Valentine's

Ok, so I live in Springfield and prefer to eat the local restaurants. We have kids & my husband & myself enjoy nice dinners out alone at the many great local dining options. We have been diappointed at our 5 dining experiences here over the years. Our most recent visit for Easter brunch is the cause of never eating at this restaurant again. We had reservations (which upon getting there we didn't really need as it was over half empty) and we did have the kids with us. We kept it simple with the ""Giant waffle"" with bacon. It was a normal waffle you would expect, but one was large enough for the kids share. They ended up bringing us another tables waffles because the rest of their food was not ready. Ya for us, right? Upon spreading the butter on the waffles and pouring the ""maple"" syrup that came in little tear off the lid packages we realized how cold and already hard the waffles were. The butter didn't melt at all and the syrup (in those cheap little packages you expect at McD's & not a fine dining restaurant) was ice cold--that's how they serve it there. We looked for our waitress for over 10 minutes with no luck. Finally we asked another waitress if she could find our waitress, which never came but another did. After explaining the situation and asking if we could have fresh waffles & apoligizing to this poor waitress she took them away and promptly returned with the SAME plates of old waffles which they decided they would place in an oven for a few minutes to ""warm them up for us"". I was floored! I asked her if she was serious as she placed the blazing hot plates in front of my children saying ""now don't touch these plates because they are really hot!"". So now we are supposed to eat old reheated waffles on blazing hot plates that my kids are ultimately not allowed to touch without burning themselves. We kindly apoligized & said we would be leaving. The waitress seemed to not really care about any of this. We quitely put on our coats to leave and the owner came over to tell us he hoped we understood it was ""nothing personal"". What was that supposed to mean? Seemed an odd statement for the situation. Our other 4 dining experiences have always been a disappointment as well. They claim to have great steaks & pasta but both are a disappointment. Not a lot of authenticity to the pasta dishes and the steaks are nothing to write home about. Flame & Doe's Eat Place (both downtown) have fabulous steaks and this place can not begin to touch the pasta at Avanzarre's or Metropolitan Grill. Valentine's will be marked off our list forever now. Pros: Easy to get in to Cons: Food & service are always disappointing more

This place comes recommended as one of the better places in Springfield to get a steak, and pasta.\r I travel to Springfield every week for work, and have tried most restaurants in town. So I was looking foward to a nice dinner. I sat at the bar for a glass of wine. The barteneder was very slow and not very friendly. Once I did get my glass of wine. He disappeared for the next 10 minutes. I was going to eat at the bar. But that was a blessing in disguise. The smoke at the bar was unbearable to sit and enjoy a drink, let alone eat. So I found another table in the bar area that other dinners had just left. I asked if this table was open or if I needed to be seated. It was told it was seat yourself, so I was in luck, or so I thought. The table was still covered with food and napkins from the previous dinners. After 10 minutes, the staff finally came to clear the table, even after I asked them if I could sit there and eat. I then looked at the menu and wanted a steak as it was recommended. I went against my first thought, which was to get the filet, and instead got the ribeye. The ribye was noted as one of their specialities, so after confirming this with the staff. I choose the Ribeye with a salad and sauteed spinach. The salad came out, it was another disappointment. The lettuce was weak, and limp, and on the very small side. The dressing was the house dill, it seemed very watered down. Then the main course arrived. I cut into the medium rare steak, and it was raw. It was obvious that it had been frozen and that they had to thaw it out under warm water. The middle was still frozen. I sent the steak back. When it was brought back, it was edible but not good. Beacuse it had been frozen the juices were non-existent. There was grizzle and fat all througout the steak. It was the worst steak I have ever had at a restaurant. The highlight was the sauteed spinach, that was good. I left with eyes burning from all the smoke, smelling like smoke, and vey very disappointed. Pros: It has a roof? Cons: It serves food! more