02/28/09

They Ruined Our Valentine's Day!

by ScottLAXJFK

Made 8pm reservations for Valentine's Day weeks in advance. Arrived at the restaurant at 7:50pm to find the lobby literally shoulder to shoulder with at least 25 perplexed and frustrated people forming a makeshift line at the maitre d stand. Each of these people had reservations and were simply waiting to be acknowledged so they could notify the host that they were present. After waiting 20 minutes, the host had acknowledged 4, yes four, of the 25+ people in line. The bar area was in a similar state, with people waiting endlessly for a table after having checked in. When frustrated people began to question what was going on as the host worked his way through the crowd still ignoring the masses of people, he simply started barking that customers have been taking too long at the tables. It was VALENTINES DAY, of course people will be taking their time. The truth is the restaurant overbooked itself, mismanaged the crowd, and was incredibly rude to the people who entrusted this establishment with a very important dinner. In the end, we joined the many couples who left in disgust at situation, having waited patiently in line for over 30 minutes simply to be greeted by the host.

The Bottom Line: Do NOT entrust this place with an important event. It is poorly managed and the level of rudeness is second only to a commercial airline.

• Pros: Beautiful place
• Cons: Poor service, poor management, beyond rude

06/02/08

Looks nice from the outside but is terrible place to eat.

by swedefood

we went there on a sunday for dinner, I had been driving past this place many times and it really looks nice from the outside. once we got in the host, which also later turnev out to be the manager came up to us very slowy. He was not happy to see some customers walk in it seemed like. He took us to our table and proceeded to sit by the party of 2 girls seated next to our table. The palace was pretty much empty, us, the manager and his girls and a table of 4. It took the waiter 10 minutes to get our drinks and the food came out after 45 MINUTES!!! The food was not special other than the fact that my wife had some black HAIR in her salad. When we told the waiter he walked away and told the manger at the table next to us. The manager approached us and was very arrogant. He said that he would remove the salad from the bill. I told him to leave it and that I will pay for it. He came back and dropped the bill...no apologize or regrets or being sorry!! The table that had 4 people, had to get up several times to get water or drinks from the bar, their waiter were no where to be seen. They were also complaining about the service. The food was bad (my seafood pasta was tasteless and greasy) and the service was terrible, I have had better service at "Jack in the box". Will never go back here.

• Pros: Nice from the outside
• Cons: Food, Service, expensive for what you get

01/25/08

Can't judge a book by its cover

by valueman

This place looks nice from the outside, and the bar area is pretty...but the food doesn't live up to the expectation of the courtyard or the setting. The drinks were 'overpriced'...the 'chilean sea bass' tasted like a fried piece of white fish with no seasoning or anything to make it stand out. It was an expensive meal (dinner for 2 was $128- with one drink!) and nothing to write home about. The only redeeming quality about the otherwise unimpressive server, was her Selma Hayek-sized breasts. Which, of course, is why she was hired.

• Pros: Quiet warm ambience.
• Cons: Pricey, poor value for the quality of food and service

10/14/07

Villa Piacere - what a disappointment!!!

by famshrink

I went to Villa Piacere on Friday Night for my birthday. What a disappointment. I used to eat there quite frequently a few years ago and the food and service was excellent. Friday (10/12/07) night I found that they not only changed the dressing on my favorate salad to what tasted like pure vinagar, but the baked potato was small and over cooked, we ordered it with "the works" (bacon, cheese, butter, etc.) and they forgot to included it with the meal. When I asked for it they sent out some cold chopped bacon and some rather unappealingly chopped cheese, no butter. The brocolli serving was sparse and dry. The rib eye stake however was I had was quite good. I am quite disappointed. Lastly my girlfrieds martini was $11. I'm not much of a drinker but that seems high. Are they under new management?

• Pros: Great steak.
• Cons: The rest of the meal, potato, salad, vegie. Very loud!!!