BE AWARE OF EXTRA FEE…read more
Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing overall. For a small, family-owned restaurant, we expected a much warmer and more welcoming atmosphere. One of the reasons we enjoy supporting locally owned restaurants is that personal, hospitable touch, but unfortunately we didn't feel that here.
The service felt very transactional: basically, "give me your order, here is your food," and that was it. Our waitress wasn't particularly welcoming or attentive and seemed to be doing the bare minimum. We weren't expecting anyone to entertain us, but a little friendliness and hospitality would have made a big difference.
As for the food, the pizza was disappointing. The dough was much too thick for our taste. The Pasta Diavola, however, was very good and was definitely the highlight of the meal.
The biggest issue came when we received our bill and noticed an unexpected 5% operations/administrative fee. We did not see this fee disclosed anywhere before ordering. It wasn't about the few dollars, we were genuinely curious about what the fee was for and asked the manager why the restaurant doesn't simply increase its menu prices by 5% instead.
The manager explained that the fee helps cover rising expenses such as electricity, gas and other operating costs. When we asked why those expenses weren't simply incorporated into the menu prices, she told us that increasing the prices would mean they would have to pay more taxes. (?)
What made the situation particularly uncomfortable was that we were not rude or confrontational. We weren't demanding that the fee be removed, accusing anyone of anything, or asking for something for free. We were genuinely just trying to understand a charge on our bill. Unfortunately, the manager seemed increasingly irritated as we continued asking for clarification, and what should have been a simple conversation became unnecessarily tense. Honestly, the whole thing could have been handled so differently. I feel like a manager should be able to answer questions about a charge on the bill without making customers feel uncomfortable for asking.
To her credit, she ended up removing one appetizer from our bill, which we appreciated. In fact, we added the amount she took off our bill to the gratuity for our waitress, because we weren't looking to save money or get a discount. But that was never what this was about. It wasn't about $5 or getting something for free, it was about the principle and transparency. If there is an additional mandatory fee, we would simply like to know about it before ordering and understand what we are paying for.
We completely understand that running a restaurant is expensive and costs have gone up. We have no problem paying appropriate prices for good food and service. I would much rather see the actual cost reflected in the menu prices, or at minimum have an additional fee clearly disclosed upfront. As customers, I think it's reasonable to ask about an additional charge, especially when we weren't aware of it beforehand.
What left the worst impression was ultimately being told not to come back. That was honestly surprising considering the entire conversation started because we asked for clarification about a fee on our bill. Being told not to come back left a much worse impression than the fee itself.
The funny part is, I actually would have come back to try more dishes and probably brought friends/family with us because there were other things on the menu I wanted to try... but we were told not to come back. So I guess that decision was made for us!
If you're looking for a warm, family-owned Italian restaurant experience, I personally would choose Cranelli's instead. We've been going there for a while and have consistently had a much better experience. The location is so much nicer, the ambiance is warm and inviting, and the whole place just feels more welcoming. The owner personally walks around, talks to customers, checks on almost every table and genuinely seems to care whether everyone is enjoying their meal. That's the kind of personal hospitality we love about supporting a family-owned restaurant. It's a very different feeling from having a manager appear annoyed simply because you asked questions about a charge on your bill.