Revdict.

Buddakan

Restaurant · 75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011, United States · United States

4.4 on Google · 5,874 reviews · View on Google Maps

Manipulation score

Clean

Completed Jul 15, 2026 · 56 reviews flagged

How this score works

The score estimates how strongly this place's review record matches known manipulation patterns, from 0 (no signs) to 100. Verdicts: Clean below 40, Suspicious from 40, Likely Manipulated from 70; Review Drive when the flags are mostly staff asking customers for named reviews. It rises with the share of reviews flagged and how suspicious each one is.

Burst
— an abnormal spike of five-star reviews in a single day compared to the place's usual pace.
Low activity account
— the reviewer has almost no other reviews, photos, or Local Guide history; throwaway accounts look like this.
Duplicate text
— the wording is nearly identical to another review of the same place.

Verdicts are statistical estimates based on public review patterns, not accusations. Full methodology, signal definitions and known limits →

Case conclusion

What the numbers say

999 reviews examined

Google rating
4.4★

All reviews shown by Google

Not-flagged average
4.3★

943 examined reviews

Flagged
6%

56 of 999

Coverage
17%

999 of 5,874 Google reviews

“Not flagged” means no configured Revdict signal matched; it does not prove a review is genuine. Data fetched Jul 15, 2026.

Review brief

What reviews not flagged by Revdict say

Reviewers report that Buddakan offers a stunning, upscale atmosphere with dramatic interior design that creates a memorable vibe for celebrations and group dining. While many praise the flavorful dishes, standout dumplings, and attentive service, others note inconsistent food quality, high prices, and lengthy wait times for reserved tables.

+ Repeated strengths

Atmosphere and Decor

Reviewers frequently praise the restaurant's stunning architecture, moody lighting, and grand, movie-like aesthetic.

1 supporting review

4★ · 2024-07-07

Atmosphere very chic. Dimsum sampler was a hit at our table.

Dumplings

The edamame dumplings and oxtail dumplings are widely highlighted as exceptionally delicious menu items.

1 supporting review

5★ · 2024-07-06

What a spot! Celebrated our son's birthday! The edamame dumplings, oxtail dumplings, and chili rock shrimp make a great trio!

Service and Hospitality

Many reviewers highlight welcoming, attentive staff and management who go out of their way to accommodate special celebrations.

1 supporting review

5★ · 2026-04-17

This place is stunning. Great happy hour with plenty of space in the bar area. It is huge! Been around a ling time and only now discovered it. Looking forward to a date night, plenty of vegetarian options which can be a struggle. Highly rec...

− Repeated complaints

Reservation Wait Times

Reviewers frequently complain about significant delays in being seated despite having advance reservations.

2 supporting reviews

1★ · 2024-08-18

Not worth the wait. We have attempted this restaurant twice now. Once for my partners birthday and the other time was for dinner post our wedding. Both times they failed to deliver on the service and the food. Both times we had to wait fo...

1★ · 2025-01-31

I had an 8 PM reservation at Budalan and arrived at 8:03 PM, only to be told to wait in the lounge. I ended up waiting there for 50 minutes, despite having a reservation. When I asked how much longer it would be, they couldn’t give me a cle...

Noise Levels

Multiple guests report that the dining areas are extremely loud and crowded, making conversation difficult.

2 supporting reviews

1★ · 2024-08-18

Very lound and cramped inside, felt like a sardine. I couldn’t hear my own thoughts, and not possible to have a conversation due to the amount of noise. You end up screaming over all the people that are screaming around you. Took at least h...

4★ · 2026-03-22

Really great find. Food was excellent, atmosphere buzzing, really busy but great vibe. Its not cheap but its a popular New York restaurant so its also not surprising. Booking a table looks to be a must

Inconsistent Food Quality

Some diners feel certain entrees are bland, overly salted, or not worth the high price point.

2 supporting reviews

2★ · 2024-08-01

Mediocre food and even more mediocre service. I’ve been here once before and had a decent experience (though the service was just as mediocre then). With the restaurant week menu, it’s not even worth a visit. Apart from the Shrimp entree, I...

2★ · 2024-09-14

The FOOD was NOT worth it. The food was very basic and Americanized. Too much soy sauce, bland and no spices. For the prices I am very dissatisfied and disappointed. The crab fried rice was dry and had no crab. The noodles were so bad. So d...

Good for

  • Birthday celebrations and special occasions
  • Large groups looking to share family-style plates
  • Date nights seeking a dramatic, upscale atmosphere

Avoid if

  • You prefer a quiet, intimate dining room for easy conversation
  • You are on a strict budget or looking for high value
  • You dislike waiting past your scheduled reservation time
Summarized from 649 text reviews not flagged by Revdict · 2024-07-01 to 2026-07-12 · Summaries can miss context; open the supporting reviews before deciding.

Review anatomy

Reviews per month

Reviews per month, total and flagged
MonthReviewsFlagged
Jul ’24432
Aug ’24413
Sep ’24513
Oct ’24420
Nov ’24414
Dec ’24493
Jan ’25557
Feb ’25382
Mar ’25473
Apr ’25301
May ’25392
Jun ’25460
Jul ’25502
Aug ’25311
Sep ’25260
Oct ’25281
Nov ’25495
Dec ’25525
Jan ’26383
Feb ’26320
Mar ’26414
Apr ’26281
May ’26531
Jun ’26353
Jul ’26140

Rating distribution

5★
4★
3★
2★
1★

Evidence

  • low activity account 54 reviews flagged weight 0.8
  • duplicate text 2 reviews flagged weight 0.9

Flagged reviews

Exhibit — 2 reviews, near-identical wording

You go here for the great hall / last supper vibes. Great food too, just know what you’re stepping into. On the pricier end, but it matches the ambience and vibes. If you book here, ask for this table. There are many rooms in the restaurant and I fear many seating locations don’t capture the beauty...
  • Davis Ping ★★★★★ 2025-12-15 suspicion 86
  • Randy Patel ★★★★★ 2026-03-29 suspicion 86

Showing the 10 most suspicious of 54 remaining flagged reviews.

Joey M profile photo

Joey M

2 reviews

★★★★★

2024-07-02

The cauliflower cheese balls...to die for!!
low activity account suspicion 48
Daniel Schoch profile photo

Daniel Schoch

1 review

★☆☆☆☆

2024-07-13

It’s the worst place to go in NYC!
low activity account suspicion 48
Jose Simons profile photo

Jose Simons

1 review

★★★★★

2024-08-12

low activity account suspicion 48
Tati Ubagai profile photo

Tati Ubagai

1 review

★★★★★

2024-08-20

low activity account suspicion 48
Max Silverman profile photo

Max Silverman

2 reviews

★★★★★

2024-08-31

The service was ok got the order wrong the first time it took about 4 other people to make ot right. The food was great very good. For me it was very loud.
low activity account suspicion 48
Elizabeth Drebin profile photo

Elizabeth Drebin

2 reviews

★★★★★

2024-09-05

low activity account suspicion 48
Alexandros C. Argyriou profile photo

Alexandros C. Argyriou

2 reviews

★☆☆☆☆

2024-09-08

Really terrible experience. Even with reservation, the waiting is 1 hour with terrible management of the sitting process. Highly not recommend.
low activity account suspicion 48
Jaya Sharma profile photo

Jaya Sharma

1 review

★★★★★

2024-09-15

low activity account suspicion 48
Macy T profile photo

Macy T

2 reviews

★☆☆☆☆

2024-11-10

horrible service and the food is awful. very rude and snobby.
low activity account suspicion 48
Abdulwahab Alwheeb profile photo

Abdulwahab Alwheeb

1 review

★★★★★

2024-11-19

low activity account suspicion 48

Report generated Jul 15, 2026. Reviews change — you can request a fresh investigation.

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