Far East Descendant

10/10 highly recommended! This is definitely a hidden gem! The staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered firecracker shrimp, spicy noddle soup and the entree board. The board says it feed two people but it feed my party of 4 and we had left over.

Great atmosphere, love the style. I really like how the menu gives some history. Very unique place. I really enjoyed my night out. The food was tasty, and I'm glad they have vegan options. The drinks are fantastic! Our waiter was super cool and friendly.

My friend and I wanted to try something new and she had found this spot. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food! The food was great, we went with one of the boards so we can try a bunch of options, I highly recommend! We also had two cocktails, presentation was nice, they were delicious as well. It was also decorated for lunar new year. My only complaint and it’s not the restaurant’s fault, but parking. We had to pay twenty bucks to park right in front of it. And if you know the area, street parking is limited. So best to walk or Uber if you can. Definitely will come back again

I will preface this review with I was envisioning Cantonese food being more “stereotypical” with lots of flavor and sauce. This was not that and felt far from what was expected (again that could be my fault but setting the stage). This was more fried food friendly than was the saucy/spicy/flavorful food I was used to. The Six Fortune Board was PLENTY for four people. Not sure if the food wasn’t hot because we were sitting outside, but it was warm at best. The board had a combination of ribs (not super meaty), little chicken bites (fine), shrimp toast (this was quite good), tempura shrimp spring rolls, and fried meat with a large stack of taro fries in the middle. It was fine for what it was. Our server was VERY kind, but it was terribly slow - the entire downstairs of the restaurant wasn’t even seating people so the lack of speed was surprising. Overall, it was fine, but being so close to China town, we’ll definitely see what else is out there.

The restaurant had a great vibe and atmosphere. We ordered the board and really enjoyed the variety. Three of us split a board and there we’re still leftovers. The only thing that was not perfect were the ribs, which were overcooked. I definitely will be back especially for the house made mayo.

We paid for parking in a lot across the street and got there when they opened and didn’t have a reservation. We were immediately greeted and seated upstairs, right near the bar. We had a view of Roman Catholic School and the highway. We ordered drinks and they were all great and strong. For food, we ordered the sticky rice and the beef meal (Nacional) for appetizers we had the shrimp spring roll and their unique play on fries. They were really good for them to be a riot and not a potato. The one criticism I had was the service. Our server was very nice but service was s-l-o-w.

I’ve started coming to FED about once a week at this point lol. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is stunning, inside and out. Great location with adequate parking and a stunning view from the rooftop! Drinks are great and unique and the food is just. Wow! I can’t wait to try more menu items every time. Never a disappointment. All of the staff are so fun and kind, seeing them is always a bonus!

We came and sat on the upper deck. Layout is nice. We got the plum duck, six and half beef, and taro fries. It was great- and the beef was phenomenal. Our server was very attentive and extremely kind! Certainly recommending this establishment for its aesthetic, Cantonese dishes, and cordial service.

I came here for the first time a couple of weeks ago with a group for our book club meeting. We had enough space to gab and discuss our book while also having cover with rooftop views of Philly at the same time. We each were able to order our own snacks throughout the book club, along with drinks to wet our palette. I enjoyed their Pinot noir and their soft shelled crab. Another friend ordered r the taro fries which were interesting and there was a lot on the menu I was curious about. The only food note was that the saltiness was more than I was used to, so if I come back I'll make mention of this. The service was very friendly and warm. Our server came to check in us often with respect for our talk time and even snapped the best photo of everyone with a pretty background upstairs.

We came here on a Friday evening for dinner as I saw tons of social media posts about this restaurant and their famous boards. We were seated in the upstairs area and there was a steady flow of other folks eating there. Asian themed, dimly lit, and nice atmosphere. We ordered our drinks and one of their boards, unfortunately we WAITED 2 HOURS for our meal to arrive! Each time within that two hours we asked our waiter, which we later found out was new, about our food, he told us he was checking in with the kitchen and offered us FREE ROUNDS OF DRINKS while we waited and watched others get their meals and boards. By the end it was discover that the waiter made an error and our food was never coming. The manager stepped in and offered to COMP OUR ENTIRE MEAL AND DRINKS which made us feel a lot better about the situation. The food, was delicious and we enjoyed every bit of our board, I ate some of everything, was stuffed and had leftovers for the next day and was happy again. They had great customer service and fixed their major error.

Came here for dinner with a friend on a Monday evening. It was at about a third capacity, so it was pretty quiet and the service was very quick. Our waiter was very pleasant. The ambience was relaxing and intimate. Loved my mocktail (Dragon Gate Juju). The food tasted great. It would be nice if they had more chicken options on the menu, and also had more dishes that weren't fried. All in all, good experience. Not sure if I would go back because I felt like there weren't too many options for me on the menu.

This was kind of a weird location but I liked this spot! The drinks are on the sweet side and I wasn't the biggest fan, but I liked the dishes we ordered. We got the mapo tofu and duck rice bowl, along with the five venom taro fries. The portion sizes are all sizable, especially the fries, which we couldn't even finish. The rice is sizzling and there's a nice crispy bottom. There are also boards you can get, so I think this would be a great place to go with friends and share a couple dishes.

I highly, highly recommend this place! New joint that recently opened near Chinatown and it was amazing! Food/Drinks: Very unique! They offer these boards filled to the brim with food. If it's too much, I definitely recommend you try the Taro fries! The sauces are also restaurant-made and delicious! They serve various cocktails, which are also unique and creative. There is a bar on both levels! Ambiance: It actually depends! If you are downstairs, the restaurant is a tad bit darker and can have an intimate feel, though also good for groups. The second floor is definitely more trendy, and there's a nice rooftop area that looks out to the streets. Rating: 8.5/10 Pros: Food! Taro fries are great! Cons: Not much I can think of! Parking might be a bit more difficult given its area.

Cozy restaurant perfect for a date! Their style of cantonese food really hit the spot. The taro fries are a great alternative to regular fries. The dishes were well seasoned. Warning: the cocktails were really sweet. So take that as you will. The staff are super friendly and personable. The restaurant door is a wooden garage door, which really set the ambiance. Would come back to try the other foods!

Far East Descendants - Contemporary Cantonese in the heart of Philly's Chinatown. Parking is extremely limited, and since we were quickly approaching our reservation time, we opted for the closest lot, which was $20. The ambiance inside of the restaurant had more of an industrial vibe, I sat on the first floor but imagine the rooftop level is the preferred place to seat. I didn't opt for top floor seating, because I feared it would be cold, but from the outside it seemed liked the rooftop was nicely covered and heated. For food, we wanted to try a few things so ordered 'the good fortune board ($98). The board was a great bang for your buck and came with Shrimp Toast, Taro Fries, Five Venom Crispy Chicken, Dim Mak Ribs, 18 Taming Dragon Steak, Plum Flower Duck, Bok Choy, Rice and our House Made Sauces. Didn't get the dessert this time, but the Jasmine milk tea budino is calling my name next time I dine in!

My friends and I came here for a weeknight dinner. Parking is very limited in this area so I opted to park in the lot behind the restaurant ($10 evening special). We sat downstairs and the servers were very nice in answering any questions we had. We each decided to get a clay rice bowl. I got the plum duck rice bowl while my two friends opted for the mushroom vegan rice bowl. My duck was pretty good but I felt that I barely got enough meat? It's basically one thigh/leg and a bunch of rice and veggies. The flavors were there but wasn't too strong. My friends' mushroom bowls were 10x better in flavor, texture and the amount they received. I think next time when I come back I'm def. Getting what they got! It was that good I couldn't believe it was vegan. Overall a nice place to catch up with some good friends over great food

Do not sleep on the Lohon Shitake Bojai rice bowl, it consists of shitake button, vegan cha-siu sauce and seasonal Chinese vegetables. The mushrooms taste like meat??? The texture is crispy yet not oily and the sauce coats the mushrooms so well without making the batter soggy. The rice crisps up in the hot pot which is so good. I wish the Fed Spicy Shrimp Wonton Noodle had the option to be served with a vegetarian broth instead of chicken as this would work with pescatarians. There are some appetizers I would have liked to try like the five venom fries and fire cracker shrimp. There's parking right at the restaurant, it was a flat rate of $10 on a weekday evening. The restaurant has a cool ambience. It is dim and you enter through large doors. Service was perfectly fine, there were only two tables when we went so there was plenty of staff to go around.

Return visit for the NMA's 21st Birthday celebration. We dined upstairs in their rooftop patio. Despite some rain & chill it was covered and comfy. Food was as excellent as my first visit - no "Yelp Effect". Everything was sublime, tender, flavorful. My BIL took control of the duck, insisting that it was terrible and he would suffer for us. Funny guy. Dessert was fine, cream was yum, fried dough balls were just okay. You don't go there for dessert. Personally I was too full to do more than taste. The gift of youth apparently is their bottomless stomachs. Service was good. The only thing I found annoying was that they provided a QR code to pay - and if I used that the online pay service added a significant processing fee, as in $50 more. The check for 7 of us with drinks came to just under $600, so even a small percentage is a lot more. I cancelled the transaction and paid the server instead. One other note: no elevator available to the second floor. If stairs are problematic for you, book only the dining room. We'll absolutely go again, my son & his friends are already planning another dinner there.

Was able to lock in a reservation for 6 on a spring Saturday evening. Found street parking a block down but there are three lots to choose from. The vibes here was great. Music was a little loud especially for my toddlers who came along but they ended up dancing to the music. They played a lot of k-pop, american pop and some hip hop. Was seated upstairs which was a covered roof area. Waiters were very nice. Service was excellent. The appetizer board was really good and I feel like you can just order that as a meal alone. The rice bowl dishes , although i feel were pricey, were amazing as well. Would love to come back and try more of the menu or just hang out to get drinks. They also got a lot of anime kung fu reference and decor

Come here to get FED. I heard rumors about Far East Descendant's (FED) "Beast Board" and how it's the thing to try. I can confirm those rumors are true, and that the board's worth getting. Their Beast Board is five main dishes and delicious veggie accompaniments (read more: https://www.fedphilly.com/the-beast-board ). Of the mains, the cha-siu beef rib is cash money highlight; the meat falls off the bone. I'm a sauce fiend, and appreciated the battery of house-made sauces, especially that mustard. Make an online reservation and state you want the Beast Board. Bring friends, you'll need to share since it's a lot to eat. Plus, do you want to pay for the entire board yourself? ;p Thirsty? *I* love bars, and I love FED's bar. Bars, actually - they have a rooftop bar - the only one in Chinatown! - and one on the main floor, both fully-stocked. Have a cocktail, and try the chicken bites. Both bars have a different vibe, so take your pick. Hungry for takeout - but not social interaction? FED offers online ordering. Credit accepted.

When I saw a UYE (organized by Dave L.) headed to Far East Descendant, I instantly cleared my calendar. I've long heard whispers of how delicious - and how fun - Far East Descendant is, and they lived up to the hype, and more! I was really glad to be able to go with a big group, which allowed us the try out the beast board! It was...incredible. Just a board overflowing with four types of meat (a huge charsiu beef rib, plum sauce duck, spiced steak, tender pork belly), shrimp two ways (sticky rice with tiny shrips, and shrimp with fried mantou, and delicious carbs (lotus chips and taro fries), served with six house-made sauces (including the most unique ketchup I've ever had) and some very tasty vegetables (yu choy and bok choy) - for...health. I tried to not eat any rice so that I could fully enjoy the feast in front of me. I still was totally full by the end. For the 11 of us, we ordered two beast boards, and we still had leftovers! Overall, we spent ~$69 pp, which included 2 rounds of shots - some kind of very spicy tequila shot that I will never drink again, followed by baijiu, plus great alcoholic beverages (I had some sort of chamomile spritzer, which I enjoyed a lot) and all the food you could ever dream of eating in one sitting. The service was friendly and different members of the staff took the time to explain the food to us - including some of the cooking techniques and where the martial arts-inspired dish names came from. There really is nothing else like Far East Descendant in Philly Chinatown (and in Philly in general) - they shine as a more modern Chinese culinary destination, offering a strong drinks program, great service, and solid food with great presentation and a memorably-presented menu.

Definitely a standout Philly dining experience. The style is trendy but casual. Enter at the unassuming entrance on tiny Clarion Street. Staff welcomed us like we were friends (of course, that could be due to Dave L, who is apparently friends with everyone in the city). I had wanted to try the beast board for some time, and Yelpers made it happen. Wasn't sure what to expect. We considered ordering other food alongside it. So glad we didn't. For a table of 11, we got two beast boards. The menu says "serves 4-5 people," but it easily fed 6 with some food left over. There were two big vegetable dishes, plus rice and taro fries and lotus root. I really enjoyed the five venom fries and the lotus chips. My end of the table quickly ate all the lotus. And there was meat. So much delicious meat. I'm not usually a fan of pork belly, but theirs was delicious. I even went back for a second piece, it was so well-seasoned and cooked crisply. Beef char siu was a creative take on char siu. So tender and flavorful. I enjoyed the steak and duck, but the beef and pork belly were standouts. The table really loved the sticky rice with shrimp too. I also enjoyed the shrimp very much. It was really good, quality shrimp and was well-seasoned. Drinks were good too. I love the chrysanthemum tea cocktail. The citrus-y baijiu shot was also good. [Tequila with thai chiles, not such much--sorry Dave! I don't drink tequila, but when the whole table was toasting with it, how could I say no?] Our hosts brought a round of the baijiu/citrus shots at the end of our meal. What a fun way to cap the night! I'll be eating salad and drinking water only for days after. A note on cost/quantity, if that's important to you: don't let the price of the boards scare you. At $248, the beast board easily serves 6 (or 4-5 with lots of leftovers). With plenty of drinks and a good tip, it was $69pp for us. Without drinks, it could be closer to $50pp. And it made for a MUCH more fun and delicious night out than other options, imo. Another note: do not order a board if you are uncomfortable sharing food. This is a very communual meal. Your food WILL be touched by the fork of another diner if you all try to eat from the giant char siu beef rib. You will all be sharing from the same large board. My group was easygoing, so it wasn't an issue at all. But good to know; choose your dining companions wisely. Can't wait to return in spring and enjoy the roof deck and try the regular menu.

Thank you so much to ever popular **Dave L** for inviting me in to a wonderfully planned evening out with friends. I was a last minute seat to the beast board but they more than accommodated 11 people for dinner and drinks. As you all know my only issue is... Dredded Philly parking, but I managed to park on the street by the convention center and walk a half block over $6. Believe me, you're gonna need a brisk walk after this monster. The dining experience is like nothing I've done before. Yes, I've had Brazilian churassco which is the closest to "all you can meat" but this is an elegantly created meal of Chinese dishes that shine on their own, but are a "beast together". Perfect for date night, guys/gals/them night out. Intimate and refined. The service was spot on as well. (pictured the likely managers who dictated the board to us) The highlight for me was the crispy pork belly. It's sneaky on the edge of the board, but I could have eaten it all alone. Well worth the cost. Approx. $75 but we went..... Over... Board! Get it?! Ha! I can say though, if you decide to indulge a bit further, the shots are tasty to say the least! Lol! I made a quick walk to Chinatown for dessert. Kinda had to. This is one of those dining nights out where I'm glad I didn't stay home (again)! Try anything they have on the menu. Very well worth the visit.

Quality meats prepared in a classy style. Even though this is bordering the heart of Chinatown, it is tricky to find with the entrance being the back of the building off a small street not heavily or typically used. This setting works for this restaurant because it showcases the entrance off so well once you figure it out. The only thing I didn't care for was the toast. The 2 bathrooms are unisex. It seems if you don't have a group for the beast board, then reviews are more mixed. If you reserve for the beast board (or some other board), that is the true treasure and experience at FED. If you are a vegetarian and your "friend" invites you here, UNpolitely decline!!!! This place doesn't work for that unfortunately. They'll try to heavily accommodate you professionally like any wonderful restaurant, but their specialty here is curated flavored meats. Is the Bai Bai Bai cocktail meant to be a slight name play on N'Sync's "Bye Bye Bye" 90s or '00 hit single? Great shrimp. Superb service. Special thanks to Dave for setting this up. Maybe should be considered a Community Ambassador in a year or much less than that.

We paid for parking in a lot across the street and got there when they opened and didn't have a reservation. We were immediately greeted and seated upstairs, right near the bar. We had a view of Roman Catholic School and the highway. We ordered drinks and they were all great and strong. For food, we ordered the sticky rice and the beef meal (Nacional) for appetizers we had the shrimp spring roll and their unique play on fries. They were really good for them to be a riot and not a potato. The one criticism I had was the service. Our server was very nice but service was s-l-o-w.

There were three of us and we got the first board. The food was mediocre, definitely Americanized. The taro fries were different and tasty. My least favorite were the shrimp toast. All bread and very little shrimp The service was slow, we would go quite a while without seeing our server at all. When it was time to pay, we had the hardest time tracking her down to get our checks. This place borders Chinatown and will probably just try the food in Chinatown next time for more authentic Cantonese food. Very cool environment and decor though

We have been wanting to go here for some time now. It was well worth the wait. The food was incredible and we will be going back for sure. From the second we walked in we felt welcomed. Staff is great and enjoyable. This place will not disappoint! We have to go back again to try the beast board Make sure to book reservations 24hr in advance if you and your group want to order this meal. Awesome food awesome service!!

My experience at Far East Descendant was just okay. I saw an Instagram post that made this place look amazing for their roof top dining. The inside was not as crowded and we ordered our drinks and appetizers. There were several tables that received their food before ours. The drinks came out, but it definitely took a long time for the appetizers to arrive. I was a little disappointed by the wait with the appetizers despite receiving the drinks quickly. The shrimp toast was pretty good. The firecracker shrimp was perfectly crispy. I wished I did not order the fried sticky rice. The taste, smell and texture was just off to me. It lacked any sort of flavor. I added a little bit of chilli oil which helped a little bit, but I would not order the rice again. Overall the service was good. I think the experience would have been even better if we had dined on the roof top instead of inside.

We had a great experience dining at Far East Descendant's take on contemporary Cantonese cuisine. All of the typical favourites were captured on their menu with their own personal twist... From Cha-Siu Beef, Shrimp on toast, Soft Shelled crab, and Iron Shirt Pork Belly on rice!!! The service was pretty decent, and our food came out in good time & at the perfect temperature! Check out the steaming hot Dim Mak Mini Ribs... Which were equally as tasty as they look. My favourites were definitely the Fire Cracker Shrimp and the Plum Flower Duck Bojai Rice Bowl. The onlyyyy thing that I felt I could have done more of was spice . Especially when it comes to Cantonese cuisine, there are usually some spicy dishes to really get the taste buds activated! It's quite a small space, so make sure to make a reservation to guarantee you won't be disappointed with a potentially long wait. The ambiance that their team has put together is all very on brand for the theme of a "Far East Descent". I particularly loved the door at

We haven't gotten a chance to have a proper meal here yet - we came for drinks and small bites. Staff is super friendly and helpful. Facing heaven margarita is a great mix of sweet and spicy (love the addition of the whole red chilli). Chicken bites with five venom spice is a must! I found the food to be flavorful but not spicy (quite unlike Sichuan cuisine). Will be back to try their signature pork belly sandwich and clay pot rice bowls soon!

Came here during our visit to Philly for late dinner. We sat up on the roof, but there's also indoor seating and some at the bar. We got: Food: -pork ribs ($18): this appetizer is way overpriced, good flavor but not meat wasn't tender -shrimp toast ($12): most recommended item per our waiter but my least favorite item. Lack shrimp flavor -wonton noodle ($18): wish there was more flavor and not worth the price -crispy chicken sandwich ($16): our favorite item that we ordered, loved their taro fries Drinks: -mistress of the sea ($13): didn't love it, the flavors didn't go well together -the golden era ($13): this was great, if you like an old fashion this is it. Overall, the food was just okay, making it not worth the price. We felt like without the plating and environment, a mom and pop Chinese shop would've tasted way better and cheaper. Service was great though and I wouldn't be against coming back to try the boards for a second opinion. Will update if I do!

We went here for a special night at and we're so happy we did! Everyone was so kind and friendly and the service was impeccable throughout our meal. We decided to do the Good Fortune Board so we could try some of everything and it was the right choice. Everything was delicious, but our favorites were the shrimp, ribs, and steak - although the chicken bites were also amazing. Even the rice was done to perfection. We had a couple of fun drinks and enjoyed the pretty rooftop atmosphere. Overall, we can't wait to go back and share it with others!

A friend of ours recommended we all go to Far East Descendant for dinner and we were not disappointed! I honestly had no idea this place existed and they've been around for quite sometime now. Far East Descendant serves authentic Cantonese food with a modern twist. From the pictures and reviews I saw, the restaurant had a modern vibe and the food looked great. Our party of 4 came here with reservations on a very windy Thursday night, which was probably why the restaurant was pretty empty. It was too windy to sit on their rooftop space that night, but we will have to come back for it another time. We ordered both the Good Fortune and Montao boards to share, and a clay pot rice. Ordering must be done from your phone. Those two boards combined are basically all their appetizers, and perfect for groups. Those two boards were a good amount of food and can easily feed 3-4 people. Presentation was on point. Food was indeed authentic and delicious. There wasn't a single thing we did not enjoy. Service was great too. Our waters were always filled and our server was very attentive and checked on us as needed.

Food was delicious some of the best duck I've had. Everything was hot and fresh. Service was attentive. Intimate tables, great music. Will return!

Beautiful restaurant, super cool decorations. Food takes a bit to arrive including appetizers. The price point seemed pretty steep for items that you could get from Canto restaurants in Chinatown (i.e, $23 rice bowl). Small portions. The board below was $88.

I covered before how Dave L. could throw a gathering at an Arby's (please don't do this) and it would instantly be a grand occasion. r.i.p Khemer Sweet Basil -(https://www.yelp.com/biz/khmer-sweet-basil-philadelphia). It took very little for me to instantly figure out that Far East Descendant would be a serious upgrade by comparison, and this gathering instantly had me going beast mode for that Beast Board. But even so, I didn't expect them to have more meat than Arby's! And while I did expect to share an epic feast among friends, I didn't expect to see Far East Descendant exceed expectations on so many levels! The first exceeded expectation was how the building was hidden in plain sight within a very familiar part of Chinatown. Even with that amazing mural and it overlooking the Chinatown highway, I was surprised to wander down a nearly secret alleyway to find it. And I was even more impressed with the glimpses of the indoor/outdoor second-floor space that I absolutely plan on frequenting during warmer weather days! The second exceeded expectation came from experiencing here as the second-best Philly Chinatown cocktail bar (there's only one Lê: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hop-sing-laundromat-philadelphia). I absolutely loved the elemental theme behind their cocktail menu with the Golden Era especially being a favorite. and I,m still tasting spicy tinges of that delectable fire shot that we all shared! The third exceeded expectation from seeing the Beast Boards and realizing how damn impressive they were! When most places say that their special platter feeds 4-5 people it can be a slight exaggeration, but we could have probably added two more people per board! From the house-made sauces and incredible five venom fries to the crisp lotus chips and ALL THE MEATS, this board was a pure revelation. and it might have been a rare occasion where I loved the seasonal seared veggies and delectable rice as much as I loved the meats. Stand-out favorites for me were the fall-off-the-bone Chau-Siu beef rib, the tender 18 Taming Dragon Steak, the decadent pork belly marinated in chili plum sauce, and that spicy mustard sauce! The final exceeded expectation came from getting to meet the chef-owners at the end and getting to see their passion that went beyond what they put on the plate. Combine that with the fact that I somehow managed to miss shrimp fried sticky rice, and I definitely have many more reasons to come back here!

Chicken was crispy - taro fries were the perfect consistency, size and seasoning. Reminded me of 'McDonald's' but 10x more elevated!!! Sat at a high top across their rooftop bar. Ask for a scoop of their chili oil to dip with the pork belly BLT sandwich -- it was amazing. Had to order a side of taro fries to go, that's how addicting they are.

I'll start by stating the service was exceptional. Our waitress was polite and took the time to explain the menu. We had reservations for 5pm 2 people. But we warned $20 to park in the adjacent lot for 1 hour. In pulled into the lot and was approached by this guy that demanded $20 he then runs off with my money comes back 5 minutes later with a receipt. I should have left right there and then. But we decided to eat at FED the food was ok i don't get the hype at all. So what they have a rooftop restaurant. It was cold outside anyway. The portions are small and expensive for what you're getting. The food was just ok .Also we didn't get the customary cut up orange and fortune cookies upon leaving. Total disappointment. This is a 1 and DONE for me.

Came here for a friend's birthday celebration. The rooftop area is cute but on the smaller side. We ordered steak bowls and they were delish! The steak was made to my liking, veggies fresh, and rice fluffy. I really enjoyed their unique menu items like the taro fries (which I sadly didn't get but got try and they're fantastic!). I'd visit again to continue exploring the menu.

Far East Descendant is a cute little speakeasy like restaurant right outside Chinatown. They offer a lot of traditional Chinese meats with an American/Modern twist. The interior decor makes the restaurant feel like the Fire nation from the Avatar and the patio is very open and relaxing. There is a separate bar upstairs. The staff were very nice and did a great job of being welcoming and attentive. They were consistently refilling our waters and asking if we need anything. The food was good. I ordered the Good Fortune board and Pork Belly Bowl. Both of which were delicious. Overall the store is great, and I would recommend. They do tend to get busy so it would be best to reserve ahead of time.

Came here on a Friday night with a dinner reservation for the rooftop. We got a few drinks and everyone really liked theirs. I got the mint lychee soda which was really tasty. Between the 4 of us we shared one of the boards for 2. We had dinner elsewhere earlier and came here for like drinks and snacks but omg the board was huge! Even if we were like starving I think there would be too much. We got a box to take home the leftovers and our sweet waitress had to chase us to the parking lot because we left the leftovers on the table. Great service and food!

As a descendent of a survivor of the nanjing massacre, this hit the heart First time in Philly on a work trip, five stars 2 thumbs up, thank you from the bottom of my heart

Date night with amazing food is always a must. Great ambiance, great service. Non alcoholic drinks were so good, you didn't need alcohol!! Must try!!

Plus for ambiance. The place was not comfortable ran from hot to cold when they kept the door open. Food fusion is interesting but did not end up tasting or "living up" to the name or flavors. Everything was a bit bland. The shrimp toast was more toast than shrimp. Taro fries were suppose to be spiced but were underseasoned. The duck I would recommend but maybe with flavors. The steak I do not recommend at all. Maybe would come back but menu needs skme find tuning

FED is a little bit off the beaten path from Chinatown, but their food and drinks are definitely worth the few minutes from Chinatown. It's a modern twist on the Cantonese dishes that I've had, but definitely enjoyed it. First of all service is great - hostess and waiter were really friendly and attentive. There's an upstairs rooftop area where you can order drinks, etc. For food we ordered: * Typhoon Shelter Soft Shelled Crab - I love soft shell crab and this was definitely a great app to start with. * Dim Mak Mini Ribs - a bit salty, wish this came with rice to mellow it out. * CBLT - bread was a bit dry and tarp fries were cold but everything else was great about this pork belly sandwich. * Plum Flower Chicken - amazing. Highly recommend this. The rice has the perfect crispiness and the duck was so flavorful with the sauce all in the rice too. * Jasmine Milk Tea Budino - I love Budino and this was the perfect match with the milk tea flavor. There's even a bit of graham dust at the top which adds a nice crunch to this dessert. Cocktails * Mistress of the Sea - this drink is so good. It's slightly fruity, but definitely has the alcohol in it. * Buck descendant - great drink, taste like ginger ale All in all, I'd definitely come back again to try other items on their menu!

So much potential at this restaurant. Its ambiance and heated patio are definitely up there in terms of some of the best ambiances that I have experienced in Philly. I learned that the chef designed the entire restaurant and its menu himself. This place is pretty expensive, but that is why many people go with friends. I got the good fortune board, and the unique flavors of the duck, steak, and chicken, and the other items below, were amazing. I don't have many words about the food other than it was the best Asian food I've had in a while. This review is short of 5 stars since a few of my items were cold, and I had to get a reduction on my bill. If you haven't been here, please pick up your keys and wallet and head over

Booked a reservation ahead of time for the rooftop seating, which definitely elevates the experience. It's a smaller rooftop with a tent above it. This place is right at the corner of Chinatown, and is definitely more on the fusion side rather than authentic Cantonese food. We waited over half an hour for our food to come (our party ordered the Good Fortune Board and two clay pot rice bowls) and we were pretty hungry by the time food came. Portion sizes for the clay pot rice bowls are on the smaller side, and for ~$90 per board, the amount of food on the board wasn't much at all. The food itself was flavorful, if just on the salty side. The taro fries were definitely a highlight, and presentation was creative. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd come back -- you pay mostly for the vibes here. The food tastes okay, but it's just overpriced for what it is. FYI, there's a mandatory 20% gratuity with the option to tip extra.

Decided to check out the newest restaurant in the Chinatown area. Far East descendant wasn't worth the hype for sure. The shrimping toast was an interesting concept but didn't deliver on taste. We also ordered a little pot rice that contained duck thigh. The duck was very dry and also tasted very bland. The only good thing was the outdoor roof bar which showed an impressive view of the Vine Street Expressway and the awesome murals that surround the building.

I will preface this review with I was envisioning Cantonese food being more "stereotypical" with lots of flavor and sauce. This was not that and felt far from what was expected (again that could be my fault but setting the stage). This was more fried food friendly than was the saucy/spicy/flavorful food I was used to. The Six Fortune Board was PLENTY for four people. Not sure if the food wasn't hot because we were sitting outside, but it was warm at best. The board had a combination of ribs (not super meaty), little chicken bites (fine), shrimp toast (this was quite good), tempura shrimp spring rolls, and fried meat with a large stack of taro fries in the middle. It was fine for what it was. Our server was VERY kind, but it was terribly slow - the entire downstairs of the restaurant wasn't even seating people so the lack of speed was surprising. Overall, it was fine, but being so close to China town, we'll definitely see what else is out there.

10/10 food. the flavors on the shiitake dish were my favorite! slightly sweet. whatever they do to the mushrooms go give them a slight crisp rules. the ribs were very tender and the pickled veg served with them was delicious. i enjoyed the beef dish a lot but next time will ask for some chili oil on the side for a bit of heat. cool restaurant. very pretty wood all over the place.

Soft shell crabs were not very greasy which is good. Taro fries came with a good dipping sauce. A bit on the harder side but not teeth breaking. Crispy Chicken Sandwich was good. The slaw was the highlight.

Came here with a big group and ordered 2 of the boards. Drinks are delicious and overall a great place to drink and eat, the food was good but not amazing!

A colleague in our group suggested here for dinner after a long day at the conference. We walked from the hotel. There were no windows or pictures out front, didn't look like a restaurant from the outside. It was gloomy when we entered but was very bright in the small dining area. It started as a party of 8 in our group. By the time we left it was 16 of us. We reached out to other coworkers to join us The vibe, drinks and food was really good. I started with The Golden Era, a bourbon based cocktail with citrus and bitters. The menu listed so many great choices. The hostess was very helpful in providing suggestions. I decided on the soft shell crab for an appetizer, amazing. For the group, we decided to order "The Boards" which provided a combination of dishes that we all can share. The Harmony Board included pork belly, Cha-siu beef, orange chicken, shrimp rolls, fried wonton, sticky rice, taro fries, bok choy and rice. The Good Fortune Board has shrimp toast, taro fries, crispy chicken, ribs, steak, duck, bok choy, rice and both boards were served with several house made sauces. My favorites were the Firecracker Shrimp, Five Venom Crispy Chicken and Dim 18 Taming Dragon Steak. This Cantonese restaurant has really good food, drinks and service.

This felt like upscale Cantonese food just outside chinatown. The pros were the balanced dishes, service, and environment. The cons were the higher price tag and that the cocktails left more to be desired. These dishes felt home-cooked in a good way- delicious duck, soft shell crab were the standouts. The mayo sauce with the crab and fries was good. I enjoyed the pork belly too, but the skin was overly cooked so instead of crispy, we got super chewy... but I like jerky, so I didn't mind. Also being at a short rooftop bar was cool. Note: the first table we sat at was so wobbly, I was afraid I'd knock over our entire meal, so we asked to be seated at the empty table behind us. If I was the owner, I'd fix that or trash it for a new one.

Did not vibe w this place ... Roommates and i were initially super excited to go j cuz they have a very intriguing menu and overall dramatic new-age asian look we were curious abt Food was alr... all the vegetarian options we got seemed to be better than the duck bowl our friend got, she had to ask for extra sauce and even then she said it was very bland. The vegan rice bowl is nicely flavored w a sweetish sauce and the shiitakes r crispy fried and well prepared. Other two ordered lotus root sandwich thing which they liked. Drinks were fine , definitely not strong at all or particularly good for how pricey they were. All of this wld prob lead me to rate it at like a 3.5 but tbh the service was so bad here that it killed it. And normally i reallyyyy dont care abt service and overlook if the food is ok but this experience was p awful and its def one of those places where ur paying sm for the ambience of the place as well. We sat for like 10 mins before they even brought menus and it was only bc we asked for them..., my bowl came out randomly 15 mins before everyone elses entrees ..., and we weirdly felt like we were annoying the servers even tho we were the ones having to ask for everything....etc... All in all. Food is ok but service is just notttt it. Ik theyre still relatively new so hopefully they get their footing after a bit, but for now am not looking to come back

It has a unique interior, and a variety of options. There is a big outdoor rooftop area as well as the indoor space downstairs. Felt slightly over-priced for the food. It was an interesting experience. Staff was friendly, and helpful.

I came here for my cousin's birthday and I'd have to say that I have mixed feelings about this place. First of all, there were about 21 people for this birthday and it seemed as if this was the first time that Far East Descendants had a big group. we were seated outside, which was super nice, except it was chilly which is expected. Some things that weren't great: First of all, they didn't explain how to order well enough for us to understand until we asked. Since this was a big party, we deposited $75 just for us to hold the reservation. We didn't get an explanation that everything would be handled if we just ordered on the app (which there are QR codes on the tables). Since we combined all the tables, we didn't know if we had to pay first on our phones to get our food, or if it would just come out. We later found out that we did not have to pay until the very end, but many party members had already paid for their entrees or drinks. When the boards came out, there were no plates or utensils for any of us and it took the employees 10 mins for them to bring it to us after giving us food, in which we were already using our hands to eat (honestly food was amazing). They were very slow at serving us and we would have to chase them down to get any service. Around the end of the night we had to ask for the cake and for them to start cleaning up. They took another 20 mins for them to clean up and finally bring out the cake after we asked a few times. Even when the cake came, they did not give us plates, forks, or anything until we had to ask. Also to note, we gave them a Paris Baguette cake which has a cake knife with it, if an employee or someone sees this, please just bring up the box with the cake so we can us that knife instead of the small butter knives. Honestly service was 2/5 food was 5/5. This place has great food and drinks (which are a little pricey compared to other places *$13 per drink*) but the service was really something to work on. I don't even have the effort to even review the food, but the mantao with everything on it was super good, and the 5 beast board ($250) was super delicious with great sauces and lots of veggies. Everything on that board was delicious and the sauces made the food level up. Overall, I would love to come again if management knew how to handle big parties. Please have an assigned waiter/waitress check up on the table every 5-10 mins and explain everything to us. We should not have to chase anyone down or ask for explanations for everything. Please do better.