Arca — Restaurant in Lincoln Park

Wasn’t going to write a review, but owners and staff asked for it, so here it is…problem first, followed by my explanation which they didn’t care to hear.

The problem:

As my family and I walked outside waiting for the valet to bring my car, the son of the business owners aggressively charged at us to complain about the tip. He asked if there was anything wrong with food because the tip was less than he expected. He immediately lashed out at us and quickly started running back in the restaurant. I called him to return, he wouldn’t stop running until he went inside. I followed and confronted him, he was extremely hostile and threatening so I asked for the manager, he claimed to be the manager but definitely wasn’t. One of the older owners came up next to me without presenting himself, looking at me like he was going to eat me alive, I asked what’s up? Are you the manager? He started cursing and threatening me. Another individual, a younger owner, approached to pull the older one away from me and we started talking.

I informed him of the others hostility and aggressiveness. He said we deserved it because we stayed at their restaurant for over three hours, which they could have used the table for other guests if we had finished earlier, and that our tip didn’t reflect this, especially since they’re all Albanian and so were we. I tried to calmly explain my side and started giving him reasons for the low tip (e.g. no accommodation for pregnant lady, no allowance of BYOB, etc.), but he wasn’t having it and proceeded to kick us out saying to never return again. I said I’ll explain my side on a Google review, he said they don’t care about Google reviews, don’t take reservations via Google webpage.

I know they’re the family that owns the business, i matched all their faces to the family photo on their webpage.

Experience:

On Saturday October 12, 2024 I made a reservation on the Google maps restaurant page for 5:30pm for four adults. We arrive, I brought a bottle of wine for BYOB but was denied service for it claiming they don’t do BYOB but their Google account says otherwise. See attached screenshots.

We requested a booth because one of the women was pregnant, but were denied because booths are for parties larger than four people. I informed they should accommodate pregnant ladies as it is the obvious thing to do, but we were denied as their business comes before our accommodation.

We sat at a square 2x2 table, staff took our drink order, another took the food order. I said I’ll order appetizers first, but staff said we need to order appetizers and entrees at the same time even though we hadn’t decided yet on what to get. So we quickly pick several appetizers and entrees.

Appetizers arrive 45 minutes later and we started eating. One hour later a staff asks if he can bring the entrees and we said yes. In 20 minutes our entrees arrive, we started eating and would pause our conversations to see what each one thought of the food. We kept this is up for about one hour, but barely finished half of our plates. Nobody ever came to ask how things are throughout the entire dinner.

Throughout this experience, several staff would be standing right over us pretending to see the situation of the surrounding tables. Apparently they wanted us out asap. Nobody cared to ask how we were doing. Another staff came to ask if we finished, plates half or more full, we said yes being polite and wanting the unappetizing food to be removed from the table. The appetizers were delicious, but we were surprised as to how they can serve such terrible entrees…uncooked pasta, over salty, raw shellfish in the pasta, barely any sauce, driest chicken that almost choked me, etc. Then, another staff dressed like a manager started taking photos, I approached and requested to delete the ones that included me and my guests. We got dessert, paid the $288 bill plus $12 tip (deserved $0), and 45 minutes later we left.

Ambiance was pretty, music loud like a night club, we could barely hear each other speak even though we’re sitting two feet away...

Let me start by saying we arrived at the restaurant two men, both in wheelchairs, myself with my Newley removed right leg and no prosthetic! That did not deter the guys at 202 bistro! I couldn’t get out of the chair and walk in and those guys seeing the discuss on my own face and discussed totally with myself and not with the restaurant proceeded to carry me and by the way my friend also up the stairs! We started tonight with the small selection of olives olive oil and the greatest Italian bread on the table and we talked for about 10-15 minutes no one pressuring us to order, we started with the calamari, finished with balsamic vinegar scallions and tomatoes sounds a little odd well in more than 45 years of going to Restaurants as an adult only the second time I’ve tasted something like that and nothing nothing, let me repeat one more time, Nothing compared to the way they finished the calamari! Calamari was tender tasteful a big portion and just absolutely great! We both enjoyed every forkful to the bottom and when I got to the bottom it was extra tomatoes and scallions and I couldn’t wait to give them up with some of that wonderful Italian bread I felt like I was eating antipasto! For our pasta we chose the special made with lobster tail and 4 wonderful Plum shrimp finished in a lobster bisque sauce with arugula! The presentation was almost as good as the food,, the lobster tail sitting atop a beautiful linguine, homemade I’m sure and four beautiful shrimp we split that, and what followed was ecstasy! The lobster tail one of the best I’ve ever eaten like butter, melted in your mouth and the shrimp just the same, full of taste and just wonderful! For our entrée my friend decided on the New York strip special which I tasted and as he said was like butter to his taste he had it made dark on the outside really tasty and a wonderful wonderful piece of aged beef! I went for a classic dish of veal Saltimbocca, for those of you who have not eaten this before, please don’t bother having it anywhere else go to Bistro 202 and have it! It’s a fine piece of pounded veal made with a layer of prosciutto, roasted peppers, and mozzarella, with a very special red sauce just enough for taste! Lets just say it was wonderful I know I’ve used this word a lot in this review but I just cannot come up with another one better! We both finished our meal with A. wonderful cup of cappuccino and unfortunately for us neither one of us could get dessert anywhere near our mouth‘s, if we could we probably would have went for another appetizer! While drinking our coffee a crowd moved into the room in which we were sitting and we found out it was a private party for Christmas for a bunch of Lincoln Park friends from high school and this is their fourth or fifth Christmas party for each other plus they raise money for charity, what a great bunch of people they couldn’t do enough for us. Two guys from the party helped carry us out of the restaurant when we were ready and asked us to please not leave just because of the private party and join in with them to party, they offered us food drink anything we wanted on them all if it wasn’t necessary because both of us were filled to the top! I’m going to end by saying what a classy active owners managers waiters busboys everything and we really enjoyed ourselves as we don’t get out very much lately both living in a nursing home and usually not feeling well enough to go out with, this was our one nite & we chose Bistro 202! Thank you boys you’ll be seeing us very soon and I recommend all who read this review to do the...

1. Made a reservation for 5 people on a Saturday night for my daughter’s 21st birthday. My husband called in the same day to confirm. Confirmed. That night, at 7.25, we still weren’t seated. 2) Finally seated, took 15 minutes to get a menu. 3) Took another 20 minutes for the waiter to come back and get our order, and that’s only after raising our hand several times to get his attention. 4) Waiter finally arrives and although seemed quite pleasant, was extremely hard to understand because of his very strong accent. 5) Choices given, but again, food took forever to come out and after 25 minutes we had to ask what was going on with our appetizers. 6) Food was great. Overall I would say that we would not return, because although the food was great, this restaurant is billed as upscale and the service was terrible. Having to raise your hand several times to get the attention of your waiter shouldn’t be a thing in an upscale restaurant. Having to ask when your food is coming out, shouldn’t be a thing. Making a reservation for a specific time and (although an apology was rendered) having to wait without anyone giving you a reason why, shouldn’t be a thing. The only time our waiter showed interest was when she tried to sell us another bottle of wine. When we refused, we didn’t see her or the other waiter again unless we raised our hand to catch their attention. We spent over $500 at that restaurant for great food, but sub par service. So we will not be returning. Service is everything…especially for that price and we...