Teak Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar

09/03/2008 Posted by cincifoodguy

I have been to Teak several times with OK experiences but my recent visit will definitely be my last! After being quoted 20 minutes for a table, a friend and myself pushed through the bar crowd to order a beer which ended up taking 20 minutes to get do to the bartender sticking to one end of the bar where he obviously knew the crowd. We didn't bother ordering another while we ended up waiting an hour and a half for a table (for 2!!!). The host AND hostess were beyond rude and repeatedly gave me glares when I would ask about the table. Our waitress took her good old time and we ended up waiting another 20 minutes just to order a drink. I received my sushi (not so good!) about 15 minutes before my friend received hers and don't even get me started on the disgusting restrooms! When trying to comment to the Manager, he just looked at me and walked away while I was still talking!! We planned on heading out for a bit after dinner but we had no time after our 3 hour meal and NO patience left! By far, the worst dining experience I have ever had in Cincinnati! Trust me, anyone who has given this place a good review has obviously not branched out to other restaurants in the area! You couldn't pay me to eat here again!

Pros: Location

Cons: Service, Food, Cleanliness, Management...the list goes on

04/22/2008 Posted by trustme5611

ok, we had a reservation for 16 people, at 7:45. the reservation was made nearly a week in advance, and they had even rescheduled us, per their request. we get there on a saturday nite, it's completely packed, and there we are, stuck in the bar waiting. keep in mine, we had my 3yr old son w/us. between the waiters being completely rude, making comments about everyone being in the way, and the manager continuing to tell us it'd only be 15 more minutes before our table was ready.... we should have just left then. finally at 9:15 we were seated. BUT they tried to sit us at two totally separate tables!! trying to speak with the manager was like trying to teach a fish how to walk. he simply could NOT understand why we were not ok with having two tables, across the room from each other! HELLO? if it didn't matter, we wouldn't have made a RESERVATION! the food was so-so, nothing to really write home about, but the remaining service we received was just as horrible. no one got their food even remotely at the same time, in fact, one of our friends finally received her sushi, as the rest of us were getting our checks. it was the WORST dining experience of my life, i would NEVER EVER go back there, and a few of our friend who used to be frequent diners there, will also never be going back. at the end of our meal, we asked to speak w/the manager about all the issues, and his words were "We don't need your money, we have plenty" so there you go folks.

Cons: absolute worst service

03/29/2008 Posted by eldiva7

First thing- Step into the bathroom- the lack of cleanliness is overwhelming- ie:roaches walking across the floor in and around the bathroom, also on the terrace. If you can't keep the bathroom clean, what do you think is the kitchen looks like...? As for the food - definetly not authentic and not even tasty. The dishes use low quality ingredients overall- inlcuding fatty cuts of meat,etc. WEehad the curries - very dissapointing.. We didn't try the sushi b/c i figured if the cooked food wasn't good, why would I risk eating the raw fish from them. I have had a many good dining experiences in my 6 months living in Cincinnati -and this falls way short. My explanation for the variations of reviews is the bad palate of the reviewers, in other words if they have never had good Thai food then they don't know what to compare it too which is why this food may taste fine to them but not to those that have had tat least decent and/or authentic Thai food. So far this is my worst dining experience in the area by far. It's dirty, bad prices, bad food and bad service. Only postive is the look of this place and cool outdoor area which is what drew us in-but after having experienced it, it is not worth my or your time or money.

Pros: cool atmosphere and outdoor garden

Cons: bad food, bad prices, bad service and very dirty

02/17/2008 Posted by jdkyoh

My friends and I ate at Teak last night and had mixed feelings about the dining experience. We made reservations 4 days before for 7. ****Make reservations for an even number, one person will sit at the end of the table. When asked to add another table to not be cramped, the host replied "your reservation was for 7". Even TGI Fridays will accommodate a simple request. Not to make a scene we sat at the table given. Next we sat next to the dish drop off and main aisle of the floor. I threw most of my trash away before the waitress did. Food was pretty good. Order from the sushi menu. Better ambiance at pf changs. It reminded me of eating at a chineese buffet in a strip mall. My review may be more bias to the experience, but when you go out you want to be pampered. If not, stay at home and eat smart ones. All in all, worth going once for the sushi.

Pros: Sushi, but Remke makes the same stuff

Cons: ambiance, large groups

02/06/2008 Posted by MarknMai

MnM Cincinnati Authentic Thai tasting food search. Our reviews of Cincinnati area Thai resturants or places that advertise Thai cusine is focused only on the taste of the food. Our credentials: Mark lived in Thailand for 10 years, 4 in the US Peace Corps. Mai is from Thailand & cooks amazing Thai food. In terms of taste, Teak Thai House was very disappointing despite the excitement of seeing & speaking w/ Thai's, which does not guarentee quality Thai tasing food. It all really depends on ownership. We ordered steamed muscles w/ nam jim (a lime, chili sauce) which was delicious & tasted Thai. (This dish is easy if U get the sauce correct.) It was more than a $1 per muscle which was expesive for such a simple dish. Next was the stir fried pork & gren beans. The taste was correct but at $15 bucks- OUTRAGEOUS! Better to go to Thai Express, as this is a simple Thai street food dish. Next up, drum roll please... Pla Neung Manow (Wallyeye fish in spciy sour soup). We were excited to see this basic but classic Thai dish. Had not seen it anywhere else in Cincinnati yet. This entre is supposed to be spicy and sour, never sweet! It was a bit sweet. The broth which appeaed to have most of the ingredents tasted canned, not fresh. (Meaning we could taste metal.) This dish is supposed to be a WHOLE FISH resting in a long soup dish, perched above flame. THERE WAS ONLY HALF A FISH! That's right. They cut the fish down the middle & served only one side! Never is this entree served like that. And at $35 bucks- a total rip off of the customer. WE were shocked. Not very good and shorted on the meal. Total BS & Crapy taste! They also mixed the fresh cut chilies with oil, instead of vinegar, lime or fish sauce. That is European, not Thai. We suspect the good reviews you have read are from people who do not have experience eating real Thai food. If you are interested, try Green Papapya in Hyde Park for a more authentic meal. More reviews in the works. Goodluck MnM

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Bad Thai Food

09/05/2007 Posted by marine03

I STRONGLY disagree with the negative reviews concerning this restaurant. My wife and I eat at Teak at least once a month and have done so over a year. EVERY time we have done so it has been a positive experience. We have always had prompt, good service and the food has been consistently well above par. In reading thru the other reviws I see a great variation in ratings. Hard to figure this out unless it is the result of changing employees. I would suggest that if you had a bad experience there give it one more try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Pros: Good service and Food

Cons: A bit pricey

08/23/2007 Posted by uthiker

Great food, Pad Thai, sushi, crab wontons, spring rolls. We were impressed with everything. We went on a Friday night, usually crowded and were told we would wait around 30 minutes. I don't think it was more than 15 and while service could have been a little faster we didn't mind since we were there with friends and having good conversation.

06/02/2007 Posted by andrewmjacob

Teak has good food, but some of the worst service in town. Last time I was there we were told that a table would be ready for us in 15 minutes so we sat at the bar to wait. The hostess forgot about us for over an hour (more like an hour and a half). The manager refused to comp our drinks or offer an apology. He in fact called me a liar, and maintained we had not been waiting for more than half an hour. What kind of restaurant calls their customers liars?. He brushed off the wait by saying that "such a wait is normal for a fine establishment like Teak". If you prefer good service when you dine I reccomend not eating at Teak , but If you enjoy verbal abuse with your meal and bad service it is a great place to go.

Pros: good thai food

Cons: Verbally abusive management

05/22/2007 Posted by cincyeater

I worked in the restaurant industry for 13 years, and I have never written a bad review of a restaurant, but this was so awful, I had to warn others. We went last Saturday evening, and took guests who had recently moved to Cincinnati from the west coast and were looking for a good Thai restaurant. Bad idea. Our server took 20 minutes to greet us. From the moment she finally greeted us, she was the rudest server I have ever encountered in a restaurant. She rushed us through everything, walking away from our table when we were in the midst of asking questions or ordering. She must have sensed our displeasure, and kept telling us how many tables she had, and she did not have time to talk. She was literally yelling at us. She seemed to be blaming us for her crappy disposition. Our guest ordered a California roll on the sushi sheet, which I myself saw because I also ordered sushi. It did not come out with the rest of the sushi and she kept insisting that he did not order it. She was angry, and walked away, saying she would deal with it. Her attitude with us was unbelievable. Having worked in the industry, I can completely understand being overwhelmed with tables, but her attitude was inexcusable. It was the most awful, embarrassing restaurant experience I have ever had, especially since we brought guests who had recently moved here. Her yelling at us continued every time she approached the table. While the Thai dishes were good, the sushi was not. It was warm and flavorless. It tasted like it had been made earlier in the day and sitting out for hours. Truly a horrible experience. I wrote the owner and manager a letter.

Pros: Not enough to return

Cons: Service, sushi, and did I mention service?

02/10/2007 Posted by uchydeparker

After hearing numerous reviews from friends (one is a frequent visitor and loves their sushi; another claimed to have almost gotten sick at the table eating their sushi; the last was neutral). I called at 5:30 on a Friday night for a reservation but they told us for a party of 3 we must walk in. We waited well past our quoted one-hour wait and the placed was packed when we arrived. It took the one and only bartender 15 minutes to get to us to order drinks. As for service, I hardly remember our server speaking to us - it was like dining at Denny's. Different people came to the table for things so I wondered who the tip would even be going to. The traditional Thai dishes - chicken, lots of seafood, veggies, curry - wonderful. As for the sushi, it was not even "tasty." At places like Beluga, I can't get enough. The Honeybee roll at Teak which is "recommended" was bland and the white sauce on top (honey wasabi) was not very appealing- looked like thin muscus, to be frank. I would go back - never on a weekend, its not worth the wait. And only for lunch for the Thai dishes, definitely not the sushi.

Pros: Traditional Thai dishes

Cons: Service, wait, sushi, too bright & lack of ambiance/music in upstairs dining room