Benvenuto — Restaurant in Milford

Wow, what a disappointment. We've seen this restaurant featured on local TV and had very high hopes for it. We had a party of 8 that traveled 90 minutes to get there. The food was good, but not great. I've had better and had worse at other Italian restaurants. The problem was the service. It's some of the worst service I've had at a restaurant at any price point, and at this price point, it's the worst service I've ever had. Our table of 8 had a reservation for 6:30 pm on a Friday night in January. There was no hostess when we arrived. We were seated about 5 minutes after arriving, no big deal. The section we were seated in was half empty. After being seated, it took about 15 minutes before anyone came to our table to get drink orders. We ordered 1 bottle of wine, 2 glasses of wine, one mixed drink, and one beer between 8 people. It took at least 15 minutes for our drinks to arrive after ordering them. The bar server who brought out our drinks was not our server, and couldn't take our appetizer or main course order. We had been seated for 30 minutes by the time our drinks arrived. Fifteen minutes or so later, one of our servers came to take our order. We had been there 45 minutes at this point. Each person who came to our table kept saying how slammed they were that evening, even though the section was half empty. We ordered 2 appetizers for the 8 top. Fifteen minutes later, one of the 2 apps arrived. We had been there an hour at this point. Fifteen more minutes later and our other app still hadn't arrived. We cancelled the second app and complained to the revolving staff member who happened to be at our table that time that our service was unacceptable and we were unhappy with how long everything was taking. Several minutes later, the owner came to our table. We'd been there for 1hr 20 minutes at this point, and we'd only received our drinks and our 1 appetizer (having cancelled the other one out of frustration). The owner interaction was probably the worst part of the experience. Instead of apologizing for the poor service and working to make sure we were taken care of from then on, the owner said that it was taking so long because they were short handed, and because we had ordered appetizers. Remember, we'd been there for 1 hr 20 minutes at this point. The owner complained about people not wanting to work and preferring to sit home and collect unemployment instead of working. She did offer to comp us a free desert, but we declined. We didn't want freebies, just decent service. Our main courses arrived 20 minutes later, about 1hr 40 minutes after our arrival. Everyone ordered off of the menu, no special orders. The food was fine, but not exceptional. For the price that they are charging, you would expect exceptional food and service. Our bill for the 8 of us came out to close to $600, including only the 8 entrees, the 1 appetizer, the drinks mentioned above, and the mandatory 20% gratuity that is added to tables of 5 or more. I worked in a restaurant for 5 years and appreciate how difficult the restaurant business can be. I always give the staff the benefit of the doubt. The service was terrible. We had at least 4 different people who might have been our server at our table over the course of 2 hours we were there, though we don't know who our official server actually was. The absolute lack of ownership of the problem from the owner and her blaming the laziness of society for the bad experience was the worst part of the night and is inexcusable at...

We went to my Uncle's 70th birthday dinner there. A meeting took place with my Aunt and the owner. My aunt made it clear that we were a large group and each family/couple/person would be paying for their own meals. She ended up giving us the back room since our party was so large. To keep it simple we were made to select off a very small menu which consisted of 4 types of appetizers and 4 different entrees. My Aunt did an open bar of up to $500.00 and made it clear that she could not go over that and to cut it off when it reached that point and to notify her. At the end when it was time to leave and pay our bills there was a mass confusion with the staff. They were not made aware that everyone was to pay for their own meals and appetizers that they selected. They tried to charge my aunt almost $5,000.00 and almost $700.00 for a bar tab that they were told to cut off at $500.00. They even notified her that it reached $500.00 and confirmed it to be cut off. None of the staff including the very rude owner knew how to fix this issue and a very nice gentlemen that was part of the family paid the bill of almost 4,000.00 and had the guest of the party cover the tip. He was paid back his money luckily but my aunt was charged 1,971.00 in appetizers when she made it clear to the owner that everyone was to pay for their own, and believe me when I say there is absolutely no way there was almost 2,000.00 in appetizers. She was also charged the almost $700.00 for a bar tab after she made it clear it was to be cut off at $500.00. The waiters and waitresses were amazing. The owner on the other hand was extremely rude to all of the guest as they came in from the beginning. She in no way should being greeting anyone that comes in or own a business with her managing skills. I will never return there again or recommend this...

This was in the top 5 worst meals I have ever had. We started off with poorly executed cocktails, which were returned. Calamari appetizer was 1/2 fried onions- which should be noted on the menu as some folks do have allium allergies. On to Entrees! Oh boy. The ratatouille tart was weak, and lacked seasoning. The "tart" was puff pastry. The entire dish was flavorless and inedible. It was served with a house salad dressed with a wasabi vinaigrette???- WAY outta left field, not a great surprise, and did not compliment anything. At all - anywhere on the menu. On to the Chilean Sea Bass- while the fish was well cooked, it too lacked seasoning, and the white bean salad topping tasted like the beans were either out of the can, and/or the salad was a day past its chuck it date. Sausage and Rigatoni was just not good at all, unbalanced would be the best description. For the price, the dishes are just not very well conceptualized, barely Italian and far from finer dining than I would expect in that setting. I would hope that the chef and staff grab tasting spoons, and taste what they are putting out, research and practice Italian cooking, concepts and flavors.

I feel like when we refused the drinks, we scared the server off, and he did not want to approach the table again until the check was dropped. I did not have but 3 bites of my meal, and he did not want to ask what the issue was. I do feel that that is simply inexperience, and hopefully will get better.

THE WINE LIST IS BALLER!!! It was refreshing to see a selection of whites beyond pinot grigio. BRAVO! I will probably be back to sit at the bar and enjoy a...