Piper — Restaurant in Oceanside

ATTN: Wedding couples:

(TLDR) This was by far the most stressful vendor we worked with with never returning calls or emails for weeks and unless you cc'd a superior.

They tried to overcharge us by $1,000 for the wrong guest count list but didn't forget the updated raise in the bar tab (both were in the same email). They also gave us Tier 3 wine list ($175 a bottle) when we asked for Tier 1 ($75 a bottle).

The buffet food was also horrible and the fish and pork were dry and did not match the quality of the restaurant in an individual experience at all.

They also had no one at the door verifying our names and we had several people come in who were not guests as well as some who were even served drinks.

EXPERIENCE: We started with a general inquiry. We spoke to three different employees who quoted us three different prices.

Monika ended up taking the lead and was incredibly frustrating, unresponsive and unprofessional. We initially reached out in early 2025 for a rehearsal dinner on May 9, 2025. We had dined there and enjoyed the food. And there aren't really many other places with the location and ambience in the area.

We began trying to book the restuarant. Weeks went by between responses. Contracts that were supposed to be sent were never sent and voicemails left unreturned. When an email response was finally returned and we noticed an error (and there were a lot of errors) communication stopped. The only way we could ever get a hold of Monika was if we cc:'d her boss. Prices changed every time we talked as did menus and seating charts and everything. Valet was at one point included then not included then included again.

At one point we considered having 10 of our guests make reservations on OpenTable because five weeks before the wedding we still had no contract even though we were speaking for months.

Finally after months (and only a few weeks before the wedding) we were told the restaurant was ours for the night. While we again waited for a contract we were surprised that we could still make reservations on the night of our buyout and when we called the restaurant the hostess said that night was available for reservations. We needed to call corporate and several other numbers. This apparently got back to Monika and she finally got us a contract.

On the night of the event there was a host standing by the door but she did not ask anyone for our names to verify they were supposed to be there. People got in and ordered drinks who were strangers before I had to kick them out.

The food was more than disappointing--dry fish and pork--and did not match the experience we had when dining earlier in the year. No better than an airport lounge. And completely overpriced for the quality.

At the end of the night they tried to overcharge us. We had originally estimated 65 guests but sent and email stating only 55 were attending. I thankfully asked to see the receipt and that is when I noticed the 10 extra guests. They had no problem removing them right away but did take the incorrect recipe from me.

We also said in the SAME EMAIL to increase the bar tab limit and that we wanted TIER 1 wine. The email was sent in time for changes according to the contract.The increased bar tab was remembered because a mere two hours into the event we had told we had reached our updated, higher amount. We were surprised and came to find out that we were serving TIER 3 wine all night. The difference was $175 per bottle instead of $75.

The amount of stress was astonishing. Monika was the most unprofessional person we have ever encountered. The scheming and deceit and poor quality was...

This is difficult for me to post because if I had submitted a review from my 5 or 6 other dining experiences, it would have been all 5’s. Unfortunately, there has been a change in the kitchen and the previous chef offered much better food quality. I will start with the positive aspect. The interior is still aesthetically pleasing. Our server was attentive and pleasant and took time to engage with us regarding our wine selections and made helpful suggestions. He smiled and as I think of that, all of the staff we encountered were pleasant and friendly. From that point on, we were highly disappointed. The menu selections are very limited. The only items on the entree category that remained from the previous selections was the New York and Mary’s chicken. We wanted to try something new so we opted for the nights special (swordfish) it was a good size portion but the components were not cohesive. There were 3 pieces of squash, romanesco, topped with the filet. I ordered housemade spaghetti with meatball. This place has been known for their pasta so I felt comfortable that it would be comparable to pervious pasts dishes. It was not. The pasta was too dense. It did not taste fresh, it tasted precooked and then overcooked for service. The meatball was loose and under seasoned. I was so disappointed. We wanted the Sanford pino noir, which was on the menu but they no longer carried it. The other similarity priced pinos were just ok. We sat in view of the kitchen and they appeared to be under staffed because the servers would stand and wait for long periods of time for their orders. The restaurant was not busy at all. Maybe 50% of the tables were open. The prices were much higher than before, but I see that a lot now so it didn’t dissuade us but I think a table close to us left before ordering after looking at the menu. The pasta bar didn’t appear to be operational anymore which is a mistake because it is the focal point of the restaurant and had been a special treat to be served fresh made pasta. We have other choices for a similar type of dining and will choose those in the future, or until we see a change in the...

Arrived early for our brunch reservation on a Sunday that was rated "less busy" by Google Maps. Sure enough, there were a lot of tables open, but the host informed us they needed to clear up some tables, so they would text me to let me know my table was ready, and if not texted by the reservation time, that I should come back to the host stand.

I returned at my reservation time as I had not yet received a text, and was told they needed just 5 more minutes to finishing clearing some tables and they would text me. I gave another 15 mins, and returned as still had not received a text. The host, after having seen me 3 times, still asked for my name and had to go check if tables were ready.

Finally, 20min past reservation time we were seated. I should note, this was a common theme for several groups around, so my group wasn't alone in this

The food selection is great, very well done and a nice range of options. Good for vegetarians and meat eaters. Although for a place that made a point to ask about allergens and dietary restrictions, the labeling is not on par.

The table waiter was great, attentive and very nice. Service would be a 5 if it weren't for the initial wait and terrible organization at the host stand, and in addition, the very unorganized manner of restocking food, utensils and anything other than plates at the buffet. I had to ask for bowls for the oatmeal, and point out that several items on the buffet needed a refresh, as well as utensils elsewhere. It seemed the staff wasn't paying attention to what was moving or running out and like no attempt was made to restock in acceptable time.

I'd say for $40/person as a buffet, I expected a slightly more premium brunch experience. The food itself was good and helped to make up for some of it, but this definitely could have been a brighter spot if it weren't for the...