Jin Asian Restaurant

Saugus, Ma

Reviews

Third Try on the Hill - the Horror

Hell, I don't know how they can afford to turn on the electricity in this place, never mind pay anybody. It was a nightmare when it was Weylu's. Then it was catastrophic when it was China Manor or whatever that was. Now, it's Jin's. Tonight's meal was a descent into pure horror. The Horror. Heinous. Criminal.

One person sits us down. Another guy, presumably the manger (Who knows?), takes our drink order, and then 10 minutes later drops off two flat sodas. Totally flat. And warm. Another guy comes over and takes our order. We tell him we need new sodas, that something is wrong with the soda machine (they all know this cause they are all playing with it). He says he will get two more. Food arrives 5 minutes later; then he comes with two glasses of water. All I can think of is - "Damn, you know they are at least gonna give it a try charging for those sodas."

We get fried rice and chow mein. Its passable. We have to ask for soy sauce. And duck sauce. They come back with a thimble full of duck sauce.

The food is passable for your local Chinese take out. Nothing more, nothing less.

Meanwhile a group of people comes in, maybe 20 or so, some type of graduation party. They are Chinese (not that this matters). The adults sit down next to us, and they stick all the kids at a table directly in the corner right behind us. I like kids, especially cute ones eating and having fun. But these kids are screaming bloody blue murder. I mean screaming. They are running around the dining room. They are throwing coins up and down the isle. I have my fingers in my ears.

Three 20 year olds who are sharply dressed are sitting in the middle of the place. They look like they went to the prom and then made the mistake of their lives.

When the kids progress to playing baseball with a quarter and trying to hit it with a Gameboy, one of the girls at the sharply dressed table looses her mind. She calls the manager over. She says they spent real money to come here and that the whole damn place was out of control. She is dead on correct. It's like the zoo, with so so food, no service and literally 10 screaming kids. The adults are taking pictures of them.

The manager asks them to have the kids stop. Only cause the 3 people are still freaking out that they have paid to eat at the zoo. They don't. They keep screaming. I mean screaming.

Another couple who made a big mistake is looking on. They are trying to eat fast and run. Its a total horror show. Nobody comes with water, so I have to run to the bar with the water glasses and ask the bartender to fill em up with water. The horror.

I have my credit card in the air. I'm waving it. I want out and I want out now. Someone different comes over and takes it. They are gone for 10 minutes.

When they come back, sure enough, they charged us for the sodas we couldn't drink. They should have given us the meal for free.

Another 5 minutes and they amend the bill, and we literally run out of the place. Run.

I don't get it. Its like a reality show on how to screw up a restaurant and fail. Which can only lead me to believe that's exactly what they are trying to do. No other explanation of why this could be so utterly horrible. The take out across the street has better food. Atmosphere? Ah, yeah, OK...

I'll wait until it changes names again, and try again. Fourth time might be a charm?

What a shame. What a rip off, what a waste of such a cool building.

Anonymous.

Astoundingly Misguided

Have they no manager? This company has serious issues. They are spending untold millions of dollars on imported decor and landscaping, but cannot afford to hire a staff that has a minimal clue as to how to welcome and communicate with customers. The prices have risen, the food has declined, the outrageously priced buffet was barely worth it when the food was hot and fresh but it is quickly settling to the level of a strip mall buffet place. The one English speaking employee's response to the freshness and temperature issue? "Oh you have to come earlier for it to be good." We were seated at 7pm - how much earlier is necessary?

The escalator to the high second floor is turned off "to save money", a waitress could not be found to refill our drinks but they seem to be able to afford a crew of about 30 casino pit boss style suit wearing managers to intimidating patrol the dining room eyeing plates and portions - perhaps to discourage return trips to the buffet?

If this beautiful location is to survive they need to immediately stop trying to win architecture awards and focus on:
1. getting a manager who will see to basics like signage, liquor licenses, balancing the costs of alienating customers with the benefits of doing things right.
2. hire a staff with an understanding of Route 1 restaurant culture. This is not Chinatown. We don't pay $300+ a meal to be made to feel uncomfortable.
3. lower the outrageous prices.
4. eliminate the gimmicky buffet altogether and focus on being a restaurant - not a tourist attraction.

Anonymous.