Mezza Luna Ristorante — Restaurant in Neptune Beach

My husband and I have eaten at Mezza Luna for the past 6 years for birthday's, anniversary's, and Valentines day. This year was such a let down starting from the moment we walked in the door. We had reservations for 7pm, they pawned us off into their "outside seating". We were freezing cold, people from the outside street kept opening up the canvas drape and letting cold air in. They provided blankets but, I am RN in a hospital, that is not sanitary to share blankets, that's how people pick up scabies, lice, bed bugs etc. How often are those blankets washed? Certainly not after each customer. We were seated under this terribly noisy heater that was mounted above on the ceiling. I didn't understand why we were sitting outside? We couldn't enjoy ourselves because we were cold and loud motorcycles kept driving by. Between that and the loud heater, I couldn't hear a thing my husband was saying. All we wanted was a romantic atmosphere. Come on! We had a freaking reservation, my husband and I were so confused as to why we had to sit outside when there were empty tables inside. In all the years we've eaten here, we've never had this terrible experience. We were seated close to the serving cart where they kept the pitcher of water, which I soon realized was the "hangout" spot for all the servers. I got to hear all about my waitresses weekend and how drunk she got, while she was flirting with one of the other male waiters. The wait staff were all wearing these cheap blue t-shirts, they all looked like a bunch of door greeters at walmart. We were not offered a bread basket and when I asked for one, the bread was like the sandwhich bread I would buy from the publix bakery to make my childrens lunches with. I asked for some suggestions with the wine list and the waitress was clueless. We had calamari for an appetizer and it was freezer burned. It tasted terrible. It wasn't even warm enough to eat. It was not fresh calamari, it was definitely frozen. We didn't bother finishing it. My husband ordered the grouper which was fine, but I ordered the penne and shrimp. It was so terrible I had maybe three bites and I didn't even want a box. It tasted like someone had dumped an .89 cent can of tomato paste on top and then dowsed it in cayenne pepper. The andoullie was not fresh, it was dry. Honestly, I used to rave about this place and now It's just very disappointing that I will not come here anymore, it used to be our favorite place for Valentines day and my Birthday. We are now on the hunt for a new tradition. Sorry, but this place has really gone down hill. It's the pit's! That dinner was not worth the 100$ we paid for it. So...

Let me start this review off by stating that it is not in respect to the food at the restaurant. I did prefer their old Italian menu over their newer menu as there are better places for steak and seafood in the area. However, they do have a few Italian items still on the menu and they are generally good. This review is about the owner of the restaurant, and his rude attitude.

I am 6 1/2 months pregnant, and mistakenly parked in an unmarked "restaurant valet only" spot in the parking lot near the restaurant around 3pm on a Friday (we were not going to a restaurant so could not utilize the valet). Mind you, there were about five cars in a forty car lot. The valet was very polite about it, and explained that we could still park there because it was an honest mistake and there were plenty of other spots available. The owner of Mezza took it upon himself to join our conversation and berate us about our mistake. I explained that we couldn't find other parking (and I am obviously very pregnant), and that we were going to shop at LOCAL businesses. He proceeded to ask us WHICH specific businesses as if deciding whether they were "worthy" of our taking up one spot in the very empty lot. We told him where we were going, then he said we could go there as long as we "spent a LOT of money" because he knows the owner. He said we could go ONLY there, or he would get us towed.

He then walked away, but decided to come back and continue to scold us. He told the valet "he better watch where we go" and keep track of how long we were parked there. He then watched us walk off as if we were lying to him about our destination. Needless to say, his rude attitude has turned me off from the restaurant forever, when I use to go on a regular basis. I also dislike his overall attitude about local stores, who now have very limited parking available for their customers. You think a small business owner would support other small business owners, not scare away their customers by threatening to tow them on a weekday afternoon when there are plenty of valet...

7:25 PM Mon May ~ 88%1 Mezza Luna Ristorante I went here on Sunday April 30th for the first time ever. I made a 7pm reservation for 2 in the patio since my daughter wanted to bring her puppy. They said that would be fine as dogs were Welcomed in the patio area. When I got there we valet right across the street and the restaurant validates. When a very tall woman acknowledges me at the door tell her I have reservation she grabs a couple of menus an says ok follow me I proceed to tell her I have to go let the other party that we are being seated and she is outside woman. The tall woman extremely rudely says ok do what you like and begins to talk negatively to the people that were behind me!? I couldn't believe I tell my daughter what happened when I go get her. She is a bit anxious and and at this point didn't want to go in. When I go in another lady is at the podium thingy. And she tells me the blonde big ladies name is Crystal. When I ask for her name which she begrudgingly tells me after I ask 4 times. She tells me Crystalthe tall Scandinavian is the not the hostess but a server, as if that would somehow erase what transpired. We are seated and proceed to eat a very mediocre meal. I had the lasagna. I do not recommend. My daughter had the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. The reviews showed them making the pasta fresh which is why I thought this place might be bomb but undercooked pasta is very hard to achieve with fresh pasta. And it was just very dry and-bland. The mussels in the leeks and cream sauce was very good, I will say but they only gave us 4 small thin slices of baguette. Which were also quite tasty. But it needed more than that for the amount of mussels. I asked our waitress for more which she got back to us after the mussels were cold and theses were not as flavorful as the first ones we had a wedge salt with Caesar dressing. It was ok. Their express Martinis were real good. I wouldn't be back even if it was good. Not with the...