La Mesa — Restaurant in Queensland

Very disappointing!!

Food quality 7/10

Service 0/10

Being a guest at peppers I checked in with the restaurant around 5pm and wanted to book a table for 2 for 7pm, after showing me the bookings book and all of 6 tables booked I was politely told that they were booked out but to walk in around 7 and they will see if they have anything available. So I thought fair enough maybe they are busier than the bookings shows!!

Walked in at 6:30pm, asked if there was any free tables, and was told yes there are plenty of spare tables!! Interesting!! Literally 4 tables were taken in the restaurant, with a large table with a reserve sign and two smaller tables with reserve signs, the remaining 10 -12 tables were visibly free!!

Got seated in our desired location which was great, did the usual ordered some drinks and was offered water, except the water never came. And didn’t until our entree arrived and we questioned the waitress, and then we got water. Apparently that was the last and only water we were going to receive for the evening.

Meals were good, food was tasty, deconstructed garlic bread with sourdough was very good, sirloin was cooked as requested, king prawns were cooked nicely, although lacking some kind of side, literally just a plate of 8 king prawns, not a single vegetable, tablespoon of mash or anything.

Finished our meal and sat there waiting to be asked about dessert, or how was the meal or just some kind of acknowledgement and nothing, so we showed our selves out.

During the time we were there we watched about 4 people seated to a dirty table with plates cups etc from previous people, which in a restaurant is absolutely disgusting service. It’s takes 2 minutes to ask a client to politely wait whilst a table is prepared not seat them And then have the staff move dirty dishes and glasses and wipe down the table at which you are sitting at - I would expect that at McDonald's not a restaurant at peppers.

When heading up to pay, we got asked by another waitress that hadn’t served us how it was and we were honest and said the service was terrible, and she apologised and made the excuse that they were short on staff. There was 3 people waiting for no more than 10 tables seated at any one time!! Not exactly short staffed.

Needless to say whilst seated and eating dinner we watched about 2-3 couples turned away due to being booked out, which apparently was only one staff members opinion, when the only thing that was occupying tables was dirty plates and glasses!!

Im a business owner and in the service industry and if this was my restaurant I would be seriously considering finding some new staff or looking at different business options because this is not a restaurant, and does not treat its clients like it’s a restaurant.

Will not be staying or dinning at this location...

I went here night after night during my stay in palm cove. The staff at night were lovely, attentive and informative. Because of how great everything was, I decided to have my last meal of the trip at the restaurant for lunch. The service during lunch 22/10/2023 12:00pm was shocking. The place was empty but it took 40 minutes for a waitress to make me a cocktail. It also made my lunch stressful as the waitress started serving a family and as she would walk off, past me, she would huff/ puff looking stressed. Another waitress couldn't speak english well at all (I appreciate that people travel here and work but she was unable to answer simple questions I had about the menu etc.). They ignored customers who sat down and waited... Yes sure...people should go up and ask for a table...but it shows how inattentive the staff on shift were. I only send this in the hope that the manager looks into mixing up the staff so people can get the experience they need and that the business keeps doing well as I'd love to come back. I don't want to ask to talk to a manager while I'm here...so I am just sending this as honest feedback. The other 3 nights I was here...I couldn't fault (and things were so busy!). I am happy to remove this comment at any time...I just want management to have the honest feedback. Lovely spot, kind staff, great food and cocktails....

A group of us had dinner at La Mesa last night, my comment is based only on my meal and the service.

After some consideration we all decided on what we desired, I chose, the octopus entree with the medium to rare back loin steak served on blackened leeks.

The octopus was first class, could not be faulted in any way.

The steak, was presented well, sliced perfectly and looked correctly cooked, medium to rare.

They did not supply steak knives, just standard cutlery, I guess they considered it was not necessary?

I offered the first slice of my steak to my son, the very first slice.

He fould that he could not cut it, I also could not cut the second slice, or at least found it very difficult.

Both my son and I found chewing it a concern due to the fibrous tough nature of the steak.

However the further you proceded into the loin the tenderer it became

The taste of the steak was extremely good, that is, once you got past chewing it.

Would I return, definitely for the octopus, but certainly never for a steak like this, I guess it was a bad choice on my part, don't buy a steak in a Mexican restaurant.

The general service we received from our waitress was good, and could not be faulted.

By preference, I would not be in a hurry to...