Tuckerbox — Restaurant in Hartford

I must address the issue of the service provided by your staff. From the moment I entered, it was evident that the staff members were disorganized and lacked professionalism. The host was inattentive and took an unreasonably long time to acknowledge my presence. Furthermore, the waitstaff appeared to be overwhelmed and untrained, leading to slow service and frequent errors in taking and delivering orders. The lack of attention to customer needs was disheartening and greatly impacted my enjoyment of the meal.

Moreover, the quality of the food served at your restaurant fell far below my expectations. The dishes I ordered were not only poorly presented but also lacked flavor and freshness. The ingredients seemed to be of subpar quality, and the dishes were disappointingly bland. Additionally, one of the dishes I ordered arrived at my table cold, indicating a lack of attention in the kitchen. As a customer, I believe it is essential to receive a well-prepared and appetizing meal, and I was highly dissatisfied with the quality of the food I received.

Furthermore, I would like to draw attention to the overall ambiance and cleanliness of your restaurant. The dining area was unkempt, with dirty tables and an unpleasant odor. The lack of cleanliness not only gave a poor first impression but also affected the overall dining experience. Additionally, the noise level in the restaurant was excessively high, making it difficult to have a conversation without shouting. These factors greatly detracted from the relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere that a restaurant should strive to create.

As a customer who had high hopes for a pleasant dining experience at your establishment, I am genuinely disappointed by the lack of professionalism, poor food quality, and substandard ambiance. I believe it is crucial for a restaurant to prioritize customer satisfaction and maintain high standards of service, which, unfortunately, were lacking during my visit.

I kindly request that you take this complaint seriously and address the issues raised. I believe it is essential for your restaurant to evaluate and improve upon the aspects that led to this negative experience. I hope that you will take immediate action to rectify these issues, whether through retraining staff, improving food quality, or enhancing cleanliness standards.

I trust that you will handle this matter with the utmost importance and promptly respond to my concerns. I would appreciate hearing from you within [a reasonable time frame, e.g., two weeks] to discuss how you plan to address these issues. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I will have no choice but to share my experience with others through online review platforms and social media.

I sincerely hope that you will take the necessary steps to improve your establishment and prevent other customers from having a similar negative experience...

Was very excited to try this restaurant after moving back to New England and some folks recommending it. There are many Mediterranean/Turkish restaurants where I moved from that I miss. Unfortunately, we didn't love it as we'd hoped and I'm not sure I would go back. The service was alright. The ambience was nice.

The disappointment was the food, really. Very expensive for what you get and not particularly good. I couldn't believe that you get 4 stuffed grape leaves for $12. I understand stuffed grape leaves are labor intensive, we make them a few times a year ourselves, however, these were so mushy and soft and drowning in an oil drizzle, which only made them more mushy. The flavor added was a nice change from many we've had, but they just missed the mark. I ordered the lamb/beef Giro and it came in what was really more of a thin flour wrap, not a traditional fluffier lavish wrap like you'd expect. The filling was scant and the yogurt water on the side was awful. It was SO runny, truly like water, had no real flavor and made the giro so messy to eat. Because the wrap couldn't absorb any of this yogurt juice, and the filling was so thin, it just made the wrap slimy. And it added hardly any flavor. I see someone else commented on this in another review but apparently they haven't taken this feedback to heart. I could not believe this was $16. And with no side of any kind at all. That put my lunch alone, with a turkish coffee, at $31 before tax.

We decided to splurge on the $10 tahini brownie. We love a good Tahini brownie, but this too was a miss. It was really dry throughout most of it, a very small portion, and sided with a completely unsweetened dollop of mascarpone. Which with no sweetner tasted a little sour/almost going off. Maybe it was just going off a bit? I am perhaps too used to the incredible tahini brownies from Leven Deli in Denver. You get one about 4x the size for $6 and it's thick and so rich and moist.

We drove quite a distance to try this place, but we won't do it again. We've had a lot of good Meditteranean/Turkish food in our travels. Sadly, this just wasn't it. I hope they can find cost savings measures (since the owner has seemed to blamed cost of everything for negative feedback about the price) that aren't taking it out on the food. Cause once you do that,...

After experiencing the magical Forest of Lights winter wonderland in Quechee, VT, my wife and I decided to cap off the evening with dinner at Tuckerbox, a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant in White River Junction. We booked a reservation for 7:30 PM, and though parking was a bit challenging due to what seemed like an event in the area, we eventually found a spot close by and enjoyed a short walk to the restaurant.

The ambiance at Tuckerbox was warm and inviting, with soft lighting and a cozy, elegant vibe. The staff was attentive and welcoming, which made for an exceptional dining experience.

To start off, we ordered the Turkish Meze Platter (small, $14.99) - a perfect choice for sharing. The platter included a delightful assortment of haydari, hummus, babaganoush, Turkish salsa, stuffed grape leaves, and lavash bread, with fresh veggie sticks for a gluten-free option. Each bite was bursting with authentic flavors, and the variety made it an excellent introduction to Turkish cuisine.

For dinner, I had the Lamb Stuffed Eggplant (Karnıyarık) ($22.99) - a beautifully fire-roasted eggplant stuffed with seasoned ground lamb, tomato, red pepper, onion, garlic, and parsley. It was served with rice pilav and a refreshing yogurt cucumber sauce. The dish was rich, flavorful, and perfectly paired with the recommended Angora wine.

My wife chose the Lamb Meatball Güveç (Köfteli) ($23.99) - tender grilled lamb meatballs cooked with tomato, mushroom, onion, pepper, and eggplant. It was hearty and delicious, and the Angora wine complemented it beautifully.

For dessert, we shared the Tahini & Helva Brownie ($9.99) - a dark chocolate brownie stuffed with Turkish helva and topped with a marbling of tahini. Served with crème fraîche, it was a decadent and unique finish to our meal.

Tuckerbox exceeded our expectations with its fantastic food, charming atmosphere, and excellent service. We highly recommend it for anyone craving authentic Turkish and...