Hosteria de Menàs — Restaurant in Menaggio

“Best food it Italy,” some reviewers state, but you can’t take these reviewers seriously. This is best a two star establishment, honestly one. I leave one star only for our waitress who was helpful.

This is somewhere you could grab drinks and have a cheaper meal, but if you read through the reviews of previous visitors, you will find that they were being asked to leave 5 star reviews for free limoncello shots. 🤔

I despise deceptive marketing tactics and don’t support it, but here is my honest review:

It’s a restaurant found in a hostel that serves food, wine, and drinks. It has a nice view of the lake but if the view is what you’re looking for, you could eat at an establishment closer to the port or in Bellagio or even Varenna or any other towns nearing the water.

I chose this spot based on its Google ratings, while we visited Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio. The lack of service and the lack to communicate with its patrons is bizarre. We had the intentions of having dinner but with the inclement weather and travel we had to do, asked for the check after finishing our drinks.

We saw the limited bus schedule for the evening and wanting to catch the next bus due to the incoming rain, we tried to close our tab and pay our bill. The chef? insisted we wait so he can go buy his cigarettes.

Let’s be fair, we got seated at 6:15pm with a look and hand gestures to take a seat. We ordered our drinks then was left with the option of ordering the lunch menu or waiting for dinner at 7pm. We opted to wait as it was 6:25pm. Someone pointed out the rain but with the staff seated to eat dinner, I didn’t interrupt them. I thought it was actually a nice gesture to see the staff eat a meal together. So we decided to wait for them to finish before asking for the check. It was probably a few minutes before 7pm and our bus heading back to como was incoming at 7:03pm. As he made his way to the registered I asked if we could pay, and he stated, he’s on break and if another staff member comes around then maybe someone can help us; he walked off saying he was heading to the store to get his cigarettes. I couldn’t help but laugh. I’ve never been to an establishment that didn’t want the money owed; it’s not the place I’d frequent again.

If you’re on a budget, it’ll work for you, but I guess it’s true like I’ve read online, this area is not a foodie destination, so don’t go with high expectations with...

I recently dined at Hosteria de Menas in Como, and I'm sorry to say the experience was utterly disappointing. The restaurant, which boasts of its Italian specialties, failed spectacularly, starting with their spaghetti cacio e pepe—a classic dish that shockingly came without any cacio (cheese)! It's baffling how a supposed Italian eatery could omit such a crucial ingredient, rendering the dish tasteless and frankly unacceptable.

When I pointed out this glaring mistake and requested a simple replacement of fries, the staff’s response was nonchalant at best. They brought out the fries, but then had the audacity to charge us for both the botched pasta and the fries! Upon complaining, the response from the staff was not only dismissive but downright insulting. The manager quipped that “not everyone liked Jesus," implying that somehow we were the problem for expecting a basic culinary standard.

To add insult to injury, this dinner was meant to be a birthday celebration, which my boyfriend had explicitly mentioned during the booking. Not only did they fail to acknowledge this special occasion in any way, but their lackluster food and appalling service further ruined our evening.

Furthermore, the starters were a far cry from authentic Italian recipes, suggesting a lack of respect for culinary tradition and customer expectation. It seems Hosteria de Menas is content to coast on a facade of authenticity while delivering mediocrity.

Overall, Hosteria de Menas is a staggering letdown for anyone in search of genuine Italian cuisine and respectful customer service. If this is the standard they set, I suggest diners take their appetites and expectations elsewhere—especially if you're looking to celebrate a...

I have ordered here before and they were ok. Drinks are good, but the customer service is terrible. Me and my husband went again but this time we waited around somewhat 15 minutes. Only menu was provided, there were people who came after us and they received service and they got their drinks. The waiters walked next to us and they didn’t bother to ask us if we already decided. We left and we won’t come back. Such a shame, this place was recommended but for our experience was terrible. This place has potential but if they want to keep customers they should consider better up their...