Restaurant Sa Cova — Restaurant in Sóller

I previously posted a 4 star review. After our last experience in January 2023, I would remove all stars and will never return :(. The restaurant badly needs management, it seems there is none. They were ridiculously short staffed, and the staff who were there didn't seem to care at all about the poor service they were delivering. We reserved a table for 3, we were seated in a place with little space, where we had to keep moving to let the serving staff get things from a shelving unit beside us. They brought us only 2 drinks out of the 3 ordered, when we asked for the 3rd we were told "it's in the queue!". We waited and waited and waited for our food...after more than one hour of waiting, with no updates or apologies, we stood up and asked to pay for the drinks and go. Which we did, still without receiving a single apology. Never, never again.

Below is my previous, 4 star review

I like this place a lot. We've been twice now, once we ate outside and once inside. I prefer inside. The main dishes are served with a variety of delicious steamed veg or a very pretty and tasty side salad - very few restaurants in Mallorca do this, and I wish more would. Everything we have eaten is delicious, the portions are so generous that we have to ask for a doggy bag, and the staff are fun and friendly. We will definitely...

Delightful restaurant tucked into the corner of the plaza de Soller, between the Carrer de Vives and the Bar Nadal, signposted with a retro (ie 1980's authentic) sign 'Sa Cova' - literally, the cave. Sa Cova is a family run business, currently presided over by Niko, offering a hood range of Mediterranean and mallorquín dishes from a well-tuned menu. That is, they listen to their customers, and adapt accordingly. The restaurant itself occupies the slightly labyrinthine ground floor of a convoluted late 1800's house, which gives it a cosy warm atmosphere. In summer, nearly everyone eats outside on the terrace (which is next to and shared with the Bar Nadal next door) plus a few tables perched on a dais down the adjacent narrow street of Vives ( or more accurately, Carrer de s'Ardeviu).

A very good range of dishes, from fish, meat, mallorquin specialities to 'European fare'. All cooked to order and beautifully presented. Their wine list is good, but you cant go wrong with the house wines. Kids are catered for but note that the toilets are tucked away upstairs. Delightful service and good food at a moderate price make this a very popular venue for tourists and...

Within such a beautiful setting, we hoped to find a lovely restaurant and enjoy a wonderful evening We left, disappointed, annoyed and worst of all hungry! There is no service here. Orders are taken carelessly, by surly young ladies disrespectfully chewing gum; hrumphing away when requested to change a bottle of wine for the one ordered, or being kindly asked to remove our first course plates, to allow the second course to be served. The second course cutlery being the first course cutlery represented to us in manner that would not be out of place at greasy spoon cafe. One first course did not arrive until half way through the second course, having been initially forgotten about, then served cold. No apology was forthcoming on either occasion, but with a sense that our expectations were too high. Our second courses did not arrive together, but at several minute intervals and were less than average in quality. They left half eaten. Hence the no-stars assessment for service. There so many more nicer places to eat in Soller, with good quality food and service with a smile and keenness to ensure a pleasant evening, and a return visit. This is not one of them and...