Thet S.
Google
Visited during the holidays in December with a group of 8 friends visiting from out of state. We arrived around 10 PM (restaurant closes at 1 AM), sober and respectful. Unfortunately, the service was hostile from the start.
We were seated next to the kitchen, where there is a glass window facing our table. At one point, our server placed his phone directly against the glass with the camera facing us. From our perspective, it appeared we were being recorded. When asked about it, he denied recording and said “my boss was fixing something,” yet left the phone there without a clear explanation. A simple gesture like removing the phone upon request would have resolved the issue when your customers are uncomfortable.
A few minutes later, after my boyfriend jokingly posed for the camera for two seconds, the server came out and told him, “You’re not a kid anymore. Act your age.” This was confusing and inappropriate, especially if he truly was not watching or recording.
When we asked to speak to a manager, he then claimed he himself was the manager, contradicting his earlier statement of his boss being there. He also refused to give his name, saying it was none of our business.
The food was mediocre for the price, but the service is what truly ruined the experience. One of our visiting friends calmly tried to explain why we felt uncomfortable, and the server was openly rude to him as well.
After we left a lower tip due to the service, the server made a final, inappropriate comment: “Where are you guys from? Vietnamese, right?” said in a condescending tone. This was unnecessary and felt discriminatory, especially when we were all racially Asian. I started recording the event as evidence in case things went worse.
We were polite throughout the entire visit and were not drunk (eight of us shared one soju since it was late). I even apologized to him for having to work during the holidays and was met with a hostile stare.
I brought friends here hoping to share a place I once enjoyed, but instead our holiday night was ruined by unprofessional and disrespectful service. Never have I been treated so poorly as such being a paying customer in NYC, especially on the holidays.