Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant — Restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens

Prologue: The Mind-Reading Wine Mage Named Thomas

Our evening began with a wine tasting, but what unfolded felt more like a seance conducted by Thomas, the wine wizard of Cooper’s Hawk. He didn’t just serve drinks—he read minds, revealed secrets, and performed card tricks that bent reality.

At one point, he pulled out a block I had mentally pictured and already had the matching one behind his back. He correctly guessed the exact name I was silently thinking, then casually stated my birthday, place of birth, and time of arrival into this world. March 21, 2000. Orlando, Florida. 2:32 AM.

How did he know that? Was he a sommelier or my estranged father from a parallel timeline?

I walked away stunned, spiritually unglued, and two glasses deep in red blend. It was the most emotionally transformative tasting I’ve ever had. If dinner could somehow match that energy… we were in for a ride.

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Chapter One: The Ghost of Ben L

The last time we dined at Cooper’s Hawk, we were cursed with Ben L—a man who treated service as a punishment. He ignored us, refused to give us steak knives (despite watching us try to cut a filet with a spoon), and seemed more committed to conversations with coworkers than caring for a table of paying humans.

Only when a manager saw our sad attempt at steak surgery did help arrive. It was humiliating. The experience hung over us like a damp rag of disappointment—a flavorless pairing to otherwise great food.

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Chapter Two: Mia, Bringer of Light (and Steak Knives)

This time, we were blessed with Mia—an absolute ray of sunshine in human form. From the moment she approached, everything felt different. She brought warm pretzel bread and butter without prompting. She floated appetizers to our table like a culinary ballet: the Over the Border egg rolls (crunchy, cheesy perfection) and the Italian sausage and burrata flatbread (herby, creamy, and divine).

And then came the steak—again, but this time we were armed. Armed with steak knives. Not just one. A full set, delivered instantly. No pleading, no spoon-based hacking.

It was in this moment I imagined a mental showdown between Mia and the specter of Ben L. In my mind’s eye, he appeared at the table, arms folded, eyes judging. Mia, unfazed, raised a gleaming steak knife like Excalibur and banished his ghost in a flash of warm service and attentive hospitality. Ben L disintegrated like a bad Yelp review under Mia’s radiant gaze.

The cloud lifted. My steak was tender. My soul was at peace.

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Chapter Three: To-Go Boxes and Emotional Closure

Mia continued to anticipate our every need. Waters refilled, sauces replenished, to-go boxes arrived before we could ask, packed with care (yes, even with extra dipping sauces). She even brought chocolates with the check, as if to say, “I know this journey has been healing. Let’s end on a sweet note.”

As we packed our things, I felt a twinge of sadness. Not because the service ended, but because every future server now has an impossible act to follow.

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Final Toast: A Restaurant Reborn

This night at Cooper’s Hawk will live in my heart forever: Thomas, the mystic wine sage, and Mia, the soul-restoring force of nature, turned a once-disastrous restaurant into a temple of hospitality and carbs.

To anyone out there who’s lost faith in humanity—or just in competent service—know this: redemption exists, and it tastes like pretzel bread with...

Horrible! Unbelievable! Last night was the worst dining experience I've have had in my life and I'm nearly 50. The appetizer took 30+ minutes to come out and when it arrived it was luke warm and the food runner said it was incomplete due to shortage and that the balance would be brought out soon. That never happened. My glass of wine took 15+ minutes for delivery and throughout the meal, I was never offered a second glass. We were never offered a glass of water. Rewind, we had to ask for the complimentary bread. The root of this appeared to be out waitress' lack of engagement with us as customers as she was too busy flirting with two men at a nearby table literally having interactions with them on a regular basis for multiple minutes at a time. Nobody stopped to check on us. I finally flagged down a waitress serving the adjacent table and asked for a manager. I let the manager know that we were waiting on our food, now 45-60 minutes into our visit, and that our waitress was too busy with her friends (which he could witness for himself at that time) and I wanted replacement waitstaff. He seemingly obliged. Cold food was then brought out on top of our appetizer. We were asked nearly immediately if it was brought out to our liking, so immediately that we hadn't had time to put a fork in it to be aware of good/bad, hot/cold, etc. I ate my cold meal. My wife sent her cold meal back. We waited, I ate, we waited, I ate. No follow up... I finally got up and went to the kitchen to inquire about my wife's meal and was met with stern resistance rather than inquiry as to what the issue was. Coincidently, after my visit to kitchen, the food was brought out as if it had once again been sitting and waiting. We were treated as though we were the problem. Again, the lack of follow up continued. Another waiter came buy to drop off a desert menu for us to look at but never returned to see if we had decided on desert. Waited, waited, waited... We couldn't even get a bill... I finally got up and went near the kitchen entrance where the staff, including the managers, congregated and inquired about the issue and I was told that I had to go sit down and i was being "antagonistic". I returned to my seat. The staff had then brought in the mall security, or maybe local police, to watch over me. I'm highly offended. How am i the bad guy? We had to ask for the bill as we continued to be ignored by all staff, it became as if they wanted to see if they could piss me off in front of the cops... I finally was able to ask a passing by waitress for the bill. At this time, I informed the manager, Tom DeBono, of our intent to cancel our wine membership, and he said he thought that would be a good idea. I thought i was on candid camera or something. Cops/security were patiently waiting as we left the restaurant all the way to the exit of the mall. A long wait, a lack of service, cold food and I'm the bad guy? This experience didn't feel like what Tim McEnery...

Rude & lazy hostess + poor food portion and quality. We entered the restaurant and requested a table near the bar, quickly reminded they are ,1st come 1st served, fine. We located a table but it was dirty from the previous guests. After standing there for a couple of minutes, I went back to the hostess and explained this. I requested the table be bussed so we could sit down but she quickly told me that I’d have to wait next to the table and then someone would clean it- company rules.. She showed no care, no customer service, no, ”I am sorry for the delay” or “ let me get someone to get that cleaned”. So I said it was awkward just standing in the middle of a dining area over the adjoining guest table, but she quickly restated- company policy all while seeming annoyed that I was asking for service. We went back and waited off to the side of the bar near the wine barrels for several minutes until finally the table was cleaned- a poor start to our experience. Having eaten here before I can feel comfortable stating the food has gone way down in quality. The last time we ate here we sent back the chicken parm since the chicken was like rubber. The Mgr. was great during that visit. She addressed our concern, apologized, and offered another dish. However, she then apologized again after the kitchen lost my order for the replacement dish so a half hour later I ate but she did not charge us for my replacement dish- bad meal but great service. This time no Mgr. was to be found to address our seating concerns or our upcoming poor meal. We started with a very rubbery calamari appetizer that had much too much thick gooey too sweet sauce topping and a greasy beer batter. Then for entrees a ceasar salad topped with chicken (well sprinkled with chicken bits), an insulting amount of the protein. We also had the chicken piccata entree that honestly had 50+ capers on it making it the saltiest piccata ever. I searched for a Mgr. and this time I saw one in a window that semi-exposes the kitchen. I waited a few moments off to the side and then gave up wanting to leave figuring I would just call to complain. The next day, I called and requested to speak with the Mgr. and explained all of this. His answer was sorry but I can’t help you now. You should have expressed to me your dissatisfaction with your meak during your visit, seemingly not listening to me when I explained that I tried to. And, not even responding to our awkward wait over our table until it was bussed or the Hostess lack of care or concern. Oh well, at least we wont go hungry since Tap 42 restaurant just openned next door and was packed so we will try it...