Botaniko Restaurante — Restaurant in Santo Domingo

My group and I had a TERRIBLE experience at this restaurant that claims to be “elegante, innovador, y vanguardista…” (elegant, innovative, and avant-garde)…

We were a group of 4 ladies that made dinner reservations on Valentines Day (never again at this place).

We arrived a few minutes before our reservations (for 10:15pm) and the host at the front told us to wait for a bit which is understandable. We noticed that it was already 15 minutes past our reservation time so we asked if our table was available and she said no. After waiting for more than 10 minutes, the host offered to sit us at the bar until our table was ready. It was already 10:40pm by that time and already quite hungry.

At the bar, the bartender was not the most hospitable and professional when ordering our drinks and appetizers. I know it was probably a busy night, however, when I go to restaurants that claim to be of high value, I expect great service and exceptional quality which this place clearly lacks.

After a few minutes, the host was kind enough to offer us a small lounge table next to the bar since our reservation table was still not available at 11pm. (Almost 1hr past our reservation time). Once we sat at the lounge area we got our appetizers which honestly weren’t that impressive. We also ordered more drinks and our main dishes since it was already getting too late. I ordered a fish and one of my friends got a burger, the other two girls ended up not ordering main dishes because of the time.

Finally by 11:10pm we were sat in our table and got our drinks. By that time, the restaurant was not as packed and after waiting for 40 minutes my friend had asked the waiter about her burger order. Each time he said that her burger was being prepared.

Finally… at 12:16AM I get my fish, while my friend is still waiting for her burger… by that time, she told the waiter to cancel her order and he said ok… after a few minutes the waiter comes out with her burger order which she had already canceled. He literally almost threw the plate on the table and said out loud “Ay mi cualto” meaning “oh my money” (As to imply that my friend was already upset and that he was probably not going to get a nice tip)…. Everyone at the table was in disbelief! This is not the type of attitude or service you provide in a place that claims to be what they say they are.

After a few minutes, I believe the manager in charge of the waiters comes out and offers to prepare another dish to my friend since she was clearly upset and hungry. He offered I believe a risotto dish which my friend agreed to, however, after a few minutes he came back to our table to let her know that the option was not available anymore. He then asked again if she was sure she didn’t want her burger, and she ended up accepting it at the end. However, when he went back to get her burger, he said that it was given to another table…. The same burger that was placed in our table, ended up being the dish given to another customer??!! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!! IN THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY IT IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN HYGIENE AND FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS! At the end, they offered my friend some other dish that when it came to our table it literally looked like leftover lasagna with a side of french fries on the same plate…

I’m still in shock with the despicable behavior, service, and quality of this place. Don’t get me wrong, the place itself is beautiful. The night we went they hired a lovely and talented violinist that was super friendly and made the atmosphere great. I do believe this place has potential if they were to train everyone properly and follow hygienic standards while working on improving the quality of the food. They definitely need to work on management, I noticed throughout the night a few customers complaining to the manager. When compared to other restaurants of the same look/cost range this place barely gets a 1⭐️ just because of the aesthetic and some of the hospitable hosts.

Rating (out of 5) Overall: ⭐️ Drinks: ⭐️⭐️ Food: -5 Ambiance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Waiter/Bar Service: -5 Host...

So I recently dined at this Italian restaurant with a stunning decor, and I have to say, the atmosphere was absolutely fantastic. The lighting, furniture, and artwork all came together beautifully to create a really chic and modern ambiance. It was definitely a feast for the eyes!

When it came to the food, I have to admit, I was a bit underwhelmed. While the dishes were decent, they didn't quite live up to my expectations, especially given the prices. That said, I did appreciate that they had a good selection of Italian wines - the sommelier really knew his stuff and was able to recommend a great bottle for us.

But where the restaurant really excelled was in its staff service. Every member of the team was friendly, attentive, and eager to make our experience a memorable one. From our waiter to the hostess, everyone went above and beyond to ensure that we felt welcomed and taken care of. It was clear that they were passionate about what they do, and it made all the difference.

All in all, while the food was a bit pricey for what it was, the decor and staff service more than made up for it. If you're looking for a place with a great atmosphere and excellent service, this restaurant is definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared to spend a bit more than you...

Actually the first thing that I noticed as I stepped inside was the lovely atmosphere of the place, it was really cozy and made me feel comfortable. I was invited there for dinner so I can't comment on the pricing and for dinner we were given 3 plate options, I chose the grilled meat option with some veggies and both were great. The meat was cooked how I ordered it and the veggies were fresh and tasted great. Actually, the people sitting next time or close to me commented how good the food was and they had ordered some of the other plate options so I can safely say that all the plate options were really good. As for the service I would also dare to say that just like the food, it was also very good, had someone, whom I can say seemed to be the owner or at the very least, the manager, stop by the tables and ask how everything was and if we needed anything, after the person left everyone at my table was impressed at their effort to make sure we were being taken care off correctly.

All in all, I did enjoy the place very much and I'm planning a return visit for dinner real soon, perhaps then I can update this review and add information about the pricing. All in all it was a...