Divinis — Restaurant in Prague

An extremely unique menu packed with interesting flavor combinations, but comes up a bit short when it comes to expectations of Italian dishes.

To preface, I’m American and my girlfriend is Italian. We both agreed that the antipasti (veal tartar & stuffed calamari) were fantastic, including the gazpacho that was brought out complimentary from the kitchen. Really astounding combination of flavors with fresh ingredients. Well done.

The pasta was where the meal first came up short. Speaking for both of our dishes, the pasta was mildly undersalted while cooking. But it was noticeable. With that said, again, really unique flavor combinations and you could tell the ingredients were of good quality. I had the venison ragout & pecorino, and she had the frutti di mare. She is from southern Italy and was less enthusiastic about her dish - which I attribute to having extremely high standards for seafood - but she did admit the seafood was quite fresh.

For dessert, she did NOT like the fact that the tiramisu came with the biscuits soaked in some sort of an amaretto (from what we could tell). However, the cream itself was quite good. I was happy to finish what she didn’t want.

Lastly, we realized we had been overcharged upon returning home. We were a party of 2 and there was a 10% service charge added on to the meal. The website states that the service charge is only added for parties of 9 or more. I’m not sure if this is their new standard procedure but they hadn’t started marketing it yet. We are used to tipping, of course, but generally appreciate honesty when it comes to charges in the bill.

Overall, the menu here is quite unique and worth trying, but we’re not quite sure what region the chef is taking...

We recently dined at this restaurant, and while there were some highlights, overall, the experience fell short of expectations, especially for a Bib Gourmand establishment.

Starting with the service, we encountered several issues. Our salt grinder was empty, and when the waiter recited the numerous specials, they seemed disengaged, staring at the ceiling or the table. Even though the staff took away our red wine and water bottle, they were so inattentive that we had to repeatedly get up and refill our glasses ourselves, with only one exception.

The focaccia bread was disappointingly bland. I’ve had amazing Italian bread with olive oil in other places, so I was expecting more. It was also uncomfortably hot inside the restaurant, despite it being a warm day. I would have expected some form of air conditioning to ensure a pleasant dining experience, especially when you’ve dressed up for the occasion. Sweating profusely while eating is not ideal. Additionally, when the staff finally came to clear away the dirty plates, no one offered a refill for water or wine, even though both were empty.

On a positive note, the main courses were fantastic. I had the braised veal cheeks, which were incredibly tender and packed with flavor. My girlfriend had the tagliolini, which were cooked perfectly and tasted great.

However, given the reputation and Bib Gourmand rating, I expected much more. From service to overall atmosphere, this experience didn’t live up to the standard of the many other Bib Gourmand restaurants...

I just visited this restaurant where I was shocked to find that they automatically added a 10% service charge to the bill. This policy left me feeling quite disappointed, as it took away my freedom to tip according to the quality of service I received. I believe that tipping should be a personal decision, reflecting my appreciation for exceptional service.

Automatically charging a 10% service fee feels like a practice more suited to tourist-oriented establishments, rather than a restaurant of this supposed caliber. In places with high standards, I expect the management to trust their clientele to reward good service appropriately, rather than imposing a mandatory fee.

It's unfortunate that this policy overshadowed what could have been a wonderful dining experience. I hope the restaurant reconsiders this approach to accommodate customers who value the ability to express their gratitude in their own way.

What really made this whole experience special disappointing was the fact that when I received the bill, I paid, leaving an additional 10 percent as a tip. I would have appreciated a comment like, 'We are delighted if you wish to leave another 10 percent, but please be aware that a 10 percent service charge has already been included in the bill.' Unfortunately, there was nothing of the sort, which is truly regrettable. Rarely have I encountered something so lacking in...