J. Aquino
Google
I want to preface my review with this: if you want to come here for a date night, I would highly recommend. The food is great. The ambiance is charming.
The following review is for my birthday celebration I had in March. There is a serious disconnect between their online booking system, whoever manages their social media, and management. I specifically wanted to be seated inside (their outside seating has been converted from their parking lot- not bad but does not match the ambiance and charm of inside) I wanted to book for 6 pm but their online system would only permit me to have a party of 25 inside if the dinner was earlier 5pm so I edited my reservation accordingly. I had been in touch on and off with the person who manages their Instagram and I specifically asked them if they could handle large parties of 20 or more. They said Yes, and I let them know I booked a party of 25 at 5pm so I could have the party inside which their online system let me do to which they replied "Great! See you then!"
3 days before my birthday celebration, I received a call from the Manager and asked me to give him a call back regarding my event. It was here that things took a downward turn. He started by telling my party had to be outdoors because there was no way they could accommodate a party of 25 inside. This was disappointing because I specifically booked my party earlier to have it inside, which their reservation app let me do, which I also confirmed with their Instagram account via DM's. He then asked me if we were ordering a la carte or family style. I replied 'Likely a la carte' to which he replied. 'No, we cannot do à la carte with a party that big. My kitchen would not be able to handle and that it must be family style, like a 'few pizzas and salads' Okay... But if I do not have the option of à la carte... WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU NOT JUST STATE THAT TO BEGIN WITH?! He also said only ONE check for the entire party. He offered to meet me the Friday before the party to go over the menu options, to which I agreed.
I meet this Manager on Friday afternoon before their dinner open. I am thinking he will have some sort of set menu for me for my party or specific suggestions, but he does not. Instead, he hands me the menu to look over (I could have done this online...) I ask how do I order family style when the restaurant isn't optimized for that (except for their pizzas) and was then advised to order multiples of things (was not given recommendation or options for these multiple menu items’ ... and to have that makeshift set menu ready at the start of the party so he could prepare the kitchen. I reiterated there was a disconnect between their online reservations and social media Manager, as I communicated and confirmed to both indoor seating, to which he responded unapologetically that he could not have a party 'that big' inside. I left very sad. Instead of trying to make this a lovely birthday celebration, these conversations were centered around how I needed to make the dinner party as easy as possible for the staff and impressed upon me that my party of 25 was more of a burden to the restaurant and it was on ME to make things easy for them. I would have changed venues, but it was the day before the event and everyone notified, it was too late to change venues. I wanted to cry after I left. I had been so sick for my last two birthdays, so this year I wanted to do something special.
I want to be fair, and will state the actual dinner party itself was lovely. The Manager whom I had dealt with was out unexpectedly that night. I was relieved he wasn't there. The Manager who took charge of my birthday was friendly, professional and kind, which I very much appreciated. My Server was great, and so was the staff assisting with the party. I am just sad and disappointed as to how I was treated beforehand, and to come into the restaurant thinking we were a burden. That’s a terrible way to start a celebration, and I hope they reconsider how they handle large parties.