T C Choy's Asian Bistro

Doesn't Recommend

maggieB

Joined 3 years ago

Dim Sum tastes good, service/management is severely lacking!. Don't believe the previous reviewer when it comes to TC Choy's adding the tip to their bill, because they do! I go there once in awhile, but I used to frequently eat there for dim sum. They have charged my bill at least 6 times with the added tip. About 2 months ago, a new server rang up my bill which is usually done by the lady and guy that has been working there forever. That bill did NOT have the extra tip added on. I thought maybe they stopped doing it. I went again about 3 weeks after that and the owner rang up my bill. Guess what? Added tip! For a large group, I think this is acceptable, but not for a party of 2 or 3. This is not competition writing reviews. It's people catching on to how CHEAP they are there. If I didn't have friends that like dim sum, I would have stopped going there ages ago.

Dim sum tastes decent, but I think they are trying to pull a fast one because the economy tanked! Oh and the service sucks!

Recommends

cmalloy45

Joined 3 years ago

A New York Restaurant in Tampa: Great Dim Sum!. I hadn't been to TC Choy's in a while and decided to go back since my mother and I were passing through Tampa. Having read the reviews posted on City Search, I was a bit concerned with the "reported" decline of TC Choy's. Mother and I eat in New York a lot, and we have spent a lot of time in Chinatown. We know what good dim sum tastes like. TC Choy's didn't disappoint us! We did notice that the restaurant did not have the business that it used to have, but that may be because we were there on a Tuesday slightly before noon. One reviewer complained that the food was cold, ours was not. However, dim sum can get cold if the restaurant is not busy. Rather than be upset about the food's temperature, order off the menu. Today, we ordered dim sum from the menu that was NOT on the cart. It came quickly and was marvelous. I read another review that complained about the pot of tea's cost of two dollars. Where else in Tampa can a tea drinker get loose leaf tea (not a generic tea bag) for such a cheap price? I don't know why many of the reviews are so negative. It seems rather odd since I could detect no change in quality since my last visit of more than a year ago. TC Choy's isn't cheap; we spent forty dollars with tip, which by the way, is NOT added to the bill as one reviewer alleges. For me, to have good dim sum without flying to NY is worth any price.

TC doesn't deserve the negative reviews: Watch your Back, Choy's! Perhaps your competition has learned how to write reviews.

Doesn't Recommend

eeklektik

Joined 5 years ago

Perhaps the Worst Meal Ever. Based on the location, decor, and prices, you would expect this to be a great restaurant. Your expectations would be dead wrong. The quality of the food I had there was just terrible. I will never go back, that is for sure. The service was pretty good actually, but that can't make up for food that qualified as one of the worst meals I've ever had (seriously). I can't believe this place has managed to garner a decent rating on CitySearch. Are the 5-star reviewers friends of the owners or something?

Doesn't Recommend

mwd4216

Joined 5 years ago

Terrible food at high prices!. We visited this restaurant on Saturday and it was an awful experience. I ordered the orange chicken which was the worst Chinese meal that I've ever had. It was nothing but overcooked breading, couldn't even be cut with a fork. My wife had the Pad Thai with chicken, but it was mostly egg. Our friend had a half order of honey chicken which is basically a half chicken, bones and all, which we found out was 15.99 when we got the bill. We complained when we got the bill and got a slight discount, but we will never go back. If you want Chinese food stick with PF Changs.

Doesn't Recommend

supermedic513

Joined 5 years ago

$50 down the drain. Ate at TC Choy's tonight, after hearing they have the best dumplings around...Well we didn't order the dumplings. Our meal (Mado Chicken, Pork Spareribs, Abalone Mushrooms, Springs Rolls) SUCKED! The only thing that even was remotely edible was our white rice. The food was cold. The Mado Chicken had minced chicken (no flavor or consistency) and tofu which was runny. Runny tofu is NEVER good, unless you like eating food which reminds you of phlegm. The mushrooms were incredibly tough and difficult to eat. The spareribs had some flavor but were incredibly dry. Save your time and your money and go to a New York style chinese takeout place, I'm sure the food will be much better and cheaper. We will NEVER go back to TC Choy's. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

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Sallylh

Joined 5 years ago

Pleasurable Experience. After reading the previous posts I wasn't expecting much for my first visit. I was delightfully surprised. Although they were busy, our server was very attentive and offered explanations for the questions that we asked. The food was great, excellent quality, hot and served in a timely fashion. I thought that the prices were moderate and reasonable. The menu has a lot to offer. In general, I was well pleased with my experience and would be happy to recommend them.

Recommends

pablus

Joined 7 years ago

100 dinners later..... I've been dining here for years now. It's right about one hundred times.

TC's is an amazing experience with great sakes and the best sushi I've ever had anywhere in any country. If you sit at the counter, he'll advise what's fresh. I've had monkfish liver there that was so fresh I couldn't believe it. Tom is an artist with fish. His specials are also incredible. Get something cooked with the ginger butter. Fabulous.

The service is up and down but usually acceptable and sometimes very good.

In the afternoon, the dim sum carts patrol the tablesides looking for takers. I've tried everything there and it's a real delicious adventure. Even the chicken feet have merit. Great value too.

You have to try the Poke' salad.

The regular menu dishes are varied and pan-Asian. My wife loves the claypots. Many times there will be fresh fish. Many good vegetarian choices as well.

I love this place and plan to go back another 100 times.

Doesn't Recommend

anthonyreio

Joined 6 years ago

Simply Awful. My wife and I wanted a nice dinner out together in the SoHo area, and thought we would give this place a try, as it had a very nice decor visible from the outside. This was a huge mistake, as there is no other way to describe our meals except as simply awful. I had a beef entree that had to hgave contained at least 30% gristle; a $5 all-you-can-eat buffet uses higher quality meat. My wife's dinner came out cold and she barely ate any of it. We complained about our meals and were given a slight discount on the bill, but it was still essentially paying for filet mignon and getting dog food. I would recommend you try someplace else - ANYPLACE else.

Doesn't Recommend

zoetampa

Joined 6 years ago

Tampa needs more "Chinese/Dim Sum restaurant" !!. Don't go for the "Dim Sum"!!!

I completely agree about what "adnyb129" said about the poor food quality and outrages price for this restaurant.

Besides, the owner of this restaurant also own a Chinese supermarket in Tampa downtown.

You can buy most of the same "Dim Sum" items either frozen or fresh at less than a half of the price.

There is no special technique required for "dim sum", just steam it !

p.s, when I saw the check, I also felt that I had been robbed. And I had have "Chinese/Dim Sum" in many big cities, included North America and Asia.

Doesn't Recommend

andybl29

Joined 6 years ago

Food Court quality, with an outrageous price!. Wow! I thought that $82.00 for two meals, rice, and an appetizer seemed a little high, but I figured it would be excellent quality food. WHOA, was a wrong! The food tasted cheaper and more poorly prepared then what I would expect from a fast food/food court chinese place. I feel robbed, and after taking a few bites was certain that the food was the furthest thing from close to $100 worth. Never again...