Mi Piace — Restaurant in Pasadena

i’ve been coming to this restaurant for at years 3 years. actually i choose to have my last dinner before we got announced about the pandemic closing everything down at mi piace. service is generally poor, you can sense the staff has been there too long and is clearly jaded by the constant routine. i simply TRIED to have an excellent dinner tonight and TRIED spend my money where it clearly wasn’t welcome. service starts from the greeting… one would generally go to a fine dining restaurant type where your average cost to dine is $100 and expect “excellent service as they call it” i walked in, the hostess who barely looked at me at i tried to explain i wanted to sit inside, feeling ignored i see busers cleaning other tables that aren’t even about to get used. cleaning multiple tables at once and not focusing on ONE that is clearly needed aka requested. im ambushed to sit at the table next to the door, not asked not suggested. im trying to spend my money ona nice quiet meal right? the hostess tries to insist on TELLING me when & where i should store my almost empty work bag. IM PAYING REMEMBER - guess who is telling who. clearly she scoffs me and ran away to let someone else know that i’m not submitting to her persistence on the exact SEAT she wants me at. feeling frustrated with my evening i wanna slow my pace, i wanna a drink enjoy and keep ordering but then AGAIN ambushed by a overly sweaty un properly groomed “server” where a steak is on average $60 - who doesn’t even greet and rushes into are you ready to order. i remark im ready for a beer, his attitude clearly frustrated asks me for an ID which is stardard, sadly i don’t have it, and im ok with the consequences but he immediately says he can’t help me, doesn’t suggest or offer anything, clearly shows lack interest in allowing me what i came in for “service” or “a good meal” the pressure seems to much where i feel like i don’t wanna actually eat there im not gonna spend my money, and be rushed or in anyway pressured. i get up and ask to speak to the manager to hopefully reset my night and enjoy my meal at one my fav restaurants in pasadena. i try to introduce my self and share some of my experiences there. immediately, i’ve never seen you. AGAIN, dismissive.. and this time by the HARD FACED ANGRY DRIED UP LESBIAN MANAGER who clearly could have been the only one doing her job, but no she refused to even listen to me. not exactly what i ever expected from a reputable & delicious restaurant. perhaps im being judged sorry i actually have personal style and don’t look or act like most of your cookie cutter customers. sorry you might have judged me because i had ONE TWO OR TWENTY bags, sorry i wanted to spend my money. sorry you’re a hard face C*NT that should prob get another job perhaps even another life. sorry you choose to judge me and immediately dismiss. sorry i’m the one paying and you could never treat the way you think you did, please think about this review. i wonder how many people you treat like this and scare away like a bully simply because they won’t submit. sorry you are misseable at your job and quite clearly your life. enjoy your misery on a monday night. rest assured im gonna try to reintroduce myself because i hope to make sure you NEVER forget who you thought you could speak to they way you...

My wife and I were visiting from Las Vegas just for the weekend and we always love trying out new places. We happened to be in the area and looked up the restaurants nearby. This place seemed to have great ratings and we were interested in Italian so we decided this would be the place to go.

Let me start off by saying this is going to be my god honest review based on this single visit to this place. I will try to be straight forward and professional.

The whole experience here was disappointing, uncomfortable, and nothing seemed organized. It honestly seemed like the "before" of one of those Gordan Ramsey restaurant fixer upper shows. Immediately started off strong by sitting us next to two dirty tables that seemed to have science experiments of old food on top. Even the table on the outside directly behind us was a nest for flies. Ceiling tiles were all stained up, décor was very out dated but whatever, we were there for the food. It was just odd because they seem to try and pass off as an upscale place.

The Gene Simmons looking dude of an owner was there with his long died black hair and eyeliner on. We assume he is the owner because no real owner in their right mind would let a man wearing jeans, a t shirt and a baseball cap represent his restaurant. Also, it says on Google that this place is women owned? How convenient it was for him to just so happen to stand behind his hostess every chance he got so he could just look her up in down in the most creepy way. Doesn't even try to hide it. Wasn't until he noticed me that he decided to walk away. The staff seemed to have no respect for each other let alone enough respect for the customers seeing how the tables next to us were still dirty half way into our time spent there.

As far as the food goes. My wife had the Shrimp Scampi and I had the Pesto Gnocchi. The Shrimp Scampi looked completely plain to me and according to my wife, was nothing special at all. Zero flavor and very wet sauce you can tell was just placed on top of the noodles and microwaved steamed veggies. The Gnocchi was overcooked and way too soft. Al Dente was non existent here. Mind you, these dishes were over $30 a plate... for Applebee's food. We sat there trying to figure out how this place has so many good ratings until we looked around and realized the customers surrounding us. I was willing to put any amount of money down that 90% of the customer base thinks Caesar dressing is too spicy. It made complete sense that the crowd who orders chicken fingers at a Mexican restaurant would be the main cliental here.

So, overall, every single part of our experience here was disappointing and I really hope that hostess sees this as I couldn't track her down before leaving. It was not good, and we left very unsatisfied. I gave up driving to Kogi Taqueria for this. That made me so sad. Anyways, Having a good...

I went with a group from work after a long annual planning session. Everyone had a good time and the food was great, the wine was fun and tasty. You can see that the food was beautifully prepared and plated. I assure you it tasted as good as it looked and I think it looks great!

Normally I would have provided 5 stars but I could not because of the restroom.

The restroom is outside the confines of the restaurant and near the rear entrance to the building. I found this strange but okay, I just rolled with it. I asked the front-of-the-house staff where the restrooms were and they told me and let me know that a code was required to gain entry into the restroom. Not crazy but a little strange. After a day of meetings and finally, I get to relax I have to memorize a 6-digit code. After a number of attempts to use the code I fail. At this point, I really have to go but I feel silly going back to the staff to ask for the code again. i do so and then another front-of-the-house staff jumps in and says the code has changed! Ughhhhh that explains it! Well, I finally get in and the restroom isn't dirty but it's not exactly clean either. On top of it the faucets are broken, and the plumbing seems to be either sweating or drip leaking. It's just not pleasant. It makes me think that when these types of details are overlooked what other details in the kitchen are overlooked? It's probably the responsibility of the landlord but ultimately it reflects the restaurant and my humble suggestion is that they apply pressure to do a better job maintaining the restroom because their customers use...