I recently visited Huckleberry's in North Natomas for the first time, and unfortunately, my experience was quite disappointing. We wouldn't have normally chosen this restaurant, but it was a going-away breakfast for a family member, and we had a party of eight. Prior to our arrival, we had high hopes for a good dining experience, especially since we had never been to Huckleberry's before and noticed it had a 3.7-star rating across 640 reviews. Sadly, I was mistaken.
Despite having a large number of staff--approximately 18 people visible in the dining area, which seemed like a ratio of two customers per staff member--the service felt chaotic and disorganized. There was no dedicated server for our table, which made it hard to know who to ask for assistance. It didn't help that the rest of our group arrived early and ordered before we got there, likely adding to the confusion among the staff. The dining area itself was messy, with tables not being cleared promptly and a general sense of disorder that contributed to the overall feeling of disarray during our visit.
As a vegan, I made sure to clearly communicate my dietary restrictions, specifically asking for no cheese or eggs. I also requested that the kitchen be creative and add extra veggies to my dish. The server assured me that this was possible, as the kitchen had accommodated similar requests before. However, what I received was far from satisfactory. Instead of a flavorful, customized meal, I was served a plate of fried potato dices with just a smidge of veggies. For $16.99, this felt unacceptable, and the flavor was bland and overly oily.
My wife ordered a waffle topped with strawberries, but she found the waffle to be average and not as delicious as she had hoped. The strawberries didn't taste fresh; they seemed to be bathed in a sugary syrup rather than having a natural flavor. Disappointed with the dish, she ended up pushing the strawberries aside, wishing it had been served with freshly sliced fruit instead.
Surprisingly, our server never asked if we wanted any drinks. I probably would have ordered a coffee if prompted, and another member of our party also mentioned wanting a drink but was never offered one. We were given waters, at least, but it felt like a missed opportunity for both a better experience and additional revenue for the restaurant.
Overall, the experience could have been more enjoyable if the meals had been prepared with more customization, care, and finesse. Having caffeine or tea might have improved our mood, but we didn't get that chance. Unfortunately, Huckleberry's missed out on a return customer, as we won't be going back, and we'll make sure others know about our experience too. While one star feels too low, two stars reflect our overall dissatisfaction. read more