Tuning Fork LA — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Hate to give a very negative review but thought it would be helpful if you are considering this place for dinner. My friends and I made an early reservation on Google at this restaurant at 6:30pm to ensure that we get a table right away sat down and got our food at 8:06pm! We would like to have spoken to our server but we could not find her even though the restaurant only have 10 tables total. When we finally waved her down after obviously ignoring us, she said that there was a computer problem and the kitchen just got our order which was a good hour plus since the order was placed. It would have been great to have known this earlier so we could have found another place to dine. There were several guests who came after us that already left the restaurant and I guess the computer glitch was actually just for our specific table??? Our waitress offered to comp us 2 drinks and dessert for our wait but then explained that our food is definitely coming up shortly. Then, almost another 40 minutes later and several more tables getting served after us who came in after, still no food. Now, I am annoyed and she was never available for us to ask or give us an update as she is obviously avoiding us now. Almost 2 hours invested and too late to walk out because we are starving at this point, my friends and I decided to stay positive as not to ruin our evening. Then, the bill is almost $100 for a burger, salad and fries which is outrageous considering the long wait. Then, the free dessert was a key lime pie which I hate! She did not even give us a choice and at this point my back is sore from sitting from the uncomfortable chair that I just wanted to leave. She gave us our check so fast without asking if we want anything else as if she really don't want to deal with us anymore and all we did was be very patient. This is one of the most awful restaurant experiences which is too bad because we found it on google so I thought I would write this review so that no one else will suffer like we did. If you want a lovely evening, dine somewhere else...

Ugh. I have such mixed feelings about this place. Great food, and the menu changes every so often so it's nice to have some new options to try if you're a repeat customer. They also have some nice cocktails and a decent craft beer selection. Good ambiance with dim lighting and candles at night, but it gets loud when crowded. I REALLY wish I could give five stars because this place has so much potential, however every time I've gone the service has been lackluster at best and horrendous at worst. The wait staff is very inattentive to say the least. When we were only one of two couples in the restaurant, we finally got the waiters attention to ask for the check after waiting nearly 20 minutes for him to check on us. He proceeds to go over to the register and chat with some other staff for fifteen additional minutes! in view of us. Eventually I got fed up and had to walk my credit card over to him and ask him to get on with it so my boyfriend and I could leave. Our other visits haven't been quite as dramatic but the waiters still didn't check up on us as much as they should have, and it's costing the business money because I easily would have ordered another cocktail had someone come by again to ask. Other things perhaps worth mentioning: They were nice enough to give us a free appetizer when my entree took longer than expected. We've been there on a night with live music and you'd think a restaurant named the tuning fork would have better acoustics. The set was loud we couldn't understand the lyrics even when we knew what song was being covered. Also the poor band was really cramped into a corner, pretty small place to try to make live music work well.

TLDR: Great food and drink but don't come here if you are in a hurry or want to feel taken care of by the staff. I've been three times hoping management will fix the problem with service but...

It’s has been a minute since I’ve felt this discriminated against in a restaurant, especially in 2023. I stumbled upon Turning fork last night and had a great experience with Eric, our waiter (he’s not who I’m referring to in this complaint he was great). Last night the food, ambiance and good amateur music was appreciated. Therefore I decided to come back a second night in a row. However tonight was a completely different experience. I had a glass of wine and an appetizer while I listened to “blues music,” that is historically and culturally tied to African Americans yet I was discriminated against because of this and I find great irony in that. My $30 tab came and I paid with a $50 dollar bill to which the waiter asks if I needed change. I replied yes… (to assume I didn’t need change is crazy he expected a 66.7% tip) to which he comes back and tells me the restaurant only has $14 dollars in change. He refused to give me my change due back. I’ve never had a restaurant tell me they were missing the 20% they felt they were owed. I was a party of two not large party where an automatic 20% was owed. Not to mention I had ever intention of leaving more than 20%. I have waited tables and worked in hospitality for over 20 years and know how to tip well as well as the racial discrimination that comes with assuming black people don’t tip. Our waiter (I don’t have his name but an Asian man with glasses. And I wish I knew his name because I wouldn’t have even mentioned his race but I want this establishment to know who I’m speaking of) He blatantly assumed I wasn’t going to tip because of the color of my skin, so he opted to just take his 20% he felt due. I gave him three dollars more to prove a point when he returned part of my change. It’s beyond frustrating to feel you have to tip more to prove a point. I refuse to believe a bar only has $14 dollars in...