Zen Chinese Bistro

Super disappointed. Ordered take out on a Wednesday night, took an hour, paid an extra $ 5 for delivery and another $ 5 for tip to receive the most sad sweet and sour chicken of my life which they somehow charge $ 16 for. Over priced and by far the worst quality take out I have had in Portland, ME. Maybe dine in is better?

We had a very good dinner at Zen’s a few months ago and decided to try it for lunch — we were not disappointed! I had crab rangoons and dumplings and my husband had the appetizer sampler. The crab rangoons were outstanding — real crab meat tucked into delicately fried shells. The dumplings were fried (even though I ordered them steamed) but I was not disappointed.
My husband’s plate was full — he enjoyed his lunch, had dinner and lunch the following day. The server offered fried rice with his meal that really created a well rounded and well presented luncheon plate. What stood out particularly was the fried rice — light and fluffy and not sticky.
The server was attentive and the atmosphere relaxing. We’ll definitely be back.

Brought 4 friends who live locally, but never dined at Zen. They loved it. Best egg rolls, excellent soups and very diversified entrée selection. The drinks were a big hit too

My family and I went to Zen Chinese Bistro for dinner at approximately 4:30pm on Christmas Day. It was possibly one of the worst dining experiences we have had in the eight years since we moved to the Portland area. From the initial encounter with the hostess, who seemed almost terrified to interact with guests, to our server, who could not have been less interested in our having a pleasant experience, to the food itself (well, the food that actually arrived at the table) — everything was sub-​par.
Our wait for a table was longer than we were told, even though the table we were shown to, approximately 2 feet from where we were waiting, had been cleared for a good 10 minutes prior to our being seated there. Our server arrived at the table to take our drink order relatively quickly, but it was almost ten minutes before she returned with our hot tea and wine. Knowing that the restaurant was extremely busy, we gave the server our appetizer and dinner order all at the same time, and requested that she bring the items to the table when they came up. And then we waited. And waited.
Approximately 35 minutes passed, and still no appetizers. Our server stopped by the table to tell us that our food would be up shortly. Even the hostess, the one with terrible interpersonal skills, stopped by the table to point out that we didn’t have our food. (Literally, she walked up to the table and said, «You don’t have your food yet,» — Duh! — and then she wandered back to the front of the house.) Finally after nearly an hour of waiting, our server brought out a plate of fried rice that was barely lukewarm and a chicken with bok choy entrée we had ordered. When I asked her about our appetizers, she said that the kitchen was very busy, that we had requested she bring the food out me order it came up, and that they had lost the ticket (?) and hadn’t started on the appetizers when she went back previously to check on the order. So basically, we were given three different excuses, none of which made any sense. We were told that the kitchen was extremely backed up due to the holiday — and I would have been willing to believe that, had a constant stream of takeout bags not made their way to the hostess station next to our table. Also, two tables near us had been seated after us, and had their food brought out in what looked like a reasonable amount of time (the table next to us with a different server was seated at the same time, had appetizers and a main course, and had paid their check just about when the food arrived at our table).
Our server came by to check on us about 10 minutes after the food arrived. At this point, having filled up on tea and wolfing down the two entrées, we asked her to cancel the appetizers which she had previously told us were «coming right out» and to bring us the check. At this point, she really got an attitude — and any other establishment, we would have been comped something, or the very least given an apology, but no, she just started rolling her eyes. She came back to the table about five minutes later with our check — and the appetizer plate we had ordered. She said, «We’re just going to throw this out. You can take it if you want.» Not the most gracious offer, but, hey. So she stood at the table and sighed and huffed as she packed the appetizer platter into three to go containers. (Really? It didn’t occur to you to pack it in the kitchen and deliver it to the table with an apology?) The ridiculous thing was, if at any point our server had owned up to her mistake (she obviously screwed up submitting the order to the kitchen), offered an apology and tried to make it right, we really would have understood. Mistakes happen. But either the management hadn’t made it clear to this server how to deal with situations that go badly, or she just couldn’t get out of her own way. In either case, it will be a LONG time before we go back to ZCB.

We really like this place. Very, very good food. Fresh and inspired with quality ingredients. Ask to sit upstairs by the window!

Imperial pork, amazingly crispy and tender with just the right amount of not too sweet sauce; nice waitstaff, sometimes a bit slow (trying to get to the theater). The blood orange martini is impressive and unique. Edamame appetizer is enough for 2 guilt free servings. Great dumplings; sesame chicken was generous but not remarkable. Overall, very good, huge menu, something for everyone!

Who doesn’t love Chinese food? Zen did a good job of accommodating a group of 12 of us for dinner last night. We ordered three lo meins for the table (1 beef, 1 chicken, and 1 veggie). Huge portions! It was not dry at all, which is sometimes a complaint I’ll have with a lo mein. It was so juicy and flavorful I could order one of these and make that my meal no problem (and probably have leftovers). I will say out of the three, the beef lo mein was just okay. I would not order it again.
After my friend ordered a ginger lemon drop cocktail, I decided I had to have one too. I’ve been on such a ginger kick lately. I’m so glad I did, it was delicious. Probably the highlight of my meal. If it wasn’t so pricey ($ 10), I would have ordered 2 or 3 of them!
I decided on the chicken fried rice ($ 10) for my entrée, and what I received was a gigantic mound of food! I didn’t even put a dent in it. Definitely enough for another meal, maybe two! Great value! However, besides the fried rice and lo mein dishes, I felt like the majority of the appetizers and entrée items were pretty overpriced. Their are many other cheaper Asian options in this area (hence the reason for only 4 stars).
I would totally come back. I would order a ginger lemon drop and the chicken lo mein dish as my entrée :) Or maybe the scorpion bowl if I was on a hot date ;)

I’m not sure how to write this review. I like it for the food but the prices make me hesitate giving it 5 stars. I’ve been here twice and both times I had some really great food, but I’ve paid for it. The most recent time I had cashew chicken with brown rice which was really tasty and a huge portion. I also had the pan fried pork dumplings and they were about what you’d expect. Nothing earth shattering and similar to a dumpling I could get anywhere else. After that amount food, I ended up with a $ 25 bill for just me and I didn’t even have alcohol.
I think what sets them apart is their lo mein. Most other Chinese places where I’ve ordered lo mein, I end up with dry noodles and it’s really unappetizing when the veggies/​meat are sticking to the noodles. The lo mein at Zen is different though. It’s juicy and flavorful and there isn’t a dry noodle to be found. I liked the chicken variety, but I really, really enjoyed the vegetarian kind as well. So many veggies in there and way more broccoli than the chicken lo mein.
Overall, there are two things that bring my review from 3 to 4 stars. First, the service. My most recent visit was with a big group of 12 people. We had some phenomenal service and our waitress was amazing. She was attentive and patient with us. We saw her just enough where I felt like we were being taken care of, but not too much where she was hovering. She even exchanged my water glass for a new one because she saw a tiny crack in my glass. Plus she split our bills correctly! I feel like that deserves a ½ star on its own. Secondly, the atmosphere inside. I really like sitting upstairs and looking out the windows over Danforth St. The tables aren’t crammed in together and the lights are dimmed to give the place a cool vibe.

Love the atmosphere and the view upstairs. It’s very upscale and chic interior. The parking can be a challenge. The waitress was friendly and accommodating. She was attentive to details and made sure to keep drinks filled. Try the plum wine, it’s sweet and delicious.
The food was good but not enough to suit to the high prices. I have to start with the crab Rangoon, the standard of all Chinese restaurant judgements, which were not greasy, crispy exterior and flavorful with a hint of sweetness. They needed a better filling to wrapper ratio tho. There was hardly any filling. The beef lo mean was excellent. The noodles were soft and slippery and the need was tender and tasty. The pan fried pork pot stickers were light and cooked well with a nice soy dipping sauce. The egg rolls were cooked to perfection with lots of filling but there seemed to be a strange after taste with every bite.
Overall it was good experience with good food and good service but high prices.

1^st international dinner club outing — great people attend Unilocal events!
I got the shrimp chow foon — it was very good. There aren’t many places in msine that have the wise noodles so I always order them when I go here.
Overall, good service, good food, good people!

Best Chinese I’ve had in Portland… But not the best I’ve ever had.
Ordered delivery which was extremely convenient and only took about 30 minutes although they quoted me 45−1hr.
Wish their full menu was somewhere online or on Unilocal!I wanted wide rice noodles but ended up with the udon noodles because I didn’t know what they were called and obviously did a poor job describing them on the phone.
So, we got…
Vegetarian spring rolls– delish and not too greasy!
Steamed vegetarian dumplings– Green Elephant are wayyyy better but they weren’t bad
Crab ragoons– fried to perfection but not a lot of crab
Hot and sour soup– good!
General Tsao Tofu– eh… Was not crispy at all, although this is to be expected with take out. Was also not spicy enough for us… Too sweet.
Udon noodles with vegetables– loved that it came with baby bok choy and noodles cooked nicely
Another big plus was that they actually remembered everything in our order and we didn’t have to call back! Came with soy sauce, hot mustard, dumpling sauce and crab Rangoon sweet sauce. And of course fortune cookies.
For all that food it was $ 60 to deliver which I think is completely reasonable. Have a ton of left overs and you get what you pay for. Portland really needs to step up their Chinese food game but Zen comes close.

This place is so good. I love everything on the menu. Atmosphere is nice and the food is fresh. They have excellent house fried rice, the shrimp lo mien is so good. Pardon the photos, I dug right in then remembered to take them.

I love Zen Bistro. For some strange reason it’s never super busy and we never have to wait long for our food. The servers are super nice and helpful too. The space itself is nice. I like the lights and the space. I’ve only eaten upstairs or had take-​out.
The food: man, they give you plenty! It’s great… I always have a nice lunch the next day. It’s quite fresh tasting and not as greasy as most Chinese places around Portland. People we have brought to Zen also commented on how fresh it tasted. They have plenty of options for vegetarians (which we are) and non-​vegetarians. Our meat-​eating friends have liked the beef and chicken options.
This place is comfortable, affordable, and delicious. The ONLY tiny issue is parking… if you live in Portland and you’re going on the weekend, I suggest you walk or ride your bike.

I truly think that Zen Chinese Bistro was THE BEST Chinese food I have ever had [American style of course!] Honestly, I’ll admit, I don’t usually jump at the chance to go have Chinese food: it brings to mind buffets and mediocre flavors. But, when a friend said this was a revelational spot, I went for it. It’s an odd setting, walking in we were greeted by a completely empty restaurant, usually a bad sign. However, they led our group (of six) around a couple corners and up a stairwell to another seating space, which was not empty, but definitely not crowded. They’ve got a good selection of adult beverages and our waiter was fantastic. After trying to place an order for about four or five appetizers, he recommended the Zen Platter, which literally had everything we wanted to try. We split it between the six of us to start, which was perfect. Also, if you’ve a fan of hot and sour soup, get it here! It’s some of the best I’ve had.
For a main course, Steve A. and I split the General Tso’s Shrimp. A huge portion, and definitely easily split {especially after the appetizers and drinks!}. It was all things perfect: spicy, crispy shrimp with broccoli, snow peas, red peppers and that tangy/​spicy sauce. Overall, I loved the food at Zen Bistro and I loved our waiter. He was really helpful and stuck with us to the end. The building itself is lovely although the inside might be a little disappointing. But just remember, you’ll be validated with your first bite!

I can only assime that the people who give Zen anything more than a 2 star rating either have no idea what good Chinese food is OR they have never ordered takeout from this place.
It is not good. There is little to no flavor, everything was soggy and I did not look forward to the leftovers, in fact, I think we threw them out. Maybe you have to dine in and get drunk in order to enjoy to the food — but, it is OVER-​PRICED and UNDER-​WHELMING!

My quest for Portland’s best Chinese food came back in action today with a quick lunchtime meal at Zen. After circling the block a few times, I finally found parking. There were no menus posted outside so I wandered in… where was everyone? There were two gentlemen eating together, but besides that, the place was empty. I scanned the menu, kind of conflicted about whether I should stay or go. Now when I say the place was empty, I mean there was no hostess, waitress, server, or bartender in sight. I was seriously considering leaving when out of nowhere, THREE employees magically appeared!
I was promptly seated and the service was great from there on out. We (surprise I wasn’t dining alone!) ordered the broccoli beef lunch (came with choice of soup and rice – we got hot & sour soup with fried rice) and the mixed greens with avocado (no soup/​rice for noodles or salad lunch deals; also… What part of that besides the dressing is Chinese?). I thought the broccoli beef ($ 9) tasted great, but I expected a bit more out of the salad ($ 8). The ginger dressing was different, but not quite outstanding; and the avocado was ripe but still… I don’t see how my salad could have cost more than $ 4. A soup and rice would’ve been nice!
Maybe Wednesday lunches are just a dull time, but I thought that there would be more customers. The service (while prompt) was slightly off, and the pricing was a bit high before the Unilocal deal ($ 6 for $ 10; but my receipt said -$ 9.26??). I’ll probably slowly check out the remainder of the Chinese restaurants in town before coming back, even if this is one of the fancier looking places.
Final note: Our server overheard my comment about my dirty knife and replaced it super fast, so yay?

The food was typical Americanized Chinese fare at elevated prices. I really was unimpressed with the food. However, the cocktails we ordered were unique and delicious, so we weren’t totally disappointed.

Yo. Check this place out. I took my man out for nice Asian bistro meal cause I was hoping to get him all in the mood for some hardcore cuddles later that night. This place has an intimate atmosphere. Almost had to climb over people to get to our table. We sat upstairs. Let me tell you about the stairs. They’re steep. Like climbing to a mountain top shrine to train with some kung fu master.
But I digress. It was pretty good. My boo got the kung pow chicken cause he’s pretty much a martial arts master. I got chicken in a garlic sauce type dish. And a prosecco drink with a real hibiscus flower all up in it. I don’t often get a real hibiscus flower all up in it.
Try this place. It’s pretty good. Just don’t fall down those steep stairs.

Had a nice, quick dinner here recently and, while I’m not actively seeking out scorpion bowls most days, I would certainly return or order take-​out in the future. The atmosphere is fairly upscale, with a bar area downstairs and a quieter dining room upstairs, and service was efficient and pleasant.
Prices are a bit higher than one would expect for this area for Chinese, but I believe that is because the quality of meat is higher than normal. Both my husband and I went for meat-​and-​vegetable style dishes, so this was appreciated. If I were in the mood for something fried, I’d likely seek out a cheaper option.

Okay, I really didn’t expect this place to be so good. I came here with my family hoping to satisfy my mom’s Chinese food craving and we were more than surprised. The atmosphere is very pleasant and clean and the service is very friendly and attentive. The prices for the dishes are more than reasonable as well.
Hot and sour soup: Perfect balance of sourness to this soup, some hot and sour soups put too much in but this was just right. Not too thick either.
Crispy rice and chicken soup: This soup really hit the spot, very refreshing and very food flavor. Perfect to share with 4 people also.
Szechuan string beans: Wow the flavor used with this was amazing. The string beans were cooked to perfection with bits of garlic and scallion. The sauce also goes amazing with a bowl of rice!
Lobster with garlic sauce: So Maine is known for their lobster, and i honestly thought that the way they cooked their lobster was the best. The garlic flavor is soooo good and each piece of lobster is a little fried so its even more delicious!
All in all, when I got back to Maine and I’m craving lobster or Chinese food in general, I’m definitely coming here first.