LA LUNA EATERY & BAR — Restaurant in Canterbury

Food took ONE AND A HALF HOURS to come out. Some of the vegetables were very cold like they were frozen. The food was bland. The customer service needed experience. A lovely restaurant but sad they didn't deliver a better service. It wasn't even busy but they didn't seem in any hurry to get us our food.

Answer to your response:

Thank you for your apology but being "fully packed" is no excuse to wait two hours. It wasn't fully packed either. Three tables when we arrived and only about 5-6 tables present during the hours and hours we waited. There was a young waitress who served us. She never said "Hello I'm such and such and we hope you have a good night with us. We are short staffed and will take some time to deliver your meals tonight. There's a (however long wait)." Or maybe this should be added to your website when booking online? Legit it was 15 minutes of watching her walk past us (three other tables seated at 6:30 pm) then her coming up and saying "Hi, are you guys ready to order." I requested more information for my allergies and she didn't seem to know the menu so went back to the kitchen to ask and came back saying no specials catered to my allergies. I ordered a lamb shank that costed $40.00+ and the few edamame beans did not look fresh. The beans were good but the lamb was not seasoned and the oniony looking things were freezing cold. No mention of freeezing cold vegetables on the menu. The meat also wasn't at a temperature that I was happy with. There's so much care that was taken into the presentation of La Luna I had a lot of time to take in the totems and the lovely gold framings because I had to wait so long. The waitress did not check in until our entree was served so we couldn't get any additional drinks until 7:30 pm. I couldn't eat any entrees so waited until 8:24 pm for my main. I have a photo to prove that too. Do you really expect people to voice their complaints to a young girl who can barely string a sentence together. When asked how was everything tonight. I did not say a word because I couldn't. I couldn't blame her for lack of experience. The two restaurants you own are incredibly lovely in their presentation. The service and the food were exceptional at the sister venue. This one has a long way to go if it wants happy customers. You close at 9 pm and I got fed at 8:28 pm our booking was for 6:30 pm. Never was this mentioned to us in our entire dining service. Never have I experienced such a long wait for food. Never has a late service I have received been not mentioned to me audibly. A sign on your coffee machine saying "we're short staffed" does not excuse two hour wait times. I did not want to be sitting there that long especially when the price for that food is so high. No one does. We all have things to do and places to be. Next door brings food out within 20 minutes. I regret not going next door. I hope this review helps you do see that some training and better management and more staff would make this place great and worth the price tag. I don't like leaving bad reviews but I also couldn't leave without expressing how poor this experience was for me and my family. This was a birthday dinner and it wasn't an...

I am disgusted at the ethics of this business. I was at the table with Syliva Thomas and the lies you have responded with about your supposed offerings to our table are bordering on insane. It's ok to get things wrong every now and then, nobody's perfect, but the way you handle the situation after the fact is a direct reflection on your business and how you value your customers. This time you failed! What a shame you attempt to deflect that feedback back onto your customers...all you need to do is look at the negative reviews you have received to see the trend in how you respond to negative feedback. Its ok to admit you got it wrong. Im sure $5 or $10 off the bill would have made everything ok, but clearly you prefer negative feedback and abusing customers online.

Some quick points for you. 1, my mother in law did cut into her steak and spent the next few minutes chewing it! When your staff came to ask how the food was she mentioned it and the staff member offered to take it back to the kitchen to 'look at it'. 2, given my mother in laws foods arrived about 10-15 minutes after the rest of tables, and that we had already been at the restaurant for 2 hours, she was conscious of everyone waiting for her, which she mentioned. Your staff member advised he would take a little off her bill and everyone was happy. 3, the staff member then came back with a small plate and almost demanded the steak as the kitchen wanted to see it. I felt sorry for him. That was really odd but she gave the steak over and the staff member returned advising that was how it was supposed to be! Wow! 4, We booked for 6pm, entrees arrived after 7pm. No we did not over order entrees as you suggested! There were 4 at the table and there were 4 entrees. My wife and i ordered 3 and my mother and father inlaw shared garlic bread...which was 4 slices. 5, sometime later our mains arrived. My wifes, my father in laws and mine arrived at the same time, 10 minites later, my mother in laws arrived. I ordered the pasta, which I didn't finish, not because I was full...because the pasta was not cooked enough. My wife had the ribs which were dry, stringy and sickly sweet. My father in law had the chowder which he enjoyed and my mother in law had the surf and turf which created the chewy steak saga. 6, we finally left around 8.30pm. I wasn't going to complain, it's not my style, but seeing how you treated my mother in law, I now feel compelled to share the truth regardless of how Vincent and the La Luna team want to write it. Another point to note, my wife and i did not complain and paid full price. Dont worry Vincent, No need to tell me not to return...we wont be back...but unfortunately, rather than being an advocate for your business, i will now be telling anyone who will listen of the experience. What a shame. Perhaps a course in handling feedback would...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at La Luna restaurant with a group of friends, and it was an experience worth sharing. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance set the table for a delightful evening.

We started our culinary journey with the Seafood Chowder, and it was nothing short of spectacular. Packed with a medley of fresh seafood, the chowder was rich, flavorful, and a comforting delight. The balance of ingredients showcased the chef's expertise, making it a standout dish that left us craving more.

The Avocado Bruschetta was another highlight of our evening. A perfect blend of creamy avocado, vibrant tomatoes, and a drizzle of flavorful dressing atop perfectly toasted bread. Each bite was a symphony of textures and tastes, leaving us impressed with the attention to detail in the presentation and the exquisite combination of flavors.

The service was impeccable throughout the evening. The staff was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu, enhancing our overall dining experience. The cozy atmosphere of La Luna provided the ideal backdrop for an evening filled with laughter, good conversation, and, of course, fantastic food.

It's evident that La Luna takes pride in offering a culinary journey that exceeds expectations. The seafood chowder and Avocado Bruschetta are must-try dishes that showcase the restaurant's commitment to quality and creativity. I wholeheartedly recommend La Luna to anyone seeking a memorable dining experience, and I look forward to returning to explore more of their enticing menu.

Food 5/5 ( flavorful food textures and tastes ) Service 4.5/5 ( We understand it was weekend pick time quite busy, but overall we had a good care and attention ) Atmosphere 4/5...