I was really looking forward to trying Monsoon Bistro in Holyoke after a glowing recommendation from a close friend, but my experience left me thoroughly disappointed. Our meal began on a sour note with a series of lackluster appetizers. The fried tofu was nothing short of a letdown—extremely bland and seemingly drowning in water, completely lacking the flavor you’d expect. The only saving grace was the edamame, which was decent enough to remind me why I like simple, well-prepared dishes. The soup dumplings fared only slightly better, with a broth that was passable; however, the meat inside was utterly off. Its texture was disturbingly similar to raw ground meat, which made the whole dish unpalatable. Moving on to the entrees, the problems only multiplied. The General Tso chicken was over fried to the point of being a crunchy disappointment, and it had little to no flavor—an utter culinary misfire. The Mongolian beef was another major letdown: not only was it significantly overpriced, but it was also devoid of any distinctive taste, making it a regrettable choice. The drunken noodles, which I had high hopes for, were served soggy and, like everything else, utterly tasteless. If that wasn’t enough, the service and overall dining practice also left much to be desired. Although Sam, our server, was pleasant and did his best under the circumstances, the overall way the kitchen handled the orders was frustrating. The dishes arrived all at once, crowding our table to the point where we could hardly enjoy what little we could taste. The questionable speed of the delivery—almost as if the food wasn’t being prepared to order—only added to the disappointment. In the end, what should have been a promising meal turned into an experience that wasted both my time and money. I cannot in good conscience recommend spending anyone’s hard-earned money here unless improvements are made across the board.

This was our first time here. The food is well made. They have Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, and a few Filipino dishes. We opted for Filipino items to try. Everything was good. When we come back in 2 weeks we will be going there for the soup dumplings which look amazing. The restaurant is very nice and can accommodate lots of people. The people there are very friendly and accommodating. It was an amazing experience and we are going to be going again. The Monsoon Bistro and Bar is located in the Holyoke Mall 2nd floor near Macy's. You will definitely be glad you ate here! Check them out!