San Marzano — Restaurant in New York

This place is one of my favorite restaurants, but my dining experience last night was awful. I am really not the type to leave reviews at all, but the quality of service I got/observed yesterday should be addressed by the management as I genuinely can’t believe what manager is allowing the service to look like this. So if I’m going to leave a review, I’ll be detailed.

I went in to dine by myself around 9PM on a Wednesday night. It definitely wasn’t busy, and I’ve been rejected as a walk-in from here before so I was happy that I would get seated immediately as I was extremely hungry. But then I stood by the host stand for a full five minutes before I was even acknowledged to be seated.

I’m not trying to sound like an impatient Karen here, but I was really confused on why no staff addressed me standing there waiting to be seated. In fact, I couldn’t see any staff walking around that I could flag down. The only staff member I could see was a woman behind the bar talking to a coworker, and even though we made direct eye contact multiple times, she made no moves to address me at all. And I get that that woman was probably not the host for the night, but I was standing there clearly waiting to be seated for a long time. I mean, all it would’ve taken was a quick word with whoever was the host? But she kept making eye contact with me only to ignore me—and all POC know that sometimes the vibes are so off that you have the thought that maybe there’s some racism going on.

I was about to go leave/yell when someone gets up from the table in front of me and asks if I needed anything. And I was like ?? obviously I’m startled that a man is talking to me from a table of what I thought were other guests. But also like what do you think? Why else would I be standing there?? I answer him that I want to be seated and to my surprise, the rest of the people sitting at the same table springs to their feet. Turns out they all were staff? And so even though I was very startled I was like mm ok i guess because it was not like there was any food on the table or anything. But they were all on their phones so intently that they were able to completely ignore me standing directly in front of them. So obviously, I assumed that they were customers?

But whatever. I get seated and get the menu. As I’m moving from the area soon, I couldn’t decide what to order since I likely wouldn’t be coming back for a while. I’m still looking at the menu, undecided, when the server comes by to ask if I’m ready to order. And I’m like ?? do I look ready? Ya’ll gonna ignore me like that and now you’re rushing me? And I’m REALLY not trying to sound like a Karen, but I’ve been a server and it’s not hard to tell when someone is ready to order or not. So even though I’m starting to get irritated, it’s whatever and I make my order on the fly since I’m really hungry. And I’m giving my server the benefit of the doubt when I watch him walk away with the menu and promptly sit himself down in a middle large table laden with food.

And realizing that there’s another full table of staff who are fully eating a whole meal makes me super irritated cause what restaurant allows their staff to eat openly during their shift in the main dining area of the restaurant? And ya’ll so busy eating that ya’ll ignored me like that/rushing me?? And I know that at the servers don’t run the food to their tables here (but also, what are your jobs then?), but I KNOW ya’ll aren’t washing your hands after every time you sit down and eat. The whole table was apparently staff (again, I obviously assumed they were customers??) and different people kept getting up and sitting down to eat.

I’m all for people needing to take breaks/eat as needed, but straight up at a table where customers can see you eat is lowkey crazy work. Not to mention incredibly unhygienic. Not to mention a huge waste of labor/tips.

For the first time ever I tipped below 18%. I’ve worked in more elevated restaurants so I expected some sort of comp, but nothing was offered. Food and drinks were great; the service...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at a fantastic restaurant and I couldn't wait to share my experience with you all. I have been here for years! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm smiles and a cozy, rustic, ambiance that instantly made me feel at home.

The menu is primarily Italian, diverse and offered a wide range of options to cater to all tastes. Whether you're a meat lover, a vegetarian, or have dietary restrictions, this restaurant has something for everyone. While you won’t get lasagna, you will get a variety of options in noodles and sauces for your taste. The paninis are almost like subs!

The service was impeccable throughout the entire meal. The waitstaff was attentive, knowledgeable, and made sure that all our needs were met. They were more than happy to answer any questions we had about the menu and even offered recommendations based on our preferences and slight substitutions and additions. The attention to detail and the genuine care they showed towards their customers truly made the dining experience memorable.

One thing that stood out to me was the restaurant's commitment to using fresh ingredients. It was evident in the quality and taste of the food. Each bite was bursting with flavor and you could tell that the ingredients were of the highest quality. Rarely am I adding salt, pepper, seasoning to any dish.

The ambiance of the restaurant was another highlight. The interior was tastefully decorated, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The lighting was just right, not too dim or too bright, and the background music added to the overall ambiance without being overpowering, while it could add some R&B, pop music to its rotation. Overall, It was the perfect setting for a relaxed and enjoyable dining experience.

To top it all off, the cost is more than reasonable for any income bracket. Pasta is around $15. Bottomless is about $13. Sangria pitchers are $18 (ish). You do the math.

It’s an amazing wine bar. There is no whiskey, rum, vodka, etc. It feels intentional and purposeful, and the aesthetic makes that fit. I would recommend adding a sparking Lambrusco in the mix. Also, there are two bathrooms, and at brunch, the lines can feel like getting into a stadium with a Renaissance ticket.

Overall, my experience at this restaurant was exceptional. From the delicious food to the attentive service and inviting ambiance, everything was top-notch. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great dining experience, with a meal that isn’t too heavy, and gives great portions.

Whether it's a special occasion or just a casual night out, this restaurant is...

I’m not the type of person to write a bad review, but feel like I have too. If I could not give them any stars I wouldn’t.

This was my first time coming to this place. Everyone talks highly about how great their pasta is and we unfortunately didn’t get the chance too.

I’ve arrived to this place and was not welcomed by anyone, considering it wasn’t packed. I would say about 5 employees passed by me and had not acknowledged me what so ever; standing by the entrance. I had to stop a female employee to ask if I could sit anywhere or had to wait to be seated.

So I sat myself. It’s been 10-15mins since I’ve arrived and 3 (two in the floor male, one female, and the female bartender) workers haven’t approach me with water nor menus, or even a setup for two.

As I sat, there was two glasses turn down upside down, they were dirty cups… As my second guest comes in, I was finally giving water (poured in the dirty cup). I asked this female employee with red hair, if I could get a new glass, she gave me a snotty rude remark about it being not dirty and it just came out of the washer. (Hence since I arrived there, that glass was already there.) She came back and rudely placed the new cup on the table as if it was a big deal.

Other table sat next to us, roughly 10mins after we sat and they were well taken care of, even with drinks. Still seated with no silverware, no server, no menus, just water. It’s totally not acceptable for us to arrive first than the other pair and they were taken care of.

One thing I can totally understand is, if there was high volume and it wasn’t.

If it wasn’t for the eye contact I made with the male server who was taking care of the table next to us. They would have never approached us.

The server asked if we have been approached by any one, as we mentioned we have not. He walked away to figure out what was happening… and came back to apologize. My friend and I were already irritated and disappointment that, we told that male server we are leaving.

First rule about the restaurant industry is having a welcoming staff so people can come back. This place already gave us a bad taste in our mouths. Never coming back again. Highly...