貓空 四爺 — Restaurant in Wenshan District

It was my family's first time visiting Taiwan and I had done extensive research by reading a number of well known travel blogs concerning where to eat- 四爺 was recommended so we decided to give it a try. We had just finished visiting the Taipei Zoo and were impressed by how polite and welcoming Taiwanese people were, so you can imagine the literal rude awakening we endured the moment we stepped foot in 四爺.

My elderly parents, sister, and I waited expectantly at the front of house. A male server made eye contact, ignored us, and headed upstairs. Note that the lower floor was almost empty except for two seated groups. When he passed by again, I said, "Excuse me..." to which he responded with an extremely gruff "WAIT!" One may argue that English isn't his first language, but I am pretty certain the word "PLEASE" isn't beyond even this guy's limited repertoire of words. When he finally "got around" to serving us, the first thing he told us was that we'd be subjected to a 10 percent cleaning fee. As a restaurant, isn't one of the basic tenets of food safety cleanliness? Which restaurant doesn't clean up after its guests? The "cleaning fee" is basically mandatory tipping- no wonder their employees can act like an ass- there's no motivation to even present oneself as a decent human being! We were also told to pay for our meal upfront even before we were seated. I get it that there are people who dine and dash, but if you take a cursory look at our group, it's two women with their senior parents, of whom one is hobbling with a cane. I'd like to see my 84 year old dad dash out without paying.

I give credit where it's due; the chef takes pride in his/her cooking and the food is tasty. But as other reviewers have noted, the food is severely overpriced. The menu is misleading, claiming that a pot of tea only serves two people. We paid $1000 TWD for 4 mini pots of tea- that's $50 CAD simply for tea! When the same Neanderthal took our orders and came back with the food, he literally threw down the plates so they slid a little across the table. My parents were horrified; I decided the best retribution would be to write this review as a warning to potential visitors- unless you get turned on by abuse, my recommendation is for you to go elsewhere if you want to be treated as a paying customer.

Oh, let's get back to the cleaning fee, shall we? To the right of our table is an extremely grimy window, if you can call it that. A window usually implies clarity and transparency, but the dust and grime basically turned said windows into opaque walls. What's the fee then for? (See my photos as evidence).

Lastly, for the entire hour or so of our stay, the caveman didn't even come over once to refill our teapots, nor ask us how things are.

If you're into novelty and are curious about what it feels to be treated as a piece of s$*#, then I highly...

Located at a vantage point a short walk down the road from the Maokong Gondola station, the Sih Ye Tea House provides beautiful views from the tea rooms. A must visit for those who wish to have an experience of a traditional tea house with a view of the surrounding lush green hills. Although the view is limited by the size of the window, it is still a very relaxing experience to sip some excellent tea in a traditional setting and take in the views. Seating is on cushions on the floor in the traditional tea house style and the experience is well worth the visit. Staff are courteous and helpful. They also serve lunch although my wife and I were there purely for the tea house experience, which did not disappoint. Getting there ... the Maokong Gondola station is the final station on the Maokong Gondola Route. The starting point is the Gondola station a short walk down the road from to the Taipei Zoo MRT station on the Brown line. This is an excellent cable car ride well worth...

Our recent visit to Sih Ye Tea House in Taipei was an absolute delight! From the moment we stepped inside, we were enveloped in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The tea house boasts a charming, traditional design that perfectly complements the exquisite tea selection. But it's not just the ambiance that impressed us; the food was simply outstanding. Each dish was prepared with care and precision, showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients. We particularly enjoyed sea food platter, cheese sticks, onion rings, pyramid fried rice and the sweet and sour pork, noodles ,for the drinks the orange juice is definitely must try, it's fresh. The service was impeccable, with attentive staff who were knowledgeable about the menu and happy to offer recommendations. Whether you're a tea aficionado or simply looking for a memorable dining experience, Sih Ye Tea House is a must-visit in Taipei. We highly...