Chai 柴院 | Authentic Chinese Restaurant Reviews Summary

Food Quality

Pros:

• "The standout dishes were Pan fried dumplings, Orange Chicken, and crispy shrimp."
• "Ordered beef tripe with sesame paste - instant nostalgic taste."
• "The cuisine was excellent and perfect for family-style dining."
• "It's hands-down excellent taste as hell if you want it, but it's also quick, fast, and tasty."
• "The beef is tender and serves my taste."
• "The homemade plum juice from here is a must-try!"
• "The braised whole fish and pork were delicious."

Cons:

• "The crispy Beijing duck doesn’t have enough amount for the price."
• "Most dishes’s taste lacks a unique cooking vibe."
• "The food presentation is really good. However, the taste is just average in my mind."
• "One star for food. Mediocre at best, not justifying the $$$price tag at all."
• "3 out of 5 dishes were disappointing: the shredded pork is way too sweet, and the green fish in the middle (why so green???) is way tooo plain with only cucumber flavor."
• "Mediocre Chinese food that can only fool non-Chinese people ;)"
• "The food was not good and did not meet my expectations."

Service

Pros:

• "The people who work here all nice and professional, never disappointed."
• "The staffs are friendly."
• "Our server, Xiomin was attentive and professional, quickly getting us what we order and need."
• "The staff was super friendly and accommodating."
• "Service was excellent as well, which has been harder to come by since the pandemic."
• "The service was both amiable and swift."
• "The service was excellent!"

Cons:

• "The service is too slow and the attitude is bad."
• "They cancelled our reservation after 3 hours waiting."
• "Wait staff were nice, but they forget a couple orders."
• "Horrible service! I waited for more than an hour before I get my food and they messed up with the order instructions."
• "The service was mediocre too."
• "The service was just okay, nothing exceptional or memorable."
• "Slow service. Our server did not take down everything I said."

Ambiance

Pros:

• "Absolutely delicious. Vibes are super intimate and chill."
• "The decor combines Chinese elements with other styles to create a fusion aesthetic."
• "The ambiance is antique — almost like a meditation space."
• "In a lovely peaceful setting."
• "Decor: cozy Chinese architecture."
• "The atmosphere of the restaurant was amazing."
• "The atmosphere and interior design is great."

Cons:

• "The environment is horrible. It was raining when we dined in and it was leaking."
• "The floor was super slippery and I actually fell on my knee and hurt my wrist."
• "The Air conditioner/ Vent was dripping water onto me and onto the dining table during my time there."
• "The restaurant had so many mosquitoes and all 4 of us got mosquito bites."
• "No precaution was taken for the outdoor area during the heavy rain."
• "The girl at the front desk was a rude robot."
• "It tasted overly greasy and overcooked."

Price

Pros:

• "We paid $80 per person with tax and tips - not bad at all for the high-end Chinese restaurant in the city."
• "The pricing is a little high, but it is still reasonable!"
• "All good, and nice price."
• "Price is standard for NYC."
• "Plus, we ate a lot, drank a lot, and the whole thing was reasonably priced."
• "Affordable prices."
• "It was also an excellent value for the money."

Cons:

• "Also not the easiest on your wallet, as it is certainly considered pricey even for Chinese fine dining."
• "So we ended up paying ~$85 per person for a meal which is very disappointing."
• "Overall the price is too high considering the taste."
• "Pretty mediocre for $50+ per person."
• "The food was in extremely small portions and overpriced."
• "Overall it’s kinda pricey though."
• "The quality is comparable to an average Chinese restaurant but with higher prices."