Dan noodle at Dan Modern Chinese in Santa Monica
Seaweed tofu salad at Dan Modern Chinese in Santa Monica
Interior at Dan Modern Chinese in Santa Monica

  • Dan Modern Chinese
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  • White Veg-options
Lacto
Ovo
Chinese
Fast food
Take-out
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. Modern Chinese restaurant with vegan choices. Menu is clearly labeled and includes scallion pancake, seaweed tofu salad, salt and pepper tofu, vegetable dumplings, vegetable dan mein and more. (As of Jan 2023, has another location in Playa Vista.) NOTE: Reported February 2025 to have limited vegan options – please send updates to HappyCow. Open Mon-Sun 11:30am-9:00pm.

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4 Reviews

First Review by sagarak

Avatar FoodiesRUS

FoodiesRUS

Points +25

Vegetarian
08 Jan 2026

Not a Din Tai Fung Alternative


I was looking forward to trying Dan Modern Cuisine, as I had heard it was a strong Din Tai Fung alternative and was interested in its backstory. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it to be in a class of its own and left disappointed.

From a vegetarian perspective, the options felt quite limited. We tried the vegetarian steamed dumplings, scallion pancakes, and Dan Dan noodles. The steamed dumplings were doughy and lacked flavor. The Dan Dan noodles were dense-not bad, but not great either, and not something I would return for. The scallion pancakes were decent.

Another notable disappointment was the Mapo Tofu-although the menu did not list any meat, we were told it contained chicken broth, making it unsuitable for vegetarians.

While there are items like cucumbers, rice, and green beans, and another noodle these felt more like sides than hearty meals. If you’re looking for a filling vegetarian entrée or large plate, the options are limited. More substantial tofu or composed vegetarian dishes would be a welcome addition.

Service was slow and inattentive at times, even though the restaurant was not crowded, and we waited a long time for simple requests like sauces. On the positive side, the chili sauce was good, prices were slightly lower than Din Tai Fung, and there was no long wait.

Overall, Dan may be better suited for meat-eaters. From a vegetarian standpoint, clearer menu labeling, better service, and more hearty vegetarian options are needed.

Avatar vwbrianf

vwbrianf

Points +19

Vegetarian
03 Jul 2025

Affordable and quick

Good vegan and non vegan options.

Pros: Cost, Options, Good for sharing.

Cons: Table side ginger was so so.

Avatar 16mnocera

16mnocera

Points +68

Vegan
13 May 2025

Quality Asian food!

Really love this place - they have a location in playa vista too. We shared the tofu seaweed salad which was amazinggggg. Then I got the dan Dan noodles (photo included) - a little small in portion but really fresh, great flavor to the sauce. Finished the meal with the veggie steamed dumplings.

Pros: Service, Quality

at Dan Modern Chinese in Santa Monica

Avatar

DylanMeade97

05 Aug 2025

Thanks great recommendation!

Avatar sagarak

sagarak

Points +682

Vegan
16 Apr 2024

Decent vegan options

I really enjoyed the vegetable dishes (green beans, pea sprouts, cucumber salad) but the vegetable dumplings were not my favorite. I would not order them again.

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