La Gondola — Restaurant in Bruges

Review for La Gondola, Oude Burg 22, 8000 Brugge – A Truly Disgraceful Experience

Our visit to La Gondola on December 24, 2024, was a nightmare from start to finish. We chose this restaurant for lunch, hoping for a pleasant experience with our family, including a 7-year-old and a 10-month-old. Instead, we were met with rudeness, unprofessionalism, and behavior that was completely unacceptable.

Here’s what unfolded: Unwelcoming Start: Upon entering, a waiter saw us but offered no greeting or acknowledgment. I calmly asked for a table for four, but he didn’t even bother to respond and just walked away. Another waiter eventually came and asked how many, and after I repeated “four,” we were finally given a table. This set a negative tone right from the start. Rude Ordering Process: While waiting for my husband to join us, I tried to order food for myself and my 7-year-old as we were hungry. The waiter insisted that I must order for all four people at once. I explained that my husband would arrive shortly and that my 10-month-old couldn’t eat regular food, so we would ultimately order for three. Despite this, the waiter rudely walked away, uninterested in helping or accommodating us. Confrontation with the “Owner”: When my husband arrived, we attempted to place our full order. However, a man claiming to be the restaurant’s owner suddenly interrupted loudly, repeatedly stating, “You can’t order one pizza for all four people.” This accusation was completely unfounded, as we hadn’t even completed our order. Despite trying to explain, he continued to rudely repeat the same line, creating an embarrassing and uncomfortable scene in front of our children and other diners. Staff’s Unacceptable Behavior: After the unnecessary commotion, a waiter reluctantly came to take our order but displayed the same lack of manners and respect. At this point, the rudeness, arrogance, and hostile attitude of the staff were unbearable, and we decided to leave without ordering. Inappropriate Touching: As we were leaving, the so-called “owner” tried to touch my husband in a manner that was completely inappropriate and alarming. This crossed all boundaries of acceptable behavior and left us shocked and disgusted.

Unprofessional, Racist, and Hostile Environment The staff and the owner displayed no manners, basic courtesy, or sense of hospitality. Their behavior was not only unwelcoming but felt outright discriminatory. Our children were visibly upset by the chaos and hostility they witnessed.

Final Recommendation Avoid La Gondola at all costs. Brugge has countless wonderful restaurants with excellent service and delicious food—this is not one of them. This establishment doesn’t deserve your time, money, or patience. For anyone considering a visit, please reconsider and choose a place where you and your family will be treated...

We visited La Gondola in Brugge today, full of excitement after reading several good reviews. But sadly, our experience turned out to be deeply disappointing and left us feeling scammed.

At first, the waiter’s attitude was surprisingly cold and dismissive, which already made us feel unwelcome. But things took a much worse turn when two of our friends—who simply wanted to enjoy a glass of Italian wine while the rest of us had pizza and pasta—were suddenly charged for something called “Diverse Cuisine.”

When we politely asked about this unfamiliar charge, we were told it was a fee for simply sitting at the table while not ordering food. We were stunned. How can a restaurant penalize people for wanting to enjoy a drink and spend time with their friends?

This felt like nothing short of a tourist scam—a hidden fee meant to trap people who aren’t aware of such bizarre rules. It’s incredibly unfair and upsetting, especially for visitors trying to enjoy their time in a beautiful city like Brugge.

We left feeling cheated and sad. A meal that was supposed to be joyful and relaxing turned into frustration and regret.

Please be warned: if you’re not ordering food, don’t expect to be treated kindly. And don’t be surprised if you’re charged extra just for being there. Unfortunately, La Gondola seems to care more about squeezing money from tourists than offering...

The food was very good, BUT: I am a diabetic and need to take an injection before every meal. I use an insulin pen with a super small needle and when the owner saw me getting ready to do it he FREAKED OUT. His English was terrible but he yelled at me that it was not possible for me to do this in his restaurant. I and my husband tried to explain that this was a medical necessity but no dice. I volunteered to go outside and he said OK. I've been diabetic for 20 years, travelled the world and NEVER had this happen in my life. So apparently he not only "fat shames", he "diabetic shames" And it's not like I was blatant about it, most folks don't even know I've injected. Wonder if he turns away people on crutches. Why didn't we walk? Because all the other eateries were fully booked. Avoid unless you like ...