Rustiko — Restaurant in Surfside

*Edit: this is an addition to my review as a response to management response below. Changing from 2 stars to 1 at this point. I think your response speaks volumes and I am very glad I didn't ask to speak to management if this is your version of customer service. What a shame. *

We ate mediocre food for high prices, which do not meet the quality expectations. Service was not up to par whatsoever. Ruined birthday dinner.

came in between 5:30pm to 6pm so wasn't busy yet floor by our table was filthy, sugar packets and other items all under the table and chairs (a couple other tables too) -water glasses were dirty, one had visible food particles stuck to the side, kindly asked for clean glasses when water person came to fill the glasses, person gave us clean glasses from table next to us and left the dirty ones for the next people to find 🤦🏻‍♀️ no water refill until after done with meal and my mother was already pouring half of her glass into mine to share, i got a drop more added to my glass, not even full, and my mom's glass wasn't even filled onion soup: big bowl, could use some more flavors other than salt, onions should be peeled better before chopping so that the tough outter layer is not in soup, both bowls of soup had multiple pieces that were not able to be chewed, the cheese on the pieces of bread hardly even covered the bread and one could hardly taste the cheese, for the price was expecting a smaller bowl but much better quality once soup was received, we were finally told that they are out of one of the "small plate" options that we ordered, no menu was brought with this announcement to pick something else out, in retrospect that worked out in our favor once we received entrees (after having to choose something different because they were also out of the first choice chosen for the entree) we were also disappointed, very mediocre food for high prices, maybe if the price was realistic for the quality the expectation would have been different not once did anyone come to check how any of our food was Caribbean salad: should not mention passion fruit dressing as there was no hint of passion fruit, just call it a citrus dressing or something else, it wasn't bad, just no passion fruit flavor Salmon Crosta: mushy mushroom paste on top of what would've been a decent piece of fish on its own, I love mushrooms so it's saying a lot that I could've gone without the mushy paste on top, the linguine was ok, could've used some fresh cracked pepper at the very least, maybe fresh cracked pepper is not something offered at this restaurant, but we wouldn't know because no one even checked how we were doing, not once dessert: would've loved to order something for mom's bday but had no interest after the meal experience tried to make contact with server several times to no avail, too busy leaning against the service counter in the back and chatting with another employee when asked server to remove the already included service/gratuity from the check he grabbed the payment and stormed away, zero interest to humbly ask what the problem was or how he could have done better, nothing -needless to say I didn't even order a meal to go for my husband as officially anticipated

I just don't get the hype and great reviews of this place. We pass it on a daily basis and it's constantly packed, what gives? What did we miss? We really wanted to have a great meal and maybe make this a place to come to again. Is the pandemic to blame... but why...?

Disappointed. Was debating between a 1 star or 2 stars. We ate, that's about it. If prices were cheaper for the quality maybe would've been a 3 star...but, the service was questionable. Didn't start getting busier until we were already paying..I just don't get it.

Maybe your experience will be much...

I ate here in 2021, I contacted the restaurant via their website at the time, and didn't hear back. This was my review. I didn't bother posting on Google maps immediately but someone reminded me recently and I figured I'd add it at this point. The restaurant seems fairly defensive - focusing on the point that I didn't post this review immediately instead of offering to help out with the situation. You might also want to explore why you didn't respond to a message via your contact form on your website instead of complaining about the timing of my review.

I had a VERY mediocre experience at your restaurant. I ordered takeout tonight. the lady took my order (margarita pizza, cauliflower app, and a smoothie). She told me to go wait outside and she would get me - she said it would be 10-15 minutes. 20 minutes later, I watched my order handed to her by the cook, but she merely put it down on the counter and didn't do anything with it, nor did she come get me from outside.

When I came inside, after waiting an additional 10 minutes thinking maybe I was wrong and that wasn't my order, she said no it's not ready yet. I said, actually, is that my order??? And pointed at the boxes on the counter, knowing full well that it was ... Lo and behold it was. It was just sitting on the counter waiting for someone to claim it. She wasn't even that busy - the place was half empty at the time the order was ready. Then she made my smoothie at that moment, so after all of that time spent waiting, my food turned out lukewarm. When I told her that, she gave me a shrug as if she didn't care.

Then, to top it all off, when I ate my dinner, the pizza tasted like it came out of a box and definitely did not taste like an "artisan" pizza ... I definitely was not impressed by the food OR...

I have been a Rustiko customer for as long as I remember. Today May 05, 2024 I had a reservation at 6:45pm to celebrate my birthday with my family. My husband who has epilepsy has a service dog. My husband and I have dined at Rustiko with his service animal several times before. But today we were denied a table inside, because of the service animal. I’m giving Rustiko a one-star review because denying someone seating due to that customer having a service animal doesn’t comply with ADA regulations. Epilepsy is a disability and Rustiko was not inclusive. We unfortunately had to take our birthday celebration across the street, lucky for us Surfside has plenty of other kosher restaurants that allow service animals inside. I’m very disappointed. Refusing service to people with disabilities and service animals is not something Rustiko should be doing in 2024. Edit: thank you for your response. As I mentioned, my husband has a trained service dog. Service dogs, unlike emotional support dogs, are large, to accommodate someone with a specific disability, in my husband’s case, seizures. I made a reservation and asked for a table inside because my family wanted to sit somewhere with AC. I still feel you were not inclusive. And I recommend you read ADA rules, to get yourself acquainted with service dogs rules and regulations at ADA . gov. We went to 26 Sushi and Tapas and they had no issues seating my party inside and by the window, in a busy evening. Your response is simply a very lame excuse. My disappointment with Rustiko and my 1-star...