La Gondola Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Mansfield

Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram at SNDTRAVELS & Eat Well Travel Often UPDATE 7.10.21 Couple of nights ago I took my two ladies to dinner here. It was Diane and my third time. We are so glad to have found this place in Mansfield. It has a very nice atmosphere, the service has been great and the food is fresh and a step above the usual mom and pop Italian restaurant. We started with mozzarella sticks that went so fast I almost didn't get a pic. I had the Rollatino (chicken stuffed with Italian sausage and a brandy cream sauce) that had some the most perfectly cooked chicken I've ever eaten. Mom had a salmon special grilled with the same cream sauce and Diane had the Pollo Limon. Everyone was happy. The only drawback for me was that we all shared a Creme Brule (we were too full to each get one) and it had added lemon flavor which I didn't care for but mom and Diane thought was great. So once again La Gondola comes highly recommended. Three thumbs-up 👍👍👍.

So we were watching travel video of Italy this afternoon and ,of course, got hungry for a good Italian meal. Never been to La Gondola but we had seen good reviews and it had a good menu so off to Mansfield we went. What we found was a real gem. Nice comfortable atmosphere with great service from Alejandra (or the pretty Alex 😀) great for a date night. We first were treated to the garlic bread which was made from a crunchy Italian loaf cut into small slices. I love this so much better than the greasy thick garlic rolls some places serve. For $2.25 we added a large dish of dipping oil and balsamic with herbs. Very good combo. Our appetizer was calamari fritti with marinara sauce. The calamari was tender and the light breading was crunchy and flavored well. Diane had a salad with homemade Italian dressing that was really good. Thicker than the usual dressings you get it also had a great flavor combination. My starter was the cream of onion soup. Once again homemade it was not a heavy onion flavor but gentle and tasty. Diane had a trout special stuffed with seafood and a picatta sauce with fresh veggies and angle hair pasta. Cooked just right with a nice crunchy skin it was awesome. The veggies were good but just a little cool in the plate. I had the filet special which was Filet Mona Lisa. A filet topped with a puff pastry stuffed with crab and shrimp in a mushroom Marsala sauce along with the veggies and roasted potatoes. Thoroughly enjoyed every bite. Cooked perfectly. I sliced the potatoes and poured some of the dipping sauce over them and created a item they need to add to the menu 😎. Overall it was just what we were hoping for and give it an enthusiastic two thumbs-up 👍 👍. Highly...

Met a friend at the location for lunch, because we wanted to try something new to her area.

We arrived shortly after opening and were seated immediately,and told our server would be with us shortly. We sat and talked for several minutes before our water glasses were ever filled. Then we talked for about another 5+ minutes until our drink orders were taken. In the time we were waiting we were noticing that there were only about 6 occupied tables, 1 waitress, one drink filler,a busboy,and the hostess. Anyway ...10 minutes after out drink orders were taken we finally got our teas.( which were so weak you basically tasted only water.) We looked through a well laid out menu, and several minutes later the waitress came back to take our orders. Upon the recommendations of the waitress my friend ordered the Marsala, and since I couldn't decide for sure I just order a cheesesteak. They delivered a basket of bread...... that should have been our biggest indicator to just leave. The bread we received was over baked (basically burned)and smashed to the point it was essentially like eating croutons. The waitress asked if we wanted out teas refilled and was told "yes". (Keep in mind there were only 6 tables occupied) As we waited we noticed the staff was doing alot of walking back and forth. About 10 minutes later our teas were finally refilled, and was again very weak. Finally our food arrived.....

Initially everything looked.....eh. ok. My friend's Marsala was drowning in wine sauce( probably to give the chicken some moisture) her capellini was way over cooked, and the wine sauce tasted like it came from a packet or a can. My Philly cheesesteak was not even close to expectation. (And after living in Philly 3 yrs I know how they should be made) My roll was so hard it was actually difficult to bite through, there was no moisture in the entire sandwich, there was no flavor to it whatsoever. The atmosphere here is not bad,the staff seemed nice enough.(just really slow) But it just seemed like they were not meant to be in the service industry. The food was not anything we expected.....at all!!! Just way too many negatives in our visit,so we will not be returning.

Maybe our expectations were too high as my friend has traveled the world, and I attended culinary school and was a server years ago. I don't know. Either way we...

We walked in tonight 2/19 at 645pm. The hostess Laura informed us that the wait for two was until 8pm. We said no problem we can wait. It had been a long week for us both and we were in no hurry. Laura followed up with, in an extremely condescending tone, you know it’s 630 and that would be an hour and a half wait? Odd comment, given that most people have a watch or phone and can do math, but we gave it a pass and said we could grab a drink from the bar and wait.

Laura followed that up by saying “I don’t have any tables at the bar” and pointing to each table, saying that’s reserved! Funny thing, those tables had a big sign on them that said reserved. I guess she thinks I can’t read?

I followed that up with no problem we can wait. She then said in a snarky voice “whatever you guys want to do!”

I’m sorry- did I misunderstand something here? Am I not here to give you my hard earned money? And am I inconveniencing you by waiting until you have a table for myself and my date?

At that point I told her we would be glad to take our business elsewhere and asked what her name was. She had the audacity to tell me that I misunderstood her. I was born in the afternoon. But not yesterday afternoon. I know when someone is patronizing me. I’ve been treated rudely at a restaurant before, but never when I had been in the restaurant less than five minutes. Laura your attitude and behavior is the EXACT opposite of customer service and I hope your place of work seriously evaluates whether they need someone as rude as you greeting people who walk through the door.

I guess I might have understood if we complained about the wait but we expected it. A Friday night after a deep freeze? Bound to be packed. We were both disappointed because we had been there once before and really enjoyed the food. We will not be back ever again. In the world of a million restaurants we were happy to drive 15 minutes to some delicious Italian food in Fort Worth.

EDIT:

It turns out that Laura is the manager of La Gondola! Shocked they would let someone like that run the front of the house. Very sad reflection on ownership and...