Buddakan

Great meal and super knowledgeable staff! They have 2 gf menus - one celiac friendly and one that doesn’t have gluten containing items. When I asked them about their protocol for celiac they went super in depth about it and made me feel safe! Food was great and didn’t get sick

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dinner
• Reservations recommended

I can’t say enough! What an amazing meal! 10’s across the board!!!

Bartender made me a tasty mock-tail mojito as well as they have other great options if you don’t want to drink!

For an appetizer- we had the Lobster Fried Rice (shareable; we had 5 people), shashimi - super thin, really flavorful! (Good for 2-3 people to share)

For my entree I did the Wok Cashew Chicken with Currier Cauliflower! Chicken was a massive portion, comes with side of white rice. Cauliflower was a table hit!!! So delicious!

We finished up with espresso’s and the coconut sorbet. Which I highly recommend!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dinner
• Good for lunch
• Good for takeout
• Reservations recommended

My absolute favorite place to eat in Philly. They have a GF and celiac safe menu, you just have to request it.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

They had a GF menu, with offerings in every category, and the wait staff was very knowledgeable. The lobster fried rice and the curried cauliflower were delicious.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Buddakan accommodated my girlfriend well (celiac). This place is safe in my books

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Spoke to a manager before going. It’s a Starr restaurant- they’re usually very honest about their cross contamination policies. While it’s a somewhat limited menu that is Celiac safe, the food is phenomenal. Highly recommend the sashimi and lobster fried rice! Knowledgeable server and staff. Feel great 24 hours later.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Out server was incredibly knowledgeable about which items were gluten free or how to make adjustments to make them gluten free. There used to be a gluten free menu pre-pandemic that wasn't available when we dined here. But Shaffer knew enough that I felt confident with my order. Additionally, every time the food arrived the food runner announced that it was gluten free before I could even ask/confirm. I felt more comfortable with dining here safely than any other restaurant so far. Not to mention, it was delicious! We will absolutely return. I ordered the sea bass, lobster fried rice, and the modified creme brulee.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked
• Food comes out flagged or marked gluten-free

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for takeout
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating

Absolutely AMAZING food! Limited choices as I also have a dairy allergy, but I had the Lobster Fried Rice fir my main and sashimi app, followed up with amazing sorbet (which is rare) for dessert. Super knowledgeable staff, able to fully guide me through the menu and understood allergies very well.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for takeout
• Good selection of healthy options
• Offers outdoor seating

Went there after a long day of sightseeing. We were starving they had a menu that listed all the gluten free foods we got several things everything was delicious they do use gluten free soy sauce in most of the food. It was expensive but my daughter did not get sick. They also easily substituted a meal so my non celiac son would eat it ( they only had shrimp Lo mein on the menu so I asked for it plain they added chicken for him)

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Gf lobster rice is amazing. My husband had no reaction here, so we will keep this on our list. Service and atmosphere was top notch as well.

Included in Starr's portfolio are Buddakan (www.buddakan.com) serving up Asian fusion (the wasabi mashed potatoes and lobster fried rice are amazing.

I'm a fan of Buddakan typically but last time I ordered their GF Pad Thai. It was so far from authentic they should have named it something else. The dish was primarily composed of shredded carrots, it was salty instead of sweet and had cilantro in it. Pretty disappointing if you're at all familiar with the original. I've had better experiences with their lunch menu.

Was disappointed with the gf selections, although they had gf tempura (fried with gluten items). The five star reviews had me expecting more. It was very tasty, I took the risk to order the tempura and did not get sick. Good food, service, etc. Just wish the menu was a little more extensive.

This was one of the best meals I've had in awhile! The staff is very knowledgable and made sure my dishes were GF (something I'm normally skeptical of but I never got sick afterwards!) My meal was amazing, and I would highly recommend this place!

Amazing. GF menu and chef will customize sauce for you.

A little pricey, but as with all Steven Starr restaurants, totally worth it. The atmosphere and mood is dark and romantic and the food is unforgettable. They don't have a gluten free menu, but there are a lot of great gluten free options.