Reviews & Ratings for Silk Road Palace

01/21/09

come thirsty!!

by natbud14

ive been going here for many years and it is always a great time. when my best friend comes to visit from out of town, we gather a group to enjoy the good times. always good food, good service, and a good time.

the wine never stops.

• Pros: once you are done - you can keep drinking across the street

09/26/08

I love this place

by lamorrr

Authentic, great tasting and good value. I'm pretty picky when it comes to Chinese restaurants but this one consistently delivers. It's a great place to go if you have a craving for good Chinese food without breaking your wallet. The menu is pretty extensive and will please both native, more adventurous Chinese diners as well as those who prefer more of the standard fare. The atmosphere leaves little to be desired but personally not important when you want affordable, yummy Chinese food.

• Pros: staff,not expensive

09/22/08

Loud, Drunk, Rowdy, No Reservations & Cramped - been going here since I was 16!

by MikeyZ22

Ok so if you are not in the mood to get drunk and eat chinese that some days tastes like toilet water (seriously had lo mein we had to send back that tasted like a urinal), dont come here...actually if you are craving chinese food, definitely dont go here! There are way better places all over the city. You come for the free wine, to get drunk with friends you have come with 10 years ago when you were underage and to enjoy the crowd & the atmoshlere.

• Pros: Free Wine, The owner Frank, Good times with Friends in a Drunken Atmosphere
• Cons: Food so so, Long Wait, Cramped Seating, Loud (but all part of the experience)

09/06/08

Great Customer Service and Free Wine!

by Lauren1254

I went here tonight with my Mom and had a wonderful time. I have been in the past and have never had any complaints, but had an exceptional experience tonight. Of course, the FREE wine started flowing right as we stepped in the door. We waited maybe 5 or ten minutes for a table, but had wine to keep us happy. As soon as we sat down, they brought us our first carafe of free wine - which never went more than half empty before someone came to fill it back up again! Our waitress came quickly to take our order and our food was delivered to us promptly and tasted delicious! Everyone was friendly and accommodating. We had a wonderful evening and even hugged the manager on the way out. I highly recommend this restaurant for an inexpensive fun dinner!

• Pros: Great customer service, free wine
• Cons: small restaurant so there might be a wait

08/07/08

BECAREFUL - STAFF STOLE MY CAMERA

by Gemsee82

My last night in NYC and I wanted to have dinner with a friend, 'ok' food, good prices but 90 mins after we arrived the manager came over and told us to 'get out' he said they had people waiting and wanted our table so we were kicked out, 5 mins after leaving i realised my camera was missing. I went back and told him someone had taken it and demanded he find it, after much arguing and threating to call the police he told us to wait outside and 5 mins later came out with a brown paper bag with my camera in it and said 'my staff stole it because you didnt tip'. I explained we were going to tip 50% because of the price etc but after they had been so rude we didnt tip anything. He smiled at this and said we were rude.......BECAREFUL!!!!!!

• Pros: Cheap Food
• Cons: Thieves

05/30/08

Popular, But Unexceptional

by nycinephile

Five members of the New York City Thrifty Gourmets Meetup Group and I field-tested Silk Road Palace this past Tuesday. The restaurant was clearly popular that night. Every table was filled at 7:45 PM, and about six diners were waiting in the entrance. The hostess greeted me in a lukewarm, perfunctory manner and noted the number in my party. Within about 15 minutes of our gathering, a waiter wiped down and prepared our tables. Our server was almost robotic. She did not greet us or introduce herself, and simply asked if we were ready to order. Our order was delivered promptly and correctly. The hot and sour soup was flavorful, but bland. The steamed fresh, prepared to order, was light, flaky, tasty and the standout of the evening. Our other dishes, which included beef Szechuan, chicken with peanuts, shrimp with walnuts, green beans with garlic, and baby ribs, were filling but not memorable. Some of the ingredients in some of the dishes did not seem fresh or of the best quality. The free-flowing white wine, served from a white box with a familiar brand name beginning with an F, relaxed my fellow diners and me, brightened our spirits and dulled the sensitivity of our palates. With each glass, we overlooked the unexceptional nature of our dishes and lost ourselves in conviviality. Our dinner cost $17 per person.

• Pros: Free-flowing white wine; fresh steamed fish, prepared to order; reasonable prices.
• Cons: Perfunctory service; unexceptional dishes

05/22/08

Just Okay

by wisebrain

Cash only. I didn't know there was free wine?!?! Food was okay... prices were average. Service was okay.

03/08/08

Good food, free wine, and a fun experience if you're willing to wait.

by improvisediety

I'm not sure what Silk Road Palace is like on weekdays, but some friends and I decided to check it out on a Friday. We waited two hours to be seated and ended up losing half our party because of it. Those of us who decided to stay, however, were very satisfied. While you wait, the bar will provide you with free boxed wine. While this is definitely not a place for sommeliers or anyone in any kind of hurry, the free wine and sizeable wait provide for a rowdy and entertaining crowd as most people are pretty schloshed by the time they get their table. Once seated, you can expect an inexpensive and extremely tasty meal as well as more free wine. My friends and I ate our fill and only spent $15 each, including tax and tip, and we had a blast.

Next time, I think we'll try a Tuesday or Wednesday night in hopes of minimizing our wait time. I'd also recommend putting your name down for a table and going somewhere else for a bit if the crowd puts you off.

<b>Pros:</b> Cheap and tasty food, free wine, fast service (once you're seated), entertaining atmosphere

<b>Cons:</b> Long wait

02/17/08

Decent Chinese and Free Wine

by NYCLee10460

You cant beat the free wine. You never see the bottom of your glass or wine carafe, it is constantly being refilled. Very "hole-in-the-wall", complete with hand-typed menus, which I personally love. Well lit and loud, friendly atmosphere. The food is decent, fast, inexpensive, and pretty decent sized portions. The place was packed with the line outside the door on a Saturday night. The service is excellent, but I got the feeling they were rushing us out to make room for more customers. Great place for a group dinner. I would go back.

• Pros: Free wine, fast service, decent food and portions, inexpensive, close to 1 train
• Cons: Small restaurant with limited seating, very loud and bright, staff could be more friendly

09/20/07

Love the food!

by jenusya

I have been coming to this restaurant for years. And even tough I don't live in NY full time, I find myself going back to this place for the food and the atmosphere. I myself am not much of a drinker, so it is not the wine that makes me return, but the people and the food. The environment of this place is friendly and somewhat noisy (go figure, with all that wine), so if you want a quiet, romantic dinner, this won't work quite well for you. But if you are looking for a hip, fun place to have good chinese food - this it perfect.

• Pros: Great prices, tasty food
• Cons: On a busy night, there's quite a wait to be seated