Borago Restaurant — Restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach

This has long been one of my (and my new wife's) favorite 30a dining destinations- never had any complaints- the cuisine and the staff has always been the best. Which makes our experience on our last visit so baffling. I had called to make a reservation for May 13 and spoke with Tom (who we knew from prior visits)- he informed me we would be seated on the screened-in porch which I said was fine given the current situation. So we showed up right on time, gave our name to the hostess, and while she was gone to see about our table Tom comes up to us and in a somewhat condescending voice says, "Hey folks, what can we do for you?" I started to say something like, "we were wondering if we could see some of your steel-belted radial tires" or "could you tell us which way to the Sporting Goods department?" but settled for something like, "Gosh I don't know, I think we came here for dinner?" Treated us like a couple of vagrants just wandered in from the highway, already very baffling but even more so since we are (or were) regulars there. So while we're seated on the porch my wife was immediately bitten by a yellow fly and more were on the attack so I asked Greg (a server who we also know from prior visits) if it would be possible to close the door from the porch out to the patio since my wife was already in pain from the bite she had and we were hoping to prevent more. He said no. I finally asked our server if the inside dining area was open and upon learning it was, asked if we could be moved there. Our server, whose name I can't recall, was great and immediately saw to it that we got a table inside- kudos to her. It was then I asked if Kim, the manager whom we knew quite well, was still there- and learned she had moved on. I don't believe we would have been treated so badly had she been there. The food was great as always, but the cold reception and the fact no one had any concern for my wife and her pain (nor was any apology offered as I can recall) will make us think long and hard about returning. When people pay top prices for a great dining experience, that experience has to include more than just great cuisine, it had also better be packing top-notch service. Very...

As a native New Yorker and now Texan who has eaten in some of the finest restaurants in this country, I have never experienced as poor and as unsanitized restaurant as this. When we sat outside, we specifically asked if there would be flies when we eat. We were told no. The minute our food came out, we had an infestation of not only flies but yellow jackets. We were given Off by our waitress which we used but it did not help and it got to the point that we were swatting more than actually eating. My poor elderly in-laws could not get their food in. We asked the manager for help who actually had the audacity of accusing us that the flying bugs did not appear until he came. Yes, we literally planned for the flies and yellow jackets to arrive when he came to our table. was he serious? Apparently so. He also told me that “I only manage the inside of the restaurant, not the flies.” Who speaks to a mother, wife and doctor this way? I spoke to him as a professional and have no idea why he was so blatantly rude. So besides the flies and yellow jackets which made our dinner inedible, we were then faced with the rude and inhospitable comments by the restaurant manage. It was mr husband and I, two young sons and elderly grandparents. We really do not appear the type of crowd to address in this manner. I am utterly disappointed and put whole dinner party was personally insulted by the manner in which the manager addressed...

We were looking forward to going here as it was the number one rated Italian restaurant in the 30a area in a magazine we picked up. We had a 7:30 reservation, got there at 7:25, hostess barely looked at us. We were sat at 7:40 and surprised to see so many open tables as we were seated? No real reason to leave us waiting for 15 minutes. There were not that many people dining inside, maybe 20 total? However the acoustics were horrible, it was so loud, like you were at a wedding with 150 people. Very strange. If you do try this place, you must sit outside or leave with a headache. We ordered some appetizers , veal meatballs, arrancini and mushroom ravioli and planned on splitting a pasta Bolognese for dinner. We were told they were out if bread, at an Italian restaurant? At 7:40? Appetizers took awhile, 25-30 minutes.. they were fine, not bad but nothing special either. Asked for sone marinara, it never came. Waited until 8:50 for our spaghetti bolognese and it never came.. after a few it’s coming I promise, we gave up and cashed out. 1:25 minutes and left with no dinner, first time in my life. Half hearted apology, no concession on our bill, no we will pack it up and send it no charge.. we paid our bill and left very disappointed and won’t be back for certain. Worst dining experience I have had in 30a area in the 15 years I have been...