Sophie's Cuban Cuisine - Hell's Kitchen — Restaurant in New York

Very disappointing experience in the manager and one of the staff members. I had a previous unpleasant experience before COVID-19 lock down on the city. Now as NYC is started to slowly reopen, I was excited to start going back to one of my favorite eatery for years.

I have been a loyal customer for 15 years! I started purchasing Sophie's once or twice a week when working in Manhattan when I first discovered the restaurant 15 years ago and been going back since then.

I was mailed a official Sophie's "one meal on us" card from Michael M to be used at any location (pic attached) for a previous incident with staff being very unprofessional and impolite.

So I promptly went two times this past week. First time was a great experience with a very courteous waitress and cashier and food was great and generous portions. Even when I asked for an extra green sauce, they happily gave one.

The 2nd time I went to visit, I purchased three meals then I gave her the card to have one of three meals comped, the cashier snarled at me and ask me WHAT IS THIS? I told her this was given from Sophie's direct from an previous experience. She called her manager over named "Daniella" then she declined to honor my gift voucher given from Michael M directly from Sophie's. I explained to her this is voucher can be redeemed at any Sophie's cuisine location. Again she didn't want to do anything in relation to customer satisfaction. At this moment, the manager Daniella really disappointed me when the gif voucher card is completely legitimate but she dropped the ball on customer service for a devoted customer.

This is the 2nd time I have been extremely disappointed in Sophie's within a year. A customer that been supporting the business establishment for over 15 years and I'm treated like a nobody instead of a loyal customer.

Michael M needs to address these stores for better treatment of their customers. Some appears to hate their job and take it out on customers. Truly need to have this corrected across all Sophie's establishment in NYC. Your food is always great but lack customer service skills and treatment. I am trying to support business during the pandemic and difficult times but I came away with uttered disappointment. I will not let this experience sway or affect me coming back because I truly love the food and will continue to...

Visited the 8th avenue location yesterday after walking 9 miles around the city and Central park. I ordered their vegetarian platter, which is your choice of 4 sides. Typically I've noticed they load your platter up with 3 huge spoons of rice which is the majority of your to go box and give you almost no yucca, plantains or vegetables which is just not cool. I decided to skip the rice this time and order double plantains, yucca and steamed vegetables. I recieved almost no food, the bottom of the box barely covered. (5 small plantains, 1 medium piece of yucca and 8 small sticks of zucchini was my rations - (the server also managed to serve just zucchini and yellow squash no broccoli, cauliflower, carrots or other vegetables). The guy ahead of me had a box filled to the seams barely able to close. I've been in the food industry since being professionally trained in NYC back in 1996. Vegetables are significantly cheaper to cook and serve then meat dishes, there's simply no reason to skimp on serving a full platter like every other customer just because someone doesn't eat meat or they don't want %90 of their tray to be rice. Food wise their food is just ok, Definitely not the true Spanish food my grandmother made. The rice is simply yellow rice, none of the pimento peppers and spices that make really good rice, same deal with the beans. I've enjoyed their food though and it's ok for a quick bite. However I'm not happy with the service and portions I've received the last few visits. Hopefully they'll change but I won't be back to find out, theres just too many great restaurants in the city that are happy to have you as a customer and have better quality food and...

This is the second time I went to Sophie's. I regret going again... I thought they would change. I try to give them another chance. Apparently they don't know the difference between "Alcapurria" & "Potatoe Croquet". I ask the young lady at the counter if what I saw next to her was an Alcapurria? She said "Yes". So I told her I'll take one to go. When I look at my receipt, I did not order a potatoes croquet. She stated that the potatoe croquet was said in english for alcapurria in spanish. Funny how her manager agreed with her employee on top of that...I said alcapurria are made with bananas ...not potatoes. Manager said "Potatoe" not banana. I wanted to say "Potatoes would no longer be alcapurria but potatoes croquet...and this is a Cuban restaurant ???" but I didn't want to cause a scene...even though they were both looking at me like I was stupid ... The first time I went, my order was done incorrectly... then they wanted me to go around on the line when no one was on the line. On top of that there is no sign showing where the line starts...Go figure for my first time there... I will never go in again...terrible experience each time...they don't know what they are doing and you don't need so many people behind the counter... They all need some serious training...I don't want anyone fired. Just train them again. Make sure they know the difference between an Alcapurria and a Potatoe...