Happy Italy Alkmaar — Restaurant in Alkmaar

I’ve never written a review before but I had such a horrible experience at this place I had to say something. This ‘restaurant’ does not exist to serve customers, it’s raison d’être is to take their money. There is no soul in this place whatsoever.

I am recovering from a long term illness and have been trying to gain weight and strength. Because I can’t stand long enough to cook, I needed someone to make me a big, healthy plate of food.

I specifically went to this place because they have a large terrace and I needed to bring my small dog. As it was lovely and sunny, I was also looking forward to some bonus vitamin D from the sunshine. However, upon arrival I was told the terrace was closed. I then asked if I could sit inside but wasn’t allowed in with the dog.

I looked inside and the restaurant, though being of gargantuan proportions, was half empty so I couldn’t understand why they wouldn't serve me. They said they were understaffed but the difference between being served inside or outside was a matter of 1,5 meters… so I asked, if the terrace was too far for the staff to walk, could I pick up my order from inside and eat out? Response? “Computer says no”. Ok, they didn’t, they just said “no, because then everybody wants to sit outside”. The audacity of customers to want to eat outside on a sunny day! I mean, for Pete's sake, where is the humanity? Or are you robots?! What is the reason you run a restaurant if not to give your customers an evening they will actually enjoy?

I got attitude from the waiter, and later more attitude from the manager who said: “I don’t want to be difficult, but…”

In my opinion, the greedy owners built some sort of ‘vreetschuur’ (huge restaurant with below average food) in order to rake in as much money as they can. Now they struggle to fill the place and by the looks of others’ reviews they also struggle to provide decent food.

I wish them all the karma...

Awful service!

When a manager tells you "madam, I don't care if you come again", this means smth, right?

And it is the best description of this place - no one cares about if the client is happy.

Today I asked a waitress to cut my pizza into pieces right when she brought it. She grabbed my pizza and mumbled "unbelievable, how lazy people can be". My partner could read it on her lips.

My pizza was back and served not from the serving side, but the waitress passed it through the fence which is in between of the two lines of tables. Then my partner asked the waitress "why do you think you are allowed to tell such things about the client?" and the answer was "because you have a knife on the table and can cut it yourself".

After this a could not stand this "service" and asked the manager to come to our table. I explained the situation and told that every time I come there - there are problems. And the answer was, ja, precies, - he doesn't care if I come again! That is said by the manager of the restaurant. I have big questions to the owners about how do they hire the personal.

Also, after my partner saying to me "oke now it is enough, he will do the best", the manager asked if my partner wants her wine glass to be updated. But he didn't ask me, though I also had a wine glass almost empty. My conclusion is that I was ignored. Because when I said that I'm not gonna pay for the order because I did get zero service and I don't think that it's worth it, it was also ignored. Zero initiative from all the people who works there.

So the result is that you, guys, lost a client. We are not going to come ever again, though our daughter loved your playground.

I wish Alkmaar Happy Italy closes because it's unbelievable how they treat their customers! They don't expect you to...

I used to love this place; I would go there often as well as order takeout. Best pizza and experience every time. Until the last month or two.

The last few times were a disaster. I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it happened again and again. After the third try, I decided I am not coming there again:

Had to wait around half an hour to be seated (with a reservation!). The person responsible for seating would come to the entrance for 1 min and then disappear for 10 minutes (seeing and knowing that people are waiting in line). One of these times I had to wait for a waitress for around an hour (and I am not exaggerating). One of these times I was waiting for pasta for an hour. One of these times I spent there 3 hrs in total just to have a burned pizza in the end. Pizzas are definitely not even close to the level they had a few months ago. One time they were out of pizza and pasta on Friday evening. They are more understaffed than ever, and yet reservations are always opened. For as many people as you want.

So yeah, having a reservation doesn't guarantee you dinner in this place, but you might see a crying waitress and a manager who doesn't do anything useful.

Photo 1: burned pizza we once received, photo 2: a new pizza they prepared for us after I complained about the first one...