We arrived about 15 minutes early for our reservation and waited several minutes without being greeted. The inside is fairly small, so I understand why there may not have been a traditional hostess stand, but regardless, no one acknowledged us or let us know what was going on. Several bartenders and servers saw us, and while one waiter briefly said hello, no one checked us in or offered to find someone who could help. After a few minutes, I went toward the back to find a staff member, while another person in my party went toward the middle of the restaurant to get the host's attention. The host asked if we had been checked in, and when my sister explained that we hadn't been helped yet, she told us to go back and wait in the front. Her tone came across as somewhat condescending, and we weren't given any information about our reservation or how long we would be waiting. While we waited, we all noticed the host whispering to a server, who then looked directly at us. I don't want to assume what they were discussing, but given the interaction we'd just had, seeing her whisper to the server and then having the server look directly at us made the situation feel awkward and unprofessional.
We eventually decided to wait outside, and about five minutes later, the host came out and seated us right at our reservation time. There were plenty of open seats on the patio, where we were ultimately seated, so it felt like we could have simply been acknowledged when we arrived and given some basic information about our reservation. Our server was friendly, but unfortunately, the service was minimal. He only checked on us a couple of times throughout the meal. We later found out that the host who talked to my sister was actually the co-owner of the restaurant, which made the experience more disappointing. I was taken aback by the lack of professionalism, especially seeing her repeatedly whispering with staff directly in front of us. Again, I can't say what was being discussed, but regardless, I don't think that type of interaction creates a very professional impression for someone representing their own restaurant.
To me, it doesn't really matter how good the food is if the service is poor. Service can make or break an entire dining experience, and unfortunately, the food wasn't particularly impressive either, so there wasn't much to redeem the experience. For the price, I expected a lot more in terms of both the quality of the food and the overall experience.
I understand the restaurant was busy, especially around the bar. However, the biggest issue was the lack of communication and professionalism throughout the experience. We were there celebrating a birthday, and unfortunately, it wasn't what we had hoped for. Overall, there are plenty of places where I'd rather spend this kind of money and receive both good food and service. I hope they take this feedback seriously and work toward creating a more welcoming and professional experience for their guests. I'm not leaving this review simply to criticize or tear down the restaurant, but I do think businesses should be open to honest feedback and use it as an opportunity to improve. I hope they are able to take the feedback in that spirit. Aloha. read more