The Eye Restaurant Lounge — Restaurant in Dr. Phillips

Let me start by saying I waited a week to write this review because I didn’t want to react purely out of frustration. I take reviews seriously, knowing they can affect a business, but I feel compelled to share what was honestly the worst restaurant experience I’ve ever had.

My wife and I had heard nothing but stellar reviews from our friends and family about this place, so we decided to try it out for a special occasion—our anniversary. Unfortunately, the experience fell far short of what we hoped for.

We had a reservation for 7:45 PM (required by the restaurant) but arrived early at 7:27. We asked if we could be seated early, and they accommodated us, which we appreciated. We were greeted promptly and ordered drinks, but that’s where everything started to unravel. We placed our appetizer order around 7:40, only to be told at 8:00 that the kitchen was out of what we originally ordered. Based on the server’s suggestion, we went ahead and ordered a different appetizer.

Despite the restaurant being less than 30% full, we didn’t receive the substituted appetizer until 8:27. The appetizer was bland, cold by the time it arrived, and had no flavor—but we were so hungry that we ate it anyway. During this time, we were never checked on by our server or any staff, despite several attempts to get their attention. What made this more frustrating was watching tables that arrived after us get their appetizers and meals well before we were even asked for our entrée order.

By 8:50, we still hadn’t ordered our main course. I was ready to leave, but my wife convinced me to stay, showing more patience and grace than I could muster.

It was around 8:57 when our waiter finally decided to come to us and ask for our entrée order—without once acknowledging that he had been missing the entire time. So, we placed our order. Meanwhile, another table that our same server was attending arrived around that time, and within 15 minutes of ordering, they received their drinks, appetizer, and multiple check-ins from him. I told my wife that if our food arrived past 9:25 PM, I wanted to walk out of the establishment. The food didn’t arrive until 9:27. We had been there for TWO HOURS before our entrée even arrived.

Just two minutes after the food was finally brought to us, a bug was flying around our food. At that point, I told our server I didn’t want it anymore, that I was upset, and I just wanted the check and to leave. That was the first time he asked me what was wrong. I told him it had been 2 hours since we arrived, and he had only checked on us twice—once to tell us our appetizer was unavailable, and the second to take our entrée order. I explained how we had been trying to get his attention repeatedly, but he ignored us, walking by several times without acknowledging our presence.

He apologized and asked what he could do to make it right. I told him there was nothing he could do—he had already wasted my time and ruined our anniversary. He kept insisting on finding a way to fix it, but I told him I just wanted to pay and go. It then took him another 10 minutes to bring the check. When he returned, I paid for the dinner and still left a 25% tip—20% which was already included, plus an additional 5%.

He apologized once more, shook my hand, and promised he would personally call me the next day or the day after to make things right. He looked me in the eyes, assured me of this, and left me with hope that he cared. But that call never came. I should have known better than to trust anything this man—or this establishment—said, based on the experience we had.

The only positive thing was the music and...

I chose The Eye for a going-away dinner to celebrate a new chapter in my life. Unfortunately, my experience Friday night fell far short of that expectation.

I arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes before my 8:00 PM reservation, but my party and I stood waiting at the entrance for over 8 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. When I approached a young lady at the front, she kindly informed me she wasn’t the host. Shortly after, the host—who had been present but too distracted by another situation—finally greeted us. She informed me that, because my party size had been reduced from 14 to 12, we now had the option of sitting in the semi-private room, which she claimed would seat us “comfortably.”

We began the evening seated, laughing, and eating. However, the seating arrangement was tighter than anticipated, so we requested two additional chairs, which we were told we could use until 10:45 PM. At 10:20 PM, a staff member came over to inform us that we needed to vacate the table for another reservation by 10:30 PM, which left us feeling rushed. To make matters worse, a surprise round of shots and a celebratory sign—pre-ordered long before dinner ended—had not yet arrived.

The waitress repeatedly neglected our table, engaging more with a larger party and other patrons. Frustrated, I approached the host to explain our situation and expedite payment, but I was met with a dismissive attitude and was told that the following party wasn’t even there yet. I walked away, and a manager in a blue blazer intercepted me, offering apologies and champagne, insisting we enjoy “the show.” By then, I just wanted to pay and leave.

Back at the table, the drinks and sign arrived, but staff members carried out the task unenthusiastically, as if forced to do so. When we asked the waitress to take a group photo, he rudely declined, leaving the job to someone else. Ironically, he was more than willing to take photos for another party, right in front of us.

When I demanded to pay, the checkout process was a mess, with the server standing in the middle of the restaurant with the payment device. I requested privacy to avoid further embarrassment. Two more staff members appeared, eventually offering a 50% discount, but some guests who paid with cash did not receive their change. We were handed paper receipts with the original pricing and told to “pay first” so they could adjust the bills afterward, which only prolonged the ordeal. The situation was so drawn-out that one of my guests had enough time to write a review while still waiting for the staff to sort out our payments.

Ultimately, my party stayed an additional 45 minutes to an hour, waiting as the staff struggled to finalize everything. The Eye needs to improve its customer service and operational efficiency. The front staff should be experienced and friendly, not just there for appearances. Large party reservations should come with clear seating and payment policies to avoid confusion. While the decor and Instagram-worthy moments may generate initial excitement, this is not South Beach. Luxurious cars and aesthetic ambiance mean nothing if the service doesn’t match. It’s time for the experience to live up to the...

Let me start by saying: The Eye is visually stunning. The atmosphere is nothing short of immersive, offering equal parts Eastern European luxury and almost giving the vibe of a Miami maximalist bar. There were ladies dancing and swinging from the ceiling! Unfortunately, no amount of glitz can make up for being micro-aggressed from the moment I walked in.

I arrived dressed according to the posted dress code: no athletic wear, no shorts, no ripped jeans, no flip flops, no hats. I wore a chic Nordstrom knit sweater vest, brown slacks, heeled black boots and a satin scarf—on theme, elevated, and absolutely appropriate for the extravagant aesthetic of the restaurant. (see outfit below!) The front-of-house staff insisted I had to leave and cover my arms—allegedly bare arms were not allowed. Now, if I had shown up in something wildly out of place, I’d understand. This mysterious rule was never shared with our party in the lead-up to our reservation, nor was it enforced on anyone else inside. And even more baffling, multiple women in our party—and throughout the restaurant—had arms, butts, and midriffs exposed. (and rightfully so, I love women!)

I walked around Icon Park looking for something to wear since I wasn’t prepared for a costume change. The best I could manage was a white Orlando Eye t-shirt, which (fun twist) turned out to be a child’s size. By the time I returned humiliated, one of my friends had already confronted the staff for their blatant unfairness to which the staff did not seem to care whatsoever.

Once inside, I was stunned to see nearly every man in the restaurant in variations of blue jeans, track pants, and polos. A man at the table behind me wore jeans and a literal white t-shirt. Meanwhile, I had been humiliated at the door and made to jump through hoops simply because I wasn’t presenting my masculinity in a way that made the staff comfortable. Make it make sense.

Unfortunately, our food arrived lukewarm. The appetizers were not bad, per se, but for the price and aesthetics of the entire establishment, “semi-cold” shouldn’t be on the menu. I ordered the Airline Chicken and the mashed potatoes were cold and lumpy, the chicken was incredibly tough and hard to saw into, and the only redeeming part of the meal was the fries and tater tots with caviar on top. The portions of these meals were extremely underwhelming; I didn’t come here expecting Cheesecake Factory portions, but for what they charge, you’d expect a plate that does more than look good on Instagram. And I’m not the only one who felt this way—our entire party didn’t enjoy their meals. Every one of us works in the food service industry—as servers!—so we are not the kind of people who make a big stink about a restaurant. It’s embarrassing, and we get how hard the job is. But this? This was just a lackluster experience all around. I spent the entire night physically and emotionally uncomfortable.

The Eye may offer a visual spectacle and a few culinary highlights, but until they confront the inconsistent, biased enforcement of their “policies” and learn how to treat all guests with respect, it’s not a place I’ll be recommending—no matter how pretty the show they’re...