Worlds Fair Marina Restaurant and Banquet

I went to Marina to book a party, and would you believe it, the manager refused to see us. He wanted us to make an appointment before we came. He was extremely rude!! We came all the way from suffolk, and he would not see us. and it wasn't like he was with other customers,he was sitting there with phone in hand!! After this kind of treatment we decided to book some place else. if they treat us like this now, i'm aftraid to think how the service will be if I book the party. never again will we be back.

Posted 11/11/09

We recently had an event for 350 ppl at the Marina and the experience was excellent overall. My guests all had an excellent time and we received many compliments about the food.

The service was professional, with all the servers wearing tuxedos, and the manager was attentive. I have to admit, we were challenging him with different requests at the last minute (e.g. special service to the family) but he came through. At the end of the night he came up to me to thank me for my business.

My only real concern about the place was that it seemed as though it hadn't been maintained very well. it could use some fresh paint and an updated look but that was really a minor thing once the room was filled with decor and people.

Overall, very happy and would recommend the location again. The manager told me that they would be doing some major renovations in the fall and that I should check back afterwards to see the new look.

Pros: Food was very good and plentiful; service was great

Cons: Facility needs to renovated; has a slightly dated look

Posted 09/09/09

I agree with what the other reviewer wrote. F.....new manager screwed up my party also. I went to Marina based on the reviews I read here, i booked the party with the owner , at that time i asked about the manager which i read good things about , the owner told me he is on vacation , at that time i didn?t know the manager had left for good, if I knew I won?t book the party . the new manager was horrible he didn?t give me the right menu which i ordered....
during dinner time some of the dishes i selected were missing.
I specifically told the new manager, for the wedding ( biryani ) is a must for our culture , he told me don?t worry!!! but on the day of the party my (biryani ) was missing .
I was very embarrassed in front of the groom side and my guests. not only the menu so much other stuff , they didn?t send food for the bride and groom until i ask ed the manager , manager tried to blame the poor staff, but this is the managers jobs to look after everything, I was so shocked after everything this guy showed an attitude towards me. All be advised the "manager? is rude and an idiot.
I will never come back here again!!!

Posted 08/21/09

I've had several parties at Marina while Siraj was the manager. Now that they have hired a new manager, my experience at Marina was horrible. The manager was clueless about everything. The service was horrible, the manager was no where to be found. For every thing we had to run up to the office and fetch him. When I wanted to give the menu, he had no idea what dishes were on their own menu, he couldn't describe the dishes to us. We had given the manager instructions about our table setup and on the day of the event nothing was completed. I was very disappointed. My sister had her wedding here about a year ago and because we were happy with everything we decided to come back here, but things have changed. Siraj paid attention to details and would listen to us but not so with this new manager. I will never come back here again!!!

Pros: nothing

Cons: everything

Posted 08/10/09

My sweet 16 was the bomb. All of my friends And family really enjoyed. The food, music, decorations, and arrangments were just amazing. If I had a wish I would want to revisit that night. I totally think one should have their party at World's Fair Marina.

Pros: Example: best croissants in town

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 04/02/09

Sriraj thank you so much. You totally made my party memorable and I can't explain how good and perfect the arrangents you made. Thank you once again.

Pros: Example: best croissants in town

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 04/02/09

Our wedding in July was spectacular. The World?s Fair Marina provided an excellent value and a great atmosphere for our event. We are both NY METS fans and love sailing so this was the ideal location to host our special day and share with our family and friends. From day one we were treated with the utmost professionalism and our host Siraj was extremely accommodating. He even allowed us to rehearse and fed our decorators prior to the wedding. The food was excellent, the service splendid and the four hour open bar kept our guests very well ?hydrated?. The entire process from selecting the venue to the reception was absolutely pain free. We would definitely house an occasion here again and highly recommend both the establishment and its management.

Pros: Atmosphere, value, professionalism, food & bar.

Cons: Parking - Part of the lot is also used by Shea Stadium & there was a lot of confusion.

Posted 08/18/08

What a wonderful experience! The reception was amazing and the food was great. Worlds Fair Marina Restaurant and Banquet Hall really knows how to plan a special day. I would only recommend this banquet hall, no other! Call them to plan your event, you will be glad you did.

Pros: Everything was perfect, just the way the Bride wanted it.

Cons: I can honestly say, there were none.

Posted 08/18/08

My fiance and I were looking for a place to throw an engagement party. We needed a place that would accommodate our needs and a staff that was eager to help us arrange the night the way we imagined. We were expecting around 200 guests so we didn't want a hall that was too small or too big. Delicious food, apt space, and friendly service were the main things we were looking for and we found it all at World's Fair Marina.
The staff was very professional, friendly, and easy to talk to. There were no glitches in their service during the party and the staff was always available for addressing our concerns. Especially the manager, Mr. Siraj, was very patient with us and addressed every phone call.
There are two halls available at this venue. The main hall on the ground floor is bigger and has stage space and dance floor, while the top floor is smaller and lacks dance floor and stage space is very limited. But I think if you have a bigger party you can probably book both floors to accommodate all your guests. There is a balcony that looks over the main hall from the top floor. We went with the main hall which was perfect size for our party. The outdoor decoration lighting on the trees also added to the party ambiance. The gazebo and the bay area was gorgeous at sunset. But they need to make a few touch-ups because it looked weathered. And they should definitely fix the fountain outside, it would make a huge difference.
The menu was diverse in taste. We chose from the vegetarian Indian menu which includes drinks and hors' dourves for the cocktail hour, appetizers, main course and desserts. We were able to taste the drinks and the dishes before we finalized them. We were more than satisfied with the menu; it was just delicious. From paani-puri and bhel to breads and paneers, the guests loved the food. If you are planning on a non-alcoholic cocktail hour, I would highly recommend the fruit-punch; it's not any ordinary drink.

Pros: Abundant parking space, friendly staff, delicious food

Posted 04/24/08

My fiancee and I had our wedding reception at the World's Fair Marina on March 28, 2008. The food was great. The service was exceptional. There were no extra or hidden costs as many banquet halls seem add on the eve of the event. The manager, Siraj, understood that this was a special day and he was very accomodating to the requests we made. Everyone invited was able to enjoy the wedding reception because Siraj took care of all the evening's logistics. I highly recommend the World Fair Marina to anyone who is planning a special event mainly because of the professionalism that manager Siraj brings to this banquet hall.

Pros: Professional Manager and Staff

Posted 04/23/08

I held my father's birthday party at the Marina in the beginning on January. I have to say that my expectations for this establishment were not high in the least. I had been to several parties there about two years back and the food was awful and the service was ok. I was very skeptical on booking the party there but we chose it for two specific reasons; budget and location. Bottom line is, its two years later and for some reason many things are better. I was hesitant about the food but Siraj the Banquet Manager was nice enough to let us have a tasting to calm my fears. Siraj was extremely pleasant and amazing to work with. The catering staff was friendly and helpful. The party went off better than i expected and everyone had a fantastic time. I have to say things would not have went as well if it weren't for Siraj's expertise in catering and events. So I have to give much thanks to Siraj and his Marina Catering Staff for an AMAZING evening! His management is extremely lucky to have someone of his caliber at their establishment.

Pros: Siraj and the Catering Staff

Cons: the owner made an extremely snide/rude comment about something

Posted 03/21/08

I don't know what happened with other reviewer?s party but I was very satisfied. I had my wedding there. The food and service was excellent. The Manager is great, because of the Manager only I booked my party there. The way he explains I was very impressed. If I open a restaurant or banquet hall definitely I will steal the Manager.

Pros: The Best Manager

Posted 01/31/08

I had my parents anniversary party here, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The service was excellent! I've attended a party here before, and what a difference. The Manager Siraj was extremely polite and catered to our special requests. Our party was memorable. I don't know what happened with the last reviewers party but I was very satisfied. I highly recommend this place. I will definitely have a future party here but only if the Manager Siraj is around.

Pros: The service was great.

Posted 01/28/08

My husband's company holiday party was here, and while we had fun - thanks to the DJ (not related to the venue), it did not live up to our expectations having driven by a thousand times (it looks so cute from the road). I should have known it would be bad, seeing their website is useless and ugly.
The food was mediocre, so much so I barely recall what was there-- "empanadas' were actually ravioli, spring rolls and samosas seemed to be the same thing but shaped differently... and they served "Italian bred". My main issue was with the bartenders, who were very busy and overwhelmed (2 for maybe 200 people???). They had major attitude, despite some generous tips early on. One bartender seemed ok, but the other rolled his eyes, threw drinks at us, and at one point, after we'd been waiting for 10 or 15 minutes, told us the bar was closed for the speeches. So we had no drink to toast with! Even the other bartender gave the rude one a talking-to, right in front of all the guests! The staff on the floor was very friendly however... my guess is the bartenders are family of the owners or something and just did not want to be there. Additionally, the decor is very shabby and dated. It's the kind of place that if you dimmed the lights and installed a stage with a pole... well you get the idea. We were there at night in winter so could not really enjoy the view. They could also stand to update their dishes as for this holiday party the appetizer dishes were all mismatched, some plain, some with patterns and some with cherries. They ran out of glasses and started using plastic, & the busboy came with a cart of glasses and loaded them on the bar right where everyone was vying for the bartenders attention. Lastly, the order of the night was odd, & I am not sure if this was the venue's fault... usually the speeches are done during dinner, it keeps people's mouths full so they don't talk over the speakers & allows more time for dancing. In any case... DO NOT GO HERE!

Pros: Maybe the price? I dunno

Cons: Ugly place, ugly people

Posted 12/16/07

I don't know if this is a different wedding hall then the one the other reviewer wrote about. World's Fair Marina Restaurant and Banquet Hall made my wedding the best wedding ever. The food was FANTASTIC, the service impeccable, the family who ran it made me feel like I was part of their family. I had a small wedding for an indian wedding (~200 people), but every last guest had an amazing time. I highly recommend this place without hesitation, and am sorry that the other reviewer had such a bad experience here-- it must've been a fluke, or a different restaurant!

Pros: The food, ample parking, service was great

Cons: probably not great for parties >400 people.. would be a bit crowded.

Posted 06/25/06

I am generally not one who criticizes. The food was alright, but their manager is the most horrible "manager" alive. He unreasonably shouted at guests who went in the wrong door, he waved his finger in my guest's faces and told them to leave. I paid 15000 to have a party there, this guy had the nerve to do this?? Parking there was horrendous, absolutely horrendous. Shea stadium police were not properly given notice of my party and everything got screwed up. I paid for a party that would run from 7:30-12:30, people got there at 8:45 complaining that police wouldn't allow them in. If you're going to have a party here, tell the rude manager to stay out of it and talk directly to the owner. The manager will smile for the few minutes RIGHT before you sign on the dotted line, then he turns into the wicked witch of the EAST. I would advise you to have a party elsewhere. NOT at this establishment. Faltu. I told the manager "50% of my guests aren't able to come" he says to me "Dont talk to me, I dont know you, dont talk to me, go back to your party"... I am not exaggerating, he literally caused a scene at a party. THE MANAGER!!!!! ahh sorry about this rant, but i wanted to warn you, dont go to a place where the manager thinks he's better than his guests. It doesn't work out. Parking was the biggest hassle ever!

Pros: Navrattan Korma was good

Cons: The manager (he didn't make my guests feel comfort

Posted 06/17/06