We (me, my wife and our well-mannered four-year-old) dined on Valentine's Day evening. We'd called ahead to check on table availability and were told 30+ minute wait, but we arrived 10-15 minutes later to a half-filled restaurant. But yes, we waited another 5-10 minutes to be seated (no bar area for waiting was apparent or offered).
We ordered two glasses of wine and water which arrived in about 10 minutes, and placed an expedited order for our son. Then another 10 minutes until our orders were taken. Waited 10 minutes and asked for water. Waited another 10 minutes to have water replenished.
After 50 minutes and still with no food beyond our son's now finished meal and lukewarm & mediocre bruschetta, we sought an explanation and asked for a complimentary dessert to reward our son for his patience. The server appeared to assent but didn't speak an answer.
After another five minutes and seeing so food being served at nearby tables, we recognized that further waiting would result in an unacceptably long meal not only for our son but also for us. We asked the maitre d' for our orders as carry out instead; he conferred with our server, but didn't indicate a response to us. Another few minutes passed and we instead asked a second matire d' for our check.
Five more minutes passed. Seeing no results, and hearing no resolution I didn't wait for a credit card payment o be completed, left an appropriate cash payment on the table for the food we'd been served and we headed to the door. Upon our exit, we received (finally) apologies from three staff and were thrust a bag containing the two adult meals (but not dessert for the most patient of us three!) and we departed hungry, tired and frustrated at a dining experience that began with much promise but failed in Bar Italia's failure to make amends for a very slow kitchen this night and recognize that not all diners on Valentine's Day want to ""linger"" over a two-hour meal.
Perhaps when tables are in shorter supply and must be turned regularly to keep the revenue flowing, service here is acceptable. But not on this night.
Pros: Ambience
Cons: Horribly Slow, Good but Overrated/Priced Food
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