The Guest House Bar & Bistro — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

Let me start off by saying: I did not eat here because they refused to honor my reservation due to the kitchen being back up. I have never been to a restaurant where they would not seat me due to the slowness of the kitchen when I had a reservation. However, how this happen was worst than it sounds. (I know this review is long but please read it, it is a warning to all future patrons).

My mom, sister and I had an 8 PM reservation. We showed up to the restaurant at 8 on the dot. As we walk into the restaurant my sister happens to see someone she knows with their friend. She catches up with a person she hadn’t seen in a while and my mom and I wait to the side. The hostess comes to us and says since you don’t have a reservation there will be a wait. We were never asked if we had a reservation which we did, there was an automatic assumption we did not. We (both parties) then told the hostess we were two separate parties who serendipitously happened to know the other and we both had separate reservations at 8 PM. She looked and confirmed and left.

Another hostess comes and the same conversation occurs again. They assume we don’t have a reservation and that both parties are together. At this point, it is 8:10.

By 8:15, the first hostess comes back with the second hostess and again we confirm our names, that we are two separate revelations and that we had reservations. At this time, we are then asked if we would like to stay because they don’t think they can offer us good service due to the kitchen being overwhelmed and they would not seat us until the kitchen was less under water. (Please note that the waiting area only had seating room for 4 people, together both parties were a total of 5 people and there were 7 open and empty tables available for the two separate parties to sit at.) We then asked well can we get a drink from the bar since we are going to wait. The hostess then says she has to check to see if the bar is would serve us. (Please note that there were two seats at the bar open and available.) The hostess then noted even if we ordered a drink they wouldn’t be able to seat us and basically indirectly asked us to leave because we would be waiting for a while. We were okay with waiting, but it did not seem like they wanted our business, wanted us there, and wanted to serve us as customers.

I have never been treated this way at any restaurant, even when a kitchen is busy. I also believe the assumption that two Black parties were together after continuously telling a restaurant that we were not and confirming our names and reservation was racially charged.

I will not be recommending this restaurant to anyone and I think you should reconsider coming here too. They may also turn you away with a reservation due to the kitchen being busy or allow you to wait 20 minutes and repeat yourself three times before listening. They may also assume before asking that you don’t have a reservation.

I am posting this and do not want anything from the management at this restaurant because I will never be returning. I just want to warn other patrons that their time may be wasted coming to this restaurant because it is apparent that the manager of the restaurant does not have a handle...

Came here because it was one of the highest rated restaurants in the area when we were visiting (4.7 stars). I’m really not sure if we came on the wrong day or if all the reviews are from friends and family but my experience was nothing like the reviews.

Ambiance: music is way too loud. We asked a waiter if we could turn it down just a little (which I normally would refrain from doing but we couldn’t hear anyone over the bass and there were only two parties in the restaurant). He must have turned it down a quarter of a volume number because we just had to accept it for the rest of the night. They also only use paper napkins and printer paper menus—which is not necessarily a deal breaker—but if you’re going for a high end feel, maybe get some cloth napkins for silverware.

Staff: very friendly but I don’t think our waiter has ever waited a table before (fine—everyone has to start somewhere)

Drinks: I personally didn’t order anything, but everyone in my party ordered a drink. It took probably 45 minutes for the first drink to come out—then they came out one at a time. They forgot two drinks too that we had to ask about. Not sure what took so long — there was only one other party in the entire restaurant and they already had drinks.

Food: Appetizers took 1.5 hours to come out (let me point out again, there were two parties in the entire restaurant). Dinner came out half an hour after. I seriously thought about going to a grocery store to grab a snack, I was so hungry. Apps were mid. We got calamari which was cold and a pizza which tasted like it was a microwaved frozen pizza. Dinner was also mid. I got the seafood pasta and tried bits of everyone else’s. The pasta was over cooked and the seafood went straight through me. No one finished their meals. We didn’t bother asking about dessert—we didn’t have time to wait another 2 hours for them to bring it out.

Price: we were 7 people, bill was ~$550. Most people got drinks, we shared apps, everyone got an entree. That is fine for a higher end restaurant but way more expensive than the quality of this food and service was worth.

This restaurant has a “just opened” sign on the front (though reviews are from at least 5 months ago) so maybe they are still sorting a few things out but I’d recommend getting the basics of a restaurant sorted (like how to wait and how to cook) before opening next time.

I will not be...

This past Friday Night! Cute place, new place, empty place. Food average at best! Management poor, terrible mussels..wayyyyyy to salty. The manager guy proceeded to tell me at my table that 'the chef said he didn't add any salt'. I didn't say the chef did. I wasn't looking for an argument or anything for free!! I've been working in the Hospitality, and Restaurant Industry my entire life, and I love it! I know food and the industry very very well. , I just wasn't going to eat something that tasted like a pound of salt and no flavor other wise, nothing. I couldn't taste the mussels or sauce at all! SO Rude for the guy to even say that to me! Sent them back after having a few mussels, couldn't eat them! (I didn't bother to order anything after the mussels, I couldn't even get the salt out of my mouth with a full glass of water, lol. *(I was going to Governor's for a comedy show.. just across the parking lot after, 10pm Show . so I decided I'd eat there instead!) Bartender was a very nice girl, she should try another spot. I won't give this place a second shot though..not worth it. They're not ready to be open, they were very disorganized for service all around, and it was very obvious. With SO many great places to dine and drink in the area of Levittown, its no wonder they were empty..with no one in there like 5 people! Take your money elsewhere! $17 for the fig martini.. eh, nah,.. it was just ok. I doubt very much they'll make it! They are NOT fully set up for business, or seem to know what it takes to make it happen. It was overall just very obvious. I won't be back!...