La Finestra in Cucina — Restaurant in Prague

5+ Stars! Food, Wine, Ambience, Service - everything was spectacular! Only warning - great wine list (mainly Italian & French), but pick your own wine. The “sommelier” is really just there to sell you the most expensive bottle.

My third time in Prague, first trip for my mom and boyfriend. Brought her to Prague as a birthday present. The restaurant is well appointed, inviting and warm. The table where we were seated had a window into the kitchen so we could watch - very cool. The atmosphere is vibrant and boisterous, so I would perhaps shy away if you want to have an intimate conversation. Our waiter was so friendly and excited to tell us about the menu and the specials; his energy started the meal off perfectly. He made some excellent recommendations and his presentation of the fresh fish of the day was wonderful. We started with the off-menu seafood sampler special. Beautiful presentation, incredibly fresh and perfectly seasoned array of octopus, salmon, prawns and scallops. I also had a bowl of the gazpacho. The burrata sorbet was so inventive and it added a fun, flavorful element to the dish. Next, my mother and I shared the sea bass. We chose to have it roasted in salt, with lemon and thyme. They filleted and descaled it at the table with great skill and showmanship; very cool to watch. Very tender and flavorful - I would definitely recommend it. My boyfriend had the risotto and thought it was amazing. We were too stuffed to have dessert, though it looked amazing, but our waiter toasted us with some complimentary grappa and limoncello. Will...

Dinner was satisfactory. The octopus risotto matched its price, although the octopus itself was a bit bland, but overall it wasn't bad. The dessert, however, was splendid. Both the design and taste of the tiramisu and panna cotta were excellent. The real intrigue began when we asked for the bill. The waiter brought it, and I paid without a second glance. However, as they swiftly started clearing everything, something seemed off. The total amount felt unusually high. I asked to see the bill again and discovered that additional dishes we hadn't ordered were included, inflating the total by 30%. I requested a correction and asked them to void the payment I had just made, including the tip. They complied and issued a new bill. Despite their claims of a mistake, I believe such errors shouldn't occur in a fine dining establishment. Accidentally adding 30% to a bill is not a minor oversight. What disappointed me the most was the lack of any goodwill gesture following their error. In a high-end restaurant, if a mistake is made, it's customary to offer some form of compensation – a complimentary limoncello, a coffee on the house, something to make amends. Instead, we received a grudging apology and nothing more. No one even bid us farewell as we left. If I were the owner of this establishment, I would be deeply ashamed of how my staff treated us. Such behavior is unacceptable for a restaurant that aspires to fine...

The chef’s amuse bouche was outstanding. My appetizer, the octopus, was very good, but the presentation (served on a stick, on a bed of spruce mini-branches, with a bisque on the side but no spoon), could have used an explanation on how to best eat it. The main course (the turbot) was presented beautifully, and tasted very good, but I felt it had sit just a bit longer than it should have before being served. It wasn’t as hot as it should have been. It still tasted very good and I didn’t complain about it. That said, the vegetable (kohlrabi) was the best I have ever tasted. The dessert (pana cotta) was to die for! The service felt rushed at the beginning of our meal. Our waiter took our order for food before the sommelier took our drink order. Needless to say, our appetizer arrived about the same time as our wine. Fortunately it did slow down a bit after that. I thought that the experience would have been enhanced if the waiter had taken the time to explain the food, and how it was presented. We were never asked if we would have liked a coffee (although we didn’t but nice to be asked). Overall, a few things that could be improved upon but a very...