Bar Francese — Restaurant in Amalfi

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE

We visited this excuse for a bar today and I am compelled to leave a review. I never leave bad reviews but todays experience was unacceptable.

We had the misfortune of having Luigi serve us. We ordered two cans of Coke for our two teenaged sons and 2 Aperol Spritz for my wife and I.

Luigi suggested we have the "Amalfi Spritz" and so we agreed to try it. When the drink arrived there was one ice cube in each glass and they were half filled. When we took a sip it was the most horrendous concoction that I ever tasted. It was awful and tasted like a can of Fresca with watered down Prosecco. The only thing I could taste was Aspertame It was un-drinkable.

We called Luigi over and politely told him we did not like our drink and that we would like a normal Aperol Spritz. His answer "what do you want me to do" to which my reply was "please bring me a normal Aperol Spritz". He then said I will but you must pay for these drinks OK. We said absolutely not they are not drinkable.

He walked inside and ignored us for 10 mins when my wife lost her patience and asked to speak to the manager. He said there was no manager on duty and that it would be half an hour to speak to someone. My wife then asked to just please give us the bill and to not charge us for the two cocktails we did not drink.

He then said it's our fault that we ordered the drinks when it was his suggestion. Regardless of this, when a paying customer isn't satisfied with a drink, especially when we had no clue what it was, to be told too bad so sad doesn't work. I've never had someone serve me something awful and expect me to enjoy it. Any other restaurant would apologize that you didn't like what they suggested and bring you what you originally ordered.

I demanded he bring us the bill as I was now embarrassed as multiple tables witnessed this show with EVERY single customer telling us "good for you, etc" after witnessing Luigi's scam sales tactic.

The bill came and it was €40 of which the two Cokes were €5 each and the two undrinkable cocktails were €15 each. I told him I was leaving him €20 and that if he wanted to call the cops please do so. In hindsight I wish I only left €10 for the two cans of Coke which were actually consumed.

I have NEVER experienced anything like this before as a seasoned traveller who's visited many cities around the world.

Stay away from this place they are scammers and do not deserve tourists business. There are so many other places to enjoy a drink while...

Cannot express how bad this place is. Don't be fooled by the busy plaza atmosphere. NEVER EAT HERE. HIGHEST PRICES, WORST SERVICE and unspeakable excuse for food received in the 8 weeks we have been traveling to all the tourists’ favorite spots along the west coast and islands of Italy. We’ve been eating out an average of two meals a day, from Rome to Messina, Lipari to Procida, and NEVER had less than delicious food served at the proper time and temperature with grace. THIS PLACE IS UNIQUELY AND THOROUGHLY INEXCUSABLE.

Bad management, slow, cold, tasteless food…five people at our table were served serially;, the first was completely done with his tepid pasta before the fifth got his plate of cold, grey veal. The bill for this terrible meal and nearly 2.5 hours wasted was over 130€, and included 18€ for a half carafe of local white wine and 15€ coperto (they must have been charging for the forks because some of us didn’t even get knives). A liter of flat water was 5€. Seems the only thing they were able to do was make up the bill.

Tables all around us were ditching out, some not paying their bills because they were so disgusted. We tried to be sympathetic, but when I tried to tell the manager about the poor service and cold food, she only argued that we didn’t wait as long as we said, that we should have said something when we got the food (impossible as the waiters were avoiding us after dropping each plate) and that “she could do nothing “. Apparently, asking for the bill after the bad pizzas didn’t count. We paid our bill, but will never try to be helpful like that again. Would never eat there again, and probably avoid eating in another piazza, unless well recommended....

If I could give this place a negative star review I would! They try to copycat the Bistrot restaurant next to them. In fact, any good review here is probably for Bistrot! It's hard to tell but there are two dining areas separated by planters. Go to the RIGHT side. The left side is terrible. The waiters on the left side from Bar Francese are the ones customers have been saying will rush to get you seated. Bistrot waiters will not rush you.

My husband and I came up to the menu stand in front of Bistrot and were flagged down by waiters from Bar Francese who rushed to get us seated and have us place an order, and when we asked if the two sides were the same restaurant because they look similar, they lied and said yes (they are very much not!) After a sip of my aperol spritz which tasted disgusting (later we learned from another restaurant owner that this Bar doesn't actually use real aperol) we got the check, got out and went to the right side (Bistrot) where it was a completely different experience. Selection was much larger, prices were better, waiters were attentive, food and drink was delicious, and when the sun went down they took down the umbrellas so we could have a good view of the Duomo at night. The waiters' only job at Bar Francese seemed to be flagging down potential Bistrot customers, while trash laid all around their tables and inside their bakery area.

After talking with a Bistrot waitress this has been happening to them for over a year now. Make sure you go to the RIGHT side!! Five stars...