ZEN Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in New Port Richey

Came in sat at the bar Placed an order local theater to sample Order took almost an hour Nicole the bartender that took my order was a very nice person Unfortunately I paid and tipped pretty decent when I placed my order When the theater was about to close I inquired about my order was told would take longer So I requested a refund well all of sudden my order appeared Regretfully I took my order to the now non existent people to try Well I was going to leave a negative review but decided that I would call and speak to the manager She was too busy to come to the phone left my number again waited another hour and called back Was placed on hold for lengthy time and finally she picked up I explained what happened She explained that they were busy and thought I placed the order online and she said unfortunately dining room orders were filled first I then told her I was in the dining room and she apologized that orders do take awhile Well several several people sat next to me were served and cruelly paid and left before I received my order She then basically said sorry took so long all food is cooked to order Well coming from the service industry fried food and pad that do not normally take an hour I feel she took zero time listening not cared at all So potential customers ( I had even taken pictures of the menu and sent to friends that done frequently) Will never dine at that establishment Very very poor service And the the owners should be made aware By the way the only time I ever called to explain poor service and the first negative review that I ever wrote Maybe I should have tossed my $100 cash I spent in the street maybe someone would have found it and made...

We've tried Zen twice recently and our experience was mixed. Our apps, Zen Rolls, Potstickers and Dim Sum were all very good as well as the cocktails. Our Pork Lo Mein and Bulgogi Fried Rice were also good. Our big disappointment was with the Bibimbop and Pad Thai. Bibimbop is one of our favorite dishes, which we've had at many Korean restaurants. While the basic ingredients in Zen's version were there, unlike typical Korean restaurants they topped it with a large amount of gochujang rather than serving it on the side so that you could add it to your liking. The amount they put in overpowered the dish. Worse yet is how it was served. One of the best parts of Bibimbop is that it is traditionally served in a sizzling stone pot that allows some of the rice to crisp on the bottom. Mixing it up with the rest of the ingredients gives it a unique texture along with the taste. Pad Thai is also one of our favorite dishes, which we've enjoyed at numerous Thai restaurants in the US and in Thailand. Zen's Pad Thai appeared to have the usual noodle, sprouts, green onions and peanut ingredients, but the flavor was nothing like Pad Thai and I certainly would not call it "classic Pad Thai". Pad Thai is not a spicy dish, but even Zen's mild version had a spiciness that overpowered the complex sweet and sour flavors of traditional Pad Thai. In fact we think there may have been some unusual ingredients in Zen's Pad Thai sauce, as it didn't taste like any Pad Thai we've ever had. We realize that Zen is more of an Asian Fusion restaurant that will take liberties with traditional asian recipes, and we really want to like this place, but so far we're more...

My wife, kids and I LOVE ZEN First and foremost, do not skip the appetizers. These are, without question, the greatest crab Rangoon I've ever had. Real crab, correct amount of cheese, fresh ingredients, not greasy. Then the dumplings belong on people's lists, lists of heavenly bites, lists of things to eat prior to shuffling the mortal coil, these are expertly crafted. Moving on to the nectars of the gods, the stupendously creative, uniquely made cocktails- allowing for some incredible freedom, the bar staff must be under tremendous pressure because every drink is better than the last. AND they make them in mocktail fashions too, for kids and for those staying clean- it's delightful to raise glasses with everyone that way! Entrees? Often the challenge with hybrid Asian kitchens is they do it all (Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc) but nothing particularly well. But not Zen. They do it all and it's all wonderful - if your crew can't decide what they want, no problem - we've had sushi at one place setting, BUGOGI at another, and the classic Chinese takeouts (done in high quality and fresh) all together and all wowing the lucky person to have ordered it.

The first time I came here, I wondered why they were asking about reservations Now I get it- the food and environment is too good not to ensure you get a table. Book this. Go here. Love every bite and every sip. And realize that you'll never, never find a crab Rangoon this good anywhere else. And when you realize that your journey for the perfect Rangoon is over, book the next reservation while you are sitting there enjoying the one you are currently...