Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough — Restaurant in Cambria

I should have read some of the reviews before going here. I was out with my family for dinner visiting from Santa Barbara and Stockton. The menu sounded good and it was a very cute place. When we walked in there wasn’t a sign about seating or anyone at the door so we assumed we could sit down. The server glared at us when she saw us sitting and came to give us the menu, we apologized for taking a table as there was no one at the door. Very rudely she said she was alone and couldn’t be at all places at once. She forgot to bring my sister her water. When my daughter asked to leave out some condiments from her burger the server told her she couldn’t leave anything off and would have to take it off herself. She also asked for a Hansen’s cola which is on the menu, and the server said she didn’t have them and in a condescending tone said she couldn’t find them to buy and asked me if I knew where to buy them. Our food took longer than 40 minutes. I understand it was 6 of us but I’ve been other places with a larger group and had much faster not to mention better service. Besides, there weren’t any new tables when we walked in so it shouldn’t have taken so long. When our food finally came out my nephew’s fish (fish & chips plate) was burnt, my niece and I both had the chicken pesto sandwich, our fries were so cold the oil on mine was thick on the fries. I told her my fries were cold, all she did was repeat the same thing and said ok but she never asked if I wanted them replaced (although she should have just replaced them without asking). Not once did she ask us if we were ok or how our food was. When I went to pay I told her I didn’t appreciate her dismissing my comment about the fries and that I wasn’t happy with my food. She argued with me about it and said the cook thought they were fresh so she couldn’t do anything about it. Once I paid, my sister talked to her about the service, the server was rude and told my sister the cook was temperamental and she wasn’t going to argue with him. The server continued to be rude and said she had already apologized then just walked away from my sister. I’ll never go there again and I don’t recommend this place. I did notice she was attentive to tables drinking wine and those whom she conversed with as though they have been...

Worse meal ever!! Chef's special of black spaghetti with bay shrimp and crab with curry, cumin, and cream. Came served in a blob on the plate. A grey green blob of spaghetti with no sign of shrimp or crab. Totally unappetizing to look at or to taste. Told the waitress to take it back. Ugg...it was gross in everyway possible.( BTW...I did taste it and nothing tasted like shrimp,crab, cumin, or curry). We did not pay for this dish....she acted like she was doing us a favor for not charging us for this. My husband's shrimp and chorizo paella wasn't much better. But we attempted to eat it. Came with about 6 shrimp and a few crumbles of chorizo. The only vegetable in it was a few cherry tomatoes. There was no rice, like you expect a paella to be made with. Instead it was couscous. They charged $32 for that. Unbelievable. How sad that this restaurant stays in business with food like this. ( Oh, and they also charged us $5 for water) I guess there was a reason we were the only ones there.

• added after the restaurant responded So, they are trying to defend their food…..I understand, but if you read my review…they really didn’t explain the presentation or the taste being totally off on the black spaghetti…it was a disaster!! Should have never been served. The shrimp chorizo paella was all together misrepresented….itty bitty pieces of chorizo you had to hunt for…..that wasn’t addressed in their argument. Just admit it was a bad meal and we should have been compensated for the whole thing. We will never step foot in this...

I will never return.

After a really long day, all I wanted was a cup of coffee. Strangely, it seems like everywhere that serves coffee (except for the admirable Harmony Cafe) closes briefly before dinner. Well, after my experience at Harmony Cafe, it's evident that I should have foregone the coffee all together.

There was just one table dining already. The hostess was chatting with them when we arrived, and kindly removed herself from their conversation to greet us. She asked if we had a reservation; we didn't. She seated us, then returned shortly to take our order. Two cappuccinos.

Just a moment to comment on the cappuccinos themselves: I have had many cappuccinos from a great deal of places, and while these weren't bad and the price was average (~$5), I would say Starbucks—surprisingly—does theirs better. No, really.

The hostess immediately asked if we planned to order more, and if not, then could we move to another table. Strange thing to ask an already seated patron in a nearly empty restaurant. Not only that, but she moved us into the furthest corner of the dining area to a table lacking a tablecloth—okay, I guess—but with the added joy of a wobble to the legs.

Not a single party arrived afterward. No one. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone arrived for the rest of the evening. For their sake, I hope they dined elsewhere.

I have never felt so un-welcomed. The only disappointment greater than the customer service at Harmony Cafe is the disappointment I have for myself for not speaking up to...