Bjoin — Restaurant in La Spezia

⚠️⛔️Tourist trap – run away! Do yourself a favor and read the low-score reviews before you fall for it.

Horrible experience.

Yes, the place looks nice and the food was fine, but definitely not worth the price. The real issue here is the way they treat people.

The manager herself came to our table and asked us to leave in the middle of the dining room, in front of everyone. I had barely finished my coffee and was simply waiting for my friend who was in the restroom. Instead of showing basic courtesy, she said it in the rudest way possible, with a disgusted expression on her face. That is simply unacceptable.

Maybe people were waiting, but that is not my problem. At least let me finish my drink in peace without humiliating me. I have eaten in thousands of restaurants across the world and never, ever have I been treated this poorly.

The entire staff looked unhappy, no smiles, no warmth… probably because that same manager makes their life as miserable as she does for the customers. For a place that claims to promote “love,” I saw everything but that.

Honestly, I don’t understand the high ratings. My guess is they push people to leave positive reviews in exchange for gifts.

If you want to know the truth, go straight to the low-score reviews… you’ll see many others had the same awful experience.

— ANSWER TO THE COMMENT BELOW —

OMG. Really? It’s honestly unbelievable how you’re denying everything without even apologizing.

Let me set the facts straight:

We stayed less than an hour (not two), because we had a train to catch.

There weren’t “plenty of people waiting”… only a few, and they found seats afterwards. When we left, no one was waiting, as I already told you.

We ordered food and drinks. The smoothie was served only after we had finished eating – do you expect me to drink it like a robot?

When we finished, I even ordered an extra coffee. The moment I finished it, while my friend was in the toilets, you spoke loudly from a distance in a way that everyone could hear. Other customers nearby noticed your behavior and were even laughing about your attitude.

So let me ask you back the same question: isn’t it inappropriate for you to be rude to...

My opinion of Bjoin, La Spezia

One enters a restaurant of a certain calibre with a set of expectations: impeccable service, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to the experience from first greeting to final farewell. My recent, late-evening visit to the highly-touted Bjoin served as a stark lesson in how swiftly those expectations can be dismantled.

The evening began promisingly enough; the room possessed the sleek, studied elegance one anticipates. Our party, eager to sample the menu, placed a considered order for several items, including a selection of their much-lauded gelatos. It was at this point that the facade began to crack.

Some time after our order was taken, we were informed. not with profuse apology, but with a casual air, that certain gelatos were unavailable. A minor inconvenience, to be sure, in any well-run establishment. However, upon comparing notes, we discovered our server had taken the liberty of substituting our choices without consultation. When this high-handedness was gently pointed out, the response was not contrition but dismissiveness, escalating to an unmistakable rudeness that left our entire table astounded. The message was clear: our patronage, so late in the evening, was an imposition.

This failure in fundamental hospitality is particularly galling given the restaurant's association with 'Zhongs,’ a sister establishment to which we had eagerly made plans to visit the following evening. The prospect, once appealing, has now been utterly extinguished. The attitude exhibited by the staff at Bjoin is not an isolated incident but a reflection of the establishment's culture. If this is the standard, then one must reconsider the entire brand.

In the final analysis, an evening that promised gustatory delight delivered only a lesson in condescension. For a restaurant trading on an image of exclusivity and refinement, the lack of basic courtesy is a fatal flaw. As for our planned visit to Zhongs? The sentiment, I'm afraid, is a firm and resounding "Thank you, but...

Beware of the positive reviews !! I had a very disappointing experience here. The service was terrible, the staff were rude and unwelcoming, and the manager was by far the worst: impolite and unprofessional. The place might look nice, but the attitude of the team completely ruins the experience.

— ANSWER TO THE COMMENT BELOW —

OMG. Really? It’s honestly unbelievable how you’re denying everything without even apologizing.

Let me set the facts straight:

We stayed less than an hour (not two), because we had a train to catch.

There weren’t “plenty of people waiting”… only a few, and they found seats afterwards. When we left, no one was waiting, as I already told you.

We ordered food and drinks. The smoothie was served only after we had finished eating – do you expect me to drink it like a robot?

When we finished, I even ordered an extra coffee. The moment I finished it, while my friend was in the toilets, you spoke loudly from a distance in a way that everyone could hear. Other customers nearby noticed your behavior and were even laughing about your attitude.

So let me ask you back the same question: isn’t it inappropriate for you to be rude to...