34 Park — Restaurant in Andover

Choose this spot for my birthday dinner. Host was very friendly and professional. The inside is beautiful and done tastefully. Gives off a great ambiance whether its light outside or dark. Came in right after opening and it was quiet, just a few patrons on a Wednesday. We were sat and as the night went on, it got busy (busier than expected for a Wednesday). Our waiter was Jake (i believe?) and was also friendly and professional. It seemed like he had a lot of tables half way into our meal, as we watched him run around, and it took a bit to get some small stuff we asked for like another set of flatware and napkins. We ordered bang bang shrimp, calamari, caprese, and jerk wings. The bang bang shrimp was spectacular!!! I could eat that every single day. Jerk wings crispy, clean (as in no feathers), seasoned and cooked right! Calamari wasnt so crispy and somewhat soggy. Caprese with prosciutto was also decent but needed more balsamic reduction, which i asked for, but after 10 minutes of waiting I ate it and finally got the balsamic. I lacked in flavor even though the prosciutto should've added natural salt and the tartness was missing from the balsamic, which was runny and not thick as I usually find in other places. My son got truffle fries which were great and crisp. He also got gnocchi with butter and garlic (not a menu item, he has a lot of sensory issues and eats very few things), which i was very happy that they could accommodate! It was also his first time having gnocchi, and it was made with fresh thin sliced garlic, making it so fragrant!! He ate the leftover the next 2 days! The salmon was okay, a bit dry inside. The potatoes were perfect though. The filet was so over cooked, and we had waited SO long for meals to arrive that we didnt bother saying anything, my son was overstimulated at this point and wanted to leave. He was a little hyper and we kept getting looked at by the table next to us, as if they were bothered by our son's autism. Lastly, the tiramisu fell short. I was hoping it would be fluffier and creamer with the marscapone but it was heavy and the flavor got lost. As we left I overheard the waiter stating kitchen was backed up a bit. It took 2.5 hrs to have a dinner that started at 430pm. I would...

The worst experience of my life. Their service is TERRIBLE! We had the most distressing experience imaginable at what was supposed to be a top-tier venue for my daughter's intimate wedding celebration. I had envisioned a special day filled with joy and warmth, but the abysmal service we encountered shattered those dreams. It became painfully clear that their primary interest lay in collecting money rather than ensuring a memorable event for us and our guests.

In two thorough planning meetings prior to the wedding, we meticulously outlined every detail, agreeing on a selection of beverages that included rich coffee, soothing tea, refreshing orange and cranberry juice, and a variety of sodas, along with the chosen appetizers and main courses. However, when we arrived—not just as parents but as hopeful hosts, the reality was starkly different. Our guests, in bewilderment, sipped only water, while the beautifully arranged plates were unceremoniously placed over the charger plates instead of being served as we had envisioned. Despite my persistent requests to have the drinks we specifically paid for, brought to our tables, my pleas fell on deaf ears. Instead, the staff unmistakably prioritized offering alcoholic beverages, seemingly aiming to persuade guests to spend even more money. Non-alcoholic options that had been discussed and agreed upon never saw the light of day at our table.

While it’s understandable for a business to seek profit, their tactics were not only unprofessional but utterly unacceptable. The service was shockingly poor; both the manager and the waitstaff exhibited a complete lack of understanding of effective customer service. Regrettably, this experience left me wishing never to return to that establishment. 34 Park Restaurant turned out to be the worst choice we could have made for such a significant occasion. If I could put negative five stars I would, they are indubitably the worst establishment and the most horrible service we have...

Our first visit to 34 Park, unfortunately on Mother’s Day, was deeply disappointing. From the moment we arrived, the experience fell short of expectations. A few members of our party came inside just ahead of our reservation to check in, only to be met with unwarranted attitude from (what we assume was) the manager, who curtly responded with “Good” when they said they’d wait outside.

Things didn’t improve once we were seated. Our group was slightly smaller than the reservation, and the manager responded with an eye roll that made us feel like we were being difficult rather than simply informing them. Moments after we sat down, our server asked for drink orders before we even had a chance to open the menu. He returned just a minute later, but we were still deciding.

We also noticed that only standard brunch menus were placed on the table, even though we saw Mother’s Day menus at the hostess stand. We had to request them ourselves. Then we were told we needed to place our entire order at once “because the kitchen was busy,” which, while understandable on a holiday, felt rushed. Strangely, one person’s side of bacon came out before any appetizers. When we questioned it, the server simply said, “This came out first, so… here you go.”

Drinks took a long time to arrive, and since we were only checked on once, we ended up just ordering one round — a missed opportunity for them, especially on such a high-volume day.

All in all, the experience felt unorganized and lacking in hospitality. The issues we encountered seemed to reflect a broader management problem. For a restaurant in such a prime location — and on a day meant to feel special — 34 Park really...