Dos Gardenias — Restaurant in Athens

There is something disturbing going on in Athens with absentminded waitresses in general recently. This lady came to our table and stood in front of us while her head was turned looking at her colleagues, or whoever was sitting by the bar, and was smiling at them, participating completely in their conversation, full on ignoring us. Each time she turned around and I tried to open my mouth to order, she turned away again and kept on listening on them. She FINALLY absentmindedly turned and mechanically asked what we wanted and immediately turned her head AGAIN and continued to listen to that conversation and laugh. This happened repeatedly for a good two minutes. At some point I waved my hand almost to her face and smiling I said "ehhh Hello?!" She looked at mee but was not connecting to what was happening. That she actually was supposed to be doing a job. Which was, take an order. A potato can take an order. NOT her though. She continued laughing and looking away, ignoring my questions, ignoring her ONE job she had. She didn't even excuse herself, she could say "sorry guys but THIS I gotta listen to." I would say to her to take ALL the time in the world. It's perfectly fine! But you MUST acknowledge that this is NOT normal and that you are in fact supposed to be paying attention to the customer. But we ARE humans and it's of course ok to be able to relax and not follow the norms now and then. But THIS was extravagant! She at some point gave a half answer and I ordered an iced coffee. She, by accident heard me and finally took the order. The coffee was alright. (someone else made it) Then, despite that horrible behaviour we decided to stay a little more and try a cocktail. This is a Cuban bar yes? A mojito must be at least good. But the bartenders were nowhere to be found. So after a struggle to call her back to our table, we ordered! Phew! But, when you see a waitress looking at the recipe of a cocktail while making it... you know you are getting a rotten lemon. This was the worse mojito I ever had. HORRIBLE both our cocktails. I don't know if the bartenders had gone to lunch or siesta. And I don't know how the cocktails are normally there. But this warm lemon juice with the 2 mint leaves could not be representative of the place. It's a shame. Because the place is GREAT! The environment. The music. EVERYONE working there apart from that person. She was acting like the teenage daughter of the owner who is forced to work there while her friends are sitting by the bar having a good time and she HATED it. This is NOT a personal attack. That person was not a teenager and I know nothing about them. But when you work in service you should at LEAST try to take an order. Question, answer, suggest and serve. You don't even have to smile. But TAKE the bleeding order lady. Also, if you work at a Cuban bar and don't know how to make a mojito ... please don't...

My freinds were drinking in this bar, i was joining them having a little beer in my hand in the street STANDING (which is not the property of the bar), the waiter came to me and asked me to drink it on the side (while i was on the side talking to my friends who came to visit me from far ) while my friends already ordered 15 beers and more and i was just finishing the beer and gonna order from the bar didnt even put my beer from outside on the table or sit on the table ! i rolled a cigarette sitting far away on the floor and came back still standing on the side i never sit in a place with a drink from outside of it ! The waiter keep coming back destroyed my night while in this time i could just finish my expensive beer peacefully!! So Annoying and not respectful service and crew! Last time im gonna sit there! At the end i sat there of course and ordered from the place service was still so so.. i was enjoying this place on the weekends until this happened… i was the one recommending my friends to go to it until i arrived (business places think they own also the public...

This was a fantastic recommendation by my tour guide! I went on a personal tour of the Acropolis and then visited this happening night spot later in the evening. Keep in mind, Greeks eat dinner very late 8-10pm. I sat at an outside table. It was a gorgeous night. They have a gentleman cooking paella on an outside "paella maker". The service was excellent! Although super busy, they made sure our drinks never went empty and the tapas style plates were delicious and inexpensive. The music was pumping and people were dancing. Some of the taxi drivers wanted to dump you off in the area, because some of the streets allow limited...