Gareth B.
Google
Treated like trash if you don't flash your cash
Didn't see a menu or our table for almost an hour, even with a reservation, while other people got seated ahead of us.
Visited Sakhalin on 02.01.2025, having made a reservation for 19:00 weeks in advance for me and my partner. We arrived at the front desk at 19:05, handed our coats to the clerk and got told to wait for our table to be ready (we requested a table away from the window when booking due to my fear of heights).
After around 20 minutes of waiting and several parties being seated ahead of us we asked what was happening, a host said we would be seated soon and all of the parties being seated before us had put deposits on their tables. So your reservation means nothing to them if someone else comes in and waves a bit of money in their face. 10 minutes later at 19:35 we were finally taken inside but guided to the bar, not our table, to sit and wait since our table was still not ready, and we were provided with complimentary glasses of wine.
We asked for a menu in English since only one of us speaks Russian, the host said they would be back with it momentarily. 5 minutes later we flagged down a server to ask for the menu again. Another 5 minutes passed, now 19:45 we had seen no sight of the host or the menu & we decided to wait a few more minutes before giving up.
At 19:50 we left the bar and the free drinks, without seeing a menu or our table almost an hour after our reservation. Back at the front desk we got apologies from the hosts but no attempt to act on the situation, until we put our coats back on and a manager appeared saying our table was magically ready as we were about to step into the elevator. By that point we were done, with the experience ruined and no desire to hand over our money to people who treat us with such contempt.
Nothing is worth the wasted time and embarrassment we encountered. Michelin star or not.