La Mesa — Restaurant in General Luna

On March 21, 2025, around 10:00 PM, my friend and I visited La Mes with two bottles of wine. We asked about the corkage fee and were clearly told it would be 600 PHP. Both bottles were visible on the table, and the waitress acknowledged this when giving us the price — clearly implying the 600 PHP covered both bottles.

A few minutes later, the same waitress returned and changed the fee to per bottle, now demanding 1,200 PHP. I immediately said that the agreement was 600 PHP for both and asked to speak to the owner or manager. No one came. The original waitress never returned, and a different staff member served us for the rest of the night. No explanation or update was ever provided.

Importantly, neither bottle was opened by staff, and no new glasses were given for the second wine. Both bottles were twist tops, not corked — meaning no real corkage service was provided. CCTV would confirm this. When the bill arrived, it reflected 1,200 PHP corkage, despite the absence of any explanation or service justifying the extra charge.

We paid for the food, which was not in dispute, but no official receipt was issued. The dishonesty in this interaction — promising one thing and charging another — is not only unprofessional but potentially violates Philippine consumer protection laws. Misleading customers and charging for services not provided can be considered swindling (Estafa).

After paying for our meal, the owner of La Mesa finally came to the table — not to resolve the issue, but to demand payment of the full 1,200 PHP with no discussion allowed. I again stated I was happy to pay the agreed 600 PHP, but not double the price without justification. To my shock, the owner called the police over the 600 PHP dispute.

She also accused me of trespassing, which was clearly false — I was a paying customer in a public restaurant. I calmly told the police that this was a Barangay-level issue, not a criminal one. Despite this, they insisted I accompany them to the Barangay Hall. I complied willingly, despite having an injured leg.

At the hall, the Barangay Captain was called, and after a brief conversation with the police (which I was not included in), I was told I had to go to the police station instead. At the station, a man in civilian clothes began taking notes and said this could be considered estafa — threatening me with detention.

Eventually, an officer offered to personally pay the 600 PHP. I only had a 1,000 PHP bill, and no one had change. He gave me 100 PHP, and I left 900 PHP in cash with them. I then left to find change but, due to my leg injury and closed shops, I headed home to rest.

The next night, I passed by La Mesa to politely ask for my 300 PHP change and a proper receipt. The owner refused, saying the issue wasn’t resolved, and even told me, “Good. I hope you never come back” after I mentioned I was returning to Australia.

This level of treatment — involving police, threatening jail, and refusing to return change or issue a receipt — is outrageous. Both my friend and I have traveled extensively and have never experienced such hostility and unethical behavior from any business. It's clear that this wasn’t about corkage — it was about intimidation...

COULD HAVE BEEN NICE COFFEE, BUT SERVICE TRUMPS TASTE, ALL THE TIME.

We chanced upon La Mesa on our night walk for coffee. We had Spanish Iced Latte and Iced Americano which, to my taste as a coffee entrepreneur and enthusiast, was actually good.

What set me off was the experience on the next night when my friends and I braved through the rain to get coffee takeouts before we went home.

We were surprised to have been served coffee in cups which were half the size of the ones we had the night before. Asked the waiter why it was so, and we were told that it is same as the ones we had the night before just had more ice in it. But was it not how it was supposed to be? That there would be more ice because they are iced drinks to start with? Because as the cups were definitely smaller, the ice that can be put in it were also fewer.

Hence, we were getting chilled coffees instead of iced ones which definitely made the difference. My friend even had to show the photo taken the night before only to be dismissed like what she showed did not matter. And it wasn't pleasant at all.

It would have been great if the staff was at least a little bit more compassionate if he cannot be accommodating, but how the issue was handled made us feel like they do not care what our concern was and all that mattered was that what we got was what we paid for.

"Yan po binigay ng barista eh," giving us the vibe that HEY THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO WITH YOUR DRINKS, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

Maybe we really were just lucky to have been served bigger cups the first time, but if we were served iced coffee in those small cups, we would not have returned the next time because the small cups for iced coffee was totally disappointing in itself.

The coffee was really good, but if it will be at the cost of having to argue and prove why we were served something ultimately below expectation, then I might just as well get another cup of coffee, nevermind that it is not good, as long as it is served with the customer experience in mind.

Dismayed is an understatement to describe how we felt. I returned the coffee because the experience was already ruined anyway. Consider my payment a contribution to a possible customer service seminar for the attending crew.

Thanks. But never again.

Posting a photo of my friend's Iced Spanish Latte on the second night and the Iced Americano I got the night before. The iced Americano which I returned was served in the...

I can’t believe they put take out charge of 10 pesos, SEPARATELY for a cup and a container for the food. How do you expect people to take out their food? Bring their own container and glass? When it’s supposed to be part of your SERVICES. It’s a RIP OFF HERE. Very cheeky move!

I ordered Classic Phad Thai Chicken. But please, don’t put Classic Phad Thai on the menu when it doesn’t even taste like the real Phad Thai. There’s more tofu than there is Chicken. Hardly any bean sprouts on it, more Calamansi taste than Phad Thai itself.

Plus, your staff hardly knows what their doing. I know what real Phad Thai taste like and they wouldn’t even accommodate on my request to add fish sauce, sugar, peanuts and chili. Said that it’s already in the Phad Thai food when he’s just a server and not even cooked the food. How does he know everything’s there??? I have two eyes and I can see a lot of ingredients missing!

It’s like the staff just wants to get rid of me, because they don’t know how to answer my questions.

Plus, I ordered an Orange Shake. I had to wait 20 minutes for the Phad Thai, so it became Orange Juice instead. Gosh, serving time is one of the challenges everywhere in Siargao.

Romantic Beach Villas have very close taste with Thai food. If this helps anyone that likes Thai Food.

So in my opinion, maybe it’s different when they serve the breakfast. But...