Din Tai Fung Greenbelt 3, Makati Review: Menu Prices, Wait Times and Service Charge (8.5/10)

The short version: Din Tai Fung in Greenbelt is the one I’d send you to if you’re staying anywhere around Makati and want a sure thing. The xiaolong bao are soft and well made, the beef with scallions is very good, and the House Special is one of my favorite dishes anywhere. The queue system runs like clockwork, the food comes fast, and lunch for three with a lot of food came to about ₱1,400 ($22) a person, which is an incredible value. It works for everyone, families, couples or solo, and I sometimes go on my own. Just expect a 20 to 30 minute wait at peak hours.

I had lunch at Din Tai Fung Greenbelt on October 23, 2026, with two other people. I’ve been many times, here and at the other Manila locations, and sometimes on my own. I paid for everything myself, and nothing was comped.

Pros

• Soft, well-made xiaolong bao, with the juice still inside
• The House Special: light, refreshing, almost comfort food
• Very good beef with scallions
• A very well-run queue and ordering system, and fast food once you sit
• Appetizers within minutes of sitting down
• Polite, friendly staff, some of whom remember you
• Right in Greenbelt 3, a short walk from the Makati hotels, with the whole mall to wander afterwards
• An incredible value for how much you get

Cons

• A 20 to 30 minute wait at peak lunch and dinner hours, and sometimes a line to pay
• Portions are small, so plan to order a lot and share
• An 8.5% service charge is added automatically

Getting there

Din Tai Fung is on the second floor of Greenbelt 3, in the center of Makati. From the Raffles, the Fairmont, the Shangri-La or any of the hotels around there, it’s an easy walk. Otherwise take a Grab to the visitor drop-off on Makati Avenue, find the stairs near the Hermès store, and go up.

The setting: 7.5 out of 10

It’s the typical Din Tai Fung look: red walls, press quotes like Forbes’ “the world’s greatest dumplings,” and the cooks making xiaolong bao by hand in the window as you walk in. It’s a nice, clean room, but if you’ve been to a Din Tai Fung before, you know exactly what it looks like.

What makes the setting is Greenbelt itself. It’s beautiful, and a great place to walk, with many cats, a great selection of stores, and a crowd that’s never overly busy or overly quiet. There’s a Pinkberry and a Timezone arcade for a fun date or a treat afterwards, and if there’s a wait, it’s not a bad place to kill 20 minutes.

The food: 8 out of 10

Pork xiaolong bao, 15 pieces: 8 out of 10. Very soft and well made, and the juice flowed well. Only one piece leaked. Toward the end of the basket they were a little drier, but that’s to be expected.

Din Tai Fung House Special: 9 out of 10. My favorite, and I always get at least a few orders. This time we got four. It’s a cold salad of kelp, glass noodles, bean sprouts and pressed tofu in a light dressing. It’s very tasty, almost comfort food, but it doesn’t feel heavy; it’s light, refreshing, and feels quite healthy. It might not be for everyone, but it’s honestly one of my favorite dishes. I haven’t seen it at the Singapore location.

Beef with scallions: 8 out of 10. Very good, with a nice mix of beef. We almost ordered a second one.

Three-cup chicken: 7 out of 10. Nice and crispy, but not incredibly memorable.

Sweet and sour chicken: 7 out of 10. Pretty good: crispy, and not too strong. Sometimes they make this too sweet and sour, and this one didn’t feel that way.

We also had bok choy, the steamed fish in soy sauce, the shrimp fried rice, white rice and a Coke Zero, which I didn’t try, so I won’t rate them. We skipped drinks and dessert.

Service: 8.5 out of 10

Greenbelt, like the other Manila locations I’ve tried, is always very well run. They don’t take reservations. You go in, they give you a queue number, and they call it on the big screen. While you wait, they hand you the menu and a little card where you write down how many of each item you want, so by the time you sit, your order is in. Once it’s complete, they give you the receipt, and you take it to the front to pay.

Once you’re seated, everything comes out within 10 to 20 minutes. They bring the appetizers right away on a tray, show you all of them, and you pick what you want, so if you’re hungry, you can be eating within minutes of sitting down.

The staff are very polite and very friendly, and some of them remember me from past visits.

What it cost

Lunch for three came to ₱3,905, plus the 8.5% service charge, for ₱4,201.36 total, about ₱1,400 ($22) a person. That was 15 xiaolong bao, four orders of the House Special, bok choy, beef with scallions and steamed fish in soy sauce. Plus sweet and sour chicken, three-cup chicken, shrimp fried rice, white rice, a Coke Zero and three bottles of water.

Value: 9.5 out of 10

For that much food, ₱1,400 a person is an incredible value, and it’s not just quantity: you get very good food and great service for it.

Vs. other Din Tai Fungs

I like the Philippine locations more than Singapore. They’re much cheaper, I think the food is actually better, and the service is just as good.

Between the Manila branches, the food is equally good, so it comes down to the wait and the room. Greenbelt is smaller than BGC but usually has less of a wait, and in my opinion the service is better. Compared with Mall of Asia, Greenbelt is a little bigger, again usually with less of a wait and better service.

Who it’s for

Everyone. I see families, couples and solo diners every time. It works for groups, since you order a lot and share, as a quick lunch between walking around Greenbelt, and on your own; I sometimes go by myself for a great, affordable meal. If you’re staying at the Raffles, the Fairmont or the Shangri-La, it’s the easiest good lunch nearby.

Tips if you go

• No reservations. The line is short outside the regular lunch and dinner hours; at peak times expect 20 to 30 minutes, so arrive early or walk around Greenbelt while you wait.
• There can also be a line to pay at the front toward the end of lunch and dinner, so leave a few extra minutes.
• Fill in the order card while you’re in line, so your food comes right away.
• Say yes to the appetizer tray.
• Get the House Special.
• Portions are on the smaller side, so order family style and share.
• The 8.5% service charge is added automatically, so there’s no need to tip on top.
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Verdict: 8.5 out of 10

A very well-run Din Tai Fung in the best spot in Makati, with soft xiaolong bao, a House Special I’d go back for on its own, and a bill that’s hard to argue with. Just plan for the wait.

In Bangkok, the Central Embassy branch does even better xiaolong bao, though it doesn’t have the House Special. This restaurant is in my Where to Eat in Manila guide, with all fourteen ranked and matched to occasions.

FAQ

Where is Din Tai Fung in Makati?

On the second floor of Greenbelt 3 in the center of Makati, up the stairs past the Hermès. An easy walk from the Raffles, the Fairmont and the Shangri-La.

Does Din Tai Fung Greenbelt take reservations?

No. You get a queue number when you arrive and order while you wait.

Is there a wait at Din Tai Fung Greenbelt?

Usually 20 to 30 minutes at peak lunch and dinner hours, and short outside them.

How much does Din Tai Fung Greenbelt cost?

Lunch for three with a lot of food came to ₱4,201 with the 8.5% service charge, about ₱1,400 ($22) a person.

What should I order at Din Tai Fung?

The pork xiaolong bao, the House Special and the beef with scallions.

Is there a service charge?

Yes, 8.5%, added automatically for dine-in.

What are Din Tai Fung Greenbelt’s hours?

11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Greenbelt, BGC or Mall of Asia?

The food is equally good at all three. Greenbelt usually has the shortest wait and, in my opinion, the best service.