Emeril's Tchoup Chop   

We found this restaurant because we happened to stay at the hotel in Universal. Dinner was phenomenal and the service outstanding. The next day was a Sunday and they were serving Brunch. So we had our adult children join us who live in Orlando for that meal. Again we were impressed. This all ocurred in April 2008. We and friends stayed in Orlando again in June - but at a different hotel. However, because of our last visit there we made reservations again at Tchoup Chop. Again we were thrilled with the food and service. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting in the area, I understand that they have a new manager who took over this year. We met him on our first visit - very personable and caring about his customers. When we went back this past visit we asked for him but he was not working that night. We mentioned that we enjoyed meeting him to the host and the host told us how happy they were that they have him. So I think problems in the past have been solved and you can expect an outstandind exsperience if you go to Tchoup Chop.

Ive been working here since March of 07. Ive been in love with cooking since I was 13, and I honestly have been to school for this for almost a decade. Throughout Jr. High, and Highschool, then into College. I come from the midwest, where food is VERY lacking in taste and concept. So I moved down here and applied for a position. The Chef de Cusine, Nick, is a GREAT chef, who hires only the best of the best. I ate at this place after one one day of working. We had the Degaustion Tasting Menu (Prix Fixe) for the four of us (family) The total cost was 370 - my discount + tip it came out to 300$ even. This isnt the most Ive ever spent dinning out with the family! Anyways, the tasting menu was spectacular. We had a summer roll which consisted of Yellowfin Tuna, Wrapper, Mung Bean Sprouts, Boston Bibb Lettuce, Tomato, Chineese Mustard Redux. Second Course was a Pan seared Tilapia dish with Garlic Mash, Celery Root Puree, and some other things, Then the third course was Crab crusted Buffalo Tenderloin, Purple Peruvian Mash, some sauce of sorts, and since I work there I got a complimentary "Storm" dessert, All presented to us by my Boss, Chef Nick, the GM @ the time, and the other FOH managers. It was great. As Ive worked there, ive found out more and more about the food we serve. Starting on the day(prep) crew then leading out to the night(cook) crew. The food we serve is FRESH, and I mean this. Nothing we have comes in frozen, outside of Kids Chicken Tenders, Fries, Bones for stocks. Stocks and sauces are no older than 5 days, and everything in our walk in is used within 2 days no later than 5. Everything is rotated properly and if its old, it gets tossed. Everyone is talking about the food in a negative manner, We taste every last thing we cook. Then our Chef tastes it, if it needs to be redone, he tells us immediatly. Our crew does everything we can to insure that our customers LOVE our food. It actually saddens me to read these comments.

I wish I read these reviews before we went. Someone must have paid others to give them 5 stars. We went there with our employees for our Xmas dinner and it was HORRIBLE! The guy in a suit (manager, I suppose) had us follow him, but instead of taking us to our table, lead us in, and then turned around and pointed that our table was " back there" -- I guess I should've known that we were supposed to know where our table was! That is when I should have known that this was going to be a horrible experience. Our server kept rolling her eyes at us everytime we asked a question. We told her there was something in our waters and she told us it was just tea leaves. What are tea leaves doing floating in water glasses? Service took forever, food came out cold and pretty salty, and the staff definitely did not care. I guess I wouldn't care much either since 20% gratuity was already added on a $500 tab. There are so many better places in Orlando to eat...then to waste your money and time here!!! This place needs to be shopped so that upper management knows how bad it really is. I suppose most of their business is from tourists and conventions--people who probably won't come back on their own and don't really complain. Or maybe Tchoup Chop doesn't really care because they make their money anyways!!!

The restaurant is beautiful.....that's it for the good part. The managment is disorganized, the staff is very green, has little to no wine knowledge. $15 Martinis in half full glasses at the bar were a dissappointment too. Entrees were loaded with SALT and were inedible. When we shared our thoughts with the management we were told "You should have told us right way, and we would have done something about it". Because we were with clients we didn't want to disturb the flow of the meal. Finally, someone said "Is yours salty" That's when we noted our concerns. Management made no effort to provide service recovery. I can't imagine that Emeril Lagasse is aware of the poor service and food afforded guests who sadly make thier way into this disfunctional and poorly management restaruatant baring his name. Look in the Window, Take A Picture, then Take a Taxi to the Hard Rock Hotel and eat at The Palm Restaurant