Serafina Long Island City — Restaurant in New York

I know this place just opened a few weeks ago but in its current state no one should be eating there. When I first walked in I saw a large table of about 8 people and 6 of them sent their food back. I should have taken that as a sign. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was nice (although very hot, seemed like their AC wasn't turned on or working. The drink I ordered was very good. We wait quite a while and they bring us bread right as our food arrived which was odd. I ordered their supposed wagyu burger. It costs $23. I ordered medium. When it came it looked like a burger you would order at a bodega. Very think and looks like it was maybe frozen. The fries are def from a frozen bag. I take a bite and its basically raw. I have no problem with rare even though I ordered medium but this was not even rare. I tell the waiter and they bring me a new one that is not medium, its well past well done and its missing the caramelized onions. I tell him its missing the onions and they bring me some on the side that are ice cold. If this burger was 10$ I would just say whatever and not leave a review, but this was a $23 burger. I could go to Au Cheval and pay 3 dollars more to get one of the best burgers in the city. The couple sitting next to us also had major issues with wait time and their food. The manager came to talk to us and I told her everything and she was very nice and understanding and gave us 15% off and a free tiramisu. We couldn't even finish the tiramisu because it tasted awful and was still frozen in the center. This place may have potential eventually but any restaurant that charges those prices needs to be on top...

Serafina itself is beautiful. Great lighting and an ambience thats perfect for a date night or a night out with friends. One of the nice things about dining here is that you don’t necessarily need a reservation, though it can get busy.

The menu offers a wide variety of choices, which makes it easy to find something for everyone. If you’re starting with an appetizer, I highly recommend the calamari. It’s crispy, well seasoned, and comes with lemon. The truffle fries are also an option. Unlike many places that just pile on cheese and call it truffle fries, you can actually taste the truffle.

For mains, the Ravioli Lobster is a good choice. While it tasted great, it did lean more toward a lobster bisque with ravioli in it rather than a traditional stuffed pasta dish, but if you're a fan of creamy seafood flavors, you won’t be disappointed. My personal favorite was the Farfalle Al Limoncello. It had a lemon kick that stood out.

One feature I loved was the barcode at the table to scan your bill and pay right there. It made the whole experience smoother and saved time. While our waiter was attentive and friendly, it’s great not to have to flag someone down when you’re...

I visited this place to celebrate a wedding. The bill was split, and before leaving we were given a QR code to pay for the items we ordered. After making my payment, I proceeded to leave, but I was stopped by the waiters and the manager, who claimed that I had not paid. I had to open my bank account and show them that the money had already been debited, but they insisted that the transaction was pending and did not appear in their system. They even called my bank. In the end, they checked another app they use for payments, called Sunday, and found my payment there.

The food and service were good, but I did not appreciate the way I was treated.

Personnel should be trained to double-check before telling a customer, “you did not pay.” This experience left me very disappointed, and I do not see myself returning to this...