Quick Answer
Dianping is China's largest restaurant review and recommendation platform, similar to Yelp or TripAdvisor. The app supports an English interface (confirmed by App Store), though user reviews remain in Chinese. To set English: Profile → menu icon → Settings → Language → English → Save. The bottom navigation is Home / Nearby / Post / Messages / Profile. Find restaurants via Home → Food. The Must-Eat List is the official curated ranking. Restaurant pages feature Top dishes, Menu, Offers, Book table, Queue, and Checkin.
Setting the English Interface
- Path — Profile → menu icon (top-left, three horizontal lines) → Settings → Language → English → Save
- Note — After switching to English, all UI buttons, category labels, and system messages will display in English, but user-generated reviews remain in Chinese.
Bottom Navigation
The English interface has five bottom tabs:
- Home — Recommended content and feature entries
- Nearby — Location-based recommendations for nearby restaurants and businesses
- Post — Publish a review or check-in
- Messages — System notifications and interaction messages
- Profile — Your reviews, favorites, and check-in history. Note: it's called Profile, not Me.
Finding Restaurants
Multiple ways to find restaurants on Dianping:
- Browse by category — Home → Food, browse by cuisine type
- Nearby — The Nearby tab shows restaurants sorted by distance and rating
- Must-Eat List — Search Must-Eat List to find the official curated ranking of must-try restaurants in your city. This is the in-app official name.
- Keyword search — Enter English keywords (e.g., Dumpling, Noodle, Hot Pot) in the search bar, though Chinese keywords yield more accurate results.
Restaurant Page Features
On a restaurant's detail page, you'll find:
- Top dishes — The restaurant's most popular dishes based on user reviews
- Menu — The restaurant's dish list with prices
- Offers — Group-buy deals and coupons. Some set meals are 20–50% cheaper than ordering individually.
- Book table — Online table reservation for participating restaurants
- Queue — For popular restaurants during peak hours, take a number online to avoid waiting in line at the restaurant
- Checkin — Check in after arriving to record your visit. Confirmed as Checkin per the Google Play official description.
- Ratings and reviews — Overall rating (out of 5) and user reviews. Some content has a See Translation button.
Translation Feature
Some Dianping content supports translation:
- See Translation — Some user reviews and restaurant descriptions have a See Translation button for English
- Coverage — Not all content has a translation button; only selected content is supported
- User reviews — Reviews are primarily in Chinese. Even with English interface, review text remains in Chinese. Use a translation app as a supplement.
Search Tips
- English keywords — You can search in English (e.g., Dumpling, Hot Pot, BBQ), but results may be less accurate than Chinese keywords
- Chinese input — If you can type Chinese (e.g., 饺子, 火锅, 烧烤), search results are more precise and comprehensive
- Combined search — Search with cuisine + location (e.g., hot pot Shanghai) to narrow results
Must-Eat List
The Must-Eat List is Dianping's official curated restaurant ranking:
- How to view — Search Must-Eat List in the search bar, select a city, and browse the list
- Content — Restaurant name, address, average price per person, recommended dishes, and user ratings
- Update frequency — Updated annually to reflect the latest public opinion trends
- Usage — Great for when you don't know what to eat, but consider your own taste preferences as well
Practical Tips
- Reviews are the core reference — Dianping's greatest value is in authentic user reviews. Restaurants rated 4.5+ with 500+ reviews are generally safe bets.
- Order from Top dishes — Check Top dishes first when you don't know what to order — these are the most recommended signature dishes.
- Save money with Offers — Many restaurants have group-buy deals (Offers) that are 20–50% cheaper than ordering individually.
- Save time with Queue — Popular restaurants often have long lines at meal times. Use Queue to take a number online and be seated upon arrival.
- Find the nearest with Nearby — Use Nearby when you need to find a place to eat right now, sorted by distance.
- Read the negative reviews too — Don't just read positive reviews. If negative reviews consistently mention hygiene or service issues, consider avoiding.
- Use a translation app alongside — User reviews are in Chinese. Install Baidu Translate or Google Translate to supplement, as See Translation doesn't cover everything.
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