Bocca di Bacco — Restaurant in New York

UPDATE - 8/4/24 Conveniently located in Hell’s Kitchen, some of us had an amazing experience a few weeks ago and decided to do a repeat performance for brunch today at this popular neighborhood establishment off of 9th Avenue. Reservations were easily made via Open Tables. My partner, our friends and I were greeted warmly by the staff upon arrival at Bocca di Bacco and led to a table for 9 in the back, whose interior is quite dark and the AC could have been a bit stronger. Not the deepest menu, but some solid options with enough for even a picky eater to find something they will want. We decided on the Cheeseburger, Omelet, Classic Benedict, Avocado Benedict, Fried Chicken & Belgian Waffles, Side of Bacon, and Side of Sausage from the weekend brunch. A basket full of petite muffins started our meal. Everything was perfectly prepared with fresh ingredients and brought out at the same time. All throughout our meal, we never felt rushed nor had to ask for extra water; it was always brought promptly by the staff. They were accommodating, and our server was Mynor. The portions were reasonable. Price-wise, it wasn’t cheap but was worth it. We continue to recommend this place. ————————- Located near Columbus Circle and Central Park in Hell’s Kitchen, this establishment is owned by brothers Enrico and Robert in collaboration with chef Kristen Sollenne. With three locations down 9th Avenue, it is a favorite spot for celebrities, tourists, and native New Yorkers alike. On the surface, Bocca di Bacco, translated “mouth of the wine god,” doesn’t look much different than any of those places. However, they are known for their exquisite Italian fare, intimate ambiance, incomparable hospitality, and robust wine selection. Reservation was easily made via Open Table around 12:15pm for Sunday lunch. So, my partner, our friends and I were seated right away as first-timers at this very tastefully decorated, cozy, and modern vibe where the tables were closed together. The interior is quite dark; one gets used to it after a while unless you opt for a table close to the front, which we did. Their menu was an extensive offering of small plates, fresh pastas, and tasty full-sized entrees with some vegetarian options. We decided on brunch and ordered Avocado Benedict, Fried Chicken and Belgian Waffles, Frittata Primavera, Rigatoni alla Vodka, and side of Truffle Fries. A basket full of petite muffins started our meal. The food was very fresh and well seasoned. The portions were perfect. It didn't put too much hurt on the wallet. The service was very good, not rushed, and our server was Carlos. One doesn’t have to go to Little Italy for a homemade pasta meal, and we can...

Avoid at All Costs: Terrible Service and Hidden Charges

Walking into this seemingly fancy restaurant, we were initially greeted warmly by the manager. However, our night quickly turned sour. The problems started when a friend questioned the $30 price tag on a plate of pasta, only to be told that the extra $8 was for shrimp. When attempting to cancel the order just minutes after placing it, chaos ensued. When our friend left, we asked a waiter to cancel. He said no problem and canceled it. However, we heard yelling in the back, and the first waiter who waited us told us that they can't cancel it because the system has already charged it. We were informed that their "system" couldn't edit the bill, a claim that baffled us for an establishment of this supposed caliber.

As we requested separate bills for our group of nine, the "system" conveniently refused to accommodate. To add insult to injury, arbitrary charges surfaced on our bills: an unrequested $3 charge for gluten-free pasta and an inflated $9 instead of the advertised $8 for the shrimp. Attempts to rectify these discrepancies were met with absurd excuses. The manager's explanation that their menu was wrong was simply unacceptable. Offering a mere $1 discount instead of addressing the blatant overcharging was downright insulting.

I tried to give him advice for further customers, and said if he was able to give a $1 discount, he could've taken the meal that my friend has ordered and not eaten off the bill as well. He said that he could, but his manager would ask him about it, and he doesn't want to explain to him. When the manager came, he said that the auditors at the end of the year would ask him about it and he is too lazy to explain it to them.

When presented with a revised bill that miraculously showed a $50 reduction, the chaos continued. The wait for change became an ordeal, with staff members bickering over a missing 20% service charge. The final straw came when, in our frustration, we were met with offensive language and told to leave promptly.

Overall, this was an appalling experience. The lack of transparency in pricing, an inability to manage bills, unprofessional conduct, and a blatant disregard for customer satisfaction make this establishment one to avoid. Save yourself the headache and...

Terrible Service; mediocre food - not worth the cost! I'm not sure how it's so highly rated. We came in for dinner after attending a funeral, and the funeral service was more enjoyable.

The restaurant itself was very loud and chaotic. 2 different servers took our drink orders, and they didn't seem to be communicating with each other. The drinks came quickly, and we ordered our dinner right away.

About 45 minutes after we ordered, our food had still not come, and we asked our server how long it would be. He said he would go check and didn't return. We didn't get our food for another 45 minutes and we had to wave down other servers to get drinks. The manager was not alerted to the delay or our frustration; or if he was, he lied to me about this.

When the food finally arrived, the 6 dishes that arrived were VERY hot, but the food on the dishes was cold. The 7th dish did not arrive with the others. At this point, I went to find the manager who said he would look into it but offered no apology or sign that he cared at all.

The 7th dish came about 15 minutes after the rest. The "quality check" that occurred was completed by the server, not the manager, as would be expected with a meal as delayed as this one. We explained that the meals that came on time were all cold, bland, and/or undercooked (the veal was chewy and pink on the inside) and that we were disappointed. He barely acknowledged this and walked away.

Once we were "finished," we were given our $500+ bill. There was auto-gratuity,and there were no dishes taken off the bill despite the trouble we experienced. At this point, I stepped away to speak with the manager, AGAIN (who claimed his name is Jeff, though I suspect he gave me a fake name as he knew I was upset) The bartender had to go find him, and he appeared from downstairs 10 minutes later.

I explained that this was the most disappointing restaurant experience I've had in years and asking that we pay full price is assinine. He said he couldn't do anything as he didn't know there were any problems. This was after I spoke to him twice. He was aware of the problems, and there were ABSOLUTELY steps he could have taken to...