Vista Rooftop — Restaurant in Ocean City

This review is for Vista’s NYE party. I thought about this for a while before posting and spoke about it with those who attended the party with me. Ultimately, I think you guys missed the mark. You oversold the event. You simply did not have enough seating for those who paid for dinner. And not enough tables in general.

We arrived at 8pm, which was the start time and it was evident that the doors had opened early. The place was already packed. By the time we got through the crowded elevator lobby and through the check-in desk, every single table was already occupied. 8:15 and not a table to be found. There were people clearly hoarding tables, including people who didn’t pay for dinner and were only there for drinks. We immediately approached a staff member and asked where we could sit down to eat. We were told “people will get up and leave the tables after they eat.” Spoiler alert: they didn’t. People claimed tables and kept them the whole night. You had so many people trying to eat while standing up and balancing their drinks too. We were those people. You guys didn’t even have enough high top tables for people to stand and eat. At some point we considered sitting outside in the freezing cold just so that we would have a table. There was plenty of outdoor seating but zero heaters. There was also plenty of open space inside for additional tables. We finally brought patio furniture inside just to have a place to eat dinner. Other guests immediately began following suit. Within a couple of minutes, two very rude gentlemen approached us and berated us and the other guests for bringing tables in. We asked them “where are we supposed to eat?” They replied again “people at the tables will get up when they are done. This is a mingling party.” They claimed that the area in which we placed our tables was a “mingling area.” No one was leaving their tables. I took photos of many unoccupied tables covered in dishes, glasses, and people’s personal belongings, which I will attach with my review. The staff did not ask those people to move their things so that others could sit to eat.

To complicate things further, people began just standing and mingling at the two bars because there were no tables to sit or stand at and rest their drinks. Then the bar became so crowded with people just standing around it talking that no one could get up to the front to order a drink.

Everyone wants a table at an hours-long event. It’s not unreasonable for people to want a place to sit throughout the night, a “home base,” if you will. It’s natural to want a place to sit your drink down, leave coats, leave purses, and masks, etc (this was a masquerade event). You guys kept insisting that it was a mingling party but this wasn’t a private event, where everyone knows everyone. This was a public party and people socialized with the people they arrived with, not strangers.

Next time I highly recommend having tables reserved for those who paid for dinner. You had a guest count and the names of the people who made the reservation so you could have easily assigned tables. Also, you need more high top tables for people to be able to put their drinks down. Or simply, sell fewer tickets.

After we were treated so terribly, we left. The event was not worth the money we spent. We had really looked forward to the event and left...

After a long day at the beach, my family and I wanted to have our 'fancy dinner' of our vacation. Luckily enough we were staying at Fenwick Inn, so we didn't have far to go. I told my husband to call ahead for a reservation, 8:45, a little late for dinner for my youngest, but what did we expect when calling at 5:30? We hopped in the elevator and headed up to the 8th floor around 8:30. The hostess, while not the friendliest, sat us outside per our request, to be greeted by our server Baylee, she did a great job with our table as there was a person in our party with a food allergy. Half of our group ordered burgers, they wanted a fancy dinner but didn't want fancy food, the irony I know. My daughter ordered the steak, chicken tenders and fries for my youngest, and I ordered the seafood risotto. We also ordered bread for the table, calamari, and seafood wontons. Let me tell you, we are still raving over a breadbasket. The bread tasted like sweet Hawaiian rolls but made into garlic bread. So good. The calamari, although claiming to be flash fried were oily and soggy, and the seafood wontons would have been good if there was a little more salt, less pico, and more seafood. It was mostly pico on wonton wrappers really. Our main dishes came, the burgers were cooked great and everyone enjoyed them that ordered them. My risotto was lack lust in flavor, but the thing that really got me was the rice for the risotto was not cooked all the way, still crunchy. I try, really really hard to not complain about my food at a restaurant, especially if it's something as simple as a little bit of seasoning, but I took maybe 3 bites and couldn't eat any more of it. My daughter ordered her steak medium and when it came out, it was very rare, still purple in the middle. Baylee was kind enough to have the kitchen cook it a little longer and it was fine once returned. The cut was huge, maybe 3 inches thick, so, understandable, (kind of) that it wasn't fully to temp. My daughter did say, it could have been seasoned more, but it was good. (I guess I just realllllllyyyyyyy season my food at home.)

Overall, great experience because of the view and the service, and those rolls. DID I MENTION THOSE ROLLS!?

Also had stopped up for a drink with my husband for a drink our first night in town, 8/29, the bartender, I didn't catch his name was super friendly and very kind. He did a great job with a full bar and still being attentive to everyone's needs. He made a great lavender martini! There isn't a huge beer selection, your typical choices, but they did have an amazing Hard Cider carried.

We would probably stop by again, just for drinks, and the rolls, obviously, but find another spot for dinner...

This is gonna be a long one so buckle up . I really wish there was a separate review for the bar ! For starters we tried dining in last night , and were rudely greeted after he had us wait for a while , and then proceeded to say the kitchen just closed . We decided to hit the bar , and the bar was fun . Our bartender was awesome . We decided to go back earlier today , and were told since we have no reservation , we would have to be put on a list . Not only was the same guy completely ignorant , I know he was discriminating against me for the way I was dressed . I think he forgot this is a tourist town for all people , not just businessmen dressed in suits . I apologize for wearing camo , blue jeans , and boots . I guess what I am getting at is if you’re from the country part of town , go ahead and save your time . He proceeded to tell us he didn’t know how long it would be . He rudely said maybe 15 maybe 20 minutes . Well after waiting 45 and watching 4 couples , and 2 larger groups exit , on top of the tables that were an available the entire time , I decided to get somebody else to help me . It took her grabbing his shoulder and whispering something into his ear that , until we were seated . His attitude completely changed after her conversation with him . We were the only couple put on a list . There was 2 other couples , no reservations , came in and got seated , and what were they wearing ? Suits & ties and dresses . Now let’s get to the food . The prices and scenery make you think you are about to embark on fine dining . Which was fine , I wanted something different than back home . I ordered a jumbo crab cake sandwich . The crab cake was the size of a golf ball and had absolutely no flavor . My wife got a soup , which I am pretty sure was a can of Campbells warmed up . It certainly had that same flavor profile . We got a shareable lobster bisque which had no flavor whatsoever , and the lobster was overcooked , had the texture of rubber , and we got only meat from one claw of a lobster . No tail meat , no second claw . One claw . So for a can of Campbell soup , maybe an ounce of overcooked flavorless lobster dumped into a bisque of no flavor , and a golf ball sized crab cake , we spent $60 . I would have rather ate opossum stew , than waste my time and money here . We left feeling unwelcome , uncomfortable , disappointed , and didn’t even fulfill our hunger . We would not recommend nor ever come back . It was a horrible...