Ristorante "Da Maria Luisa" — Restaurant in Sìnnia/Sinnai

AVOID THIS PLACE. This was one of the worst restaurant experiences we ever had. There was a mistake with a drink order — caused by the owner/ manager — and he reacted in a very aggressive way. He stepped on the foot of a young waiter (probably under 18) and may have pinched him too. That kind of behavior is totally unacceptable.

Later, we saw the same waiter being pushed and pulled. First into the back area, then into the kitchen — again by the same man (Manager/owner). Other people in the restaurant saw it too. When we asked the owner about it, he didn’t care and said it was normal.

The food was also bad. The beef tagliata was chewy and had no taste. In the cutlery box, there were ketchup packets, some of them expired recently, others already in March. When we asked about this, the manager just said that “some only expired a few days ago” and that he didn’t have any others. That shows how little they care about quality.

The atmosphere was very tense. The staff looked scared and the manager was rude and unprofessional. Violence is never acceptable, not anywhere and definitely not at the workplace. And especially not against young employees, possibly even minors. Stay away from this restaurant. Zero stars. ———————————————————————

In response to the owner’s reply, we would like to clarify the following: One full meat dish was completely returned uneaten because it was inedible. Another meat dish was returned half-eaten, not fully consumed. The ketchup was expired since March, not just “by two days.” The staff in question were very young, possibly underage – denying this is simply not credible. No one mocked anyone’s English. One of us spoke fluent Italian – there was no disrespect. Nothing was removed from the bill – we paid for everything. When there was a second physical incident involving a staff member – caused by the manager or owner – we addressed it directly with him. He didn’t understand the issue and simply said, “that’s normal.” We then paid and left the restaurant.

The behavior in this place was unacceptable – poor service, unprofessional treatment of both guests and staff, and a public response that completely ignores the actual incidents. No worries: we will not be...

Avoid this establishment. Our group had a deeply disturbing experience.

During our visit, we witnessed the owner or manager physically assault both a member of the service staff and what appeared to be his teenage son in several instances. When we confronted him and asked him to stop, he denied any wrongdoing and aggressively dragged the boy to our table, pressuring him to deny the abuse. The situation was not only traumatic for us as bystanders, but it also raised serious concerns about the working conditions for the staff. We can only imagine the emotional toll they endure daily.

Instead of showing any remorse, the owner became defensive and dismissive. He told us that, as tourists, we didn’t understand how to run a business and implied that physical aggression was somehow acceptable in Sardinia’s restaurant industry. His behavior came across as volatile, insecure, and deeply inappropriate—lashing out at those less powerful instead of demonstrating the leadership and respect expected in any professional setting.

While the service staff were kind, professional, and clearly trying their best, the same cannot be said for the management. The owner got several of our orders wrong, served condiments that were past their expiry date, and presented us with meat that was nearly inedible. The beef tagliata, which should be a tender fillet, was filled with tendons and gristle. The “salad” consisted of nothing more than plain iceberg lettuce. It felt like the restaurant was cutting corners at the expense of even basic quality.

To be clear: the kitchen staff appeared competent, and the issues we encountered stem entirely from a toxic and mismanaged leadership.

I strongly urge others to avoid this place—not only due to the subpar food and service—but because no one should support a business where abuse is visible and unchallenged. I sincerely hope the staff are able to find better opportunities in a healthier and more respectful work...

Warning about this restaurant – disappointing and unacceptable

Our visit to this restaurant was unfortunately a negative experience in every possible way. From the very beginning, the communication with the owner was rude and condescending. Even though someone in our group spoke Italian, it was nearly impossible to place our order in a normal and respectful manner – the waiter repeatedly responded in an unfriendly and inappropriate way.

The food itself was far below acceptable standards. Several dishes were of poor quality – particularly the meat, which was so full of sinew that it was impossible to cut and had to be sent back.

What was most disturbing, however, was witnessing the owner’s disrespectful and aggressive behavior toward his own staff– a completely unacceptable act. When we confronted the owner about this, he became aggressive and started shouting at us.

I strongly advise anyone looking for a pleasant evening with good food to avoid this restaurant. The tone, the food quality, and – above all – the aggressiv behavior of the owner make this a place you’re better...