Tiger Palace — Restaurant in North Island

Oily, tasteless but salty food which was very over priced. The only flavor I could taste was chicken salt. The worst part was the terrible service however..8yr old kids swearing and carrying on were our servers apparently..not sure how that's even legal as they were different nationality to the ?owner. Hands down the strangest eating experience we've had. After we left I decided to go back in to go toilet and saw the kids all sitting there eating out left over food too..I guess at least it didn't go to waste. Ultimately I'm just relieved we didn't get food poisoning as the 'fried' rice in particular was just reheated at best. Avoid++

In reply to owner

I'm not sure why your assuming another reviewer was my husband..although there were no other customers while we were there (which should have been a warning sign) so I guess it was a slow Saturday night?

Your very good with your words and ability to twist mine, I was meaning that I was wondering how it was legal for under aged workers to be working there when it was clear they weren't the owners family members.

It's funny you say they don't eat leftovers...because I literally saw them eating from our plates that were on our table as they were 'clearing' it up the minute after we left (guess they weren't expecting me to return)

Unfortunately the food wasn't simply 'not to our taste' we are keen Asian cuisine eaters and eat it very regularly..the food tasted like chicken salt and that's about it.

I originally thought it must have been a community program which is the only reason we looked past the kids in uniform threatening and bullying the younger child outside.. however the adults did absolutely nothing to intervene in this bullying which went of for a good 20 minutes. The adults also barely spoke to the kids other than telling them to "sit down and be quiet" at one stage. We saw absolutely no caring or supporting or teaching. The kids were rude to all the patrons walking in (and walking straight back out again) and there was no teaching to be seen about how to greet customers or make them feel welcome.

Finally, I have spent over 10 years working in vulnerable socioeconomic areas as a teacher, support person and volunteer so I know all about supporting entry into work programs and "bad kids" as you call them - like I said that was the only reason we still walked in and gave your restaurant a chance. However, perhaps communicating this programme to your customers is a good start. Additionally, putting in some effort to teach and care for the children would be good too...especially teaching them not to yell and threaten each other, pulling fingers and swearing etc. The bullying was a massive red flag to us, we should have canceled our meal and left but we felt too bad as could already...

Heed the other 1 star reviews!

Food was oily and bland (I've never had sweet and sour chicken so bland in my life). Found a piece of metal scourer in our noodles definitely wouldn't want to swallow that accidentally. Meals came out fast but were also tepid. Large meals and normally we'd take leftovers home but definitely weren't doing that after eating it. This is not a case of the food not being to my taste it was a case of it being basically tasteless and if anything tasting like the oilly pan it was cooked in.

One man operation it seems and from our interactions with him a very nice gentleman. Unfortunately it seemed like he barely knew any English, which meant we pointed at the menu to show what we wanted and he would just say "this one". Which would work if every possible option (including drink mixes) were on the menu which obviously they were not. Although I'm happy the child thugs weren't our servers, but they could've also been a red flag and saved us from the disappointment.

Another couple were trying to get the guys attention to obviously order dessert but he ignored them multiple times and so they gave up and left.

The owner seems to say to other reviewers that you don't have to pay if you're not happy with the meal. However can't really discuss that with someone who barely speaks English.

Just don't waste your time unless you have a condition where your taste...

My family and I had an amazing dining experience at this Chinese restaurant! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The food here is absolutely delicious, and the portion sizes are incredibly generous. Every dish burst with fantastic flavors, making each bite a delightful adventure for the taste buds. My favourite was the snapper from the specials board which come out sizzling on a hot plate. Amazing! I was pleasantly surprised by the authenticity and quality of the cuisine. Great option is getting a number of dishes to share. Perfect after a day on the now or other Ohakune activities. My son also loved the deep fried ice cream with jam 🤤

The service was equally exceptional. The staff were friendly, attentive, and went above and beyond to make sure we had a wonderful meal. Their warm and welcoming attitude added to the overall positive experience. The weather was bad in Ohakune today so it was a rare quiet night here which meant the food come out in record time.

If you're looking for a Chinese dining experience with delectable food, substantial portions, and a welcoming atmosphere, this place is a must-visit. I'll definitely be returning for...