Milton's Pizza & Pasta — Restaurant in Raleigh

The service was not acceptable, though the pizza was delicious! (See pic.). In fact, I think it was one of the best I've had! I hate giving poor reviews....and this one is all about service...not food, which I very much enjoyed.. Please accept it in the spirit it is offered. I will be the first to admit sometimes there is an "off" night, or staff sometimes don't feel well. But here is my story. Went here on Tuesday, Sept 18, 2018. We had fled our home to be here due to wind and flooding by Hurricane Florence. I had perviously lived in Wake Forest/Raleigh over 50 years, and still spend time here every month with family and friends. We got there 30 min before closing. Two other tables, already finished eating, were enjoying after dinner conversation and they were all the customers that were left in the dinning room. A young lady was our waitress. (1) She had to be asked by the manager, who was busy at the register checking out a take-out customer, to stop what she was doing to seat us. (The waitress was cleaning up to prepare to close the restauarant). She was too young to serve alcohol and, apparently, too young to have experience in this business.The entire time, (2) she was much more focused on cleaning up and getting out of the place than in serving us, her remaining customers. We left a 20% tip, though I really felt like she deserved far less (zero would be about right). She delivered our check early, but she did say "no rush." (Thank you!) But, the before-closing cleaning of the dining room (mopping the whole floor-30 min before closing), and (3) giving us the check early, and the lack of attention to our table all made us feel rushed. (4) She forgot our take-out box, and so when we got up to leave, I walked over to her... she was still mopping...it is a big floor....and asked her to please get the take out box. She didn't offer even a brief apology, nor even a grunt....just put her mop down and went to get the box. She also forgot the "to-go" cup I had requested while we were still seated earlier. I decided not to even bother her again with that! By that point I simply wanted to get out. That is a sad way to feel about a place that wants customers to to be eager to "get in" and spend money. In fairness, the manager, who came by our table, was very pleasant and nice, as was the young gentleman who delivered our pizza to the table. I like to see business succeed, but if my experience is any guage, it will require that staff who interact with the public be thoroughly trained to understand the link between a happy customer and their jobs....and tips. This type of service is unacceptable in any city, but in the highly competitive RTP area, it won't serve you well. I will give your restauarant another try. I sincerely wish you the...

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 The restaurant offers a cozy, well-sectioned atmosphere with a buffet that, while generally good, exhibits some inconsistencies in dish execution.

Atmosphere: 6.7/10 The thoughtful division of space within the restaurant, including a separate bar room, contributes to a quieter, more intimate dining experience. These sectioned seating areas help create a cozy ambiance that enhances the overall comfort of guests.

Service: 6.6/10 Service was notable for its efficiency and attentiveness. Staff were proactive in maintaining table cleanliness by promptly removing used buffet plates and refilling water glasses without being asked, demonstrating a keen awareness of dining needs. The prompt provision of the bill as dessert was served highlighted the waitress's timeliness and attentiveness.

Buffet: 6.8/10 The buffet offered a decent variety of dishes, including several types of pizza like Hawaiian, BBQ chicken, chicken bacon, and meat lovers, which contributed positively to the buffet experience. However, the buffet struggled slightly with replenishment during busy times.

Food:

Mac n Cheese: 2.1/10 This dish was a significant disappointment, misleadingly labeled as Mac n Cheese but serving what appeared to be ziti with a bland cheese sauce. A more accurate description could prevent mismatched expectations.

Pizza: 5.5/10 The pizza selection was tasty but lacked crispiness, an aspect that could improve enjoyment. The crust was good, indicating potential if the baking were adjusted to achieve a crisper texture.

Lasagna: 6.1/10 The lasagna stood out positively, noted for its freshness and well-layered composition. The beef was flavorful, and the cheese was of good quality, making this dish a highlight of the buffet.

Value: 6.9/10 At $50 for a three-person buffet, the pricing was deemed reasonable given the range of options and the overall dining environment. The combination of good food variety, pleasant atmosphere, and attentive service provided fair value for the cost.

Pokémon Stops/Gyms: There is 1 PokéStop nearby, adding a slight additional attraction...

This was one of the worst experiences I’ve had at a restaurant. Not only was the service the slowest I’ve ever experienced, the restaurant was completely unprepared for a reservation that we had booked over a month ago. Our boss reserved the party room for us to our teacher appreciation celebration to thank us for all we do. This is the first time I’ve been to a party at a restaurant and the staff didn’t already have waters prepared on the tables so the waitresses wouldn’t have to run around for them and the manger never came in once to greet us or check on how we were doing. I sat down around 6:45-7:00 and ordered a water, I didn’t get my water until around 8 pm and only after I asked 2 different people 5 times. We had one waitress most the night, until they Im finally realized it was too much for her. Our drinks would come out 20-30 minutes after we ordered them and some of us never received our food orders. We understand we were a big party, but since this reservation was made a month in advanced there should have been more preparation on their end. At the end of the night we ordered a last round of drinks around 7:50-8:00 pm, at 8:30 our waitress came in to let us know we had been waiting for nothing because they would not be bringing out our last order of drinks because they stop serving alcohol after 8. Our boss asked to speak with the manager to get some clarity on the situation, where she was met with an awful attitude from Scott. He was rude, racist, and far from accommodating. Instead of offering to resolve our issue, he was quick to call the police even though she paid her full tab. I feel bad for the staff for having such an unsupportive, ill mannered, and...