Al Fresca Ristorante — Restaurant in Tewksbury

AWRFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE POOR OWNERSHIP I spoke to the owner Erika a year in advance to reserve a portion of the back room for my daughter’s rehearsal dinner. I had been researching other restaurants but while I was there I decided to look at the back room since there was a rehearsal dinner going on at that time. The tables were set up in a square shape so all the guests could see each other and converse. I decided this would work. I placed the $100 deposit a year in advance. A week prior I had to email Erika since she had not sent me the official rehearsal dinner menu which the small choices off the menu the bride and groom had chosen and the final count of 28 guests. Finally, she sent it to me after a few more conversations initiated by me to get them. The night of the rehearsal dinner the bridal party and their guests arrived before myself and my husband. Once I arrived I was stunned that the tables were arranged in a different format as I had stated to Erika and seen. The tables were in a u shape and I and my husband were facing a wall and with one person in front of us and the bride and groom were on separate ends of the u. AWFUL! The waitress said that Erika was not in and that no one said to arrange them any way. I asked to speak to a manager and she directed me to the owner who was the chef and he came out of the kitchen. I told him this is not the way I arranged it with Erika and he said, "well it looks like they are all having a good time", I asked him to please arrange the tables the way we discussed with his wife Erika and he pretty much refused. I finally had to insist and he got very upset with me. I also suggested that he offer the people who were drinking a drink on the house since they would have to move and wait for the tables to be arranged the reserved way. He flat out said NO! at this point I started to walk away and said ok then please change them. Everyone had to get up so the waitresses could fix the tables. NEXT the nightmare continued. I also arranged with Erika via email that we would be responsible for all the appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts but the everyone was responsible for their own liquor. As I started to eat my appetizers and salads I asked for my first drink and notice that the waitress did not ask me for my credit card or cash so my husband asked how they were keeping track of everyone's liquor tabs and she replied, "oh I was told you were taking care of it". I about fell off my chair. My husband told her that we were not responsible for the liquor and she said that she asked someone in the party and they said the bride’s parents were paying for it. I was fuming because the bill was over $430.00 at this time. I told the waitress we were not paying it and she said, "well how am I going to find out who drank what and who owes what”? I paid the bill and the liquor bill BUT send an email to Erika for which she said, "when can you come into the restaurant so we can discuss what happened?" I said that I would not be able to travel 30 minutes to them when they should be calling me. Days went by and one afternoon the owner (chef) called me and was very arrogant and indignant to me. I was only until my husband spoke on the phone that he changed his tone. He told me that yes, I did tell Erika that I was not responsible for the liquor bill but that it was my responsibility to get the money from my guests to pay for the liquor tab! I should have known this. Are you kidding me! This isn’t our first meal with a large group and never has it been decided for me on getting the money for the liquor bill. There were so many things wrong with this place!! I guess if you don't mind being treated like you’re not needed and that the customer is always WRONG then you’ll like this place! I could have gone anywhere for my daughter’s rehearsal dinner but boy do I REGRET picking this UNPROFESSIONAL PLACE. I have owned my own service business for over 16 years successfully because no matter what the CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT OR YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING...

My wife an I frequent Al Fresca Ristorantte many a times and I still cannot figure out what days they allow reservations. Its almost depends on who answers the phone when you call whether or not reservations are allowed or not.

Anyway, we did the call ahead to put in a reservation for two this one particular early Sunday evening a couple weeks ago.

We were told over the phone "sorry, we don't take reservations. It's first come first serve only"

So, we showed up at the restaurant minutes later. We were told by the hostess, " at least a 40 minute wait unless you want to sit at a hightop table. If you are interested in sitting at the hightop, it will only be a 15 minute wait. "

We inform that the hightop table will be fine please.

So, we wait..... and wait.. and wait....

40 minutes go by, and I finally inquire about the 15 minute wait for the hightop....The hostess says..."oh sorry, couple more minutes...".

I informed the hostess, no thank you, we will be going else where. She says, no, no, please don't leave, I promise, its just going to be a minute or two more...

Ok, we will stay and wait...

All the time we had been waiting we saw couple after couple come in and be seated right away... And I wondered, how that could be if there were no reservations allowed?

Seems it depends on who you know, I guess.

Finally the hostess comes to us... and We thought she was coming to us to inform our table was now ready after waiting already 50+ minutes. No, she came to us to inform, that she's "...so sorry. But, its going to be about another 40 minute wait".

I stood up, stared at her and said.... GOODBYE!!!

...And we walked out of the restaurant for the LAST TIME EVER!!!

Nice place, nice people, nice food, but seems you must know somebody to get a table on Sunday night.

NO...

Disappointed in this place. We have lived in town for a number of years and haven’t tried this place yet so we did take out last night based on multiple recommendations. I understand during valentines days weekend it was going to be crazy to get through to them and make a take out order so that was expected. I went in person to give my order, chicken carbonara and lobster ravioli for take out as well as a side cesaer salad. I live less than 5 minutes from the place so not a big deal at all. About an hour wait which was expected. I got a phone call order was ready slightly early which was nice as I was already sitting in parking lot. Went in got the food and went home. The salad was fantastic, not sure if they make there own dressing but it was excellent. The meals however were underwhelming. Now I get when you do take out food sits slightly longer but again I live 5 minutes away and doesn’t excuse certain things. I got angel hair pasta with mine which was completely over cooked, it was just mush. The pasta just broke off in tiny pieces Bc of how mushy it was. Had zero flavor. The chicken was tender however was completely bland. A carbonara dish is suppose to have a bacon and strong cheese flavor. There was not even a hint of a bacon flavor and I’m not sure if the cheese was bad but it also didn’t add anything to the dish. I never throw out food or put away after starting to eat but I literally took about 6-7 bites and threw away Bc it was like eating baby food pasta and although chicken was tender it had no flavor as well as the whole dish being flavorful. My wife’s lobster ravioli said was “ok” but nothing special. I would be willing to try in person again to see if that makes a difference especially considering all the positive reviews but we were highly...