Lowville Bistro — Restaurant in Burlington

Major disappointment in the service. I've never experienced such rude and immature behaviour from a restaurant before. Also, it was a long and stretched out service that took hours for us between getting served drinks, to placing our orders for dinner, to leaving the restaurant. Such a shame.

A group of friends and I (11 of us) attended an evening out to Lowville Bistro to celebrate our friend's wedding engagement. We had reservations booked months ago and upon arriving (on time for our reservation) we experienced the following:

Told to wait for our table as they seemed caught off guard/ forgot about our reservation. We were told to go for a walk for about 15 min as they needed to last min organize the tables outside for us. Although, the manager did recall us being the group to pay on one bill (as per communicating via email on reservation, so he did not forget...?) We were not greeted in any kind or polite manner, especially seeing this was an exciting celebration for our friend. Was handed one menu for the group of us and was told the drink special and then the server left. Did not come back to take our drink orders for over 15 minutes. After ordering our drinks and waiting another 15+ minutes, we received our drinks, we were not asked for our meal orders until our server appeared another long while (20ish min?).

... To carry on the pattern, we did not get our meals for a lengthy amount of time. The food and drink were reasonably tasty, but we were also quite hungry and anxious as the waiting games and blunt attitude by the server continued. I would also like to point out that we were sitting on the patio near the door where the servers need to come out from the kitchen and step down to the patio. As the server grumpily came out, she continued to kick the door with force to swing it open and come down the stairs. Friends started to giggle or lock eyes with each other in means to subtly find humour with such disgraceful, unmannerly service.

We were not checked in on throughout the evening (asking if we needed something, etc). So when the plates were finally cleared, one of the friends had to ask the server if they could have another drink, I personally wanted to join in on the second drink order too, however I could not bear to support this restaurant by getting another drink.

Our friend who made the reservation got up to take care of the bill (one bill to make it easier for everyone as discussed via email) inside the bistro. Upon returning to our table, her face had changed sharing to me that there was a dispute in the restaurant with the manager and server as they attempted to increase the gratuity even though they had arranged via email reservations what the standard gratuity and plan for her to pay it all on one bill. She was surprised she had to pay gratuity at all based on the lengthy uncomfortable inconvenience we have seemed to be to the restaurant.

Lastly, we were getting prepared to leave when the server came out and said to the whole table of us, loud enough for other tables to hear: "I hope you have a good night, I was penalized enough, thank you." Very immature of her, especially since we have been very patient and timid with such an uncomfortable and lengthy ordeal.

Leaving around 9:00, keep in mind our dinner reservation was 6:00 (but really, we sat at 6:15 because they "forgot about us"), another friend wanted to express her disappointment to the manager. The manager kept avoiding eye contact with her and repeating that he "will speak to the server". No apology, just a blank face and not able to fix the situation. Such fixes could have been: an apology, offering the bride and the groom to return for a complimentary service.

We were looking forward to a night of fine dining with a reunion of good friends wanting to raise a glass to a beautiful bride to be. This service really created a poor atmosphere for us to relax, indulge and enjoy a good evening celebrating as our energy and love should have been on the bride, not to this abhorrent...

I really like this charming bistro and would like to give it a better review than below. I have been there for lunch twice in the last 2 weeks. The service on both occasions was pleasant. Drinks and menu were immediately provided and our orders taken promptly (although each time I have been asked if everything was ok and if we needed anything – only after the table were almost finished our meal). On the first occasion we sat inside. My guest ordered the gamberi pepi app ($25). It was delicious and plentiful for an app. I ordered the veal sandwich $27 described as served with sautéed mushrooms, roasted peppers, and white wine. It included a salad. I asked for the Italian salad and was later told it would be another $7.99 because an Italian salad included prosciutto and shaved parmesan strips – where the house salad did not include those items. I thought that was a bit of a high overcharge but I know the price of fine ingredients so I agreed. The veal was overcooked so it was very dry and the bun overwhelmed the thin sliced veal.There were no roasted peppers to be seen. The salad contained one very tiny piece of prosciutto and a small strip of the parmesan. My friend laughed (because of the overcharge) when he saw it. A week later I came again with another party on a gorgeous spring day. We sat outside in the beautiful little gem of a garden. My friend told me that before I arrived workmen were drilling the plastic windows separating the patio from a room right immediately beside us. The table of gentlemen behind us asked that they stop or do the drilling and work later as they could not hear themselves talk or think. She indicated that there was a bit of an argument about it – whereby management said they should sit inside. My friend piped up that she also did not want to move. The men said they had booked an outside table and wanted to remain outside. By the time I arrived it was a peaceful setting. Quite lovely on a beautiful day for lunch in the midst of a garden. My friend ordered the salad with lobster bisque. She said it was delicious. I ordered the mushroom toast app $21 described as seared wild mushrooms, tomato confit, served on top of focaccia bread & goat cheese. There was no tomato confit and the bread certainly did not appear to be focaccia. It was so thin and cooked hard that it would not cut it to eat with the mushrooms. I scraped the mushroom off the hard biscuit and dipped them in the generous portion of goat cheese. Disappointing and I was hungry when I left. The one sliced cherry tomato in the accompanying small salad was bad - off/sour. By the time the charming waitress asked if everything was ok, it was too late so I did not see any sense of complaining. She took my bread and salad away. I am sure running a restaurant is tough going these days. The prices for lunch are rather high - but so is my own grocery bill. Yet I would expect the menu to accurately reflect all of the ingredients actually served and for the cooking of the food to have more finesse. Charming place though! Because of the location and menu I will give this restaurant one...

Honestly, even giving 1 star overall is generous. I wish I had gone to 7/11 for a hotdog rather than coming here. Rude and inhospitable staff. Food is ok; but you can get ok food anywhere. I had booked a reservation months in advance; arrived on time with my party; and was told to wait because they "needed to see what they could do" to put a table together.... but also "it's the party on one bill, right?" .... so it felt like they did and did not remember I made the reservation?? (Later, I was blamed for the delay. As per the manager, "Since you wanted to sit outside, it took longer." And, "When you get seated at a busy restaurant within 30 minutes of arriving that's pretty good, no?" ... despite putting in a reservation months before, arriving on time, and not being informed that - apparently - being seating inside would have been ontime? Also there were only 2 tables worth of people when we arrived, so not quite busy..)

The sass continued - our 11 person table was given one drink menu to puruse... 30 minutes after seating we got our food menus... an additional 15 minutes later we had our drink orders taken... and the delays continued. Food came out at different times; one person was left fork-less and the server was gone for so long she ended up going to the bar to ask for one; after the main i heard the server whisper to someone at our table "if anyone wants desert just tell em they can go inside and see what we have" nd then she walked away; and after showing up at 6 for a reso we were finally leaving at 9. I spoke to the owner about the 20% built in gratuity because I did not agree with being forced to pay it after subpar service. I still left 15% after explaining why I was dissatisfied (not a single apology was given - just blaming me for wanting to sit outside and having a big party and it rained earlier that day so you know that was a factor too I guess?), then the server proceeded to come to our table and say "everything ok? Because i was penalized".

Would recommend telling your worst enemy to go here if you'd like to ruin their day; but...