I was part of a party of four dining at Spago on a Monday night. The place was packed, but it usually is so that does not excuse the uneven service and indifferent food. Though we were seated promptly we were ignored for the first ten minutes at the table. Drink orders took a quarter-hour to arrive. We had to flag down the waiter repeatedly. One of us ordered sparkling water but the server kept pouring it into all our glasses. We finally took the waiter aside and expressed our dissatisfaction, after which his attentiveness improved somewhat and, to his credit, he did not become surly. I ordered a risotto appetizer. The rice was overcooked and the tomato sauce had the sharp umami taste of canned Spaghettios. I sent it back and ordered a seared tuna which was neither offensive nor pleasant as it lacked any identifiable taste. Of four main courses three were disappointing, lacking taste. Whoever was on the pass that night was not vetting the outgoing dishes carefully, since presentation was poor and at least one dish lacked a promised item. While the setting (we were in the ""outside"" courtyard) was lovely and the crowd and bustle were not intrusive, the effort it took for us to complete this meal and the absence of spectacular food detracted from any fine-dining experience we might have anticipated. I travel constantly and have eaten meals everywhere from Spoon in Hong Kong to a cave in Libya. There are many better places to spend the money a meal at Spago commands.
Pros: Prompt seating, appealing dining area, see and be seen
Cons: Mediocre food, good service has to be demanded
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