Happy's Chinese Restaurant

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  2     

Food was quite average - dishes were small, vegie dishes quite large though. Atmosphere not that great as restaurant was underground, had no windows and no fresh air. Service was appalling - we had not asked for the bill and were waiting for the dessert menu, but the waiter just threw the bill onto a table and then walked away. When paying, the waiter rushed us to give him the money. Overall, we did not feel welcomed in the restaurant nor did we think it was value for money, service or food. I will never eat at this restaurant again. I would not recommend it to anyone either.

Oct 24, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  6      Service  10      Value  9     

I love Happy's, the food is great, the staff are friendly and accommodating especially as I am very allergic to egg, they are more than happy to alter existing dishes or make up a new dish each time I go to satisfy my dietary requirements.

However, the last two times I ate here my plate (with food still left on it), and the second time both drinks me and my friend had ordered were taken without my having finished them, when I told the owner he told me he couldn't do anything about it and when I went to sit back down (my friend had gone to the toilet) there were already new customers sitting at my table, even though my handbag was still sitting there.

Aug 16, 2010 

3 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

I have been a regular patron of this restaurant for over 6 years. The food is great and yummy, and the owner is a very friendly guy. I have raved about this place and have brought/recommended many family and friends here.

However, I am sad to say that I will Never eat here ever again due to a personal slight and rudeness from the current senior staff.

The incident is as follows: I brought my partner here once who is from interstate and have never eaten here. We were about to finish our meal and before we know it, the waitresses whisked our dishes and rice bucket away without asking. There were a little bit left and we would've liked to finish it properly.

The bill was also placed on our table (note we did not request for it yet as we have not finished the drinks we bought), a not-so-subtle sign that we should pay and leave which has become increasingly common since the owner's nephew took over.

So we were left finishing up our drinks. My partner had ordered a 7-Up drink and was in the midst of finishing it. The senior staff, seeing that we no longer had food to finish, and probably thought that my partner was drinking tap water, came over to our table and said this loudly: "Hey, are you two finished yet? There are people waiting". And walked off, rolling his eyes.

We have never been so insulted in our life. If this is how customers are being treated, then we have no need to come here. It is unfortunate that the food is good, but the service is unacceptable.

Aug 09, 2010 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

My boyfriend and I used to be regular visitors of Happy's Chinese Restaurant until our most recent visit where we were told there would be a short 10 to 15 minutes wait, which we were prepared to do because we have had decent meals from there previously.

After 15 minutes had passed and it was looking as though we were still not going to get a table in the near future, we decided to order take away instead and eat at home (a 45 minutes drive away).

The attendant at the desk assured us that we would get our take away before a table was available for us, so we ordered our food, had another 15-20 minutes wait in the cramped, stuffy conditions until about three tables full of people decided that they wanted to leave.

We still hadn't received our take away so we thought it would be fair to ask the attendant if he could change it so that we could eat at one of the now empty tables, we offered to pay extra for the meal and we would have ordered entrees and drinks had he made the simple adjustment of serving the food to us on plates instead of in containers.

Instead he was incredibly rude to us, telling us that he had already "made other arrangements" and would not give us a table (that nobody else even wanted). We then had to sit there for a further ten minutes until our food was finally dumped in front of us in a plastic bag, no apology was offered from any member of staff for their very poor service.

We will never go there again and would recommend that nobody else wastes their time or their money on their overpriced meals and rude service.

Aug 22, 2009 

5.8 Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  6     

We were in Canberra and was hoping to go to Chairman and Yin but they were closed on Sunday night. So we followed another couple down into Happy. The first impressions were not good as we went down into the basement with a definite 80's feel to the well worn decor. We opened the door with some doubt, expecting it to be empty and if it was we had decided to exit quickly, but it was buzzing and almost full!

So we decided to stay. It is very small and cramp and very plain. We ordered a Short Soup, Hot and Sour Soup, Scallops in Black Bean, Combination Seafood and Fried Rice. The staff were quite busy and only occasionally visited us but the food came out reasonable quickly. The food was above average in quality and in the type of seafood.

By the time we finished our meal (7 pm) there was a queue at the door. We found meal prices in Canberra to be a good 10% to 20% dearer than in Sydney and our meal cost about $62. Bit pricey. I'd recommend you approach Happy with your eyes shut and ignore the decor and the cramp conditions and try the food.

Jul 02, 2009 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  2      Value  1     

I am never going go Happy's again! A friend and I went on Friday night and was told by the senior staff of the restaurant that we had to leave as I we had the table for 1.5 hours already and he had a small business to run. I was still eating my dinner! When I told him that this was unacceptable he shrugged and said that he had a small business to run. I can understand if my friend and I just sat there occupying the table and there were other ppl waiting but we had ordered my food and we were still eating! They also brought out the entree and the main at the same time. Never again!

Jun 29, 2009 

6 Average

Food  8      Ambience  2      Service  7      Value  7     

The food is hot, fresh, ridiculously fast and also delicious, but because it's cramped in a basement with the bathrooms on a kind of mezzanine overlooking the whole restaurant, the place absolutely stinks of bathroom freshener!

Jun 09, 2009 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

Happies has been a Resturant that has always been on my mind, I see it almost everyday but never had half the mind to try. I was invited to a friends birthday there and enjoyed the food. The food was quick to come out, the wait between entrees and main was only 10 minutes, which was just enough for time young chubby waiter to have a chat.

I did not believe it when he told me that he owned Happies, but someone that young could run such a great restaurant.

Nevertheless the food and service were both exellent.

May 19, 2009