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Review votes:
17 Useful, 7 Funny, and 13 Cool
Location
Berkeley, CA
Yelping SinceAugust 2008
My HometownYuba City, CA
The Last Great Book I ReadWorld War Z
My First ConcertBob Dylan and Phil Lesh & Friends
My Favorite MovieThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Date
239 NW Everett St
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 228-8131
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 228-8131
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Categories: Local Flavor, Active Life, Botanical Gardens
Neighborhood: Old Town
1650 W Bakerview Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 715-3071
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 715-3071
Mykonos Greek Restaurant
Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
If you are staying at the Hampton Inn in Bellingham, Washington, I would strongly advise you to NOT go to Mykonos Greek Restaurant for dinner. Although the food is really good, it by no means saves this restaurant from its terrible service.
My family and I went to Mykonos because it was within walking distance of our hotel (the Hampton Inn). We arrived at about 8:15pm on a Friday night and the place was surprisingly empty. There were only a few tables of customers and two big tables that consisted off high school soccer players and their parents. While we were waiting to be seated, we took a look at the list of specials and my father and I both agreed that the Prime Rib sounded very appealing.
A bus girl was cleaning a table and saw us standing there, she sat us down and told us that our server would be there momentarily. While we were waiting, I noticed that there only seemed to be three people working the entire floor of customers. After ten minutes of waiting, the bus girl returns to our table to ask us for our orders. I distinctly remember her saying that she was not our server when she sat us, so it appeared that our server was too busy and she was helping him out. My father and I both requested the special, to which she replied they were all out of. She said she would go back into the kitchen to see what she could do and she would be right back out.
We waited 15 minutes until finally another waiter came over to take our orders. While we were waiting, I observed the same bus girl/waitress bring bills and wait on the soccer family table. Now, I wasn't going to complain yet. I worked in the restaurant industry for two years and I know how people can be, especially large parties. So I was going to give this girl the benefit of the doubt for not coming back to our table and letting us know about the special.
Our new waiter seemed a little stand offish. I don't want to say that he was rude, but rather not very caring. Most dishes here come with rice or potatoes. I asked if they offered brown rice and the waiter gave me a look like he was shocked that I would even asked and muttered "It's just rice pilaf." He also gave my dad a hard time when he told him all he wanted was a small greek salad. After taking our orders, he said he would be right out with some pita bread.
20 minutes later, no pita bread. I was getting upset at this point because the soccer family had long since left the restaurant. This left them with no excuse of the poor service. I noticed that other patrons seemed annoyed at the lack of service as well. It seemed like that all three workers at the restaurant would come out just to do something like deliver food and then they would retreat back into the kitchen. There was no floor presence whatsoever.
Another 15 minutes later, our food comes out. We were sat down at 8:30 and it took almost an hour for us to get food. When the waiter brought out our food, he still did not bring any pita bread. My dad finally asked him where it went and he said he would go get it. Another 15 minutes later, the pita bread finally arrived.
When we were finished eating, I just wanted to pay the bill and get out of there. It took another 10 minutes for them to bring the check and then to bring me back my receipt.
Now, as far as the food goes, it was pretty delicious. I ordered the lamb and it was very tender. The Greek Salad is also very tasty as well. My parents complained that the Chicken that they ordered was a little dry however. But for this lackluster service, I rather go to the Greek spot at the food court then come here again.
The atmosphere wasn't very appealing ever. The entire restaurant was very dark. It was like they knew it wasn't going to be busy today so they just had the lights half on so they could cut costs on the energy bill. The pantheon thing they have is pretty cool and is where we sat, but again, since the place was so dark it didn't really matter.
The end does not justify the means is the best way to describe Mykonos. Although the food is delicious, there is no chance that I will put up with such appalling service again. If you're staying at the Hampton Inn, I would recommend you just drive to the Red Robin's or even the Mc Donalds, which is where we should have gone that night.
BREAKDOWN:
Food: 9
Price: 6
Service: -5
Atmosphere: 2
Lasting Appeal 1
13/40 = 1 stars
My family and I went to Mykonos because it was within walking distance of our hotel (the Hampton Inn). We arrived at about 8:15pm on a Friday night and the place was surprisingly empty. There were only a few tables of customers and two big tables that consisted off high school soccer players and their parents. While we were waiting to be seated, we took a look at the list of specials and my father and I both agreed that the Prime Rib sounded very appealing.
A bus girl was cleaning a table and saw us standing there, she sat us down and told us that our server would be there momentarily. While we were waiting, I noticed that there only seemed to be three people working the entire floor of customers. After ten minutes of waiting, the bus girl returns to our table to ask us for our orders. I distinctly remember her saying that she was not our server when she sat us, so it appeared that our server was too busy and she was helping him out. My father and I both requested the special, to which she replied they were all out of. She said she would go back into the kitchen to see what she could do and she would be right back out.
We waited 15 minutes until finally another waiter came over to take our orders. While we were waiting, I observed the same bus girl/waitress bring bills and wait on the soccer family table. Now, I wasn't going to complain yet. I worked in the restaurant industry for two years and I know how people can be, especially large parties. So I was going to give this girl the benefit of the doubt for not coming back to our table and letting us know about the special.
Our new waiter seemed a little stand offish. I don't want to say that he was rude, but rather not very caring. Most dishes here come with rice or potatoes. I asked if they offered brown rice and the waiter gave me a look like he was shocked that I would even asked and muttered "It's just rice pilaf." He also gave my dad a hard time when he told him all he wanted was a small greek salad. After taking our orders, he said he would be right out with some pita bread.
20 minutes later, no pita bread. I was getting upset at this point because the soccer family had long since left the restaurant. This left them with no excuse of the poor service. I noticed that other patrons seemed annoyed at the lack of service as well. It seemed like that all three workers at the restaurant would come out just to do something like deliver food and then they would retreat back into the kitchen. There was no floor presence whatsoever.
Another 15 minutes later, our food comes out. We were sat down at 8:30 and it took almost an hour for us to get food. When the waiter brought out our food, he still did not bring any pita bread. My dad finally asked him where it went and he said he would go get it. Another 15 minutes later, the pita bread finally arrived.
When we were finished eating, I just wanted to pay the bill and get out of there. It took another 10 minutes for them to bring the check and then to bring me back my receipt.
Now, as far as the food goes, it was pretty delicious. I ordered the lamb and it was very tender. The Greek Salad is also very tasty as well. My parents complained that the Chicken that they ordered was a little dry however. But for this lackluster service, I rather go to the Greek spot at the food court then come here again.
The atmosphere wasn't very appealing ever. The entire restaurant was very dark. It was like they knew it wasn't going to be busy today so they just had the lights half on so they could cut costs on the energy bill. The pantheon thing they have is pretty cool and is where we sat, but again, since the place was so dark it didn't really matter.
The end does not justify the means is the best way to describe Mykonos. Although the food is delicious, there is no chance that I will put up with such appalling service again. If you're staying at the Hampton Inn, I would recommend you just drive to the Red Robin's or even the Mc Donalds, which is where we should have gone that night.
BREAKDOWN:
Food: 9
Price: 6
Service: -5
Atmosphere: 2
Lasting Appeal 1
13/40 = 1 stars
2420 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 843-6678
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 843-6678
Giovanni's Caffe
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
In my opinion, Giovanni's Caffe is a great Italian restaurant and also a nice place to bring someone for dinner (guys, this is code that it's a good place to bring a date). It has important aspects such as atmosphere, service, and good food - all at an affordable price. In other words, think of it as the "Classy Gypsy's".
I've been here many times in both large groups and with only a few people and as a result, I've tried a lot of dishes. However, I think their best dish is the lasanga. It is fairly reasonably priced and for the average person, it will consist of about two serviings. This means you can split it between two people or eat part of it now and part of it later. Also, in my opinion, Giovanni's Caffe has the best free bread. Period.
The atmosphere of the restaurant can be very deceiving from the outside. The inside is amazingly comfortable and cozy. You can find that you'll like to sit either by the fire place or the antique bar - both of which are very charming.
The service here has always been good. Not amazing, but reliably good. You can expect to have your water constantly filled and your waiter/waitress will check in here and there with you to see if everything is okay.
As for the lasting appeal, the combination of the reasonable price, atmosphere, and service definitemly makes Giovanni's Cafe a place to revisit from time to time.
So fellas, if you need a place to bring your lady, look no further. It should also be known that the restaurant is cleverly located near all the movie theaters on Shattuck and some of the best Berkeley Bars. So eat here, go watch a movie, and then grab a drink.
Breakdown:
Food: 8
Price: 8
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Lasting Appeal 7
37/40 = 4 stars
I've been here many times in both large groups and with only a few people and as a result, I've tried a lot of dishes. However, I think their best dish is the lasanga. It is fairly reasonably priced and for the average person, it will consist of about two serviings. This means you can split it between two people or eat part of it now and part of it later. Also, in my opinion, Giovanni's Caffe has the best free bread. Period.
The atmosphere of the restaurant can be very deceiving from the outside. The inside is amazingly comfortable and cozy. You can find that you'll like to sit either by the fire place or the antique bar - both of which are very charming.
The service here has always been good. Not amazing, but reliably good. You can expect to have your water constantly filled and your waiter/waitress will check in here and there with you to see if everything is okay.
As for the lasting appeal, the combination of the reasonable price, atmosphere, and service definitemly makes Giovanni's Cafe a place to revisit from time to time.
So fellas, if you need a place to bring your lady, look no further. It should also be known that the restaurant is cleverly located near all the movie theaters on Shattuck and some of the best Berkeley Bars. So eat here, go watch a movie, and then grab a drink.
Breakdown:
Food: 8
Price: 8
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Lasting Appeal 7
37/40 = 4 stars
689 3rd St
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 896-9622
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 896-9622
Create More, Inc
Categories: IT Services & Computer Repair, Computers
Neighborhood: SOMA
I went this store a few months ago when my Macbook was failing me. The store's located a few blocks away from my office and so I decided to swing by since they're an authorized Apple Reseller.
The stores has a very quaint layout and it's very easy to find everything you need. However, since I didn't need to purchase anything, I just walked up to the counter to get some assistance.
The problem that I had with my Macbook is an intermittent Wifi problem that is caused my the Airport. A simple Google search with these terms can lead to hundreds of posts of people having this issue. Even Apple's own forum is flooded with ongoing discussion of the problem.
I walked up to the desk and explained the problem to the man there. I told him that the only way I could get a stable connection is if I were within 3 feet of the router. Otherwise, the internet connection would eventually drop out. He took a hold of my laptop and saw that it was connected to the internet fine and thus concluded there was no problem. I explained to him that the connection would break after several minutes. However, he continued to tell me that there was no problem present because my laptop was connected to the internet.
I asked where the router was, and he told me it didn't matter. He then got really impatient and told me that my computer was fine and that he could sell me a new Airport card if I wanted, but he was doing me a favor by not. I told him no thanks and I left the store. However, the problem still existed on my computer.
It really bothers me when people in a store act arrogant and condescending towards the customer. I understand in the technology world that there are sometimes people who do not know what is wrong with their computer and bring it in cluelessly. But I've done weeks of research and knew the exact steps to recreate the problem, but this man chose to behave like he was better than me and try to make me feel incompetent.
I ended up taking my Mac to the Apple Store on Market where they quickly identified the problem. This is the last time I try to go to an Apple Reseller store to get help with my Mac.
To be fair, my bad experience only comes from this individual at the store. I wish I got his name so I could be more specific, but alas I did not. I've gone in several times after this incident to browse and the people working there were genuinely polite and asked if I needed any help. It's a shame that just one sour employee made me never want to go there again.
UPDATE 06/22/2009: Within half of a day posting this review, Alberto, the owner of the store contacted me and apologized for the incident.
The first thing he did that impressed me was take sole responsibility of the incident himself. He did not try to pawn it off on an employee, but stepped forward to apologize - very sincerely I might add. i think that shows a lot when a business owner takes time to directly contact you to apologize for an incident.
The second thing Alberto did was ask me questions about the incident so that he could learn personally from it. In addition, he also asked me how Apple diagnosed the problem so that he could help others in the future.
I think it's an incredible sign of maturity when a business owner will not only take responsibility for a bad experience, but tries to learn from it in order to better his business for future customers. If there is one thing a good business needs to have, it's good customer service because without the customer, there would be no business.
As a result of this apology, I have decided to raise my review to three stars from its original two. Furthermore, I will state that I will be more open to coming here again in the future if I ever have any problems or need to purchase something Apple related. If a business (and more importantly, the owner) is willing to learn from its mistakes and take the time to apologize, I am willing to give it another chance.
The stores has a very quaint layout and it's very easy to find everything you need. However, since I didn't need to purchase anything, I just walked up to the counter to get some assistance.
The problem that I had with my Macbook is an intermittent Wifi problem that is caused my the Airport. A simple Google search with these terms can lead to hundreds of posts of people having this issue. Even Apple's own forum is flooded with ongoing discussion of the problem.
I walked up to the desk and explained the problem to the man there. I told him that the only way I could get a stable connection is if I were within 3 feet of the router. Otherwise, the internet connection would eventually drop out. He took a hold of my laptop and saw that it was connected to the internet fine and thus concluded there was no problem. I explained to him that the connection would break after several minutes. However, he continued to tell me that there was no problem present because my laptop was connected to the internet.
I asked where the router was, and he told me it didn't matter. He then got really impatient and told me that my computer was fine and that he could sell me a new Airport card if I wanted, but he was doing me a favor by not. I told him no thanks and I left the store. However, the problem still existed on my computer.
It really bothers me when people in a store act arrogant and condescending towards the customer. I understand in the technology world that there are sometimes people who do not know what is wrong with their computer and bring it in cluelessly. But I've done weeks of research and knew the exact steps to recreate the problem, but this man chose to behave like he was better than me and try to make me feel incompetent.
I ended up taking my Mac to the Apple Store on Market where they quickly identified the problem. This is the last time I try to go to an Apple Reseller store to get help with my Mac.
To be fair, my bad experience only comes from this individual at the store. I wish I got his name so I could be more specific, but alas I did not. I've gone in several times after this incident to browse and the people working there were genuinely polite and asked if I needed any help. It's a shame that just one sour employee made me never want to go there again.
UPDATE 06/22/2009: Within half of a day posting this review, Alberto, the owner of the store contacted me and apologized for the incident.
The first thing he did that impressed me was take sole responsibility of the incident himself. He did not try to pawn it off on an employee, but stepped forward to apologize - very sincerely I might add. i think that shows a lot when a business owner takes time to directly contact you to apologize for an incident.
The second thing Alberto did was ask me questions about the incident so that he could learn personally from it. In addition, he also asked me how Apple diagnosed the problem so that he could help others in the future.
I think it's an incredible sign of maturity when a business owner will not only take responsibility for a bad experience, but tries to learn from it in order to better his business for future customers. If there is one thing a good business needs to have, it's good customer service because without the customer, there would be no business.
As a result of this apology, I have decided to raise my review to three stars from its original two. Furthermore, I will state that I will be more open to coming here again in the future if I ever have any problems or need to purchase something Apple related. If a business (and more importantly, the owner) is willing to learn from its mistakes and take the time to apologize, I am willing to give it another chance.
2534 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-7600
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-7600
Foreign Cinema
Categories: French, Breakfast & Brunch, American (New)
Neighborhood: Mission
I went to Foreign Cinema way back in August and I had written a review in a notebook that I brought and am now just getting around to posting it. I went with my girlfriend for our anniversary and while I enjoyed the food and the experience, I could not help but feel a little disappointed after the entire meal.
For Dinner I ordered:
Smoked Salmon appetizer ($13): My girlfriend and I split this appetizer between the two of us. Although the salmon was very delicious, it was rather thin and a bit overpriced in my opinion. The portion was literally the size of a starter dish and nothing more.
La Frita ($10): For my first course I had La Frita, which was sand dried cod and calamari. I thought this particular dish was very reasonably priced and in fact, it could have been a mini entree on its own.
Rib Eye Steak ($32): I decided to order the steak and at the time of this writing, I believe it is the best steak I have ever eaten. However, the steak was only accompanied only by some beans, which were rather salty. Where were the carbs? I thought it was very funny that there was no rice or potatoes with this dish. My girlfriend had a similar issue with her pork chop (which was also delicious).
Ice Cream Sandwiches ($8.50): Some home made ice cream sandwiches. It felt a little overpriced because it seemed like I could make these, but they were still very tasty.
Glass of Syrah ($12): Delicious.
Overall, in terms of food, my expectations were met and exceeded at Foreign Cinema. It seemed like the food was rather pricey at times, but that can only be expected at a fine dining restaurant.
However, the real reason why we went to Foreign Cinema was for the cinema portion of the dinner. Amelie was playing during the week we went and we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the cinema portion of the presentation was an entire letdown. It seems like the cinema portion of the restaurant is more of a novelty than a full fledged feature. When the sun set and the movie began, I found that no one else in attendance had the movie in mind. As a result, everyone's conversations continued, making it extremely difficult to enjoy the movie. It's a shame, for without the movie experience I personally feel there's not much that separates this dining experience from others.
I will give much props to our waiter, Raphael. I hope he works there still and if he does, I hope he is your waiter! Raphael made sure to continually check up on us and was part of the reason the experience was fantastic. Additional thanks goes to the various bussers who cleaned our plates very quickly and refilled our waters with much haste. However, I will give quick glare to the hostess at the time (can't remember her name), who had rushed us to our seating for no apparent reason.
The restaurant itself is tucked away inside the Mission District. You'll find that seating is available both inside and outside; however it is only possible to view the film from the outside patio. In addition to the cinema playing, there was an art display in one of the rooms. The place was very clean and well maintained. People dressed urban casually. That means for guys, you'll probably want to wear a button down tucked into jeans with a blazer.
Don't get me wrong, Foreign Cinema is a great restaurant with wonderful food albeit at times a little expensive. Looking at the other reviews on Yelp, it seems like the time to go is brunch where the main focus is just food. I would definitely like to try brunch here; however, if I were asked to come here for dinner again, I might have to pass. The whole movie experience was a real let down and sadly it seemed more like a gimmick than an actual part of the evening. Still, if you're interested in seeing the movie, make sure you arrive around an hour and a half before hand to get seating on the patio (where they show the movie). Otherwise, you might end up inside where you can't see it at all.
For Dinner I ordered:
Smoked Salmon appetizer ($13): My girlfriend and I split this appetizer between the two of us. Although the salmon was very delicious, it was rather thin and a bit overpriced in my opinion. The portion was literally the size of a starter dish and nothing more.
La Frita ($10): For my first course I had La Frita, which was sand dried cod and calamari. I thought this particular dish was very reasonably priced and in fact, it could have been a mini entree on its own.
Rib Eye Steak ($32): I decided to order the steak and at the time of this writing, I believe it is the best steak I have ever eaten. However, the steak was only accompanied only by some beans, which were rather salty. Where were the carbs? I thought it was very funny that there was no rice or potatoes with this dish. My girlfriend had a similar issue with her pork chop (which was also delicious).
Ice Cream Sandwiches ($8.50): Some home made ice cream sandwiches. It felt a little overpriced because it seemed like I could make these, but they were still very tasty.
Glass of Syrah ($12): Delicious.
Overall, in terms of food, my expectations were met and exceeded at Foreign Cinema. It seemed like the food was rather pricey at times, but that can only be expected at a fine dining restaurant.
However, the real reason why we went to Foreign Cinema was for the cinema portion of the dinner. Amelie was playing during the week we went and we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the cinema portion of the presentation was an entire letdown. It seems like the cinema portion of the restaurant is more of a novelty than a full fledged feature. When the sun set and the movie began, I found that no one else in attendance had the movie in mind. As a result, everyone's conversations continued, making it extremely difficult to enjoy the movie. It's a shame, for without the movie experience I personally feel there's not much that separates this dining experience from others.
I will give much props to our waiter, Raphael. I hope he works there still and if he does, I hope he is your waiter! Raphael made sure to continually check up on us and was part of the reason the experience was fantastic. Additional thanks goes to the various bussers who cleaned our plates very quickly and refilled our waters with much haste. However, I will give quick glare to the hostess at the time (can't remember her name), who had rushed us to our seating for no apparent reason.
The restaurant itself is tucked away inside the Mission District. You'll find that seating is available both inside and outside; however it is only possible to view the film from the outside patio. In addition to the cinema playing, there was an art display in one of the rooms. The place was very clean and well maintained. People dressed urban casually. That means for guys, you'll probably want to wear a button down tucked into jeans with a blazer.
Don't get me wrong, Foreign Cinema is a great restaurant with wonderful food albeit at times a little expensive. Looking at the other reviews on Yelp, it seems like the time to go is brunch where the main focus is just food. I would definitely like to try brunch here; however, if I were asked to come here for dinner again, I might have to pass. The whole movie experience was a real let down and sadly it seemed more like a gimmick than an actual part of the evening. Still, if you're interested in seeing the movie, make sure you arrive around an hour and a half before hand to get seating on the patio (where they show the movie). Otherwise, you might end up inside where you can't see it at all.
Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94720
Berkeley, CA 94720
Taco Truck
Category: Mexican
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Telegraph Ave
It's lunch time and you're walking on Bancroft Ave, eager to get something to eat but not looking to fork over more than $5. Out of the corner of your eye you see a shanty looking trailer next to the flamboyantly green Desi Dog truck and you say to yourself, "This decrepit Taco Truck must be horrible."
WRONG!
The Taco Truck is one of the greatest eateries on campus! Okay, so it might seem like a shady trailer that houses a kitchen, but once you get passed that you'll discover that the food here is quite delicious.
While I was a studemt at Cal, I would frequent the Taco Truck during my lunch break - maybe about four times a month. As previously mentioned, the portions there are quite adequate for the price you're paying. My favorite thing to get at the truck were the Tamales - available in chicken, pork, and possibly a few other varieties of meat - and a glass bottle of Mexican Coca Cola.
I haven't been to the truck since I graduated, but at the time I was going Tamales cost about $1.75 each! I'm sure the price has probably gone up, but I bet it'll still be cheaper than any of the closest Mexican eateries nearby.
There are a lot of things that I miss about Cal post-graduation, and my Taco Truck Tamales are just one of them. Once you get over the fact that it's just a trailer, you'll find some good Mexican food waiting for you!
Breakdown:
Food: 9
Price: 9
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Lasting Appeal: 10
Total: 44/50... but I'm going to round up and give them 5 stars because they deserve your service!
WRONG!
The Taco Truck is one of the greatest eateries on campus! Okay, so it might seem like a shady trailer that houses a kitchen, but once you get passed that you'll discover that the food here is quite delicious.
While I was a studemt at Cal, I would frequent the Taco Truck during my lunch break - maybe about four times a month. As previously mentioned, the portions there are quite adequate for the price you're paying. My favorite thing to get at the truck were the Tamales - available in chicken, pork, and possibly a few other varieties of meat - and a glass bottle of Mexican Coca Cola.
I haven't been to the truck since I graduated, but at the time I was going Tamales cost about $1.75 each! I'm sure the price has probably gone up, but I bet it'll still be cheaper than any of the closest Mexican eateries nearby.
There are a lot of things that I miss about Cal post-graduation, and my Taco Truck Tamales are just one of them. Once you get over the fact that it's just a trailer, you'll find some good Mexican food waiting for you!
Breakdown:
Food: 9
Price: 9
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Lasting Appeal: 10
Total: 44/50... but I'm going to round up and give them 5 stars because they deserve your service!
2035 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 848-8324
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 848-8324
Lhasa Salon
Categories: Hair Salons, Hair Removal
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
This review has been a long time coming for me. I discovered Lhasa Salon through Yelp about a year ago and have been going there ever since. To be quite frank, I don't think there is anywhere else I would go to get my hair cut in Berkeley.
Before I went to Lhasa Salon, I use to go to the Procuts on Shattuck because I had coupons. However, it seemed like every time I went, my hair cut would have different results. Sometimes good, but many times not exactly what I wanted. I finally decided to stop getting discount cuts and shell out the extra money to get a nice hair cut.
I did my search through Yelp and I saw many good reviews for Lhasa Salon and I decided to give it a try. Nawang, the owner and primary hair cutter, is amazing! She's very friendly and will engage you in conversation from Tibetan Politics to world traveling. I personally like it when the person cutting my hair talks to me because it shows that they care about the customer. In addition, Nawang pays very close attention to detail when cutting your hair. Unlike many other places that try to cut your hair as fast as they can to go on to the next customer, Nawang will take her time to make sure everything is cut to your liking. This not to say she takes forever cutting her hair. There have been times where there have been two people in front of me and it has only taken about 20 minutes before it was my turn to get my hair cut.
The salon itself is very nice and clean. I saw a review below mentioning that it didn't seem very sanitary, but in my opinion it looked a lot better then a lot of other hair salons and barbershops that I've been to. I've never been to the bathroom there so I can't say anything about that.
I think $14 is a reasonable price for hair cuts and after nine visits, you'll get one free. When I first went there, Nawang told me that most of her business actually comes from people discovering her place on Yelp. Four visits later, I've decided that I will help her out and sing her praises. If your a guy looking for a haircut, don't do the coupon thing like I once did because you'll regret it sooner or later. Go to Lhasa salon, you can get a great haircut at a reasonable price.
Before I went to Lhasa Salon, I use to go to the Procuts on Shattuck because I had coupons. However, it seemed like every time I went, my hair cut would have different results. Sometimes good, but many times not exactly what I wanted. I finally decided to stop getting discount cuts and shell out the extra money to get a nice hair cut.
I did my search through Yelp and I saw many good reviews for Lhasa Salon and I decided to give it a try. Nawang, the owner and primary hair cutter, is amazing! She's very friendly and will engage you in conversation from Tibetan Politics to world traveling. I personally like it when the person cutting my hair talks to me because it shows that they care about the customer. In addition, Nawang pays very close attention to detail when cutting your hair. Unlike many other places that try to cut your hair as fast as they can to go on to the next customer, Nawang will take her time to make sure everything is cut to your liking. This not to say she takes forever cutting her hair. There have been times where there have been two people in front of me and it has only taken about 20 minutes before it was my turn to get my hair cut.
The salon itself is very nice and clean. I saw a review below mentioning that it didn't seem very sanitary, but in my opinion it looked a lot better then a lot of other hair salons and barbershops that I've been to. I've never been to the bathroom there so I can't say anything about that.
I think $14 is a reasonable price for hair cuts and after nine visits, you'll get one free. When I first went there, Nawang told me that most of her business actually comes from people discovering her place on Yelp. Four visits later, I've decided that I will help her out and sing her praises. If your a guy looking for a haircut, don't do the coupon thing like I once did because you'll regret it sooner or later. Go to Lhasa salon, you can get a great haircut at a reasonable price.
Growing up as a Chinese American in Yuba City (yes we exist), I can attest that Chinese Garden is in fact my favorite place to eat Chinese Food in Yuba City.
Food: The food at Chinese American is probably as authentic as you can get in Yuba City. The dishes are very satisfying and the portions you receive are very generous. It is a little heavy on the grease, but that in my opinion is what makes it so delicious. Here are some great dishes when ordering there:
- Beef fried rice: Hands down my favorite dish there. It's a little greasy, but holy cow is it good. It's got your fried rice standard ingredients including eggs, peas, green onions and what nots. A perfect dish to order for yourself at lunch (I recommend the fried rice Brandy fried chicken combo) or as one of the dishes you might want to share at dinner.
- Singapore noodles: A curry based chow mein that has BBQ pork and shrimp in it. It's a nice change if you keep getting regular chow mein and like curry. The curry has a hint of spice in it, but it's not hot at all so don't worry about your mouth being on fire the whole meal.
- Chicken/Beef Chow Fun: For those who aren't in the know, chow fun is a type of noodles that are longer and wider than normal noodles. This type of dish is practically a staple with the fried rice when I go there. It comes with a black bean sauce and green peppers. Again, this one is a little greasy but you can order it dry to cut back on some of the sauce and grease.
- BBQ Pork and Tofu over rice: This is a good alternative if you're looking for a rice dish but you don't want fried rice. You get fried tofu and BBQ pork with some sauteed baby corn, peas, and other goodies over plain white rice.
Price: The price of all the food is just right. It's cheap enough so that you order around four dishes and usually spend around $30 or so. Lunch specials are typically 5-7 dollars.
Service: The service there is great. They'll check up on you to see if you need more water or tea. It's not one of those places where they set you and then abandon you forever until the bill comes.
Atmosphere: Okay, so the place is a little lacking in atmosphere and the bathrooms can be a little cleaner. The first thing you'll probably notice when you go in is that there's a lot of red (the color of prosperity in Chinese culture). But the general restaurant is pretty clean and it's not like the bathrooms are disgusting (usually just wet). If you find out that you don't like eating there, you can always order take out.
Lasting Appeal: I left Yuba City in 2004 for college and every time I come home I must eat Chinese Garden at least once. It's that damn delicious. I think you'll find that it's a great and inexpensive place to eat at lunch and wonderful for takeout dinner when you're too tired to cook.
Final Verdict: With the rise of the all you can eat Chinese buffets in Yuba City (why do we need more than one honestly), you might think it would be better to go to one of those than Chinese Garden. Although it's true you can stuff your pie hole with all you can eat Chinese food at these buffets, the food there is mediocre at best. For the same price, you could head over to Chinese Garden and get quality Chinese food with generous portions. So next time you're hungry for Chinese, forget the buffet and head over to Chinese Garden. Your wallet and your stomach will thank you.
Breakdown:
Food: 10
Price: 10
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 7
Lasting Appeal: 10
Total: 45
+5 Favorite place to eat bias
50/50!
Food: The food at Chinese American is probably as authentic as you can get in Yuba City. The dishes are very satisfying and the portions you receive are very generous. It is a little heavy on the grease, but that in my opinion is what makes it so delicious. Here are some great dishes when ordering there:
- Beef fried rice: Hands down my favorite dish there. It's a little greasy, but holy cow is it good. It's got your fried rice standard ingredients including eggs, peas, green onions and what nots. A perfect dish to order for yourself at lunch (I recommend the fried rice Brandy fried chicken combo) or as one of the dishes you might want to share at dinner.
- Singapore noodles: A curry based chow mein that has BBQ pork and shrimp in it. It's a nice change if you keep getting regular chow mein and like curry. The curry has a hint of spice in it, but it's not hot at all so don't worry about your mouth being on fire the whole meal.
- Chicken/Beef Chow Fun: For those who aren't in the know, chow fun is a type of noodles that are longer and wider than normal noodles. This type of dish is practically a staple with the fried rice when I go there. It comes with a black bean sauce and green peppers. Again, this one is a little greasy but you can order it dry to cut back on some of the sauce and grease.
- BBQ Pork and Tofu over rice: This is a good alternative if you're looking for a rice dish but you don't want fried rice. You get fried tofu and BBQ pork with some sauteed baby corn, peas, and other goodies over plain white rice.
Price: The price of all the food is just right. It's cheap enough so that you order around four dishes and usually spend around $30 or so. Lunch specials are typically 5-7 dollars.
Service: The service there is great. They'll check up on you to see if you need more water or tea. It's not one of those places where they set you and then abandon you forever until the bill comes.
Atmosphere: Okay, so the place is a little lacking in atmosphere and the bathrooms can be a little cleaner. The first thing you'll probably notice when you go in is that there's a lot of red (the color of prosperity in Chinese culture). But the general restaurant is pretty clean and it's not like the bathrooms are disgusting (usually just wet). If you find out that you don't like eating there, you can always order take out.
Lasting Appeal: I left Yuba City in 2004 for college and every time I come home I must eat Chinese Garden at least once. It's that damn delicious. I think you'll find that it's a great and inexpensive place to eat at lunch and wonderful for takeout dinner when you're too tired to cook.
Final Verdict: With the rise of the all you can eat Chinese buffets in Yuba City (why do we need more than one honestly), you might think it would be better to go to one of those than Chinese Garden. Although it's true you can stuff your pie hole with all you can eat Chinese food at these buffets, the food there is mediocre at best. For the same price, you could head over to Chinese Garden and get quality Chinese food with generous portions. So next time you're hungry for Chinese, forget the buffet and head over to Chinese Garden. Your wallet and your stomach will thank you.
Breakdown:
Food: 10
Price: 10
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 7
Lasting Appeal: 10
Total: 45
+5 Favorite place to eat bias
50/50!
2115 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 644-2950
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 644-2950
AP Management
Category: Property Management
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Downtown Berkeley
Everyone has their one review where they say, "This is place is the reason I made a Yelp Account." For me, this place is AP Management. I've been anxiously waiting to share my experience with AP Management to the community at large and today:
They are terrible.
In my experience with three different apartment managements, AP Management has been the worst. I should have seen the warning my new neighbor gave me the day I moved in: "This apartment complex use to be run by some awesome people, but then they sold the place to AP Mangement and now well..."
AP Management failed me and my roommates in so many ways. Hallway lights would burn out and not get replaced until weeks later. The water was consistently turned off to some pipe error. That was just the beginning.
Starting in February, AP Management began renovating the apartment above us. This meant construction work. Construction would start everyday at 6:00am and end at 5:00pm - including weekends! AP Management NEVER informed us that this construction would be taking place, NEVER offered us any compensation such as lower rent, and they NEVER even apologized for the disturbance. In addition, part of the construction work involved tearing down the old kitchen above us and throwing it off the balcony into a scrap pile. About 5% of the stuff thrown off the material landed on our balcony instead. Once again, AP Management NEVER offered to clean this up for us and we had to pick up pieces of wood with nails sticking out of them and throw them into the scrap heap ourselves.
The AP Management was even horrible AFTER I moved out. I had accidentally had a package delivered to my old AP Management address. I had mail forwarding setup but somehow it wasn't working. I became worried because I had just started a new job in June and was afraid that some of my work documents might not have been delivered to me. I walked over to the apartment and had someone let me in where I examined the mailbox. Sure enough, it was seemingly full.
I called AP Management the next day to see if I could borrow my old apartment mail key to obtain my mail. My roommate did this a week after we moved out and so I thought a few more weeks wouldn't hurt, especially since my roommate told me that they would not lease the apartment out until August because it was still under renovations. I was told that I would have to come in during the hours of 10am-4pm and someone would accompany me to the mailbox.
I told them I would call them back because I work from 9am-5pm and it would require me to check with my manager if I could come in late. I called back after I got the go ahead from my boss; however, when I called a different woman answered the phone and said the person I spoke to on the phone before didn't know what she was doing and that the apartment had already been leased out. She informed me that the renovations were complete and that the new tenants had been living there for a week, which was odd seeing that I saw the mailbox was extremely full the night before. She said she had no power to open the mailbox for me and that I would have to rely on the "good willingness" of the new tenants to turn my mail in to the post office. I was going to ask some more questions so I could get more details but the woman on the phone HUNG UP ON ME.
I was pretty frustrated and decided I would not deal with them anymore and go straight to my apartment and ask the new tenants for my mail. When I arrived at my old apartment, I was instead greeted with a door without a doorknob. I push the door open and the WHOLE PLACE is still under construction. The refrigerator was in the living room and a wall was missing. The lady on the phone had totally LIED to me.
I angrily storm all the way over to the AP Management office, which was closed. However, I see two men inside and I knock on the door. They open it up and I try my best not to explode. I tell them about my situation, tell them I was lied to, and tell them I want my mail. Their response? We don't manage this building! They tell me AP management owns that building. I am stunned. I look up at the door which clearly states "AP MANGEMENT OFFICE" and back at them. They realize that I'm not stupid and proceed to lie to me that some guy named Zach is in charge of the building, he is currently not there, and that he is very difficult to reach. A blatant lie since I know the manager of the building is someone else. I give up and walk home disgusted and angry.
This is the experience you can expect from AP Management. If you wish to be treated inferior, lied to, and live in an apartment complex where they will not raise a finger to help you then you have come to the right spot. And if you're a student, expect even worse. As nice of a place it was, I would never live there again. As for my mail, I had to call the post office who broke into the mailbox to retrieve my items. Thanks USPS.
They are terrible.
In my experience with three different apartment managements, AP Management has been the worst. I should have seen the warning my new neighbor gave me the day I moved in: "This apartment complex use to be run by some awesome people, but then they sold the place to AP Mangement and now well..."
AP Management failed me and my roommates in so many ways. Hallway lights would burn out and not get replaced until weeks later. The water was consistently turned off to some pipe error. That was just the beginning.
Starting in February, AP Management began renovating the apartment above us. This meant construction work. Construction would start everyday at 6:00am and end at 5:00pm - including weekends! AP Management NEVER informed us that this construction would be taking place, NEVER offered us any compensation such as lower rent, and they NEVER even apologized for the disturbance. In addition, part of the construction work involved tearing down the old kitchen above us and throwing it off the balcony into a scrap pile. About 5% of the stuff thrown off the material landed on our balcony instead. Once again, AP Management NEVER offered to clean this up for us and we had to pick up pieces of wood with nails sticking out of them and throw them into the scrap heap ourselves.
The AP Management was even horrible AFTER I moved out. I had accidentally had a package delivered to my old AP Management address. I had mail forwarding setup but somehow it wasn't working. I became worried because I had just started a new job in June and was afraid that some of my work documents might not have been delivered to me. I walked over to the apartment and had someone let me in where I examined the mailbox. Sure enough, it was seemingly full.
I called AP Management the next day to see if I could borrow my old apartment mail key to obtain my mail. My roommate did this a week after we moved out and so I thought a few more weeks wouldn't hurt, especially since my roommate told me that they would not lease the apartment out until August because it was still under renovations. I was told that I would have to come in during the hours of 10am-4pm and someone would accompany me to the mailbox.
I told them I would call them back because I work from 9am-5pm and it would require me to check with my manager if I could come in late. I called back after I got the go ahead from my boss; however, when I called a different woman answered the phone and said the person I spoke to on the phone before didn't know what she was doing and that the apartment had already been leased out. She informed me that the renovations were complete and that the new tenants had been living there for a week, which was odd seeing that I saw the mailbox was extremely full the night before. She said she had no power to open the mailbox for me and that I would have to rely on the "good willingness" of the new tenants to turn my mail in to the post office. I was going to ask some more questions so I could get more details but the woman on the phone HUNG UP ON ME.
I was pretty frustrated and decided I would not deal with them anymore and go straight to my apartment and ask the new tenants for my mail. When I arrived at my old apartment, I was instead greeted with a door without a doorknob. I push the door open and the WHOLE PLACE is still under construction. The refrigerator was in the living room and a wall was missing. The lady on the phone had totally LIED to me.
I angrily storm all the way over to the AP Management office, which was closed. However, I see two men inside and I knock on the door. They open it up and I try my best not to explode. I tell them about my situation, tell them I was lied to, and tell them I want my mail. Their response? We don't manage this building! They tell me AP management owns that building. I am stunned. I look up at the door which clearly states "AP MANGEMENT OFFICE" and back at them. They realize that I'm not stupid and proceed to lie to me that some guy named Zach is in charge of the building, he is currently not there, and that he is very difficult to reach. A blatant lie since I know the manager of the building is someone else. I give up and walk home disgusted and angry.
This is the experience you can expect from AP Management. If you wish to be treated inferior, lied to, and live in an apartment complex where they will not raise a finger to help you then you have come to the right spot. And if you're a student, expect even worse. As nice of a place it was, I would never live there again. As for my mail, I had to call the post office who broke into the mailbox to retrieve my items. Thanks USPS.
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When I first entered the Chinese Garden, I began to felt a feeling of peacefulness and tranquility. Although the Chinese Garden is not huge, I felt it was just the right size to accommodate all its features. There is a huge pond in the middle of the Garden and amazing Chinese architecture throughout. It's definitely a great place to bring a camera, but it's not a touristy place where everyone should be talking.
My family and I just milled around the place for almost an hour and a half. We didn't bother going on the guided tour and we didn't order anything from the teahouse, although I wish I have because it looks amazing and I can only imagine how the food tasted.
There are many beautiful things to see in the garden and if you're looking to relax, you've found your place. However, if you're the type of person who doesn't enjoy taking in your environment slowly, you'll probably blow through the park in 15 minutes.
For anyone visiting Portland, I would recommend you to take a look if you are interested or just wanting to relax. However, if you are looking for "Portlandy" things to do, there are probably several other things that top this list.