Oy. I've been to Eclipse several times, and have always enjoyed delicious, unique meals. Last night was an exception.
I was looking forward to finally reviewing this local favorite, and went with a group of friends - some of whom had been before, others who'd heard rave reviews. Our experience was so bizarre I really wasn't sure how to write a cogent review, so I'll try to evaluate Eclipse instead, fairly, based on all the times I've dined there.
The place is cosy, the menu extensive but a little pricey, and the service usually unremarkable. They always seem to be slammed on evenings & weekends, but my husband and I have enjoyed a few quiet lunches there at off-times. Great to have something unique in the neighborhood.
Despite a bad experience, I'll be back & will update.
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Now for the saga of last night:
We were seated and inhaled the warm atmosphere and delectable aromas that filled the room; the perfect escape from a dreary November evening.
We ordered drinks, pita, chili paste & hummus to share, and for me the matze soup; we also gave our main orders, and things began to go downhill from there. My companions complained their beer was warm but drank it anyway - we were there to have a good time, after all! My maracujaschorle was delicious and cold, for the record :)
We waited 50 minutes for our hummus & pita and my soup, and when they finally arrived they were accompanied by an appetizer we soon realized belonged to another table - and our order of chili paste was missing. My soup, usually a highlight for me at Eclipse - although I know deep down I'm paying nearly 5 EUR for a bowl of chicken broth, it's always irresistibly seasoned and a rare treat here in Munich - last night consisted of a centimeter of flavorless, lukewarm liquid, and a few rock-hard uncooked matze balls. After crunching through 2 of the balls I flagged down our server and let him know that I couldn't eat the soup, unfortunately, and to please take it back. He did, without comment. I guess there's a first time for everything, and last night was the first time I sent back a dish at a restaurant.
We also inquired about the mysterious appetizer on our table, and our missing chili paste - our server looked confused and disappeared again. 20 minutes later we decided to just eat the appetizer in front of us, and may the devil take the hindmost! 10 minutes after that, our chili paste showed up.
We happily munched our way through the (excellent) humus and chili paste, enjoyed the final scraps of hot, fresh pita, and looked around at our empty plates. At some point we were able to flag down another server and order a second round of drinks, inquiring again about our main course. More time passed, and then some more.
At the 1 hour, 45 minute mark we decided we all just needed to go home, it wasn't worth it to wait any longer for our dinners - we'd filled up on beverages and the appetizer that had randomly arrived at our table anyway. When we were finally able to flag down the host we engaged in an uncomfortable discussion about canceling our dishes. She said it would be "only 10 more minutes" and brushed off our complaints, heading back to the kitchen. 10 minutes later she re-emerged to say canceling all 5 of our entrées would be "very problematic" for them, and it would be "only 2 more minutes" before at least a few of our dishes would be ready. A friend asked politely if he could speak with the manager, and after a brief challenge the host left to get her.
At this point, the experience began to shift. The manager apologized immediately and offered to "make it right" however possible. As we had ordered simple dishes, and Eclipse is very often at least as busy as it was last night, we asked if something were going wrong; she intimated that indeed they'd had computer problems, delivery issues, etc. and again apologized for what had become a negative experience for all of us. We had noticed several frustrated tables around us had also not yet received their meals, so we weren't the only ones feeling the impact. We confirmed we'd just like to cancel our meals and pay our bill.
5 minutes later the host reappeared, this time apologetic and gracious, bearing little desserts for each of us and offering schnapps or coffee. The dessert itself was not particularly delicious, but a very sweet gesture and a testament to Eclipse that we were able to end the evening smiling. We declined additional treats and asked again for the check.
We waited another 20 minutes, enough time to finish our desserts and get anxious, before we could get her attention a final time and remind her we'd like to pay. We left plenty of cash so we wouldn't have to endure another delay to get change, and made our escape.
TL;DR: A funky, cool place to eat delicious, unusual food - but expensive considering the simplicity of most of their dishes. They are often very busy and service can suffer. read more