Mazi — Restaurant in Krakow

The restaurant presents itself as a contemporary Mediterranean establishment, listed in the Michelin Guide. Naturally, such a distinction raises expectations regarding the consistency of the cuisine, the quality of service, and the overall comfort of the dining experience. However, the visit revealed several aspects that fell short of the expected standard. The menu introduction was delivered exclusively in Polish, despite the table being composed of both local and international guests. No attempt was made to translate or mediate linguistically, creating an unnecessary barrier at the outset for those who did not speak the language. In addition, four different menus were handed out per person, which resulted in confusion and a scattered reading of the offering. Rather than being informative, this excess compromised the clarity of the restaurant’s gastronomic proposal. During wine service, a drop-stop ring was not used, leading to multiple wine stains on the table. No effort was made to clean them. While it may seem a minor detail, this type of oversight does not align with the level of precision expected of a restaurant with Michelin recognition. The scallops, served as a main course, were clearly insufficient in quantity, just three units without any notable accompaniment. Such a portion would be appropriate as a starter, but not as a main dish in terms of generosity and satiety. On a more positive note, the tuna dish proved to be the highlight of the meal. The loin was cooked to perfection, moist and flavourful, and the sauce that accompanied it added notable depth to the overall experience. The duck dish, while tasty, lacked tenderness. The meat was somewhat tough, missing the soft texture typically expected from such a preparation. The absence of freshly squeezed orange juice was also noted. Given that the restaurant draws inspiration from Mediterranean cuisine, one would naturally expect fresh, simple beverages like this, widely appreciated in that culinary tradition. The response to the request was inflexible, pointing only to the existing menu without offering alternatives or suggestions. I would suggest that when a customer requests something that is not on the menu, the staff avoid rigid or dismissive replies. Instead, a more customer-oriented approach would be to kindly explain that the item is not available, while assuring the guest that their suggestion will be passed on to the manager, and thanking them for their input. This style of communication is more in line with the level of service expected from a Michelin-listed restaurant, and contributes to a more positive and memorable dining experience. Lastly, the comfort of the dining room was compromised by external noise. The restaurant’s main door remained open, allowing loud music from a nearby kiosk to intrude, significantly detracting from the tranquillity of the meal. Despite its declared intent and Michelin distinction, the experience revealed critical shortcomings in hospitality, communication, technical service, and the coherence of some dishes with the claimed Mediterranean refinement. There is quality at the core, and moments of merit, such as the tuna dish, demonstrate technical capability in the kitchen. Still, the overall experience requires consistent adjustments to fully meet the standard one expects from a restaurant listed in the...

They LIED in menu and didn’t admit that.

We ordered levico lemonade along with pita, tartar and calamari. We explicitly asked the waiter 2 times to bring the drinks, pita and tartar together. She said something like they don’t do it like that here and dishes are delivered once ready, but she’ll try to do that. Okay, whatever, any other restaurant never questioned this ask.

Then, 1 minute after the order, another waiter brought the lemonades. The bottles were open, so the bubbles started escaping, while we were waiting for the food :/ No clue why our ask about drinks with food was ignored.

Anyways, while waiting, we noticed that the lemonade bottles looked small, and then we saw that they were 275ml. Why? Why did you write in the menu that the lemonade is 330ml? I’m not a legal expert, but i think it’s kinda a crime to sell 17% less than we ordered.

When we said that about this mistake to the waiter, he immediately grabbed the bottles and cups and said “order water if you don’t like what you got”. What? Why would we want to order tasteless water instead of lemonade?

As the drinks were taken away, we started to leave the restaurant, but the waiter came back and said we still are going to have food and we need to pay for the order. We explained that it’s not possible to eat food without drinks and after about 5 min dialog our order was cancelled and we left.

Owners of the restaurant, please READ the false menu that dozens of customers see every day and FIX it, so that the waiters don’t have to deal with...

Extremely good experience overall.

The service was impeccable, just bare with some time waiting for the big plates, but this is not a big deal considering the quality of the cooking.

The atmosphere of the place is really nice and comforting. The Mediterranean vibe is present, not too much to feel cheap. But simple and chic.

The food is impeccable, a little pricey, but the play of taste is nailed. Great balance of flavours and textures for both the "big plate" and the dessert I ordered. I can definitely recommend the lamp as a main dish. Special mention to the dessert. Great balance between the incredible halva cream, marinated truffle, raisins and sesame crunch.

However, I put 4/5 because I think that 2 improvements could be made. 1 - the wine menu is not to my liking. The only Italian red wine that the waitress suggested to me was just not worth the price tag. It tasted rough, super tannic, dry without sweat after-taste. For 25 PLN the glass, I think that you guys can find way better quality wine. 2 - I wish the lamb dish would be served hotter. I don't know if it has been waiting for too long on the kitchen counter. But it was served barely warm which hinders the meat quality and the specific taste...