Ardovino's Pizza 3 — Restaurant in El Paso

I had an incredibly disappointing experience at Ardovinos today, and I feel compelled to share my thoughts so that potential customers can make a more informed decision before dining here.

From the very beginning, our server Adrian displayed a lack of competence that set the tone for a subpar dining experience. It took him an unusually long time to take our order, and he seemed confused and disorganized from the start. We had to wait nearly an hour for our food to arrive, which would have been acceptable if the service had been attentive, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. After our food was finally served, Adrian never checked in with us to offer refills on drinks or even to provide us with more water. This lack of follow-up was particularly disappointing, especially considering how long we had waited for our meal.

The situation worsened at the end of our meal when Adrian struggled to sort out the checks despite our clear instructions on how each check should be divided. We ended up having to leave our seats and go to the register ourselves to correct the mistakes he made. It was both frustrating and unprofessional, reflecting poorly on both Adrian and the management.

What makes this experience even more egregious is Ardovinos’ policy of automatically adding a 20% tip for parties of six or more. This forced gratuity, which is supposed to be a reward for good service, felt like an outright insult when the service provided was far from satisfactory. This policy disincentivizes servers from going the extra mile because they know they will receive a tip regardless of the quality of their service.

I am genuinely unhappy with the service we received and will not be returning to Ardovinos. I encourage prospective diners to think twice before choosing this restaurant. Poor service, compounded by a policy that penalizes customers for substandard experiences, is a significant red flag. Additionally, the manager, Sadin, was unresponsive and ineffective when we tried to address our concerns, which further diminished the overall experience.

Ardovinos needs to seriously consider retraining their staff and re-evaluating their policies to ensure that they meet basic standards of customer service. Until these changes are made, I cannot recommend this place to anyone looking for a quality dining experience.

Update: It’s quite laughable to see the lengths this restaurant will go to avoid taking responsibility for their poor service. After I posted my honest review, a swarm of fake accounts appeared, absurdly accusing me of not paying for my food. Seriously? They have my name and my face on camera—if there were any real issues, they could have addressed them directly instead of hiding behind fake profiles. This pathetic attempt to discredit me only highlights how unprofessional and defensive they are. It’s a shame that they can’t handle constructive criticism and instead choose to lash out in such a childish manner. This kind of behavior is a major red flag and proves that they care more about protecting their fragile image than actually improving their service. If you’re considering dining here, be aware that they might come after you with fake accounts if you don’t give them a glowing review!

Edit #2: Roger, you’re telling me that ALL the people who dined in with us at the same time are coming here to write a review against me and my table and accuse me of stealing food, right? How dumb can you be, lol? Release the footage and expose me; I would be more than happy to start a lawsuit against you and your business for defamation. You need to do better next time when trying to defend your business; you’re clearly...

I am writing to strongly support Carlos’s review and to express my deep disappointment with the service I experienced at Ardovinos yesterday. The service was, quite frankly, abysmal, and it is a disgrace that the employees and management have responded defensively to Carlos’s honest feedback.

From the moment I arrived, it was clear that the staff was disorganized and unprofessional. Our table was not ready despite a confirmed reservation, and we waited an unacceptable amount of time before even being acknowledged. When we were finally seated, the service continued to falter. Our orders were mixed up, and it took an inordinate amount of time to rectify the mistakes.

What was even more concerning was the dismissive attitude of the staff when we brought up these issues. Instead of addressing the problems or offering an apology, they chose to argue and deflect. This level of customer service is not only unacceptable but also indicative of a broader issue within the restaurant’s management and training practices.

Carlos’s review was a fair and accurate account of the poor service we both experienced, and the responses from the restaurant’s team only further highlight the lack of accountability and professionalism at Ardovinos.

It is clear that there is a significant problem here that needs to be addressed. I strongly advise potential customers to think twice before dining here and hope that the management takes these concerns seriously for the sake of...

Zaragoza, Two for lunch on a Wednesday $87.68 check, plus $12.32 tip

In one visit, we received four (4) "no, sorry we can't do that" responses from our server.

1 Taste of the wine featured at the entrance. No. (Update: server later brought a sample; we opted for a different wine and bought a bottle for dine-in)

2 Family takeout coupon honored in the dining room*. No.

3 Coffee in lieu of tea or soft drink on the lunch special. No.

4 Discount for UTEP/EPCC students apply to EPCC faculty or staff. No.

That's a lot of negativity for what's supposed to be an enjoyable lunch for two, nevermind the $100 cost.

We recommend more flexibility, especially if you want to sustain and grow this neighborhood location.

Since your coupon is "out there" and on your website on the Internet, we recommend you honor it even if someone decides to dine in, perhaps with a modification, e.g. you don't get the X dish if you dine in... alternatively, get a free X if you carry out. Keep in mind if people decide to dine in, there's always a higher probability that the customer will purchase something extra such as beer, wine, dessert, etc. Unless it's peak times, a dine-in customer won't cost you too much extra, since your servers are...