff table side as it’s rumored the owner doesn’t trust customers to do it properly. Hilarious and he’s probably accurate if true. The noodles are more than fine but I enjoyed the Pork Belly w/​Sweet Garlic Chili Oil Sauce was sublime. Served cold, spicy, sweet, fatty, porky goodness. Place was very busy which is always a good sign. Service was efficient and lunch was served at blazing speeds. Décor looked like a scaled back version of PF Changs, more sterile than most Chinese restaurants.

Han Dynasty is everything I want in a Chinese restaurant. It is convenient. I’ve never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a table (even for a large group) or more than 20 for my food after ordering. It is diverse. I know I can go the more adventurous route with some of their more authentic dishes (which focus predominantly on Szechuan cuisine but include also some Taiwanese and Hunan style dishes), but I can also guiltily order my scallion pancakes and sweet and sour chicken if I want to. It is generous. Portions are family style, bottomless rice is included and tea! This makes for a very happy me.
For a first timer, I would recommend going in a large group and getting the tasting menu. Set your preferred spice level and inform your waiter of dietary restrictions and preferences– they will do the rest. You get a ton of food for a great price and to try dishes you might not otherwise have ordered (Shrimp with Honey and Walnuts?). Have a good time with your friends and go home stuffed! My favorite dishes include the cucumbers in chili oil, Three Cup Chicken, Eggplant with Garlic, Scallion Style anything, and the cold sesame noodles. See too many things you want to order? Go for it. Leftovers are the best.

Memorable beyond belief! My taste buds are clamoring for more days after!
We happened to stumble in here looking for something to eat nearby a local convention. The price seemed reasonable on the menu outside, and as soon as we walked we were treated as if were were returning to a restaurant we had dined in for years.
The staff was incredibly polite, knowledgeable and courteous to our requests on food and drinks. This sounds boring compared to the amazing food they dished out, but I feel that I need to emphasize how kind and professional everyone was in such a trendy modern restaurant setting that made it made us feel as if it was our own restaurant we were dining in.
The drinks were a mixture of different cocktails as well as a mashup of beers that has us ordering multiple rounds.
Dumplings with chili oil was on point, soft dumplings with a good helping of meat fillings. The salt and pepper shrimp was light and crispy with a kick from the combined fried chilies. And the crispy rice style chicken was a dish we never had where they take a puffed rice and pour the hot dish over it to bring the flavors to life. It has us over the edge.
I couldn’t recommend this place more for a wonderful time between the décor, staff and food. Taste buds are still watering.

I have given this location more chances than I should. Yet, each time they find a way be non-​worthy. My recent dine in here was with a friend. We waited for about 10 minutes before any one showed. Blah. So we ordered. My food comes out. Another 10 minutes or so goes by and the server notices my friend’s food did not. Meanwhile, my food got cold from waiting for these numbskulls to get her food out. The server goes to my friend, «Do you still want it?» HA!
Let’s see… Not having pea leaves but still keeping it in the menu? Lame. Update it. It’s been half a mfking year. White it out. Cross it out. Put a sticker over it.
I also asked on a separate occasion to have a sauce substitute. They said no NOT because it was pre-​made, but because they said the chef doesn’t feel like it. The chef doesn’t want to «ruin the integrity» of the dish. Bitch please! Don’t ever imply that I have poor taste. And what now, I can’t have ranch with my Caesar salad?

Three Words: Dan Dan Noodles.
Get them. Savor them. Request another order of them.
I was first introduced to Han Dynasty after attending the «Science of Spiciness» event through the Philadelphia Science Festival (nerdy, I know, but super informative and not to mention delicious!). I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of food samples that were provided and even more impressed at their ability to make your eyes water from their spice blend!
After this initial encounter, my person and I decided to try other options offered through the menu and Han Dynasty did NOT disappoint. There are a number of dishes I would recommend besides the Dan Dan Noodles, like: Spicy Crispy Cucumbers, Dumplings in Chili Oil, and the Kung Pao Style Chicken. What’s great about this place is that you can either crank up the heat or simmer it down from the default spiciness of each dish, which is denoted by a red number by each item on the menu! But beware, this place is certainly not like other places and their spice blend forces you to drink a gallon of water to cool down your taste buds. Those that enjoy the heat, start with a 7 and work your way up! Those who don’t, I would stick to a 3 or lower!

An epic fail on so many counts. A true tragicomedy. Possibly because a friend had talked it up and we didn’t realize it only was for the spicy dry entrees…
Three of us ordered Spicy Beef Noodles. Now, generally speaking, beef noodles and beef noodle soup does not come in a bowl of chili oil. It’s in a soy sauce-​based soup with some chili paste or chilis. Our noodles were drenched in oil, and it was disgusting. Sure, I read the Chinese and it said «Szechuan beef noodles» but nowhere on the menu did it say «will arrive in a BOWL of chili oil.» Two of my friends asked to switch to the other soup, but still, the noodles were slick in oil and slimy.
Then there was the «Crispy Rice style.» Excuse me, what crispy rice? The dish arrived with vegetables soaked in cornstarch and sauce on top, so obviously the rice at the bottom was no longer crispy when it arrived on the table. The vegetables and pork were covered in a super vinegary sauce — it was so sour that there was no «sweet,» as mentioned on the menu.
And the final horror — the order of dumplings. I have never even seen dumplings that looked as terrible as they tasted. These? Gods forbid I ever have to even see it. One bite and my friend was done with the dumplings.
The only decent dish was a friend’s spicy dry pepper style, because it’s hard to mess up fried chicken when half the dish is chili peppers.
None of these dishes had any complexity of flavor you’d find in a proper Szechuan (or any style of regional Chinese) restaurant. These dishes were even worse than most American-​Chinese takeout foods. Even Panda Express tastes better than the horror show we were presented with.

With close to 400 nearly unanimously positive reviews I’m sure everything that’s been said about this place has already been, but I will just add my voice to the masses anyway.
Prompt, friendly service. A pot of green tea on your table as soon as you sit down. A well-​organized beer list that goes on to a second page (about 6 or so draughts and the rest bottles) and includes some great choices. A bunch of creative and interesting cocktails as well.
The menu boasts too many good options to choose from. My favorites are the dumplings in chili oil to start and then the dry pepper with beef and garlic sauce with pork styles afterwards.
There’s even a free phone charging booth if you’re running low on battery (although none of the plugs offered seemed to want to fit into my android).
One of my favorite places in not only UCity but the whole city… my mouth is watering for more just writing about it.

Right by my office, this location is a good spot to go to or to get take out from for lunch! It can often be really crowded, so be prepared to wait for a table during the lunch rush. Service is always attentive and friendly. Even if things are running slow, the servers make up for it by being very accommodating and top notch!
My favorite things here are the dan dan noodles, spicy cucumbers and the garlic shrimp. Since I am usually here just for a quick lunch, I tend to stick with starters rather than getting something larger as I still need to be productive for the rest of the day, and a food coma would not help that!
Overall, the food here is decent. Good quality and full of flavor! Just make sure you are prepared to wait for a table during University City Lunch rush if you are dining in!

I was geared up to LOVE this place based off of y’all’s reviews, and I was just underwhelmed. We went at lunch time, service wasn’t exactly friendly or fast in spite of the place being quiet. We ordered spring rolls to start (which came out AFTER our entrées) and there was just way too much cabbage in them, no seasoning to speak of and they were just a little soggy.
My entrée of black pepper chicken was decent. The sauce was good, but the vegetables were raw (like a ‘holy Sh*t I forgot the veggies’ kinda raw and I wasn’t convinced on the quality of the chicken meat too), the rice was cold cause our server got it out of the pot WAY too early for our order.
A friend said it was one of the best places to eat Chinese food in Philly, if this is y’all’s best… stick to cheese steaks!

Han Dynasty is one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. Eating family style with a group of friends is definitely the way to go so you can get a variety of dishes. Make sure your pals can handle the heat though, at least to a certain extent. It’s okay if they can’t because you can always lower the spice level, but where’s the fun in that?
My favorite dishes (and I almost always order these!):
–dan dan noodles
–cold sesame noodles
–hot sauce style fish
–cumin style lamb
–double cooked pork belly
–dry pepper style fish
–string beans with minced pork
Other yummy things:
–pork belly with sweet garlic chili oil
–szechuan french fries
–three cup chicken (good, but a little too sweet for my liking)
This place is kinda pricey if you only go with one or two people, but I usually go with a group of at least 8 – 10 and split a bunch of dishes which never ends up costing more than $ 20 per person (including tax and tip)…although this really depends on how much you order haha. They also have some pretty good lunch specials! And service has always been on point. You never have to wait long for your food to come out, or for your water to be refilled. The restaurant itself is pretty big but it’s almost always busy, so make a reservation (especially if you’re coming with a group)!

Don’t underestimate the spice scale at Han Dynasty. It’s the real deal. Speaking of deals, this is place has a legitimately good deal for University City Dining Days.
I went with a group of friends for Han Dynasty’s 3 course dining days menu. I know some people frown down on restaurant week, but portion and selection were not problems here. We received regular sized appetizer and entre portions. Our third course could either be dessert or a choice of two alcoholic beverages. I was planning on having a drink anyways so I went with the Grand Royal as my third course. Doing some quick math, it was like getting a drink for free with my dinner.
With five in the group, it made sense to try each of the five appetizers being offered: cold sesame noodles, dumplings in chili oil, dan dan noodles, spicy crispy cucumbers and Sichuan pickled veggies. The dan dan noodles are everything people say they are, and easily were a group favorite. The cucumbers were served cold and were a very refreshing savory dish. The cold sesame noodles were also great. The pickled veggies were probably the least favorite of the selection. According to the menu, they were at spice level 10 on a 1 to 10 scale. I was ready to totally underestimate the spice scale at that point. I probably could have also walked away from the table full and gone home happy.
Despite the vast array of appetizers ordered, each member of my party went with a variation of the Dry Pot. All but one of us went with the maximum spice level possible, and even poked fun at our friend for going with a 7. At the end of the meal, he was the only one at the table who wasn’t sweating, crying or dealing with a runny nose. My dry pot chicken was extremely spicy and to be honest I probably would have enjoyed it better a notch or two down. You’ve been warned. It was still delicious though!
The only thing restaurant week-​esq was the service. Our server was friendly, but not really attentive. The place was by no-​means packed either. We were told that there would be a gap between our appetizers and entrees but then 2 out of 5 entrees came out early. A few of us also asked for clean plates for the entrees. It was an odd time during the meal because we still were working on our appetizers but also had our entrees. One of the staff members brought me a new plate and took away my appetizer plate that I told her I was still eating off of. My husband was able to retain his until he finished shortly after.
Having only dined at the Manayunk Han Dynasty, I was impressed by the open and lofty atmosphere. It was spacious and modern looking.
Service aside, we really enjoyed our overall experience. And since it was Dining Days, I’m not going to hold it against them. We also learned a valuable lesson: when Han Dynasty says spicy, they mean it!