Palatium — Restaurant in Zakynthos Municipality

Edit 1-8-24. Owner has made direct contact to apologise and offer refund. He is genuinely upset at our experience with staff training to be undertaken to ensure nothing likes this happens again.

Before we get into it. Food was top notch and there were no manky cats walking about the restaurant. The rest is what happened you decide. 13 people just main course and two lots of drinks - 3 hours. We got water quite quickly (3 bottles)but server [no name but has beard and his mam is from Doncaster so speaks like he is English , but has never been, so you can see we had a decent chat with him] thought someone else was getting our main drinks order - good 30 mins wasted] server full of apologies. Drinks took a while. We asked if short staffed and were told no but two people on the sick so they " could not give everything they wanted to everyone". So they were short staffed . We'll skip wait for food and second drinks. Asked for bill ( which they couldn't do as three bills - we are 3 families) so we spent ten minutes working out what each family owed [found a small overcharge] and waited and waited to pay . Wanted to pay on three cards to total of bill [no tip by this point] but was told they don't do three bills Fine we have one bill but will pay in three parts - as we had done in last 3 restaurants. Server [of Doncaster descent] said he couldn't do that and called manager over [small lady] we explained what we wanted to do. Manager informed us new laws had been passed making bill splitting impossible [ so I presume illegal? If you are aware of this and we were asking to commit a criminal offence please comment below we dont want to leave Greece with a criminal record] I asked why the last 3 places had been able to do this for us and manager's answer was updated to explain new law in place on 30th September but if card machine terminal was updated you can't spilt. And oh by the way why can't you just transfer money between yourselves [ not sure what happened to the customer is always right but her dismissive attitude- as if this happens all the time did not help] Anyway we weren't getting anywhere and one of our party, wanting to move on to somewhere new paid the full bill. My brother in law who was overcharged asked the payer if the bill had been reduced. (That took some proving also) our payer didn't hear so as I was closer I asked the payer are you paying 409? Our friend from Doncaster immediately replied with 100% Sir in the most sarcastic tone he could muster . I was a little taken a back at his attitude (given the delays and errors we'd encountered all night he could have easily missed the reduction). A conversation ensued around his service levels but "as it wasn't his restaurant he wasn't bothered what we thought and infact people complaining to him happens on a daily basis" - I wonder why? Great night spoiled by some of the worst service I've ever come across . At that point and having...

During our recent stay in Zakynthos, my wife and I had the pleasure of dining at Palatium, the culinary masterpiece orchestrated by the talented chef Giannis Spirou and his wife Bessy. In fact, we were so enamored by the restaurant's delectable offerings that we found ourselves returning for dinner not just once, but twice during our week-long stay.

On our very first evening at Palatium, we indulged in the classic Greek dish of a Greek salad. While it was delicious and showcased the freshness of the ingredients, it didn't quite leave an indelible impression. However, it was the accompanying main course that truly caught our attention. The lobster with pasta was an absolute triumph, flawlessly combining the delicate sweetness of the lobster with perfectly cooked pasta. It was a dish that enveloped our taste buds in a symphony of flavors and left us yearning for more.

The following night, we opted for the lobster grilled to perfection. The succulence and tenderness of the lobster meat, combined with the subtle smokiness from the grill, made for an exquisite experience that surpassed all expectations. Equally extraordinary was the pizza we decided to indulge in alongside the lobster. The crust was crispy, the toppings abundant, and every bite was an explosion of flavors. It was a marriage of traditional Italian craftsmanship and the skilled touch of the Palatium kitchen team.

Beyond the culinary prowess encountered at Palatium, I must emphasize the stellar service provided by the staff. From the moment we stepped foot into the restaurant, we were greeted with genuine warmth and hospitality. The servers were knowledgeable, accommodating, and attentive, never failing to cater to our every need. In a delightful display of generosity, the staff surprised us with a complimentary dessert and drink, which further enhanced our dining experience.

Palatium, under the skillful guidance of chef Giannis Spirou and his wife Bessy, is a true gem in Zakynthos. Every aspect of our dining experience, from the extraordinary lobster dishes to the impeccable service, left an indelible mark on our culinary journey. We left the restaurant reluctantly, longing to return for yet another unforgettable meal. If you find yourself on this picturesque island, indulging in Palatium's gastronomic delights is an...

Took my partner to palatium to celebrate her birthday,as was recommended by other guests. Absolute joke! We were seated right in between the bar and the steps to the kitchen, every time a member of staff walked past, they kept bumping my chair, with no apology. Food was not the best, wedges were hard, portions weren’t that good. Was questioned over my choice of how I liked it cooked, which is well done, yes I know it’s steak and most people don’t eat it that way but that is my personal choice. Once finished we asked for the bill, 3 times to 3 different staff members and were ignored every time. Payment machine went down which I guess happens but it was the way they dealt with it. The place is way overcrowded with tables, barely any room to move so when queuing to pay( which took a while) your standing right next to people trying to eat there meals which one commented was quite uncomfortable. They did offer us a free shot whilst waiting which we kindly refused as we just wanted to leave. There were a couple of people we spoke to in the restaurant about the poor service and the lack of room around the tables. Not a nice restaurant at all, over rated,over priced, we didn’t even stay for pudding or drinks.Would never visit again!! This is our experience of what happened and our opinions, just thought we would share if your thinking of...