Bagatelle Miami Beach — Restaurant in Miami Beach

Was really looking forward to trying out Bagatelle as I've read good reviews and actually saw it featured on one of my favorite shows. I took my mom to Miami for a long weekend as a part of her Christmas gift and was extremely embarrassed after this meal..

I have to admit, the food was terrific. My mom had truffle gnocchi, which was light and airy, and I have the chicken dish with truffle and mushroom. Also very good. They serve a very nice ricotta truffle spread with bread to start. Food, exquisite.. However, that's where it ends.

We arrived for our 7 pm reservation (called ahead) and were informed that we had to be out of the restaurant by 9 pm. Understandable for a "busy" restaurant in Miami. However, it wasn't busy at all and we were rushed through our entire meal. I had also called ahead because I noticed on their website that they had a prix-fix menu which looked very good. I called about an hour before our reservation to see if they had it that evening (this was a Saturday) and they assured me they did.

As soon as we sat down at our table, we asked for that menu. Our waitress looked at us very confused and said they don't have prix-fix, that is only on Wednesday's and Thursday's. It's unprofessional for staff to not be on the same page and tell a customer something that they do not offer. Also, it should state on their website that there's certain menu's for certain days.

My mom ordered her meal (which was considered an appetizer, but a fairly large portion) and the waitress shot us a look when all she was ordering was an appetizer.

Once our food arrived, we were sitting there trying to enjoy it along with enjoying a few glasses of wine. We were on vacation and wanted to relax. About 10 minutes after we started eating, the bussers kept coming over asking if we were done (mind you, this was probably about 7:35 pm... still had an hour and a half left of our reservation). We kept saying no we are still working on it. Our waitress herself came over about 3-4 times asking "can I clear your plates", no.... we are still eating. The bus boy who was anxiously awaiting to clear our table was hanging around pacing back and forth for the majority of our meal.

Another thing that was very unprofessional for such an "upscale" restaurant was they probably had 15 or more waitstaff hanging around the bar, which was very close to where we were sitting. They stood there laughing, talking, and dancing with nothing to do. At this point, there were maybe AT MOST 5 tables filled in the restaurant.

When you are paying as much as you are for food, service, and ambiance, you should be treated respectfully.

After we paid our meal with 20% gratuity already added to our bill, we started making our way out the door and our waitress ran up there saying "why are you running out so quickly?"... we were just rushed through our ENTIRE meal, we certainly did not feel welcome enough or feel the desire to spend more money there for dessert.

My mother asked to speak to the manager, just to let them know what happened. The maitre d' said she would get him. We stood there for 5 minutes waiting for this "manager" to show up, who never did. Frustrated, we walked out and my mom said she would just write a review online instead. They all stood there staring at us, making us very uncomfortable. The maitre d' asked what name our reservation was under, thinking maybe a representative would call to apologize or hear what we had to say, we got nothing.... EXTREMELY UNPROFESSIONAL. I am a manager myself, and no matter what the business, you want your clients/customers coming back. I would never make a client feel undervalued or unappreciated.

Very unhappy. Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone if they are looking for customer service, because clearly that is not an important attribute...

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding My Recent Experience at Bagatelle Miami Dear Bagatelle Miami Management Team, I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my deep disappointment and concern about the experience my party and I had during our visit to Bagatelle Miami on October 31st, 2023. I feel compelled to bring to your attention the issues we encountered in the hope that they can be addressed to ensure a more positive experience for future patrons. To provide some context, my spouse, a co-worker, and I had made a reservation for three people at 9:45 pm. We arrived at the restaurant at 9:30 pm, slightly ahead of our scheduled time, as we were guests at the SLS Hotel. As is customary, we were asked to wait by the bar until our table was ready. However, as time passed, we noticed that our reservation time had come and gone without any communication from the restaurant staff. My spouse took the initiative to inquire about the status of our table, only to be informed by the manager, Mr. Hicham Mahdar , that our reservation had been given away. Perplexed by this situation, we approached the hostess to seek clarification. She regretfully conveyed that there were no available tables, subsequently placing us in a less desirable location behind the DJ booth. When we expressed our discomfort with this seating arrangement, Mr. Hicham Mahdar approached us and, to our astonishment, exhibited a complete lack of professionalism and respect. He explicitly informed us that we were not considered VIP patrons and, therefore, were not entitled to a table in the main dining area. He even went so far as to suggest that if we were dissatisfied with the placement behind the DJ booth, we were free to leave, offering no further explanation or assistance. I want to emphasize that I have never felt as humiliated and disrespected in a restaurant as I did during this experience. It is deeply disheartening to be judged by a staff member's perception of our VIP status when we entered your establishment with the intent of enjoying a memorable evening and contributing to your business. My co-worker, Shanice Henderson, and I are affiliated with Bravo Network, and my spouse, Simon Marco, is a respected entrepreneur based in Munich Germany. We are both responsible and humble individuals who understand the importance of courtesy and respect, especially as guests. I urge you to verify our backgrounds, which will reflect our positive contributions to various communities. We value the opportunity to dine at exceptional establishments such as Bagatelle Miami, and we believe in the power of communication and constructive feedback to improve the overall experience for all guests. It is my sincere hope that you will thoroughly investigate this incident to prevent its recurrence and to uphold the reputation of your establishment. I look forward to your prompt response and a resolution that ensures a more welcoming and respectful atmosphere at Bagatelle...

After placing a 2-week advance reservation for 8 pm last night and then dealing with the difficulty of navigating Miami traffic plus calling them at 8:05 pm to say my party was on our way and would be late, we arrived at 8:20 pm and were informed that we lost our seating. We were then told to wait and sit at the bar since we were placed on the waiting list. We could not be seated at a table even when one opened up because 1 last late party member had not yet arrived. He arrived at 8:40 pm. We were plied with alcohol at the bar for an hour and 45 minutes as we waited. I then asked the bartender when the kitchen closed and was told 11 pm. My response to the bartender was when would we get a table and he assured me we would. Soon after he spoke to management, not the initial surly head hostess that informed us of our seating status, but another hostess came over and said we would not be given a table that evening.

I have been a loyal patron of Bagatelle, from my initial experience in St. Barts and then the former Miami location on multiple occasions, New York, and a missed visit to the one in Dubai. After this experience, I'm resolute and won’t make the mistake and book here again. Disappointment abounds and now that they are located in the Ritz Carlton only solidifies how they are poised to operate in an arbitrary and capricious manner even with formally loyal customers.

P.S. For a company that claims to be family-oriented, I am beyond let down. One of my fondest memories at the former Bagatelle Miami is a large family and friends dinner there with my dad who is no longer with us. I purposefully booked this dinner to create new memories with my close friends and being from out of state only heightened the disappointment. The front of house that manages the seating not only lacks civility and compassion but has no engagement skills and leaves much to be desired. I'm moving on.

P.S.(2) I've received a response 7 months later from the owner concerning my initial review. As a business owner, I'm a bit surprised at this point that a response was provided at all. My grandmother, a native of St. Barths, was an elegant, sweet natured and earnest individual proud of where she came from which probably has always fascinated me in how this small Caribbean island has developed into a vacation spot for the elite. To the Bagatelle Family, I've expended enough of my valuable time by providing you with some insight in how you should reassess how you operate your franchise. Best of luck, I'm...