Caffè Quadri — Restaurant in Venice

• TEXTBOOK DEFINITION OF A TOURIST TRAP*

A tourist trap is a spot that rips off visitors with shady tactics, like bait-and-switch pricing. At Caffe Quadri, the menu board outside said an Aperol spritz was 8 euros. After we sat, ordered drinks, and got the bill, they charged us 20 euros per Aperol—50 euros total for two Aperols and a bottle of water. We asked why, and the middle-aged male server with glasses brushed us off, saying takeaway and dine-in prices are different, pointing to a menu on the table like that explained it. The outdoor menu board didn’t mention any price difference at all, and that’s what people check before sitting down. He didn’t care; when we pushed back, he repeated the table menu line and walked away, ignoring us. They also brought us unsolicited snacks—just nuts and crisps, with a lid they dramatically popped off in front of us, like that made up for the bill. As we left, I saw a family checking out the same menu board we trusted. I wanted to warn them about the scam but held back, not wanting the staff to see me calling them out. They’ll say the “view” justifies the prices, but a nice view doesn’t cover for dishonest pricing or lousy service. This kind of upselling and zero transparency is classic tourist trap nonsense.

P.S. to Owner because i know you're reading this: Your menu board deceives customers with lower prices than what you charge, which i know you're doing on purpose, and also bragging about "high-quality ingredients" when responding to every bad review you get doesn’t justify the bait-and-switch tactic you're obviously pulling off. Be clear about dine-in vs. takeaway costs and drop the “view” excuse. Transparency would keep customers’ trust. Instead of you responding to bad reviews with "im sorry to hear that" and basically saying in professional words "good view with high quality ingredients justifies it" try to actually listen to those bad reviews as they point out what can be fixed, if of course you have...

Beautiful restaurant, very stylish interior deep red papered walls, sensational glass chandeliers create a lovely intimate atmosphere, it's on the first floor overlooking the Piazza, amazing views if you get the window tables. Staff are all very friendly and attentive and make you feel very special. We went there as a couple for my wife's birthday and it definitely felt like we were somewhere very special, it's advisable to book well in advance I'd say. There are two tasting menus with either 5 or 7 courses one is more fish based the other more meat! 185 euros or 210 euros! It's expensive but then again it's a Michelin starred restaurant in Venice (why wouldn't it be) As it's Venice we went for the fish it's fresh every day from the market. To be honest 7 courses was probably a bit too much for me as they brought appetizers and other small dishes we weren't expecting! It's all part of the culinary experience. The presentation of the food and attention to detail is immense, every ingredient in each course stood out and worked well. There's also an a la carte menu to order from if you prefer, but everything sounds and looks so good it's hard to choose so the tasting menus work well. Wine selection is vast the sommelier will happily recommend wines for the meals or there is a wine tasting selection to match the tasting menu. You can spend a fortune on the wine beware 100 euros for a bottle is easily done, but there are choices at 40 to 50 euros as well or maybe go by the glass. Overall for me it's five stars, I booked in advance having researched to find somewhere special for my wife's 50th so I was aware it would be very expensive, (for us) but that is what it is, a restaurant for fine dining and spoiling yourself, for experiencing on a memorable occasion. It...

Disappointing Experience – Needs Serious Improvement

This was by far the worst service we experienced during our trip to Italy. The prices displayed on the menu outside the venue were completely different from those on the table, leading to a surprising bill of €50 for just two small Aperol Spritz and some snacks we never ordered.

To make matters worse, the waiter—a middle-aged blond man with glasses—was extremely rude and dismissive. While the location and music initially seemed like redeeming qualities, the music was on repeat, which quickly became tiresome.

We spent four days in Italy visiting several cities and had nothing but fantastic experiences until this stop. I regret not checking the Google reviews beforehand, as I now see many others had similar complaints.

To the owner: rather than constantly defending poor practices by blaming high-quality ingredients and prime location, I suggest taking meaningful action. There’s nothing “high-quality” about Lidl-style tortilla chips and paprika-dusted nuts—items most people have in their own pantry.

Please consider retraining your staff and being transparent with your pricing. Consistency, honesty, and respectful customer service go a long way. You do have a great location—now bring your service up to the...