Zen Asian Fusion
| Address: | 2037 Sam Rittenberg Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407, USA |
| Phone: | +1 843-766-6331 |
| Site: | zenasianrestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–10:30PM 11AM–10:30PM 12–9:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
JO
Joshua Arrant
I really wanted to like this place but ultimately the quality of their food is no better than the average strip mall Asian restaurant, in some ways worse, and all at a much higher price. As far as atmosphere Zen has it in spades and is uniquely decorated. The staff was also very friendly and seemed to know their business. Unfortunately it went downhill after the appetizers arrived. From the too fishy smelling fake crab meat, overcooked rubber tubes masquerading as "Thai" calamari, and low low quality tuna from the sushi bar things were looking grim. But I held onto hope as we awaited our entrees. The duck that arrived managed to be simultaneously over-cooked, under-cooked, and possibly freezer burned all at the same time. Which was quite frankly amazing considering the small portion. I had opted for a cashew sauce chicken dish and it did indeed have cashews in it. These wonderfully dehydrated and gnarled things came right out of a can of dry nuts, were then thrown into generic Chinese brown sauce, and poured over chicken. And finally the rice was overcooked to the point of bursting and tasted quite a lot like cardboard. When our very nice waitress asked if we would like to see a desert menu I had to cover a smile and politely request the check. In summation, Zen might be the place to grab a drink and some overpriced mediocre Asian cuisine...but only if you cant get delivery at your place...dont have a car...or a bicycle...lost your sense of taste in a horrible industrial accident...
PA
Patrick Lee
Its not a typical Chinese restaurant. Food is pretty good. Service is OK but a bit slow. The place is clean and doesnt smell like a typical Chinese restaurant. Its not a place for quick service, make sure you have plenty of time when you visit. The parking area is quite small though there is parking space in the back. This is typical for some restaurants in the areas. We came here again for dinner. However, our experience was different from the first time. They have two sides. The side we were in was quite warm. After the waitress served our dinner, she disappeared until showing us our check at the end. She never came back to ask us about how our dinners were or offer us more water or drinks. The food was okay but definitely better the the "fast food" style Chinese places that you can find all around town in Charleston but not exceptional. I would give the food a three stars but service at 1 star.
EL
Elise Adamson
Dont let the outside fool you. Zen may look like a generic Asian restaurant on the outside, but inside this little gem is beautifully decorated and offers an ambiance that is completed by its delicious food and top notch service. I have never had sushi before coming here and was nervous. I told the waitress and she completely understood and made a suggestion which I decided to go with. My husband on the other hand had very specific desires and after naming off a few ingredients that he wanted in his roll, she made a suggestion for him. Our food came out quickly and both of us were amazed by the quality and attention to detail of the dishes. They tasted amazing. Im so glad we followed her suggestions. There is absolutely nothing I could complain about. If youre in Charleston and want some delicious Sushi, come here. You wont regret it.
LI
Lindsay de Jong
Not impressed. My husband and I have tried to like this place due to the reviews, but we cant seem to agree with the hype. First time we went service was GREAT, but the food was just meh. General Tso chicken does not usually taste like orange chicken and have pineapples in it. We had thought that they gave my husband the wrong dish but we didnt want to complain and just went with it. I dont remember my food being great at all. A couple months later we decided to try Zen again but ordered the food to go. I had ordered teriyaki chicken which was simply an overdone grilled chicken breast over steamed broccoli and a watery teriyaki sauce. My husband ordered General Tso again and it came with pineapples again. VERY disappointing as their prices are more expensive than Chinese takeout. Will not be going back.
A
A Private User
I either came on a bad evening, or this was business as usual for them. Our sushi took 45 minutes from time of order to the time to reach the table. Upon receipt of my sushi, several pieces of the sushi was warm. Making the sushi taste just aweful. So I asked the server to take it away. When I received, the bill I was charged full price. I asked her to reduce the price since I wasnt able to finish my aweful meal. Her reply was, "but you ate several pieces". (Really? I thought... how do you think I knew the sushi was bad?) So I told her they still need to take something off. They took off 15%. Even though I only ate about 15%. I do not recommend this restaurant, and if you go... buyer beware. I love sushi, and consider myself a sushi snob. Good sushi, this was not!
A
A Private User
If you have not been, what are you waiting for? When you pull up to the building, you may not be excited. But once you walk through the door, you are teleported to an Asian bistro straight out of Manhattan. The bar is ultra hip and the decor is amazing. I travel all over the US and this place is top notch. Sean is the manager and usually greets you at the door. His food suggestions are usually right on the money! We have tried many different things that he has suggested and was pleasantly surprised. Im also getting into the high end sake! If you like Osaka, you will love Zen! We are so excited to have a place like this in West Ashley! Go Zen!!!
A
A Private User
Just to give you an idea how they treat their regulars. We walk in and are the ONLY patrons in the entire place. We are seated , have dinner , have a few drinks, and then the check is dropped off. Happy hour is 4-7pm which we are well aware of and is the reason we deciding to go in the first place. Now to my point.. We were charged full price for our drinks during happy hour because we sat more than 10 feet from the bar... Get the F out of here! As far as Im concerned we will take our weekly visit elsewhere from now on!!!
ER
Eric Davis
Over the years Ive been to Zen many times for different events. This last time was the last time I will ever go. The drinks were very weak (rum + coke), the Sapporo over priced IMHO @ $8 each. We were charged $50 to be seated immediately in a "private room" which was right beside the bathrooms. I will say that the waitress was really great and saved this from being a horrible experience! The sushi and hand rolls were OK, but we ordered a few with tempura shrimp, and it was soggy...gross!
KE
Kevin Henry
The food was okay. I wouldnt rate it high with a Fujis or anything. The waiter we had was almost non-existent and we kept asking others to help us with drinks, etc. What really made me angry was as bad as the waiter was, he tacked on an 18% gratuity that he really did not deserve. I will probably never go there again because of this experience. I wanted to try it, I did and now I know what it is like and will not be going back. Too many other better places to go.
