Bella Sera of Leander — Restaurant in Leander

I’m definitely not the one to rate unfair but I had to most definitely review this establishment. My family is new to the area and every week we try a new restaurant. So I get on google and run across this restaurant, read a few reviews and it actually seems pretty tasty. I called prior to ordering and asked a question regarding substituting the marinara ( gives me heart burn) for Alfredo sauce. The gentleman advised that it could definitely be done without a problem not mentioning any extra cost etc. I proceeded to place my order through Uber eats. While my food is en route, I get a notification advising my total had been updated from the restaurant. I called the restaurant and spoke with a gentleman expressing my concerns ( additional charges for the sauce that comes with it, additional charges for oil for the bread, and another charge for salad dressing) and just little charges that I wasn’t advised of prior to ordering. Mind you, the money wasn’t the issue it was the misinformation from the employee. The gentleman definitely wasn’t trying to hear me at all! He not only argued with me, but corrected me by stating I’m not the manager, but the owner! So being he’s the owner and there was a form of miscommunication from his employee, I would think he would treat a first time customer with much more respect and try to fix the issue. He refused to take care of my concerns and continued to argue. I told him he would never have to worry about me returning and I would be leaving a review and take it up with my bank! All he had to do was try to be a little more understanding and not be so quick to argue with me. I’m very displeased with the behavior, professionalism, and attitude from the OWNER, and hope he doesn’t treat every guest that has concerns in...

I don't mind paying full price for food that I don't like because it was new to me and I didn't know what to expect. You try something and you learn. Next time, you don't get that.

But, if I order something that I've had before, or made myself before, and have had variations of, I'd expect to have it be edible.

My wife and I stopped by because of the reviews. I ordered the shrimp scampi and my wife ordered the shrimp alfredo. The scampi was mostly lemon. So much so that I couldn't taste the garlic. Which is why I enjoy scampi. My wife's noodles were not cooked completely. Pastey, flour tasting. And, the shrimp on both our plates were over cooked. Chewy, tough. I cook better shrimp.

I understand that a cook can have an off night. I also understand that not everything can be prepared from scratch. But, I do expect that if something has too much of something that it could be remade with less of that something. That's the sign of a good chef. The waiter came by, asked if everything was alright, I mentioned the lemon and he said they would remake it without lemon. A moment later, he came back and said that it could not be remade without lemon. Which is ridiculous. The scampi sauce is butter and garlic. This means they don't have chefs - they have cooks. Cooks that can only prepare food one way.

Disappointing.

The waiter did ask if I wanted anything else and I said no. I couldn't trust that the cooks wouldn't turn out another prepackaged olive garden grade mess.

The good of the visit was the waiter. He was very apologetic when he brought the check and it was for the full amount. We effectively had two side caesar salads for $45. I did tip the waiter $10 because it wasn't his fault the kitchen screwed up.

I'm sure it's fine when the A...

So lastnight my family and myself went to try this new restaurant in Leander out for the first time and we were excited but the excitement quickly went away sadly. When we arrived we stood at the doorway for ever before anymore even acknowledged we were there and it was still early enough they had some empty tables then after we were finally seated to a table we sat waiting for anybody to come and bring menus or take a drink order for like 15 to 20 minutes. The icing on the cake was the table right next to us had a man and his young daughter and the waitress must have walked up to their table 3 or 4 times and never once thought to help us with menus or drink orders nothing. Honestly we were on the verge of walking out and honestly we should have but we stuck it out very unhappily. There was absolutely NO order to the madness it's like the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing. But now fast forward to finely got menus and drinks and ordered finely the food was ok my daughter's chicken was very very dry she had me try it but everyone else's food was decent I wouldn't say awesome. Now the ending the waitress walks up to the table and ask if were ready to check out and I said yes she walks off comes back and tells me what my total is so I say is there a bill I mean I want to see everything myself what were being charged for. I mean really who doesn't want to see an actual bill? Sadly I was disappointed at the whole experience from entering to leaving it was my first visit and sadly probably my last. The staff differently needs training and they need more staff and they need a way better bill system like an actual bill not your waitress or waiter just telling you what your total is. Very very very...