Zen

I gave this place 2 stars because in all honestly, I really do (or did) enjoy going there. The atmosphere and people can lead to a really awesome time. The food is great and the specials are too. \r \r What brings this place down, however, is the staff and specifically the manager. I have never been to a place where the staff is so incredibly rude to people in my life. With the exception of a select few, the wait staff can be extremely hot or cold. I brought a visiting friend here once and their experience was so disappointing as a result of the waitress monopolizing our conversation and quite frankly ignoring that there was even another person at the table. My friend wasn't even given the opportunity to ask for another drink despite the place being very slow at the time because the waitress simply ignored my friend’s existence, but remained at our table to be social. \r \r That being said, the manager can be a completely different story. There appears to be one manager, or one regular manager, who also helps with the bartending from time to time. I have witnessed him insult customers (including regulars) on several occasions, many instances completely out of the blue. Witnessing one such incident is what prompted me to write this review. When it happened all you could do was sit there in shock and awe feeling bad for the person it was happening to, as it was completely unwarranted. I understand that dealing with people who are drinking can be frustrating, but that is also the nature of working in a bar, and in none of the situations I’ve witnessed has the patron been deserving of the rudeness they received. There seems to be an accuse first attitude. And it is not only the accusations, but the outright rudeness that is shocking. It is as if common decency has gone out the door. He appears to instigate arguments with customers. You get the impression that he is constantly annoyed with everyone and anyone, and that maintaining regular customers is of no consequence to him since they really are the only busy bar in Addison Circle. It is as if he has forgotten what customer service actually is. \r \r I have to say that having gone to this place over the last few years (3+) my disappointment has grown specifically over the last year. After witnessing the manager’s rudeness it is difficult for me to want to go back and give my business to people who so blatantly do not appreciate it. If I do go back it will be only on Sundays as this appears to be the only day that the staff is friendly. more

u can go and try to have a good time...just be careful u are not there the night the illegal poker room up stairs happens to get robbed or busted! more

The service is a joke, the bartenders double charge you quite frequently, which I am thinking of reporting them to the City Attorney's office over, and the crowd is a blend of college dropouts and trailer trash. The owners are a joke and do what is contrary to keeping business coming back, which would be attempts at actually being nice to their customers. I wish this place would have gone out of business instead of Ruby Lounge, which was actually a classy place for Addison Circle. It's too bad this is the only bar in Addison Circle. It's no more than a place to be robbed and to be treated rudely in the process. I think the bartenders, save for the only pretty female there, are drugged up losers who are so mad at their lot in life that they are jealous of anyone who looks halfway successful in there and treat them like sh#*. I have never been so rudely treated by staff at any establishment, let alone a sh*# hole bar like this place. I have chosen to spend my money elsewhere right down the street. Chaucer's is much better and a better class of people in there. Cheaper drinks, too. more

Try it for yourself. If you like screaming, idiotic, drunkards looking to start a fight, come here. They will be passing out in your lap and choking on their own vomit, to the amusement of the managerial and waitstaff. Sad. So sad. Pros: The Addison PD is never around when you are drunk off your B..TT Cons: Bad food. Terrible service. Stupid bouncers and chix galore. No smoking inside. Patio closes at 10pm DAILY. more

This place isn't too bad. They have great priced drinks on weekdays...um...after 10pm. So if you have a job it's kind of off your list already.\r \r As for the weekend vibe? It gets semi-packed. But it seems this place is only a stop off point for most girls who have various other places to attend to if it's not hopping. That means you're left hanging out with guys for most of the night watching ESPN highlights on HD. Beer and liquor prices are medium to high ($3.50 for beer, 4.50ish (single) for liquor). Waitresses are hot, but every guy should realistically know thats not going to pan out.\r \r Overall, it could make a great place on the weekdays and a great stopping point on the weekends, but nothing to waste your whole night at. \r \r Oh and I did leave the bar once during an altercation of a resident (who lives above the bar) and the police. They were complaining because things were too loud. But come on....do people really have to be that stupid about the situation? It's a big metroplex, and you had to choose the apartment right above the bar. And if the bar came after the move in, one could always chose to move out! Pros: Away from Beltline traffic Cons: crapshoot on crowd, and if they will stay the whole night more

I used to and still do go to Zen bar frequently enough. The thing is lately is that as a consumer that has spent a lot of money in this establishment they never really make you feel like they appreciate it. It would be nice if they once would offer someone a free beer after spending hundreds on a weekly basis. I have spent a lot of time and money at Zen and I do have fun. But it is because of the people I go with and not the service we receive. The bartenders add drinks to your tab hoping you don't catch it. Friday nights and Saturday nights are so ridicuously packed that it isn't even borderline fun being there. Recently I witnessed an undeserving verbal altercation between a bartender and a consumer that I have never seen in my life in an establishment, and the consumer ended up apologizing?!?. The service never really gets better, the drink prices are high, and like i said even when you do still decide to give them your money on the days when its not shoulder to shoulder with 'clubbers', you are never treated like a valued patron of theirs. If it wasn't the only bar within addison circle it would be hard to see how they could stay in business. Pros: The food can actually be quite good Cons: The poor service makes everything sour more

Are you guys talking about the right place? I live in Addison Circle and frequent Zen, along with several young urban professionals. Oh, and Zen has always had the same two owners. more

This place is HORRIBLE! When we first walked up to the bar I thought wow this place is dead tonight. After spending a couple of hours there I can see why. Zen Bar used to be a cool place but that has definatly changed! I talked to a few of the bouncers and I think the reason is because it's under new ownership. The quality of people there isn't that great. (A bunch of dumb drunk guys probably no older than 22 trying to fight anyone and everyone to impress someone and white trash girls trying to fight as well) Yes, I said girls. When I was there there was three girls fighting at three different occassions. I've never seen this anywhere else. That's the kind of thing you see in east Dallas not the kind of thing you would expect to see in Addison. Just go up two streets Addison has so much better establishments off Beltline. Pros: there's not that many people there anymore Cons: bad service, bad owner, bad bartenders more

These people overcharged me more than 100$ and refused to refund the difference. The atmosphere is not very good and the management is terrible-Thanks Cons: Bad service more