Americus Restaurant — Restaurant in Derry

Nice decor inside. The staff was friendly overall. However, the service itself was severely lacking. We didn't see our server (or anyone else) at our table for long periods. It took 20 minutes to get the water and bread we asked for. Our app plates sat for a long, long time, and when our entrees finally appeared and were delivered by the food runner, they still weren't cleared. The service was so sparse and took so long that my husband didn't order a 2nd drink and we didn't have time for dessert. We easily could've spent another $50 if we had proper, attentive service.

While the food menu reads nice I think it leaves a lot to to be desired, especially if you have allergies. I cant say there is anything on there I feel I must come back to try. Some of the plating choices were very odd... while the pork belly app had good flavor, it's labeled as a "lettuce wrap" yet what we received was a large romaine leaf covered in slaw and then several piles of pork belly on top. We ate it with forks and knives. It was good but should be retitled (or plating updated). A similar plating issue with the harvest salad. It came with a pile of (overly) dressed arugula sitting on top of sliced apples, butternut squash, etc. Like they wanted you to dig and forage for the items in the salad. It had good flavor but was a weird experience. Also, I omitted the wild rice because I don't want rice in my salad. Quinoa, yes. Rice, no.

Finally, while I understand that it is a winery, I just can't have alcohol. And while my husband RAVED about the blueberry pie martini special he enjoyed, I was disappointed that the "highlight" under non-alcoholic beverages was a Shirley Temple and other sodas, teas, etc. Very boring if you're over 21. It's been quite the trend for over a year to have imaginative non-alcoholic cocktails. We just dined Smith and Wollensky's last week and I was delighted by their offerings. I would hope that Labelle understands the trend (that isn't going away) and what consumers want. What would you rather have a customer do? Drink water for the evening or pay $12-$15 for a non-alcoholic cocktail? I think the math is simple.

A table next to us, as they were leaving, commented that their dinner "hadn't lived up to expectations " and I think that sums up our...

The overall experience was okay. We made a reservation through Open Table and marked down that we were celebrating an anniversary, but I don't think they read it. We sat inside. The ambiance looked pretty, but it was pretty loud. The server was nice but unfortunately had tables inside and outside, which made it hard for him to be attentive. We had to ask for the bread and after we got it, I can understand why. I think it was supposed to be a cheesy olive oil ciabatta, but it mostly tasted tangy, almost rancid.

I tasted multiple red wines and a sparkling. All of which tasted mostly acidic, which is common for younger wines.

We ordered the following: French onion soup - The flavor was subtle but good. It was somewhat savory but mostly ended sweet. House salad- Great fresh ingredients and the vinnegrate was good, but there were whole leaves of lettuce that were not cut in the salad. Braised octopus: This was not pretty, but really tender and flavorful. Probably my favorite dish as a whole. Seasonal seared duck: The duck was really good but a little tough. The kale and apricot were also delicious and went well with the duck. My only issue was the cranberry beans that were severely undercooked and dry. We tried to send it back but the chef defended the dish saying that it's the type of bean and that they meant to serve it al dente. Even though it's a bean known for it's creamy texture and ability to soak up flavor. Creme brulee: This was good and I liked how they added strawberry boba and an Itallian meringue cookie for texture Strawberry basil sorbet: This was a great way to end the meal. It would have been nice to see how this would've tasted with the sparkling wine pour over, but we added this in after we initially ordered it and the server was busy with another customer outside when it was served.

Overall, I would say the experience was okay. There were positive parts that stuck out, but I would probably look into other places to try before going back. I don't think I personally match with the chef's flavor profile. Mostly because there seems to be a preference to stick to one side of the spectrum like sweet or sour vs....

We were a party of 15. They knew it. Reservation made months in advance. We were assigned ONE waiter. He was also handling a few “high tops” on the other side of the room and at one point he was behind the bar making drinks. One person did not get his first glass of wine for 40 minutes. We were there at 6:00. We were finished at 8:40. At that point, no one wanted dessert. Everyone wanted to leave. The food was nothing to write home about. “Short ribs Stroganoff” was a dish of ribbon pasta, 2 oz. or so of short ribs, maybe a half ounce of mushrooms, for $36.00. The sauce seemed more of an olive oil base than a classic Stroganoff. As a dish of pasta with some shredded beef and mushrooms, fine. Maybe $15-$18. There was no “Stroganoff” to this other than the name. I don’t want to enter a debate on tipping but, given the tip is based on the overall bill, the waiter shot himself in the foot. Maybe half the party was able to get a second drink. No one got dessert, coffee, or after dinner drinks. Don’t understand what all the hype is about. Definitely over priced (although the bill was reasonable because, as I said, many in the party were unable to get another drink etc. so less was spent than had been budgeted, based on an early review of the online menu.) Would not go back. The one star for Service is more a reflection on the establishment than the waiter. He was a young man who appeared to be overwhelmed by all the demands the establishment put on him. The establishment needs to do ($?) whatever it takes to hire more staff or it will slowly, but inevitably go out of business. Very few people will want to pay the prices this place charges for the type of...