VALENTINO PIZZERIA TRATTORIA — Restaurant in Florida

A place I use to love before COVID highly disappointed me last night (Sat). Our party of 6 was seated at a high top table by the bar. The restaurant’s thoughts of social distancing was to put us all facing the bar which had no social distancing. I cannot find any information that restaurants and/or bars can have anything more than 50% capacity inside. The bar was packed. More than half the workers had their masks below their noses. Unacceptable! So anyone who is looking for a place to eat dinner and feel safe this is not the place.

June 5th Pursuant to Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 20-139 Phase 2 includes: RESTAURANTS may continue operating at 50% indoor seating capacity and full capacity outdoors with appropriate social distancing. Restaurants may allow bar-top seating. BARS, PUBS AND TAVERNS may operate at 50 percent seating capacity inside and full capacity outside with appropriate social distancing. Patrons may only receive service if seated.

To the owner,

We did ask to speak to a manager and the woman who was seating us said she was the manager and said your restaurant can operate at 100% per the governor’s order. Please see below from the governor who has not changed his Phase 2 for restaurants and bars.

“The governor did not provide modifications to the state's reopening plan, which remains in Phase Two. It allows bars and restaurants that sell alcoholic beverages to reopen at 50-percent capacity inside and full capacity outside.”

You may have had 50% inside but the bar had absolutely no social distancing at all. I just wished I had taken a photo. Every seat was taken with a row of people behind and people to the sides. There had to be at least 20 people squeezed into the bar. I past a local restaurant today who had the above statement about 50% on their door to let patrons know and that social distancing while in the restaurant would be maintained.

It maybe not what you want to hear but I am sure you wouldn’t want to shutdown due to employees getting COVID which has happened in St Pete this past weekend.

I’m sad to say that I will not be returning as I don’t agree with your policy interpretation of the guidelines. But I don’t think you have anything to worry about as you were packed with a lot of people on top...

We frequent Valentinos every week. This last visit definitely wasn’t a pleasant experience. We asked for a booth as we always do. The usual host and hostess that is there every time we go, normally listen to what the customer asks for. She advises us that she has a table right by the hostess stand. We decline and said we would wait, for a booth. No problem. We wait about 40-45 minutes, buzzer goes off. Great.. can’t wait to enjoy dinner with family. Get up walk with hostess, right to the table she was going to sit us at 40-45 minutes ago. Omg.. please tell me this isn’t happening. My son in law, says this isn’t what he requested, and that she was actually trying to sit us in the same table when we arrived. She acted as if she didn’t remember. She says well another booth should be up soon, would you like to wait. Well my answer, we already waited, and you already sat the booths, just not to us and that it wasn’t ok. I specifically asked for the Owners card, so I could give him my experience. She ignored the request, never gave me the information. So I am leaving the review. This night was very disappointing since we ask for this same service, every week. They have done this a few times, I let it go just knowing some nights can be busy. The hostess tells the acting female manager, she didn’t feel the need that she should come over and just discuss the concerns. Keep in mind, If you watch the favoritism to the customers that frequent, that’s who gets the seat or service your waiting on. While I was enjoying my dinner, I watched a customer that we see every week, gets a table and they go back up to hostess, says can we have that booth, keep in mind the customers are waiting to sit that have asked for a booth. She told the customer sure you can go ahead and take the booth and fist pumps her hand. Of course right in front of us, it definitely was a disappointment. I am leaving the 2 star, the food was very good, the waitress was great. The night started off so poorly, especially spending over $120 every week when we all go to relax and enjoy dinner at...

Our ladies' group was here for lunch this week, and we were very disappointed in the service we received. We meet every month and have been doing so for over a decade, and we've never received service like this in all those outings. Our waitress was friendly but..... After delivering our meals, she promptly swooped in behind one of my friends and snatched her plate just as she was about to cut into her chicken. We were all shocked. She quickly and enthusiastically announced that the customer had ordered the lunch portion, and she was served the dinner portion, so she would throw this plate out and have it remade. Several of us questioned this decision, but she insisted and continued on her way. Again, we were shocked. My friend was left sitting and waiting for 10 minutes while we ate. Another friend ordered a small pizza to go and was served a large pizza in a box. When she reminded the waitress that she had ordered a small, the waitress again said she would throw it out and have it remade. Where is the common sense?? Both of these customers were made to pay full price for their meals, including the large pizza, plus a 20% tip. We all tried to pay with exact change, but couldn't, to avoid the required tip. Isn't a tip an optional gratuity for good service? Both the waitress and the manager came out to tell all of us that the tip was required. The manager was not apologetic, sympathetic, or even helpful. No adjustments were made to either of the bills of the wronged customers, except the $3 tip was finally waived for the customer whose plate was taken but only after a long debate with the manager - again, common sense?? I will never eat here again, and I've already spread the word to other friends and neighbors. There were 10 of us at the table. I hope others speak up as well. The food was satisfactory, nothing great, but we would not have complained about the food. We were offered coupons for a future visit. I left mine...