The Asian Bistro — Restaurant in San Diego

I've been wanting to try this place for so long! But honestly it fell pretty short for me.. It feels like once places get hype or a lot of social media acknowledgment, they don't try as hard anymore..

We parked down the street and had to pay so keep that in mind when going to Hillcrest.

There was a lot of beautiful art on the wall and rainbow decorations because of the restaurant being in Hillcrest.

We walked in and waiting about 3 minutes for someone to come out from the back and seat us. I was concerned so I called the place to tell them we were waiting to be seated like their sign said but then the server came out and seated us.

We started with a Thai Ice Tea and an Emerald Ice Tea. We ordered them with coconut milk and I think the coconut made the teas taste with little watered down. They were both pretty decent though.

We ordered a Seaweed Salad, the Butterflied Garlic Shimp Skewers, the E-Sarn Sausage, the Krah Pow and the Roasted Duck Noodle. The Seaweed Salad had a lot of citrus in it but it was okay and still refreshing. The Garlic Shrimp Skewers were grilled nicely and had a really nice fish sauce that came with it. Honestly I was using the sauce for everything because it was pretty good. The E-Sarn Sausage was pretty good also, it was served with sticky rice in foil that was hard to eat with chopsticks or a fork. The sausage was pretty good too, but it was honestly the only thing I ate..

The Krah Pow taste like it was made with sugar and soy sauce and that's it.. it tasted really cheap and not worth the $16.. it had too much suger honestly which gave the impression that they were trying to make up for a lack of something.. I took one bite and didn't eat anymore. The Roasted Duck Noodle was super bland.. I have had Duck noodles before and I know it is a subtle taste but there's still flavor. This one was so bland.. I was pretty upset because of the $18 price tag on it. I was waiting for the server to ask for salt or soy sauce but after five minutes of no one coming out from the kitchen I just got up and grabbed a soy sauce from the table with condiments. The soy sauce didn't help.. the noodles were good quality and the Duck was very tender but it also lacked flavor.

I ended up just eating the Seaweed Salad, two shrimp skewers and the sausage with the sauce from the shrimp skewers. It was pretty disappointing..

Overall, Asian Bistro was a let down, flavors lacked, service lacked and prices weren't justified. I would skip it and try somewhere else.. It truly broke my heart to waste my...

I had the worst experience with the staff (costumer service workers) a couple of weeks ago! First, I called to place an order to-go before meeting some friends for dinner. The manager took my order on the phone and was very rude when explaining that there's a policy about paying $5 "service charge" for eating some of a to-go order at the restaurant. I pushed back obviously because I was literally going to have 2 pieces of satay and take the rest home anyway. I thought I'd save them the trouble of wasting a plate. I get there, pay for my food while the server and manager are giving me weird looks. I sit down with friends at the table, open my bag and begin taking a couple bites before the server comes to again rudely remind me of the policy. I told her I explained to the manager on phone that I would only eat a bit and take the rest, which she said was fine. The server insisted on me paying the $5 service fee and wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise to question or explain anything. Then she was extremely chummy with everyone else at our table while taking their orders after how terrible she spoke to me. I made a comment about that, and she went OFF on me. She starts talking to me in super unprofessional language and didn't care when I reminded her that I'm a paying customer and she's a server. I told her she was speaking in a ghetto manor, because she was! At this point she's literally yelling loudly in the restaurant and calling me racist. I'm Mexican and so is she... The manager finally checks on what's happening but doesn't ask me what the problem is. Instead she pulls the server aside calmly and only gets her side of the story and comes back to tell me to leave. She barely apologized for the servers behavior, in a very condescending way, like she wasn't sorry at all. This place is so corrupt and idk who lets these people get away with this behavior. 0/10 would not...

Okay I rarely write reviews cause I figure it’s never that serious. But than a friend told me sometimes you have to in order for business to grow and people to learn. I walked in here at 11pm and 4 other guest was there at one table I waited at the door no one seated me so I walked in and sat down at a empty table by the register. No one greeted me so I got up to order my food instead the cashier as very nice and sweet but the server I don’t know what his problem was he was already talking nasty to one of his staff.. I sat down to wait for my food. A Asian couple walks in gets seated and he services them and 10 mins later they get they food before me… I only order fried fish and they got full entrees before me. Fine that’s cool than as I’m waiting my food comes out.. I begin to open it and he says “you can’t eat in here I’m about to start closing up” mind you it’s 1145 and they close at 1230 I look around and see the 4 people that was here before me hanging out and the Asian couple seated accross from me enjoying they meal. So I look over at them than look at him and he says “well you ordered take out so if you want I can surcharge you or you can eat outside” I said “ but it’s cold outside” he says “sorry but we are closing up” so he gives me my food and I asked for something else he gives me attitude than gives it to me. I walk outside to eat my food. I than began to see him at the register and talking for 20 mins as I begin to start eating my food OUTSIDE. What happened to your urgent need to clean?! And food … it’s not even great not exactly what I asked for but fine.. I go back in and ask the other server or assistant I guess and she’s sweet I ask for water as soon as she starts talking he cuts her off and says “just give him the to go cup” so I take my water and leave say good night get home safe and...