Alvaro's Family Restaurant — Restaurant in North Port

I'm a server and my husband is a pizza maker / chef for almost 20 years. My review is purely based on my knowledge of serving and how the food tastes. I have to admit, we were a little skeptical when we arrived. But, there were 8 of us, and I didn't call ahead since this was a last minute decision to eat there. There were a few tables taken, all socially distanced, and servers were wearing masks. We were seated right away and the first server to assist us was very friendly. I noticed the steady flow of people coming in. A table would leave, then there would be another 2 top walking in to sit. There was maybe a total of 5 to 6 tables there. I had wondered if there was only one server on since I hadn't seen another for a few minutes, but then one did appear and she started taking tables. We placed our food order along with drinks, and that was fine. Our food was actually really good. I was quite impressed. This is what I thought went wrong... the phone was ringing in the dining area, and there was no one at the counter to answer it. A server was seeing tables, and walking around with the portable phone what looked to me like she was hitting the cancel button on it. However, it would just ring again. Perhaps the food was all starting to come out at the same time and the two girls were beginning to feel overwhelmed? It was approximately 7:50 pm, and as my daughter and granddaughter grabbed another slice, without asking us for refills or offering dessert, the check was laid in front of my husband stating that she can take it whenever he was ready to pay. The proper way to do this is to wait until everyone is completely done eating and continue to offer refills, clear the plates, then offer dessert before leaving a check. However, I knew that the place closes at 9, and now it is 7:50, bringing out brooms and mop buckets, watching kitchen staff peek out the kitchen door window to see how many people are left in the dining room, they wanted everyone out so they could leave. I completely get it. I understand the whole dynamics of the restaurant business. I was a Front of House Manager at a local pizza restaurant. I felt rushed. In these difficult times, people need to feel welcome and they need to be shown some appreciation for their business. It is in fact business like ours that keeps you open and keeps the tips flowing for the staff. I would have tipped really big had I felt we were appreciated. I really hope this restaurant takes this and doesn't view it a nit picking, but as an opportunity to make some minor changes that will really make a difference in the dining experience a customer has. This will create so many positive results from telling others how great the place is, increased business and tips for the servers. Isn't that...

I am so disappointed to write this. I have been going to Alvaro’s for 10+ years but haven’t had their pizza since I moved for college three years ago. My family and I ordered a veggie pizza with 5 veggie toppings, and a half cheese/half pep pizza. I leave the restaurant and set the pizzas in my passenger seat. I live 3 min down the road, and within that three minutes, the veggie pizza started to leak onto my seat. When I opened the box, all the toppings were off the pizza and on to the side. It was clearly undercooked and the crust was so thin, it could not hold all the veggies. The other pizza looked fine —meaning pepperoni or cheese was not sliding off the dough. I go back and ask them to make me another and the owner came out and said “since there are so many veggies on the pizza, this is going to happen.” I work in an Italian restaurant, my grandfather had a pizza place for years, THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. As an owner of an Italian restaurant, if you think it’s okay to send out a pizza that has toppings sliding off and juice leaking out the box, you should not be in this industry. The owner said there was nothing he can do and that if he made me another, it would look the same. So I left because I figured I would just pop the pizza in my oven at home. I get home to find the bottom of the other pizza (half pep/half cheese) BLACK! SO BURNT! the crust was crumbling of charcoal. My mother drove back to return the pizzas and we got a refund. The staff said, “how did she drive leaving here?” I can assure you, it’s a short trip to my house with no bumps, two stop lights and one turn, my driving wasn’t the issue. Also, for that even to be said shows poor customer service. The waitress then used the excuse “she checked the pizza before she left.” I checked to make sure we got all the toppings. I didn’t touch the pizza to feel how soggy my veggie pizza was and I didn’t flip up the bottom of the other pizza to check to see if it was burnt — so I guess, it is my bad. We now live in a world where we need to check our pizzas to make sure it’s not undercooked or over cooked before we leave the restaurant. My family and I still wanted pizza, so we drove down the road to Jets pizza, ordered the same pizzas and experienced NO problem. Alvaro’s was not always like this, and I am sad to say I will not be returning to my childhood...

I have been going here for 4 years. Today my mother and I went in for lunch. The gal was wiping off the table by the door and asked if we wanted a booth or a table. We asked for a booth. She really rudly said sit here so we sat down and two other people came in after us and she sat them also but with silverware and menus which we did not have. They had already had their order taken and their drinks while we were still sitting there with nothing. I asked her if we could have a menu and her comment was I needed to be patient! I was exasperated. I said to her that why were the other two already waited on when they came in after us and we were still sitting there with no server no silverware and no menu. She turn around and walked away. Then another gal finally came over and gave us silverware and went and got us our water and after that we sat there and sat there and sat there and other people plus the two that came in after us had their salads and soup already. I have been in customer service for over 40 years and this is unacceptable service. Her comment and her attitude was extremely rude and I find that basically she can't be nice to people of the other race then she doesn't need to work there. And when I say other race yes she was Mexican. The two guys that came in after us were mexican. I don't like to put race into any comment but this was plainly seen and plainly done in spite unfortunately because of her attitude we will not be coming back to your...