DiFebo's Restaurant Bethany Beach — Restaurant in Bethany Beach

We've dined at both restaurants many times and all were 5 stars. This time everything started great as usual and our server was spectacular. We ordered the red and the white Sangria and they were disappointing bad, but we kept them because we didn't want to seem like complainers. I order the Cod Putanesca Nepolitan and my wife the Shrimp Spaghettini. When our food was brought out we asked for grated cheese and were told that our server had to bring it. Unfortunately our server was taking an order for a large table and then a conversation about family etc followed. We didn't get the cheese for almost 10 minutes. My food was very good, but my wife received spaghetti, probably #8. Most people probably wouldn't care or even notice the difference, she ordered Spaghettini because it's thinner and the texture is different. She doesn't like Spaghetti, but tried to eat it. After a couple of bites and tasting the shrimp, she couldn't eat it. I tasted it and it was not good at all and I do like Spaghetti. I agreed with her, the sauce was also tasteless and sparce and the shrimp tasted like it had been boiled and the texture was mushy.

When our server finally returned and said you didn't like it, and my wife said no She offered to get her something else, but at that point, who wants to wait for another order. We didn't even ask to have it taken of our bill. A few minutes later a lady came over, didn't identify herself, and said "you had an issue"with your meal. My wife said, I didn't have an issue, I just didn't like it. "May I ask why" and she told her. This resulted in a heated discussion over types of pasta which my wife actually said I didn't come here to argue, I came to have an enjoyable relaxing dining experience.

This person who we assume was the manager was very unprofessional. You don't start an argument with a customer because they didn't like something, or tell them that they should like it because it's the same or similar. This is why I gave a 1 star for the atmosphere. I wasn't finished eating, but no longer had an appetite.

Our server was very cold and inattentive afterwards. We still left $25% gratuity of based on the original total before they removed her meal.

To add insult to injury, we went across the street to the market and I got $12 a pound pasta salad only to get home and had two bites and threw it out. It was awful.

I guess we just...

For one of the BEST Italian meals ever and a bit of a splurge (both spendy wise and calorically - but worth it!), try Di Febo's Bethany Beach. They take, and you will probably need, a reservation. If you can, ask for a table in Sandy's section, she is our favorite server there! (Although, everyone is nice!) This is a Bethany Beach legend.

Let me first rhapsodize about the bread there....served with their house made Parmesan & herb cheese blend - just stir that together with their olive oil for dipping, and it's heavenly! My favorite starter is their Anti-pasta appetizer to share. NOM!

"Antipasto AWARD WINNING ! An assortment of d ilusso salami, imported Italian ham, pro sciutto, cheese, house roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, egg wedges, tomato, asparagus, marinated mushrooms over a crisp green salad with our house vinaigrette | 17"

A splurge would be the filet - that's my birthday choice. Pretty spendy, but it's amazing!

"8oz Center Cut Filet Mignon 38 topped with Blue Cheese and fig chutney, Creamy Asiago mashers fresh seasonal vegetable sautéed with roasted garlic. Add crab or shrimp $48"

Going light on carbs or like me, want to save your carb splurges for their amazing bread? You can sub out the mashers for their glorious Brussels Sprouts.

Another sure choice would be the Cioppino fish & seafood stew. It comes with Linguini and is delicious. Plentiful seafood, mussels, shrimp, and fish in a savory tomato garlicky broth. Gluten free? Watching your carbs? For a few dollars more you can substitute Zoodles! So good I had to ask, are you sure these are made from Zucchini? Did you forget to sub out? Nope, I swear, these fooled me and I'm a 1/4th Italian.

Save room for desert and try either the chocolate cake or the decadent peanut butter pie. Beautiful atmosphere, outstanding authentic Italian dishes, and great service, really -- totally worth...

We started with the bread service, and the spicy olive oil was genuinely lovely — unfortunately, it was the only part of the meal that stood out in a good way.

I ordered the Pollo al Marsala, and I’m still wondering how such a simple, classic dish could be done this poorly. The chicken was properly flattened, but that’s about where the positives end. The sauce was bland and watery, lacking the rich depth you’d expect from real Marsala wine. There were maybe three mushrooms total — hardly enough for a dish that’s supposed to be mushroom-forward. Oddly, they serve it over mashed potatoes, which made the whole thing feel confused and thrown together. I subbed pasta instead, but even that didn’t help. If they’re reading this: invest in a proper sauce, skip the potatoes, and embrace what the dish is supposed to be.

Another person in our party ordered the aged steak special — a dish our server proudly stated they’ve been serving for “over 30 years,” which felt more like a warning than a selling point in hindsight. It was overpriced and underwhelming. Not remotely worth the premium.

Service also left something to be desired. I ordered a second drink when my first one was about 80% gone, knowing the bar seemed backed up and wanting to stay ahead. I placed the order a full 10 minutes before our food arrived, yet the second drink didn’t come until I was basically done eating. When I asked, the server told me he had waited to put the order in until I was finished with the first — even though I only had two drinks the entire night. Not sure what the logic was there, but it certainly didn’t make the experience any better.

Between the disappointing food, overpriced specials, and lackluster service, I won’t be rushing back. Bethany has too many other solid dining options to...