CopaCabana — Restaurant in Maharashtra

THE BUILDUP I first started hearing about Copa cabana in the summer-monsoon part of 2013. It seemed to be one of those fun celebratory places; where people can enjoy being together for each other’s special occasions. Pune already had many restaurants in this category, examples being Bashos and mezza 9. I had heard and read great reviews about their ambience and food. Copa cabana was on my wish-list straight away! After seeing the pictures- I made a promise to myself that I will come to Copa cabana when I want to celebrate something!

FIRST LOOK Fast forward to my birthday in September. I decided to celebrate it here. Frankly I am sad on birthdays because of the aging part. If I could, I would have stopped aging at 18. I see birthdays as bad reminders we have to live with. There have been times when I’ve shouted out to god-“what have I done? Why are you doing this to me? “ This birthday I planned a dinner with 17 of my friends being a part of the celebration. It’s a huge number, so I had to come and check the place myself. And…wow! It looks like a resort. There are 3 types of seating- • Tents • Garden • Indoors The tents are beautifully done, very spacious and comfortable. They can accommodate a maximum of 10 people. The garden seating is for couples and small groups. Very casual and pleasant. The indoors will suit families, large groups, corporate dinners. Well lit interiors and comfortable seating. I loved the tents. But had to choose the indoor option.

THE EXPERIENCE A Good start to any meal in the city is easy parking! Copa cabana is in the outskirts and they have ample space for parking. The waiting area is very well done with nice couches. The seating is well arranged and doesn’t give you a feeling of being a part of your neighbor’s conversations. There is a board with offers on drinks throughout the day. This place can also be visited for the mid-day beer. We ordered Indian, Chinese and sizzlers. The Indian food is superb and most of the dishes are worth repeating. The Chinese and Thai seem to be their weak link. A lot of improvement is needed in this area. Sizzlers were the highlight of the meal. My Mediterranean sizzler made my taste buds dance. Service is satisfactory and helpful. It’s very difficult to serve 18 people and Copa cabana did a good job. The outsides make for incredible photo sessions because of the décor and the landscaping work. Don’t leave straight after dinner; stay and click some photos. You won’t regret it.

THE HANGOVER I left with a smile on my face and a will to return. I recommend this place for weekend dinners, family outings, friendly meetings, dates and celebrations. Prizes are on the higher side, but you will have a good time. I visited this place a few times later and observed that they have maintained the quality. The verdict: Copa cabana is worth spending...

I recently visited Copacabana Restaurant in Pune, and I’d like to share my honest thoughts about the experience.

Ambiance The first thing that caught my attention was the serene and calm atmosphere of the place. The decor was appealing, with well-thought-out lighting and a spacious seating arrangement. It’s clear the restaurant aims to create a relaxed and enjoyable dining environment. There are fountains and waterbodies everywhere in the restaurant.

Food The menu had a wide range of options, catering to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences. We ordered a mix of dishes, and most of them were flavorful and satisfying. The presentation was impressive, and the portion sizes were fair.

Service Issues Unfortunately, the service was the biggest letdown of the evening. While the staff initially seemed polite and attentive, our experience turned uncomfortable due to the behavior of the person who took our order.

He approached us three separate times after the meal to remind us about leaving a tip. He even told us that his salary depends on tips and specifically requested that the tip be paid separately from the bill. This constant nudging felt unnecessary and made us feel uncomfortable.

Tipping is a personal choice and should not be forced or indirectly demanded. Customers generally tip when they are happy with the service. Repeatedly reminding us to tip not only spoiled the mood but also left a bad impression of the restaurant.

Pricing The food and drinks were on the higher side in terms of pricing. While the quality and presentation were good for some dishes, others didn’t justify the cost. With the added discomfort of being pressured for a tip, the overall value for money felt lacking.

Overall Experience The ambiance and food were positives, but the service issues overshadowed them. No customer should feel pressured into tipping or reminded repeatedly about it. This kind of behavior takes away from what could have been an enjoyable dining experience.

Suggestions for Improvement Train the staff to avoid pressuring customers for tips. It’s important to focus on providing excellent service, which naturally encourages customers to tip voluntarily.

Consider adding a service charge to the bill if tips are crucial, so customers don’t feel awkward.

Work on pricing the dishes more fairly to reflect their quality and portion sizes.

Conclusion While Copacabana in Pune has potential with its ambiance and decent food, the repeated requests for tips by the staff ruined the overall experience for us. It left us feeling uncomfortable and undervalued as customers. Unless this issue is addressed, I would hesitate to recommend this place to others. Dining out should feel enjoyable and stress-free, but sadly, this visit didn’t meet those...

Inspired on South American theme, this restuarant is a perfect place if you are looking for a serene dinner date with your loved one.

They have different seating options for different groups of people like if you are with amigos then you can opt for bar seating, if you are with your family then they have fine dine in option, if you are on a date you can opt for candle light table and the highlight of this place the cabanas which is a very comfy dinning space though have to book it prior if you want to spend your quality time with your loved one.

Now coming to the main part that is food & drinks. From the variety of tantalizing cocktails and mocktails I opted for mocktails which were totally amazing with some fusion work.

We had mix of all cuisines which begin with Vietnamese Hot N Sour Soup which was perfectly done in mild tangy-hot comfort to the palate with thick texture.

Tried the hands on Salad, love the Greek Salad freshly and crunchy veggies topped with crumbled feta cheese and salad dressing with crushed pepper in it. Assure to make tummy satisfied.

From the appetizers tried out, Spicy Mexican cottage cheese, soft cottage cheese tossed in Mexican salsa slight spicy with touch of sweetness serves along with nachos to cleanse the palate. Must try

Spicy tangy chicken nuggets, crispy Fried chicken tossed in tangy sauce with touch of spiciness. Little tangy for my palate but good one.

Thecha Prawns, freshly grounded garlic, peanut, rock salt and green chillies coated well on the prawns release intense heat on tounge need some water to cool down but can't stop with just one bite. If you love Spicy then this must be in try list.

From the mains, Veg Burmese Khowsuey coconut base thick gravy cooked along with some exotic veggies serves with thin pad Thai noodles with six condiments must try here.

From the dessert tried Sundae Banana Split and Butter Blast Sundae which were totally amazing.

The staff were courteous and helpful, oders were delivered on the table timely. Overall this place is good and will recommend to check...