Empress of China

06/25/09

Dirty and overpriced. Avoid!!!!!!

by topher4408 at Citysearch

When I first sat down I could not help to notice the very dirty un swept floors. The table settings were literally thrown on the table. At first I thought we had just sat at a table that had been set very quickly, but when I looked around I noticed that all of the settings were thrown on the table with no care. Upon being seated a stuck up SA was sent over with a very dirty kettle that we were actually expected to drink out of.

The service from our waiter was decent just like the food. But when you're paying $15 for an order of curry chicken, decent doesn't cut it. When I was asked if I wanted rice with it I didn't really know how to respond. Later when I was glancing over the check, I noticed that they actually charge a $1.50 extra if you want rice with your CHINESE FOOD. Rice costs almost nothing. Who does that?

We had come in just before the dinner around 5, and our stuck up little SA started tossing wine lists on the tables not caring where they landed. It was very loud and shook the settings but it was obvious he did not care about the restaraunt or his job.

It was clear that they did not care if you came back. I can only speculate that the owners are distant and possibly inherited the restaurant somehow and have no interest in running it.

The view was pleasent, but not worth it. Avoid the Empress of China restaurant.

• Pros: The water was refreshing
• Cons: I was charged for RICE!!!!!!!!!

09/17/08

stellar view, quirky atmosphere

by slim415 at Citysearch

The food ain't great, but that's why you go straight to the bar. Order, as the review suggests, a Tsing Tao, grab the seat by the window, and enjoy one of the best views in Chinatown if not the city. The bonus: All the tourists hang out on the restaurant side, so you'll have the bar to yourself.

02/19/08

Terrible food. Poor quality. Terrible service, why anyone want to eat here?

by hana2 at Citysearch

I went there couple weeks ago. The service was terrible and food was also terrible. One of seafood dish, they used 100 years old frozen shrimps. I could see that they had some freeze burn and dried out. Everything was tasteless. The waiter simply ignored us. We could see there were no local people. only tourists.So, the service was terrible. They just didn't think any of us would come back anyway. They didn't bother to serve us better. When we complained about the poor quality food, the waiter said "I am not a cook. I am just a waiter"

Terrible food. Terrible service. When we asked local people, this restaurant has very very bad reputation. We were so upset and hope nobody go there and get the same feeling.

• Pros: None. everything was terrible
• Cons: Everything. poor quality. poor service. Terrible taste of food. horrible place. I hated this place~!!!!!!

01/28/08

most mediocre "Chinese" food on either coast

by justatourist at Citysearch

This is NOT Chinese food by any stretch of imagination - bland, overcooked and served lukewarm. The pseudo-elegance of the setting and service only adds to the disappointment. Avoid.

• Pros: none
• Cons: just bad pseudo Chinese food

11/20/06

Good view, but don't go for the food

by kr333 at Citysearch

This is a decent place to take visitors because the view is nice and the decor is nice, but the food is very overpriced and not anything exciting. There are much better Chinese food restaurants in the area if you want good food.