Phoenix Garden

11/16/09

Food 3 stars : welcome & service 0 stars

by Townley at Citysearch

Arrogant. Unfriendly. Unhelpful. Sad, isn't it. And worse, the staff don't seem to realise the impression they create.

I was so upset by the way my guests were treated, I paid the check but left no tip. A few minutes later, waving the check, an older lady followed me into the street , I expained briefly why I'd chosen to leave no tip. She scowled, and scurried back into the restaurant.

A few minutes later, a manager strormed out of the restaurant and yelled after me: "Arsehole".

A case history in customer releations?

• Pros: The food
• Cons: The service and attitude

10/22/09

Never Go!

by sakediva at Citysearch

The food at Phoenix Garden had been decent but it had a long reputation of a poor service. Many of my friends stopped going there but I still went because until today I didn't know the meaning of a truly bad service.

Phoenix Garden has always operated under BYOB. As a service they brought out an icebox for drinks and I had never been charged. Today my bill came with unknown charges and I questioned the waitress. The son who took over his father's business responded to my inquiries with nasty arrogant manners. Because he was unbearable I told the waitress that they've just lost a customer.

When I got up my seat I left my coat on my seat, the owner yelled at me and reminded me to take my coat so that I wouldn't return. Then he cursed and said, “F*ck you Bitch, never come back again.” The waiter stared at him and froze. I said under no circumstances his behavior is acceptable and I will make sure that the world know of my experience. In this recession, I rather spend my money elsewhere. Cheers to my last visit to Phoenix Garden.

• Pros: No comments
• Cons: I was called a bitch for questioning my bill.

01/01/09

I don't know where the negative reviews come from

by duranie70 at Citysearch

I have been here twice in the past 2 months and I will be coming back again.

The food is good- esp for the price. I had the salt and pepper prawns and they were delicious.

I have never been treated badly, the staff has been very nice on the occasions I came.

You can also bring your own wine and beer which is wonderful in these tough times.

You should try it out, you'll enjoy it. Remember that it is cash only.

• Pros: BYOB
• Cons: Cash Only

11/20/08

Terrible Food

by chris34567 at Citysearch

The food is awful and when i went to the bathroom there were rodents running around. Service is terrible and the owner is extremely rude. I will never go there again.

• Cons: dirty, rude people, bad food

08/06/08

Good food, service not NEARLY terrible enough

by peachfish71 at Citysearch

Wife and I, Chinese Food lovers, lived in the neighborhood for years, heard the food was good but the service was terrible. Well, the food was good, the spare ribs in a honey sauce especially, but the service was just kinda bad? sorta mean? not the outright misanthropic torture chamber we were expecting. The owner wasn't exactly happy to be their, but neither was he a scowling martinet, nor was the wife an invective spewing troglodyte . In short, we were after the Soup Nutsy* of Schezuan province, but just ran into a slightly churlish guy who served a mean crispy beef. Bottom Line : While it was disappointing not to have a story for the ages, we ended up with an above average meal at a reasonable price. But the owner has to be a lot meaner or a lot nicer, because right now he?s a ?tweener? with no real niche.

*city search doesn't allow for the inclusion of the word "natsee" even in a "Seinfeldian" context

• Pros: Not horribly mean owner
• Cons: Not terribly nice owner

06/02/08

Great Restaurant! Great service! Great price! Beats Chinatown!

by DrHMO at Citysearch

My whole family has been eating here for many years. I don't write reviews but read them from time to time and thought I should let anyone who cares know that the food is great, the service is great and the owners (also a family) and wait staff are some of the nicest people around. They don't suffer arrogance and aren't phony but are good hearted and friendly. The food is superb and the price is right. The Pepper and Salty Shrimp or Oysters are favorites but pretty much everything is top notch.

I could say more and it all would be positive but you get the picture. A true NY gem!

• Pros: Food, service, price.
• Cons: I wish they were open later during the week.

04/15/08

WORST DINING EXPERIENCE

by frankel17 at Citysearch

Despite the small portions and awful decor, I have been going to Phoenix Garden for the past 2 years because it is cheap and a BYOB. I will NEVER go again. I went last night with the same person who reviewed before, and he was being nice in his...I will not be. When we were done eating our food, which was shortly after we were seated as the waitress rushed us to order and the food came out too quick, we asked if we could open our bottle of wine as NO ONE was in the restaurant. The waitress said okay, right after we opened the bottle the incredibly rude manager stands at our table and tells us we have to leave. I explain that we wouldn't have opened the bottle if we knew we would be getting kicked out. He continued to tell us to finish quickly, he stood over us and as I told him that this was not very good customer service he proceeded to YELL at me and tell me that he knows who I am and will never be allowed back in. They followed us out. I have never been treated that way and do not understand how this man has stayed in business. Everytime I go he is rude but because it is cheap I have continued to go, my mistake. Do not make the trip to the restaurant as the portions are small, the service is bad and the manager makes you feel bad for even coming.

• Pros: BYOB
• Cons: EVERYTHING ELSE

04/14/08

WORST ATTITUDE AND SERVICE EVER

by tbovafam at Citysearch

A group of friends and myself decided to get together after work to catch up and have some dinner. KEEP in mind that this place is a BYOB. There were 5 of us; we brought in 18 beers and a bottle of wine. Completely reasonable for people that aren?t light drinkers. We ordered 6 apps, and 6 entrees, so it wasn?t like we didn?t eat our moneys worth. They ?politely? asked us if we could hurry up our drinking, an hour after we had been there. 8 minutes later, they told us they needed the table, even though there were 7, we counted, 7 tables open in the cheaply decorated basement restaurant that we were nice enough to give our business to. After I kid you not, ONE more minute, they told us never to come back. It was the most ridiculous treatment I have ever seen in this city, in which I have been dining for over 15 years. The food was fine, but small. The service was fine, but somewhat rushed, but overall attitude of this place was beyond detestable. 0 out of 10. Not worth the trouble.

• Pros: taste of the food, not quantity
• Cons: everything else....EVERTHING

01/07/08

GOD AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE!

by skhiantani at Citysearch

So, we order delivery from them often, and their food is good. It's not the best I've ever had, but it's good. Every time we ordered from them on the phone they were rude but we let it go and didn't start a fight.

Anyway, then once we went there, and they were so rude: the owner himself, his wife and one staff member. Made us sit all the way at the back by the kitchen, then asked us not to move much as it would disrupt service (isn't that their bad planning???) and who asked them not to give us a table at the front???

Then when we ordered we asked them if they thought it was enough as we had a large group and he yelled back at us asking how should he know! That's just one thing, the guy was so rude, said he'd rather not to business with us, so we got up and left and he came back yelling at us, abusing us, yelling down at a friends 4 year old son using profanity, called us illiterate and way more!!! His wife came behind him yelling at us even more and making comments about our respective countries. It's 2008 and NYC, who dares to make a comment like that today?

If I were you, I would never step into Phoenix Gardens, it is one big joke that they are still in business!

• Cons: Rude and extremely unfriendly people

11/01/07

Better Than It Looks!

by qtgurljny at Citysearch

Phoenix Garden's gaudy green awninged entrance belies a nice little cozy brick-exposed interior. Waiters and waitresses despite other reviews are good. I think they provide pretty decent if not overtly charming, falling all over themselves to please you service. Food is great and authentic. The salt and pepper shrimp, the peppersteak beef and the pan friend noodles with beef are awesome. I'm sure your standby Chinese favs would be just as good. Portions are on the smaller side with a guy needing about 1 and a half orders to be full. Prices are great and best of all, it's BYOB.