Ristorante Bar Al Castello — Restaurant in Vernazza

Horrible experience. The waiter was rude. We were given one menu for the two of us and had to ask for a second. We only had water glasses on the table no wine glass. When we were asked for a glass of wine a small jug was placed on the table and not poured for us. We were never given wine glasses; I had to take them for the table behind me. The waiter came over to take our order, and we asked for a minute since we just received a second menu. The waiter returned 30 seconds later, so we asked for another minute and the same thing occurred. We were never checked on throughout the meal. When we finished, the waiter said "finished?" and we had to ask for the dessert menu. We never got it, and the waiter recited the wrong desserts to us. We asked for lemon tort and he returned with nothing and said it was orange now. We said orange was fine. 5 minutes passed and no dessert was brought to us. Instead, the check was placed on the table. This is the first time in italy the check has ever been given to us without asking for it. As we were leaving a lady at the door was offering cake that we were told was out. Not recommended place. And as for the food.. my pasta was undercooked and the dessert as the parting gift tasted store bought. The only reason I give this place 2 stars...

This is the most disgusting place I have ever been to. To start off, the waiter was very rude and intimidating. As we got our food things got progressively worse. The pasta was not cooked through whatsoever, but was apprehensive to saying something because the waiter was so rude. Additionally, during our meal we witnessed the cook take a cigarette break and immediately go back to cooking without washing his hands. As we were finished eating and waiting endlessly (over 30 minutes) for our bill, we saw multiple tables send back our food. After reminding our waiter over 3 times to get us our check he finally brought it. We immediately took out our card to pay and waited about 25 minutes until having to bring our card up to him. He directed us towards a weird room, which he had not previously mentioned, for us to pay. As we waited in line, we were informed that we could only pay in cash and once we paid it was put into a metal tin, which seemed unprofessional and a little sketchy. While the views may have been gorgeous; the food, service, and hygiene of this restaurant was horrible. I am utterly disgusted by this place and would not recommend...

After braving the steps up the old fortress tower to secure a table at Al Castello, we watched the sun set over the mountains and light dim over the marina, as live Friday-night music wafted up from the town center. We ordered Ligurian seafood specialties, fished locally, followed by delicious slices of pistachio and coconut cake. A sublime end to a melting-hot August day in Cinque Terre!

As night fell and the train schedule shortened, we prepared to descend the stairs and went to pay; they pointed us to a little door in the side of the next building. In we walked, into part of the owners’ apartment, and met Monica. She welcomed us in and asked us, and everyone who came inside, where we were from, and how was dinner, and help yourself to cake and cookies, limoncello and little glasses laid out on a round table by the entrance.

Monica runs the restaurant with her brother and their family, who are local to Vernazza many generations back. We lingered the time of a tiny glass, not enough time to enumerate the knick-knacks and baskets and baubles that wallpapered the seafoam-green room, but enough time to fall in love...