Tavola Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Houston

Visit Date: 2/14/25 6 PM Total Paid: $357.81 (tip included for a party of 2) Total Guests: 2 Overall: 2.76/5

Reason For Visit: Casual Dinner for Valentine's Day

🍽️ Food: 3.1/5 While the presentation for the dishes as a whole was phenomenal, overall the dishes seemed uninspired and jaded when it came to flavor. The NY strip was fatty and was brought almost blue on a medium rare. There was a notable lack of seasoning on the NY strip which was devoid of the layers of flavor one is accustomed to. To say the least, the crab croquettes, an appetizer, was the best dish of the night with a delicate crab and balanced seasoning flavor. The tiramisu was good, but the puff pastry used was unexpected and did not do much for the dish in terms of texture. 🍹 Drinks: 3.7/5 When comparing to the evening as a whole, the drinks seemed to be on the better end. The Tavola Margaritas had good flavor and a strong spicy punch which delivered on its mission. However, we took off a few points for consistency as not 1 of 4 drinks had the same tequila content. 👨‍🍳 Service: 2.5/5 I was really taken aback with how the check in for reservations began, almost checking inside the main doorway of the lobby. Once seated, granted it was very busy, did not chat with our server until 10 minutes after. After ordering drinks we didn't see anything on our table for another 15 mins or so (not even water). Several times my water cup was empty for 20 mins at a time and the food seemed to take even longer. At one point, my margarita, which was about 1/4 glass full, was taken from the table abruptly. Overall, didn't feel acknowledged at times, except but to pay for the meal. ✨ Ambience: 2/5 Maybe it was just Valentine's Day, but the restaurant seemed hectic and anxious with people piling up near the lobby and waiters/servers rushing in between tables. I don't want to sound picky, but during the middle of service, 1 plate was dropped so loud it quieted the whole room. Another time, a server completely ran into a bar chair and almost stumbled into another couple sitting next to us. 💰 Value for Money: 2.5/5 I would say the value is relatively low, we were both not impressed with any of the dishes aside from the crab croquettes. The caliber to be demanded of a restaurant that charges +$100 a head is high, and did not meet expectations.

Would I return: Not likely Recommendations Make space in the entrance and remove 1 or 2 tables to allow for ebb and flow, too many times people were running...

I have been dining at Tavola for quite some time, and unfortunately, the experience has become inconsistent and disappointing. The food itself fluctuates drastically in portion size with every visit. This photo (attached) is from a recent to-go order, which was notably smaller than expected. Additionally, unless you plan to eat within five minutes of receiving your food, I would not recommend ordering to-go or even dining in for an extended meal. The food tends to cool down rapidly, which takes away from the enjoyment and quality. The restaurant’s atmosphere also leaves much to be desired. It is consistently very loud, making it difficult to hold a conversation without raising your voice. The environment feels chaotic rather than lively.

One of the most concerning issues is the treatment of the serving staff. During my last visit, I witnessed management reprimanding our server openly and unprofessionally. I specifically asked our server to kneel beside the table so we could hear him better over the noise, and despite accommodating my request politely, he was scolded by a manager for doing so. Additionally, I requested a single bottle of wine for our table of 7 with 4 of us drinking, a reasonable and typical request, which also seemed to violate some unclear internal policy. Again, the manager chose to address this by publicly criticizing the server instead of handling the matter privately in an office or away from paying guests. This kind of behavior reflects poorly not only on the management but on the overall culture currently present at Tavola. It is uncomfortable for guests and undoubtedly demoralizing for the hardworking servers, who seem to be doing their best despite these challenges.

On a positive note, our server was extremely friendly, professional, and patient. He allowed us the time we needed to make our selections and remained courteous throughout the meal. His professionalism stood in stark contrast to the management’s conduct. It is also worth mentioning that the restaurant operated much more smoothly about six months ago when Valerio was managing. At that time, the staff seemed livelier, more confident, and genuinely happy to be there. The energy and service quality have noticeably declined since his departure. Tavola has potential, but unless management addresses these internal issues, treats their staff with respect, and improves consistency in both food and service, I cannot confidently...

We went for lunch on a Monday and were the only table in the restaurant. Waitress advised me the soup of the day was a. Cucumber and crab soup- I asked if it was like a gazpacho she said yes. She brought the soup out with spinach salad that was also ordered by one of us but forgot the third order. 10 minutes later she brought the avocado salad for our 3rd person in the party after getting very confused about who ordered what and shuffling the plates around on the table a few times. Then I tasted the soup and asked her to verify if she told me soup was crab and cucumber and she said yes, I showed her the chunks of fish in the soup and said doesn’t this look like a fish ? She said oh well, that’s what the chef told me and never bothered to find out what fish and if I wanted to change the dish. She also placed some toasts on the table but did not advise me that they went with the soup. The spinach salad was too tangy and was not very difficult to eat. Cavatelli arrabiata was not even al dente And when asked about the difference of the two arabiatta dishes she said they were the same - but I pointed out they had different names and she just said oh it’s a different pasta. I ordered chicken Parmesan and it was over done, dry and cold. At the end she asked if we wanted to pack the food - we said yes for the past and the chicken and she forgot to bring the pasta. We asked about it and she said - “oh” I didn’t know - She never apologized for any her errors or the poor service which again was shocking bc we were the only table . The food is not good / very expensive and completely misses the mark. However the service is even more appalling. Save your money, calories and time. Wouldn’t not recommend...