"A year ago, in June 2023, I made my first visit to La Neta Cocina y Lounge at the Epic in Deep Ellum. It had been open for six months and neighboring restaurant Komodo had opened in April, but I hadn’t yet visited the new duo of clubstaurants at the development. It was a bad experience. The service was up to par, but the music was deafeningly loud, my cocktail was so loaded down with gold leaf that it clogged up the straw, and the food was underwhelming. I was literally served a wooden board smeared with mashed potatoes that had shrimp standing up in it. Perhaps worst of all, as a party of one I was directed to sit at the bar and it smelled — like spilled body shots and employees who don’t care. I left thinking that this complex simply isn’t for me, and maybe it’s not for diners at all. It’s a place for young people who want to party with some food available — and that is fine." - Courtney E. Smith
