Hidden Kitchen Route 80 - North Branford — Restaurant in North Branford

We've been to the hidden kitchen twice. The first visit we had great food and good service. The second visit we decided to bring our family. We traveled in two cars and half of our family had gotten stuck at a light and was a couple minutes behind us. My girlfriend and I decided to go inside and put our names down for inside dining. Immediately telling the hostess that we had a total of 5 people, we were asked if our party was here. I explained that the rest of our party had just pulled into the parking lot and would be inside in a moment. The hostess sat us down immediately in a booth, as there had been multiple tables available. We sat down and browsed the menu while our party made through the parking lot. We noticed that what looked to be the owner chastising the hostess for sitting us without the full party being inside the restaurant. The owner then immediately comes over and asks where the rest of the party was. We told her that they had just parked and we were told we could sit as they made their way inside. We were met with an attitude from the owner telling us that we should not be sat until they are inside and we needed to get up. Our family then walks inside the restaurant while we point them out. The owner mumbled something under her breath and makes a snarky remark about being sat without the full party. This immediately left a bad taste in our mouth.

While I understand the idea behind the policy, there were a number of ways this could be handled. 1) the hostess should not have sat us and just told us from the beginning, 2) the owner can use a lesson in customer relations and the way she speaks and handles situations with her attitude, 3) she could have looked out the large window in the front of the restaurant as I pointed out my family coming inside. Instead, she gave us unnecessary attitude and ruined our experience for something that could have been easily handled like a professional. The restaurant had multiple tables available and there was no wait at that time. We...

I have never changed a review. The attitude of the manager today changed that.

The staff, as normal, were attentive and helpful even though a busy Saturday morning.

I ordered steak and eggs, and was asked how I'd like it, I said medium-rare. When it arrived 40 minutes later, it was obvious that it was not cooked medium-rare. I gave it a shot; if it was tender and edible, I wasn't going to make a fuss, its a busy morning. It wasn't. Shoe or football leather are appropriate analogies. I apologized to the server because I knew she was busy, and she was sympathetic and agreed it wasn't medium-rare. She graciously asked if I wanted another, and I said "no" due to the time and I'd just eat the sides. I did not ask for it to be removed from my bill.

The manager came out and told me they only cook 'medium' and there is a 'little pink there, so its medium'. I begged to differ. Apparently this was "their version of medium." I was told that this was a wonderful piece of meat, cooked exactly as it should and that aggressively and emphatically stated she would not be removing it from my bill. I mentioned that I asked for medium-rare, and that is not what I got, nor was I informed that they only cooked 'medium'. I offered to google "medium steak", to prove this was not. I got berated that she eats this type of steak for dinner and it was "worth $45 at a restaurant, and its the way we do it here." She left, only to came back to point out the order was "only on the line for 43 minutes" (I had mentioned we had been there over an hour).

For $16.95, I got a dry, tough meat and an ear full of attitude. The manager should take a page from the server's book in how to treat customers. OK, fine. Keep your attitude and over cooked meat.

A $16-steak staying on the bill I could have lived with for a return visit, everyone has off days and I love to support local business. But your attitude has lost you a customer.

Service staff: 5...

We went there as a whole family to celebrate my husbands bd on a nice breakfast. When we went there they were packed. Since my father used to have a restaurant and my husband owns a pizza place and we all did the work they’ve done we were like ok we will wait. It was 7 of us 5 adults 2 kids. We waited 10min. by the storm door. And there was another group waiting inside by the front door. About 5-6 adults. After they were set at a table we went inside where they have waited since it was very cold outside. And made sure we were not on the way of anyone. Again we know how it is. While we were waiting we started looking at the menu to decide what we wanted to eat when they got us a table. But guess what about few minutes later we were inside (by the way total of time we waited I guess it was like 15-20 min) the hostess said we can’t all wait inside. We were like ok. Than my husband asked if my kids were ok to wait inside she said yes. Than I and my two kids started waiting inside while rest of my family went outside. About 10 seconds later she turned to me and said “ I can’t let you all stay here!” I was like “ youre talking about me and the kids “ she says “yes” I was like you’ve just told my husband it’s ok for them to stay. She was like I can’t have all you waiting inside. Than I was like forget it. We left. About 20 min. Later she texted to my husband to see if we were still waiting for a table. I was like “no after how rude you were!” You kicked us out! Than she goes “ I have to fallow fired marshals rules. I can’t have people blocking the front door.” I’ve said but it was ok for the group before us to wait over 10min on the same spot. That was the end of the conversation.

End of it if you look like Spanish as we were(I’m not spanish) you are not welcomed there. And I will make sure all of my customers knows about...