Joya Italian Steakhouse — Restaurant in Bath

I debated for a while before leaving this, as a small business owner I know reviews can be very damaging- however I’ve never ever had to leave a restaurant during my starter before and feel that the owner needs some feedback to be able to right a few things. I hope this prevents anyone else from having the same experience. I had a booking with 3 other friends - we booked 7.30pm over the phone and we were looking forward to it. The evening before the outing we had a call to say they do not have enough space and our booking is being moved to 8.30. Not the best timing for us but we changed things around to make it work. We arrived at the restaurant with 30 mins to go, we were made to wait outside as they were having issues with other customers being seated. We were told that our seats were not ready and they were waiting for people to leave at 8.30 (when our table was booked). The owner even pointed at the table we were having- we went away and had drinks elsewhere whilst we were waiting. We returned at 8.30, the door was closed and we had to knock to enter, we were told the table isn’t ready the people haven’t left yet but they were pointing at a different table. Looking over at the original one we could see someone else had been seated. We were assured that our table will be ready soon. Around 5-10 minutes later one of the staff came downstairs and said they have a table for 4 upstairs. We made our way up to our table. We were sat in a room no bigger than my kitchen and we were surrounded by tables and people (In total there were 34 people seated In this area), our table was placed in the middle and it was the route the staff needed to take to get to the kitchen - so every few minutes we were being asked if we could move in on our chairs. We waited some time for them to take our drinks and starter order where the waiter said that we had to order it all at once drinks starters and mains etc. we were hoping to be able to order one course at a time instead as there were so many lovely things on the menu we wanted to see how we all felt after the starters (no biggie but it just seemed strange). We had our starters presented to us just after 9pm, we ate but it started to get a bit hot and with us having to move all the time to allow staff and other diners to get through we felt we could not stay. One of the party was feeling a bit stressed as she couldn’t move in any further on the table and was still being asked to. I went to talk to the manager (owner) about the situation and was hoping for some sort of compensation but the best I got from her was a sorry and a shoulder shrug, she mentioned we could wait for a different table but she was not sure how long this may take?!? Some of us felt as if we couldn’t stay and even finish our drink so we paid up in full and left. It’s a real shame, I am totally dissatisfied and disappointed in the service and the way we were treated, I wouldn’t recommend and wouldn’t return either. We did however manage to find another restaurant nearby that were very empathetic and accommodating and their...

Poor from the start. We turn up on 24th July at 7pm. Manager said we weren't booked in, so as I was the one who booked it, I had found the original email confirming the booking. When the manager saw the name she said oh she doesn't work here anymore and this has been not the 1st time someone who has had email confirmation from the restaurant not to be put in the system. It was very busy and tables were very close together despite covid restrictions being lifted. Originally booked here as their website stated lots of gluten free options.

The manager looked to 'fit us in' she did upstairs in the Plutney room. The table was in the most stupid place. It was very cramed upstairs. Everytime someone walked in a member of the party was consently hit or knocked. We all said that it was only a matter of time before something either food or drink was spilt on the guest.

We asked to be moved when it was mentioned that it was a health and safety issue to the reply was 'that wouldn't look good on us' We were moved downstairs to a table that we had spotted as we entered. We believe the table was used as a buffer. When I looked at menu it was highlighted GF food would be highlighted GF and gluten free pasta is available on request. Looked on menu nothing was actually labelled gluten free.

We had a waitress who was young. That was the 2nd thing to go wrong of the night.

She took the orders for starters and mains.

We ordered Aranici with spicy sauce and sausage and baratta to share.

Starters arrived and it was wrong we got bruschetta and we said that's wrong so sent it back and got the right starter.

Mains arrived carbonnara (very nice), seafood marainara (lots of mussels and 1 prawn - was expecting a mixture of seafood not just what they had) and two hot stone steak experience (wasn't told that I needed butter to cook with it).

Can't fault the food at all.

Then it was disaster from there. We had finished our main courses it took 50 mins for then to take two bowls away then a further 10 mins to take everything else away from the table. Waitress excuse was 'very busy tonight'.

Was given desert menu. I said I rather have desert back at our hotel. As we didn't want to wait another hour. At that point we said we wanted the bill.

The manager was a very smiley face that she thought would be accepted.

We discovered the waitress was on her first night working. It wasn't her fault she had had no support from other waiting staff or her manager.

We refused to pay the service charge that they automatically added to the bill. The manager wasn't happy about this so we listed everything that went wrong.

So disappointed in this restaurant sadly wont be going back even when I...

My experience at Joya was nothing but disappointing. Everything was going fine until my hot stone ribeye arrived, as I found what I believed to be a long thick rope inside my raw steak (it wasn’t small). I raised my concern to the waiter (male, tall, blonde) asking him if this was normal, to what he replied “I’m not sure I will have to check with the kitchen.” And since my steak was being taken back to the kitchen anyway I asked the waiter if it was possible to have my steak cooked in the kitchen instead of having to carry the hot stone back, I just thought that was easier for everyone. The waiter wasn’t sure if that was possible and said “I will have to check first” ….. 20 minutes went by with no explanations or answers back from the waiter. As my friends finished all their food, my steak came back cooked well done hard as rock (I usually go for medium rare). To my confusion as to why the waiter didn’t ask how I’d want my steak prepared as that’s the most basic and important thing to ask at a steak place, I raised the issue again. The waiter acted very defensive and said he asked if medium was okay and that I agreed.

He never asked us that, I confirmed that with people sitting around me. I don’t know why he lied about that That was no medium steak anyways, it was well done, brown throughout the thickness. It was like chewing on a rubber. Wasted the meat.

The waiter then asked if we’d want him to take that off the bills, I don’t know about anyone but I find that a bit weird. I also own a restaurant and you just don’t ask, you offer. Because that’d put customers in an awkward position.

At the end, I never received any apologies, not even one sorry about the foreign object in my food, let alone the attitude. They didn’t take the steak off my bills, I paid the full amount for their mistakes that they never admitted to.

I don’t know about you but there are restaurants with far better steak and service out there, I will not be returning and I do...