Food was ok but overpriced. Service was good. Be aware of 5% "experience fee" on your check.

The yelp community seems to have mixed feelings about Leu Leu. We took a chance and were not sorry. I can only speak for myself and my family but I have to say the experience we had was superb. Natalie, our waitress, was an absolute sweetheart. She and the rest of the staff took amazing care of us. Their hospitality was truly top notch. Took a few minutes for us to get seated but the courtyard was very nice. We sat under this cool old tree on a beautiful evening. We started with a bottle of wine and some small bites and apps. The pan con tomate was so delicate. The rip and dip with red pepper and toum spreads was one of our favorites of the night. The dips were unbelievable flavorful and well executed, the bread was very good, and the house pickles were awesome. Could have eaten that dish 3 times over. Also had the crudo which was a bit on the small side but the sauces were just unreal. Came with jalisco style toastadas, which are by far my favorite kind of tostada and one which I've never seen used at a restaurant. Nice touch! Finally, we had the rock crab ceviche which was so nice and refreshing and really well done. For mains we had the lamb shank and the duck confit. Really really enjoyed the lamb shank. Fall off the bone tender and with a great sauce. Also really liked the mushroom pickle thing they had going on. The duck was good, really liked the sauce, but not quite as impressive as all of the other dishes. Lastly, we had a passion fruit sundae with sesame miso caramel which was tangy and nutty and delicious. Overall great experience. Super excited to have Leu Leu in the neighborhood. Will definitely be coming back with my wife and some more of our friends. read more

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Leu Leu is a gem in the Encinitas food experience. From the start, the hostess was very friendly and the ambiance is relaxed but has a subtle speakeasy vibe that makes it feel special. A big shoutout to our server, Natalie--she walked us through the entire menu with great detail, making sure any allergies were accounted for while also pointing out her personal favorites. She was friendly, funny, and genuinely made the night more enjoyable. The rest of the staff was just as welcoming--prompt service, perfectly paced dishes, and always a smile when food and drinks arrived. Drinks-wise, Leu Leu doesn't serve cocktails but offers a solid wine list, local beers, and a refreshing Aperol Spritz mocktail. I went with an IPA while my girlfriend had the spritz--both excellent choices. Now, to the food - Marinated Castelvetrano Olives A standout snack. The tapenade-style marinade added a rich, savory twist. Leu Leu's Fabergé Egg | A unique play on beef tartare--crisp breading, flavorful tartare, and nori sheets to wrap it all up. Creative and delicious. Bluefin Tuna Crudo | An absolute must-order. The tuna was unbelievably fresh, and the lemongrass-coconut marinade was bright and balanced. The housemade tostadas made the perfect base. Crispy Chicken | Another must-order. Generous portion, perfectly crispy, with a tikka masala-style sauce that packs just the right heat. 14oz Pibil Lamb Shank | Rich, tender, and deeply flavorful. A hearty dish that's worth sharing. It's a pricier night out but honestly, for the quality of the food, portion sizes, and level of service, it feels justified. This isn't your everyday dinner spot--it's a place for a date night, special celebration, or even just a pre-dinner drink and appetizer if you want to get a taste of the experience. For two beers, a mocktail, and five dishes, our total came to about $200 before tip. Highly recommend Leu Leu. Thoughtful service, incredible food, and an atmosphere that feels both fun and elevated. read more

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After blowing up on instagram I fell for the hype and went last week. Overall it was a mixed experience. Starting with the hostess- she spent a while tapping away at the iPad after informing her we had a reservation. Finally she said, oh we have your table inside and tonight we have a DJ which we ask you to pay $20 for. Ok well we did not know about the DJ nor did we have preference on seating since it was the only reservation available. After a few awkward beats she said ...or you can sit outside (which we preferred). I thought it was weird that the place was booked solid but there was room to move us around. The food was actually really tasty- the crudo in tiger's milk was the highlight- but the crispy chicken and shrimp rolls were good too. Wine were small pours. Overall there was a general sleaziness to the place with all the upselling. There's a section of add ons on the menu that could only be ordered if you got one of the main dishes (example: if you got the $27 bread and dip service, then you can order extra bread or another dip for an addl cost vs just getting a small dip or bread on the side- not allowed). read more

Leu Leu - Crudo - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

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So disappointed because I was very excited to try this spot. Showed up for our reservation with friends visiting from out of town for the holidays, and the hostess casually informs us they're out of every dish on the menu and every appetizer... except chicken. I'm sorry...excuuse me?! No explanation, just a vague "issue in the kitchen." The whole thing felt very off -- super strange vibes -- and we were left scrambling to find another place on the spot. If you can't serve your menu or honor reservations, why bother taking them? At the very least give a frank explanation as to what happened. Somehow though I have a feeling this isn't the first time this has happened. Never again. read more

Vibes vibes vibes. This place is built on em. The decor, lighting, and live dj create a comfy/moody lounge you'd love to hang in for hours. The service is attentive, accommodating, and friendly, plus Natalie gave us a great rundown of the full menu, which includes some very tasty wines. The food itself certainly wasn't bad but leaves plenty to be desired. The crab tostada was especially over seasoned which was a shame because it seemed quite fresh. All in all, this is closer to a 3.5 than a 4, certainly glad we checked it out, and hopeful the food will improve. read more

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So my daughter surprised me & brought me here (on a Thursday evening) for an early Mother's Day celebration. She made a reservation a week in advance, after she heard me say this was an up and coming spot and I wanted to try this place out. We were seated inside. Our waiter, Alec was very knowledgeable, provided excellent recommendations, was attentive and welcoming!! We started with the rip and dip 50/50 (whipped feta and pistachio dukkha) served with artisan bread and vegetables in escabeche and crudite, so delish and enough leftover to try with our main dishes. We also ordered the tuna crudo and oh so fresh & flavorful!! After we had our fill, we ordered our mains. My daughter got the pibil lamb shank, served with calypso beans, wild mushroom pickles and corn tortillas. It was flavorful and this one is good for sharing or if you come with a big appetite go for it!! As for me I had the Baja sea bass shawarma, that was paired with a spicy tomato sauce and olive and cucumber salad and ((ohhh maaah gaaah)) I could eat that everyday, it was perfection and my favorite of the two!! I thoroughly enjoyed everything about my dining experience at Leu Leu!! The restaurant is very quaint and beautifully decorated. The service was excellent, friendly and pleasant. The food!!!! So fresh, healthy, flavorful & delicious! This will be one of my all time favorite restaurants and I highly recommend it. If I can give it 10 stars, I would!! Hoping we can get a selfie with Chef Zepeda next time. read more

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Fun place. Nice vibe. Pretty loud inside. Ceviche was unique and amazing. Enjoyed the olives. The burrata was served on a thick pita covered in Za'atar. A ton of it. Way too much. Inedible actually. The shrimp toast was so so. . read more

I was looking forward to trying Leu Leu since it opened. Unfortunately I missed the time when chef Zapetta was running the kitchen as it has since changed hands and the menu is much smaller. I was worried based on some recent reviews that the service would be lacking and I was very pleasantly surprised that we had excellent service. We were seated right away, never rushed and followed up with a few times. The food was a bit of a miss. The rip and dip bread was great from Praeger brothers, but the dips were not great. The steak tartare was completely drowned in pomegranate molasses and cloyingly sweet and hard to eat. The ceviche was decent. Lots of herby flavor, nothing special though. The lemon chicken soup was delicious. The first hit of the night. Then the whole Market fish was also very good. I liked the lemon caper orzo side and the 2 ways the fish was prepared. Again it was heavy on the herbs but good. Desert was a little cake and ice cream. Again nothing special. Overall I was a bit disappointed with the meal. It's expensive for what you're getting and nothing was a standout to make me want to return. read more

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Came into this restaurant expecting Mexican food and we were completely disappointed by the lack of flavor in each dish, not to mention the dismal service and attention from our waitress. It was not till the end of the awful meal that we learned it was a "Mexican Fusion Inspired" concept, unfortunately we had not fully read the description posted in Yelp. All in all the only decent thing there was the sparkling water, which we had selected! read more

Sadly underwhelmed. Made birthday reservations and was hoping to enjoy a memorable meal, but left hungry. The bread and hummus - fine, nothing spectacular. Olives - standard issue. Salad - ok, dressing was lovely, but all the textures were confusing. Was not offered a glass of complimentary sparkling wine as mentioned on IG, but that was fine as I do not drink, so I had a n/a sparkling rose (and was charged). Ordered the meatballs and they came to us cold. Our server offered a "possible" discount and offered to heat them up, but we sat next to the service door and heard the microwave throughout our dinner so we declined. My boyfriend proceeded to eat the three meatballs while waiting for his meal -the chicken, and we were paying for them so... Ordered the chicken and had it boxed because of the time it took. The server/manager offered the reason that it takes longer for the chicken (although no mention of it when we ordered it). Upon arriving home we opened up the chicken which is literally chicken tenders and packed in a tiny box smothered in sauce and sitting in oil. Not sure what the wait was for. Bummed as this was a night celebrating my birthday and now home eating popcorn. MEH read more

Leu Leu - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

I've been here several times since they opened, and it feels like they're still figuring out the direction of the restaurant. It started as more of a Baja Mexican concept and now leans toward a Mediterranean-style wine bar. Overall, the food is solid. We especially loved the crispy chicken so much that we ordered two. The ambiance is also great, and the live DJ adds a really fun energy to the space. That said, if the restaurant wants to position itself as a wine-focused concept with a wine club, flights, etc., I do think wine education for the staff is important. I ordered the wine flight and asked what grape the white wine was made from since it hadn't been explained, and the server responded with the producer instead. I didn't want to embarrass her at all, but if you're offering curated wine flights, the staff should ideally know the basics of the wines being poured. The flight included wines like Cava, red Sancerre (Pinot Noir), and Grüner Veltliner, and being able to speak confidently about those wines feels pretty essential in a wine-driven restaurant, especially when helping tables choose a bottle. Maybe I'm being a bit nitpicky, but to me that's a pretty critical part of the experience. Overall, I still enjoy coming here and think the space has a lot of potential. Also... can we please fix the wine glasses - they were so unenjoyable to drink out of. They literally made no sense either. No one likes drinking out of a short stubby wine glass. read more

I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. I love that this place exists in Leucadia - it's a much needed part of the food scene in Encinitas. The restaurant is beautiful (I prefer inside) and the service is terrific. The menu is innovative but also delicious. My only gripes are that the Faberge egg was way overdone, and I found the Rip and Dip to be gimmicky. The spring rolls were a surprise hit! We stayed late and never felt rushed. Looking forward to going back. read more

I want to start off by saying Gray was extremely kind and attentive to our table despite not being our server. We traveled more than thirty minutes to come and dine here and were excited to try a new place. The experience we were charged 5% for was disappointing. We ordered the Chef's Dip Choice and were offered more pita bread to finish off the extra humus that was left over. We were pleasantly surprised by the offer thinking it was made in good faith and then they brought us a second serving of bread we hadn't asked for and we were surprised but accepting until the check came showing that we were charged for the extra bread that was offered to us.... It's a good idea to disclose the fact that the extra bread will be an additional charge. After we paid the bill we were finishing up conversation and waiting in line to use the only bathroom when a waitress we hadn't seen all night came up to our table and said our time was up and we needed to leave because there were people waiting and no tables open. But on our way out not only did we not see anyone waiting but there were multiple empty tables. It left a bad taste in our mouth and was not a great way to end the experience. read more

Food great. Vibes great. Dj was fun. Service was terrible. Slowwwww. Nice people just at a snails pace.

Food was great but very overpriced. My bad review is a reflection of the service/atmosphere. We were sitting on the patio and a rat popped up multiple times then when we told our waitress and busser they made a joke of it and put a pot over it. They didn't offer to move us or anything to acknowledge that this is a very upsetting situation. If we weren't eating somewhere where the hot dishes start at $40 maybe, we would be a bit more understanding. Additionally, our waitress said that we should get 3 cold items and 2-3 hot items for 2 of us. Thank goodness we looked at pictures online to see that would be WAY to much food... it seemed liked she was just trying to get us to overspend. We ended up splitting the chicken, rip and dip and side cucumber and tomato salad and it was the perfect amount. The food and vibe is cute; however the lack of hospitality/service has me not wanting to revisit this spot. There's something about the fear that a rat is about to run over your foot during dinner that is a bit distracting... read more

33$ for 5 tiny pieces of pasta. We spent 600$ and left hungry. The food was all tasty and the ambiance was great, but the prices for the portions was outrageous. read more

Well , quite disappointed. Let's start with the steak tartare that looked like maggots on a piece of bread. The French would be horrified to see/eat this abomination. The first dish we got was not enough to share, and they were a little stingy with water glasses, plates, silverware until I asked for that. The desert was great, but not impressed at all with the other dishes. The place is nice but I didn't know Ms zapata was no longer cooking there. The prices aren't bad; they don't carry any interesting non alcoholic drinks read more

Great service, awesome foods, the hummus and the feta dip were amazing, super fresh ceviche, very flavorful beef tartar. A good wine list. Live music. Overall a great dining experience. read more

I'm not sure what has happened at Leu Leu Leucadia since their impressive opening, but sadly, this is no longer the same exceptional restaurant we once experienced. When my daughter and I arrived for what was meant to be a celebratory evening, we were told we needed to place our entire order immediately. We obliged, but kindly asked that the courses be paced, as we had planned to enjoy multiple dishes from each section of the menu. Our challenged server, Natalie, explained they were short-staffed--leaving our meal to be rushed out in rapid succession and subsequently a bag full of to go food. Within just 75 minutes, we were served five menu items and a full bottle of wine--hardly the leisurely dining experience we anticipated. The food itself, once an A+, was this time no better than a C+. Was it the staffing shortage? Has the chef changed? Whatever the reason, the quality simply wasn't there. Unfortunately, the night went from disappointing to downright insulting. About an hour and fifteen minutes into our meal, a young woman--later shared to have been the chef's daughter--approached our table mid-conversation and said: "I'm sorry for interrupting, but we have someone waiting for this table and we need to ask you to leave." This, despite the restaurant being only half full, the waiting party being just four people, and several available tables nearby. We had been seated in one of only two booths due to my daughter's ADA needs, but again there were more than enough seating options to accommodate the waiting guests. Meanwhile, a large family in the other booth, who had been there at least 30-45 minutes longer than us, was not asked to leave--though they departed shortly after, freeing up space for the waiting party. My daughter, now uncomfortable, quickly finished her wine and left. I stayed behind to speak with someone about the situation, hoping for an apology or at least an attempt to make things right. Instead, I was met with dismissiveness--both Natalie and one of the owners, Jason Janecek, accused me of being "aggressive" and offered nothing in the way of resolution (*important to note, our meal was eventually refunded that evening but this was after a lengthy, and very unnecessary, back and forth with said owner). From start to finish, the evening was poorly handled, lacking in both hospitality and basic courtesy--something I never would have expected from Leu Leu Leucadia based on our first experience. read more

Leu Leu - Meal refund - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

Fantastic meal. One of my favorite in a while. The music was so good I downloaded Shazam to keep track of what she was spinning on the turn tables. Loved the soup, Frito misto, rip and dip, ceviche, branzino. Incredible wine list and Sangria! Natalie did a great job as our waitress, very informative and descriptive about the menu. If you live locally you must go. Bathroom even had candies :) read more

Had dinner at Leu Leu. Tried the credo, sea bass and lamb shank. All were really well prepared and flavorful. Menu is an interesting mix of items on a smaller menu, but works. Really chill atmosphere and easygoing staff. Music playing indoors and a patio dining experience. Not your normal restaurant vibe and styling. Would definitely return. read more

This was my second visit to Leu Leu's. My first time was during opening weekend, and while it didn't quite hit the mark, I saw some potential and was hopeful things would improve. I really wanted to give it another shot. There's a lot to like about the experience: the atmosphere is beautiful. The service has also been consistently attentive and friendly. Their wine selection is solid and complements the ambiance well. Unfortunately, the food continues to fall short. We ordered several dishes and found that most were overwhelmingly salty. The rip and dip, garden salad, and chicken karaage were all far too heavily seasoned, to the point of being difficult to enjoy. The shrimp taquitos weren't salty, but they didn't taste particularly fresh. We paid for extra bread, and it was cleared from the table when we weren't paying attention. Ironically, the highlights of our meal were the tuna crudo and the ice cream, both of which didn't require much cooking. I sincerely want to see a great dining option thrive in North County, and I was really rooting for Leu Leu's to be that place. While there are some strong elements here, the food unfortunately just hasn't kept pace. At this point, it's probably not somewhere I'd return, but I truly hope they continue to refine and improve. read more

Every single dish was a delight! Our party of four found each dish unique and delicious - the egg, the mole, the sharma - unexpected and amazing!!! Can't wait to return! read more

I saw the mixed reviews about it being simply "vibes" but went into it with an open mind and everything we ordered did not disappoint. Extremely yummy food, perfect date night spot, interior is stunning. Great wine selection. No complaints. Exceeded our expectations and we will be back!! read more

Leu Leu - Dessert lemon cinnamon roll and sundae - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I would describe the venue and vibe as quirky. Natalie, our lovely server, was helpful and accommodating. She gave us a rundown of what to expect from each menu item. The Winter vegetable salad was fresh and full of flavor. The fried flatbread with Burrata cheese was good. Crispy chicken was good as well as the whole roasted Branzino. The music was just right with eclectic tunes from various genres and eras. There is indoor and outdoor seating as well. read more

Four things to note: 1. The space is fun. Sexy. Dimly lit. But VERY hot inside. Please install fans or an AC unit. 2. Price per the experience does not coincide. The little brunette hostess was rude and apparently doesn't know how to greet guests or smile??? Our cute, little female, blonde surfer vibe server was clueless. Her run down about the food and wine was a huge fail (recommended the most expensive wine without knowing anything about it). 3. If you still would like to experience Leu Leu after reading this​, do yourself a favor and book an inside table on a cooler night. Although I recently heard they charge extra to sit inside?? Wtf is that about? Pacific Coast Highway Robbery! 4. I'll speak to the food as well. Fun. Dynamic. Approachable. SPICY. But also probably too expensive for the portions and service. They literally forgot our silverware twice. Do better. ​ read more

I went to celebrate my anniversary at Leu Leu's and it was not the experience I was hoping for. We made a 5pm reservation and were the 2nd people in line as they open at 5pm. We requested to be seated inside but were told unfortunately inside reservations are never guaranteed. No problem, we took our seat in which was the 1st table by the front door. We expected a full house to justify placing us in front of the doors that kept swinging by us as we ate but the restaurant was empty. Not to mention that it was suppose to rain today and we were seated outside with no covering. Luckily it was not a problem as the rain started as we left. Our server also encouraged us to look at the restaurant inside to see how cute it was as we got seated by the front door outside looking at a view of a bush. Our server was kind but not very knowledgable of the menu and thought it would be a good idea to use a Clorox wipe to clean our table in between our dinner and dessert. Let's get on to the food. When you pay $250 for dinner you expect a certain caliber of food. We ate Spicy Pan Con Tomate, Leu Leu's Faberge Egg, Baja Yellowtail Crudo, Rock Crab Ceviche Tostada, 14oz Pibil Lamb Shank, Baja Sea Bass Shawarma, and the Vacation Mode Ice Cream. The food was fine. Some good (Baja Yellowtail Crudo, Rock Crab Ceviche Tostada, Vacation Mode Ice Cream), some bland (Lamb Shank), and some weird (Spicy Pan Con Tomate, Faberge Egg, Sea Bass Shawarma). Let's talk about that Sea Bass that had no Sea Bass. It was a falafel mix pressed into a square. The flavor was good but the texture was ......interesting. Our server described it as a Sea Bass (meat) loaf. I came excited to try a new restaurant and left disappointed. Maybe it is my bad that I thought this would be an experience that would be comparable to Animae, Callie, Kingfisher, etc. It definitely was not. read more

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Let's address the elephant in the room: Leu Leu's tiny and the primo seating is all inside in the even (tinier) space. I've seen a lot of pearl clutching about the outdoor patio ("you can see the bathroom entrance!", "the train's so loud!", "it's cold!"), my two cents? It's great! Yes, we got seated near the bathroom and it wasn't ideal, but they're trying to make do with the space they have. ‍ Yes, you can hear the train but that's true of any restaurant on the 101. ‍ All that said, the decor and vibe is thoughtful and cozy. The staff are excited to be there and seem genuinely happy to be working on Claudette's team. And the food's different and delicious! Interesting flavors, twists on familiar dishes, etc. It's refreshing to have a new and original option amidst the myriad run of the mill offerings we have in North County. I'll be back to try the rotating menu, and hopefully snag a seat inside. read more

A lovely spot with awesome tapas and a perfect vibe. XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Stellar service and great ambiance. We were lucky to get a booth table. For 3 folks we ordered the rip & dip, seasonal salad, extra veggies, Crispy chicken and garlic butter rice and bottle of wine. We left with happy tummies. The whipped feta dip is phenomenal (stick with that!). The crispy chicken was soooo good. Sad that we had to order a side of butter rice to go with it, seems like this should be part of the dish. Everything costs extra here. The veggies for our dip was extra. It's definitely expensive but the service really makes up for that. read more

Came here as a group of 6 mid-week for dinner. In order to create the impression that the restaurant was hip and busy, they made us wait over 20 minutes in the parking lot out front. When we were seated on a nearly empty dining area, we realized it was just theatrics. From that point forward the service and food were decent, but perhaps not quite polished enough to support the high prices. The dips and the Prager bread were great, but the vintage Tupperware-esque container for the pickled veggies was kind of tacky and difficult to use. And the ahi dish had a delicious sauce, but it may have paired better with albacore or yellowtail. Either way the fish was very high quality and it was a great dish. We all agreed the pibil lamb was cooked perfectly and was delicious, but the chicken dish and crab tostada were polarizing because they were so heavily spiced. The overall experience is eclectic to say the least, but they need a little work to get better integration across the menu and to improve the quality of service for the price. Making people wait in the parking lot when the restaurant is mostly empty is a terrible idea. And if the goal is to have vibrant, bold, and possibly polarizing flavors and style, they nailed it. With two bottles of wine across 6 people, our bill came out to approximately $150/person. There is a lot of great, interesting food in north county at this price point or less, so hopefully the Leu Leu staff can make the experience more worthy of the price tag. We will definitely make our way back here in the future and hope the overall experience is a little more refined. read more

Absolutely incredible. Passionate honest food. Fantastic service and even better atmosphere.

Incredible! We loved every second here. Loved the record player and all the albums such a beautiful spot. The bathroom is amazing as well. All the food was over the top, the service everything made me feel like home. We got pictures w the cheff she politely visited our table This is our fourth time eating here read more

We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived, but every dish was made with such intention and the overall experience was perfect for a casual date night as locals. We love supporting women-led businesses and will absolutely come here again! read more

Amazing!!!! The food and setting was perfect. Get a reservation and enjoy! Sharable is best as you'll want to try everything

Food ambience was good but service was slow and sloppy. And they charged a 5% experience ?!

My wife came back from a wellness vacation in Mexico raving about Chef Claudette who had made a guest appearance during her stay at the resort, and Leu Leu is her home restaurant. She did not disappoint! The fusion of Mexican and Asian flavors are so unexpected and delicious. The 2-person bar is very quaint and cozy. Hats off to Jaken at the bar which made the experience phenomenal. We will definitely be back. read more

My husband and I love Vaga, are big fans of Claudette, and were so excited about this meal. No matter how badly we wanted to like this meal, my goodness, were we underwhelmed. Food was under-seasoned, generally meh, and overall just very disappointing. Would not go back. read more

Not impressed with the limited and very eclectic menu and really, why destroy a good piece of wagu beef by turning it into a dry piece of pot roast on top of a cold salad? Crab tostada, hamachi, and brownie with ice cream were okay, but again, nothing to write home about here! With all the hype and awards being touted... I can't recommend the experience as I expected so much more. It is way overpriced, in my opinion, as well. read more