The Chinese National Restaurant — Restaurant in Jakarta

Having buffet lunch for the first time. Food was okay. Atmosphere? Classy, like a fusion between traditional Chinese and modern contemporary. But I'm here to talk about the service. I'm sitting in the "Iron Needle" section.

1. They tend to give you small portion, small as in 2 or 3 slices only, if you ask for lil bit extra, they, again, tend to give you that non-friendly look and proceeds to handle the plate without saying anything. And yes, I can always come back, but again, I have my rights to ask for more because it's an AYCE.

Some station's staff didn't even greet you or replied back when you said "hello" or "thank you".

The best award for non-friendly face and attitude for me goes to the Maranggi Beef section staff HAHAHA.

2. Everything's going smooth, but there's this one time a young lady took a napkin from their storage table and the waiter said she can't take it, it's not allowed, only one napkin per person and it's already available in her table. The young lady took it because she needs tissue and it's nowhere to be found, so after a lil bit of argument, the waiter finally had the napkin back, I'm quite surprised because it's only a napkin after all.

3. After almost finished eating, we asked for the bill, then one of the waiter named Alana (yes, waiter, not waitress), came to us asked about the food and everything.

THEN, he insisted us to give a good review online. I need to write the specific section (Iron Needle), name of 4 members of the section team, and give the best review (mentioned, again, by him), and he insisted it should be 200 words, minimum.

I was like alright...I'll do it, but something start getting on my nerves, HE SAID HE WOULD WAIT THERE BESIDES ME AND LOOKING AT MY PHONE WHILE I TYPED THE REVIEW, which he did. While waiting, he kept on talking to my spouse till she's upset too, then she asked for the bill AGAIN because it won't come (I assumed he waited for me to finished writing the review, then he would proceeds to take the bill).

4. Fyi, I booked there using limited quotas for payment promotion, and I got it, it's all done by Whatsapp.

The bill came, then the waiter who brought it said the promotion are out of quotas, it's only avail with a specific t&c, etc, thus we should paid with normal price. After getting a "treatment" by the other waiter before, now we get another bonus "treatment" hahaha. We said we got the quotas and we can show it to them. Then the "bill-waiter" with an "expression" said okay.

Afterwards my spouse wanna talk to the GM but the waitress in the front table are like trying to handle it themselves and didn't wanna called the GM out.

I mean, I've used this kind of promotion on another more luxurious buffet place, but they never treated me like this. If Chinese National didn't wanted to give a promotion, then please don't. But if you are, please train your employee to treat your customers who paid with promotion equally as the ones that didn't. Too bad, at first bite I have a plan to take my family and friends here but after all of this, no thanks, wouldn't even come eventhough it's free.

Thanks for...

Nestled within the elegant ambiance of Swissotel Jakarta, the Chinese National Restaurant offers a brunch buffet experience that promises a fusion of flavors and culinary delights. My recent visit to this establishment left me with mixed feelings, as while the service was prompt and efficient, there was a noticeable absence of genuine warmth among most of the staff members.

Upon entering the restaurant, I was promptly greeted and seated by the courteous staff. Throughout my dining experience, the service remained consistently good, with staff members attending to my needs in a polite manner. However, there was a discernible lack of sincerity in their interactions, which detracted from the overall dining atmosphere. It seemed as though the staff were simply going through the motions, rather than genuinely engaging with patrons.

Moving on to the highlight of any buffet experience – the food. The offerings at the Chinese National Restaurant were decent in quality, but fell short in terms of variety. Having visited almost a year ago, I had hoped to see some new additions or seasonal specialties to spice up the menu. Unfortunately, the selection remained largely unchanged, leaving much to be desired for returning guests seeking a fresh culinary experience.

The buffet spread featured a range of Chinese dishes, from classic dim sum to savory stir-fries and succulent roast meats. While the flavors were enjoyable, there was a lack of innovation or standout dishes that left a lasting impression. It felt like a missed opportunity for the restaurant to showcase its culinary prowess and set itself apart from other brunch offerings in the city.

On the bright side, the presentation of the food was impeccable, with each dish artfully arranged to entice the senses. The use of vibrant colors and fresh ingredients added to the visual appeal of the spread, making it a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. However, without a diverse selection to complement the aesthetic appeal, the overall dining experience fell short of expectations.

In conclusion, the brunch buffet at Swissotel Jakarta's Chinese National Restaurant offers a satisfactory dining experience characterized by efficient service and decent food quality. However, the lack of variety and genuine warmth among the staff detract from its overall appeal. While it remains a viable option for those seeking a convenient brunch spot in the area, it may not satisfy discerning diners looking for a truly memorable...

This happened in valentines day 2022

Don’t get me wrong with the stars. I honestly think that this restaurant offered such amazing food but their service was really bad or at least to my experience. My BF and i really enjoyed the food despite of what happened.

What i felt was, they didn’t treat me and my bf equally, eventho we all practically spent the same amount that night because it was a Valentine’s Day deal. Even i spent more, for the wine!!

But you know how PIK crowd could be with their glamorous and ‘extra’ appearance and I wasn’t all that… i was just trying to spend a nice dinner (ofcourse with a proper dresscode). The majority of the crowd was rich-looking mature couples.

I’m not saying all of the employees were bad, but some of them were really offensive, imho.

Me and my boyfriend came pretty early and we were put in an area where there were old couples in a group and other couples. They were alrd served special drinks and we hadn’t. So I asked the staff “can i also get those drinks?” and he replied with unpleasant irritated tone “waiiiittt…. It’s being made yaaa” — how so? You literally skipped me and it took a while.. and CHILL with the tone, please. There was a seafood station and like a civilized person i am, i queued. But i was skipped… what disappointed me were that: 1. They didn’t limit how much a person can take (resulting me couldn’t get what i want because they allowed people to be greedy) — how “thoughtfulness” didn’t cross their mind.. i was literally standing there waiting. The seafood was still piling up but the lobsters were all given to this man. 2. And finally my turn, they PRIORITIZED a random man that cut my line. BBQ station. Again. Skipped. I mean, come on. Isn’t this hotel a good hotel? Shouldn’t it had a proper line or rules? Literally the staffs witnessed the weird queue line and saw me being cut in my line and no one said anything? Scared with the old couples weren’t you?

That night.. yes. We enjoyed the food but also holding anger. Because i know that there’s google review. I could rant here instead :) there’s no point complaining on the spot. I know yall wont do anything because you didn’t think we are good enough to spend time there.

Best food: everything was so good. worth every penny.

Ambience: it could be better if someone could actually do something about the noise pollution that some...