Johnny Carino's — Restaurant in Fairfield

I am at a loss for words, how do I accurately describe how incredibly awful this experience was? I how do I convey my vast disappointment, not just in this restaurant, but in the future of the service industry. If this is any indication of what is becoming of work the ethic and pride, I am honestly concerned. This has by far been the worst service I have ever endured, on all fronts, the host desk, there server, the kitchen and the management, each one more disappointing than the last. There was no wait, plenty of open seats when we walked in. However, this was the only good omen this evening. Upon receiving a table, it was a considerable time before being acknowledged by the server. After receiving our drinks and bread for the table, I struggled to get the server's attention for the next 15-20 minutes. I literally had to jump from my seat, wave my arms and make a scene before he came back to my table. By this time, our food had begun to arrive, so much for my long expired request. My husband's food came out incorrectly. The server actually attempted to convince us to just eat the food the way it was, that it would be too long to remake it, that it was just one error, doesn't matter that it wasn't what we ordered, if it was to be remade it would take too long and we would have to take it togo. This back and forth went on way too long for comfort, and at this point I had become visibly irritated. I went to the host desk and requested to speak with a manager, the host disappeared for a time. 15 minutes later I am still waiting, the host informs me that the manager is too busy to hear my complaint, because if he were to do so, the line of complaints would start to pile up too high. I continue to wait, 20, 25 minutes, nothing. I can see the manager walking around in circles, obviously overwhelmed, unable to effectually manage anything, I honestly question if he even knew where he was or how he got there. He made eye contact with me numerous times, refusing to acknowledge me. Meanwhile, another couple was ignored at the host stand, the host actually walked away after placing them at a dirty table, never to return, lost in the absolute incompetence of this entire establishment. A third patron took it upon herself to get her own menus from the host stand, which at this point was completely vacant. And vacant was the way I left it, as I walked out completely and absolutely...

I had the most abysmal dining experience at Johnny Carino's in Fairfield on 10/17 at 7:30 pm. I'm appalled to leave this negative review as I've been a frequent patron, even having their food catered for events in the past. Unfortunately, my loyalty means nothing when I'm served poorly and treated even worse.

First and foremost, the service was dreadful. The inefficiency and lack of attentiveness from the staff were evident throughout the entire evening. But what truly shattered my expectations was the quality of the food. I ordered a Margherita pizza, a dish that should be simple. What I received, however, was something entirely different. The sauce on the pizza didn't taste like marinara and the cheese was not anywhere close to that of a Margherita pizza. I managed to force down one slice before I couldn't bear it any longer.

Seeking a resolution, my family and I attempted to address the issue with the manager, I believe Mr. Jorge Navarro (he refused to give us his name). We offered to pay for the other items we had ordered in exchange for replacing the subpar pizza. Shockingly, Mr. Navarro refused, claiming that our dissatisfaction wasn't his problem. This level of insensitivity was astonishing.

To make matters even worse, we asked for the business office number to report this abysmal experience. Mr. Navarro not only denied us this information but refused to spell his own name for us. Instead, he began to yell at my mother in front of the entire restaurant. This occurred after a long day of work for her, and it was absolutely humiliating. I am more concerned about Mr. Navarro's anger management issues and inability to de-escalate a situation than anything else.

I never thought my loyalty to Johnny Carino's would be so casually dismissed. It's one thing to serve subpar food, but it's entirely another to treat loyal customers with such disdain. This was my first experience at a restaurant where I not only received subpar quality food but was also forced to pay for it. It's clear that Johnny Carino's in Fairfield prioritizes profits over customer satisfaction and common decency. This has not only cost them my future business but my...

The place isn't to be hated but there are definitely some things that should be changed. The restaurant is either transitioning from, or turning into, Famous Dave's (I believe it is the latter) but the signage is not as prominent as it could be. Yes, there are signs there, however, if you are driving by and looking up, as drivers often do, you may see that Johnny Carino's name is still atop the building. There are Famous Dave's signs but they sit out front.

But I digress.

Upon calling Sunday night, we were told there was takeout only (i.e. no outside dining), only to discover upon walking in to pick up our food that there was inside seating being offered. We were offered as much when we entered but we had already ordered it to go. While placing our order, we gave specific instructions as to how we wanted our order prepared, which is customary, and once we got in our car and started on our way, we discovered each of the three orders were done incorrectly in some way, shape or form.

The orders were as follows...

Pulled chicken sandwich with no bun (it was prepared correctly but there was a bun).

Ribs with no sauce at all (the ribs were covered in sauce).

Salad with extra sauce (there was no extra sauce).

Additionally, drinks were added on at the register, by the young lady who made the order, because they weren't offered to us when we called in.

Finally, when we realized all of this, having just got on the freeway, the paying customer called the restaurant to let them know what happened and she was greeted very ho-humish; as if it weren't a big deal. Realizing what is going on in the world and the sacrifices being made by establishments such as yours, no, it isn't a huge deal, but we would all like to get what we paid for.

I live out in the East Bay so I do not necessarily have to patronize the place regularly but I would like to go back there, as I do travel to Sacramento from time to time, but I would also like to know it won't be repeated.

Thank you for your time, stay strong and it be great to have a reason to stop by on Friday night on my way up to...