TIQA — Restaurant in Portland

Alright so my family and I just went here for restruant week and I honestly dont know how to feel. Bottom line I loved the food and the atmosphere but I feel like the slow service trapped us there for an unreasonable amount of time.

We made a reservation for 5 at 615, two of us arrived early and were seated immediately. We asked some questions about the menu while we waited for the rest of our party and we had two servers who were knowledgeable friendly and helpful. Our entire party was seated around 615 and we order soon after. They even made us a mojito even though it wasnt on the menu.

We waited a bit for the appetizers even though it didnt seem that busy and one of the appetizers brought out was incorrect. So they left the mistake at the table for us to enjoy while they rushed to bring out the correct app. An honest mistake wonderfully handled. The entrees came in a timely fashion and I had the salmon which was delicious. Someone from my party ordered another beer as they cleared away our plates and we waited for dessert.

And we waited. Business had picked up and the restruant was busier but we were hanging out talking not really in a rush. It must have been a half hour before we noticed dessert hadn't arrived or the beer we ordered.

Eventually one of our group got up to ask where our dessert was. Had they forgotten about us?the server came to apologize for the dessert wait and I asked where the beer was and she said that It "have to ask her", meaning the other waitress. But we hadn't seen her for a long time. I get it people get busy. Sometime later the dessert and beer came out and that was delicious too. We ate it up and waited for our bill. At this point it was close to 845 and when had been here for almost two and a half hours.

Other parties had been sat , ate and left. We sat and waited, wondering out loud when the restaurant closed, joking about them having to serve us breakfast. Affer the long wait for dessert surely the servers would be quick with the bill. Alas we waited. Eventually the server dopped off the bill and told us to "take our time".

The bill had the "mistake" appitizer on it and at this point we were feeling a little sore about the long wait, lack of acknowledgement and seemingly indifferent staff. So one of our party got up to get it taken off and spoke to a manager telling him we'd been there almost three hours. The manager came over and apologized and offered us a free round of drinks. We said really we just wanted to leave and asked if be would comp our drinks instead, which he agreed to do.

We walked out the door at around 915.

So what happened? Why were we left sitting for so long before and after dessert? The staff was nice enough but they just left us hanging with no acknowledgement of the long wait. It was the right thing for them to comp the drinks but it felt forced. We go out to eat alot and like most people do it for the experience, atmosphere and great food. I appreciate the gesture of a drink comp but would have appreciated smoother service and more consistent acknowledgement instead. When we talk about our meal here unfortunately the awsome food will be over shadowed by the...

My friend recently left a one star review - everyone please take a moment to review the comment the owner responded with to my friend Kaitlyn M. Likely the review below mine.

THAT comment is a perfect example of the atmosphere at this place.

It was my best friends birthday and four of us went to dinner. We grew up in Maine together and hadn’t tried this restaurant yet.

To be blunt, our waitress was very sweet, however staffing was low and we saw her maybe twice the entire night. After she put down the food she never came back to check in and thus, any issues with food could not be addressed. We ended up having to find her and tell her my friends food was cold since the plate hit the table. Her plate of food (open kitchen) was sitting under the “warmer” for 20 ninutes before it was on our table because we saw it. My other friends steak was RAW. And I eat medium rare… but we are talking RAW. Anyways, we only addressed the cold food and since it was her birthday we obviously wanted her night to be the best it could be and to heat up the food.

The CHEF who is likely the same man who responded to her review … laughed and made comments that we could hear given it was an open kitchen.

I want to also be very clear that this was not a busy night at all. The kitchen was not “slammed”. When the waitress went to pick up the food again he shouted “yeah I’m just over here trying not to laugh” as he continued to whisper to his co workers and look at our table making the night even more uncomfortable.

My friend with the steak ended up puking all night long. (We were not drinking alcohol)

So, Dean, we ARE from Maine, I LIVE here and this is NOT a fictitious review. Our experience was terrible and here’s a second review to...

My husband and I had the good fortune of enjoying a 2 and1/2 hour "lunch" at Tiqa on Valentine's Day. The restaurant is divided into 3 separate dining rooms with the chef's table providing an additional venue. My husband chose the bar area for the intimacy. The banquette seating is wonderful and overlooks the bar. The lighting is lovely. The big city vibe of this restaurant is wonderful but unlike most big city restaurants, the space is open and airy and uncrowded. I started with the Tiquatini and my husband had a conventional martini, both served at the perfect temperature. Moreover, we were so very pleased and surprised that our champagne arrived at EXACTLY the right temperature and did not require the nightmare spectre of an ice bucket. That is unusual.

The owner - Deen Haleem (who is delightful)- advised us that the wine cellars are kept at different temperatures for the different wines- that's a classy operation! We enjoyed perfect plates- one after another- all inventive - all delicious. We plowed our way happily through many starters - the olives, the felafel, the brussel sprouts, the mussels, and my husband topped it all off with a lamb kebob which he reported was "delicious and fork tender". The portions were more than ample and we ended up bringing a the mussels home only to enjoy them the next day.

Tiqa is wonderful. Our waitress was working her first day, but was confident, pleasant and set out to serve without hovering. At Tiqa you can enjoy extravagant, beautiful, delicious and inventive food in a lovely environment then go home sated and happy. We are all lucky to have...