Bella Italia - Glasgow Sauchiehall Street — Restaurant in Scotland

Came here for my birthday meal today but I wish I didn’t. When we first entered there was only us, a family that looked like they had just been seated and another lady eating in the restaurant so very quiet. Me and my partner were served by Marlena, after being seated and shown menu she disappeared to talk to the family. We were waiting over fifteen minutes for her to come back and take our drinks and our order, which considering how quiet the restaurant was we weren’t too happy about. The chef had gone out for a smoke while she was just talking to the other family delaying our food further. Our food arrived quite quickly though, and from us both working as chefs before we knew that pizza and pasta dishes don’t arrive in five minutes. Food was lukewarm when it arrived which was even stranger. I ordered the gluten free festive pizza with Camembert on top and my partner ordered pollo cacciatore pasta. My partner ordered a cocktail and only asked for my partners ID even though we were sharing the drink; I tried to show my ID but she refused to look at it, saying she only needed to see his ID, even though we made it clear that we would be sharing the drink, it even came with 2 straws in it. My partners pasta arrived with nearly whole onions in, like they had cut an onion in half and just threw it into the food; and my pizza was undercooked, pale and chewy and toppings were nearly cold. Camembert had definitely been microwaved as there was no way it would be ready so quick and I could tell by the taste, texture and the way it looked that it had been microwaved. Not expecting fine dining but definitely not expecting microwaved food especially when there was barely anyone in the reastaurant! Two other couples came in while we were eating and the male front of house staff sat us all in the same corner right next to each other, it made us feel claustrophobic and we had no personal space, kind of ruins the atmosphere entirely, felt like they sat us all in the same corner as staff were lazy and couldn’t be bothered walking any further to see to us, as we were right next to the bar in our corner. Never seen anything like it in a restaurant that barely has anyone in before honestly. Marlena only seemed interested in talking to us when it came to a tip, emphasising which button to press to tip her and making small talk only when it came to tip time, she even highlighted the fact that the tip is not automatically put on on our receipt, underlining this and writing ‘thank you’ - picture attached. Wasn’t even asked if we wanted pepper or Parmesan on our food and Parmesan automatically put on to my partners meal. Staff seemed more interested in talking amongst themselves than actually serving customers even though restaurant was nearly empty. I have been to busy Bella Italia restaurants in London and received better quality service and food than I received at this quiet restaurant. Definitely won’t be back! Thanks for the...

Booked after seeing reviews but after our visit I wonder if these reviews were genuine!!!! Hardly anyone in the place and I now know why!!!! Starters of Calamari and chicken strips, well have never seen such tiny bits of Calamari, in fact it was more just solid breadcrumbs with very little calamari present in fact some bits had none!!!!! The chicken strips, whilst chicken inside the breadcrumbs they again were solid, well over deep fried!!!! Main courses, pizza was ok ( just ok) the spaghetti bolognese was more spaghetti tomato sauce, plus it was like Greggs food, a slight heat in it!!!!!! Now the cocktails, we both had strawberry daiquiris which were more like strawberry syrup topped up with lemonade and each glass had two ice cubes!!!!! The taste was even worse , totally undrinkable!!!!! I asked for a manager to be told no one was on, they young boy serving us whilst being very well mannered and apologetic was totally out his depth dealing with a complaint, he actually told us all the cocktails are made like this ( pre-made like you buy out a bottle) he agreed they are not right and after speaking g with the girl who was on duty also he took the cost ( think £9 each) off the bill. On hindsight we should have went with our gut feeling when we walked thru the door and walked right back out!!!!! If looking for an Italian meal before going to theatre just round in West Nile St you will get a lovely meal and cocktails to match, definitely avoid...

idk what to call it, read and decide for yourself: I walked in there, ~10 mins waiting next to the 'wait to be seated' sign, nobody approached. Until a white old couple walked into the restaurant.. it wasn't even a minute and a waitress came to ask them in. it was the old lady who said 'I think you were before us" then I got finally acknowledged by the staff.

It doesn't end there unfortunately; when I finally got seated on the fringes of the restaurant near the door, I picked up a menu that was near me, and waited patiently to order, while staff looking at me ready but never approach, I even called a waitress who walked past me if I could order, and as if she didn't hear me she didn't look my way. However a short while later she came back and asked do I need help! and in a dismissive tone she went "this is not the menu? who seated you here?"! props to her she apologised after I pointed out her tone to her, and explained that it's her colleague who seated me there without any further action or explanation. However, I was really put off at that stage and lost my appetite.

I'm not a homeless btw, nor homeless looking dear reader if this is what you think might've been the case. However I'm brown.. I don't like thinking in this mentality, but I don't know what else I can make out of that occasion.

Thanks also for whoever has put bag aside. I came back and...