Sergio's — Restaurant in Town of Oyster Bay

If you want to contract COVID-19, this is the restaurant to visit. I've only recently dipped my toe back into the indoor dining scene after being fully vaccinated, and most places that I've visited (maybe two or three, honestly) are doing a really great job at keeping safety protocols in place and maintaining clean and compliant environments. Not Sergio's though. No, no. Pandemic life doesn't apply there, clearly. Tables are maybe a foot or two apart -- I jest not. If you are larger in size, there is literally no way you are getting past another seated group without rubbing your rear against the back of someone's head. There are no plexiglass dividers or barriers to be found, and the air is so stagnant and stuffy, it's quite possible that you'll feel panicked for oxygen.

I visited Sergio's not of my own desire -- it was a reception location for a baptism that we attended yesterday. The reception was in Sergio's "party room," access to which required all guests to weave their way through main dining room, which was absolutely jammed with people for Mother's Day. Lacking/non-existent COVID-19 protocols aside, I can't possibly imagine how this restaurant is up to code when it comes to the max capacity of occupants. My sister-in-law couldn't even fit her baby's stroller into the main dining room through the foyer. Her husband had to physically disassemble it to get it to where it needed to be. The fire marshal would truly have a field day in this place. Also, the party room is another joke. If your party isn't large enough (whatever that means as far as their booking requirements go), Sergio's is happy to fill the room with other diners that are unaffiliated with your party, which, frankly makes the entire experience exceptionally awkward and unamusing. There is only one entrance/exit in the party room that I saw, which they pack with as many people as humanely possible. Good luck getting out if you're stuck in the back corner and there's a fire. It's not going to happen. You're going to die there.

Outside of these things, the waitstaff is wildly rude. They rush your order and then don't take note of where plates should go on the tables when they're ready. Prepare yourself to be screamed at when the food arrives because they expect that you'll claim your food. "CHICKEN MARSALA!" "SALMON!" "PARMIGIANA!" If you don't hear them yelling about your plate, well, too bad -- you've lost your food and it will be brought to another table. Also, the waitstaff has no problems leaning over you, touching your shoulders, back, head, and arms because there's simply not enough room to move. They will also touch your glasses and plates after you've started using them to make more room on the table. One of the waiters manhandled my wine glass, which meant that I was sufficiently done drinking their boxed, bathtub wine for the evening.

Oh, are you interested in knowing about the quality of the food? Well, you'll be surprised to know that it's bad. Nothing is made to order with fresh ingredients. Sauce clearly comes from a can. Pasta is sticky and improperly cooked. Everything is laden with salt (it's the only flavor that you'll find there). The chicken marsala has the look and texture of brains. See what I'm getting at? It's disgusting.

Want to stay healthy and safe, and enjoy a nice Italian dinner? Make a reservation at Meta in Oceanside, or just visit a bloody pizzeria in a strip mall down Merrick Road. Any other choice is better...

Had my sister bridal shower here back in April and wow what an experience.

It all started when we first got there and walked into the room that was originally decorated the day we toured the restaurant few weeks prior. I immediately started putting up our own decorations to lighten up the very dull dining room. The room itself smelt moldy and just very disgusting to say the least. We kept the door open while we decorated and lit a few candles.

Guests were arriving (which were obviously all women) and the owner was constantly there talking to everyone and a few of them told me they were a little uncomfortable from how he was talking. I then put some music on through my Bluetooth speakers and the owner came complaining saying we were not allowed to play our own music. REALLY?! This is my sisters bridal shower and we are paying for the service and room but we cannot play music? What is a party without music? Anyway we kept the music after a little argument. The food came out and was very cold and tasteless. It had to be the worst "Italian" food. Did not have flavor, not fresh garlic, watered down sauce. I mean come on. So then we still had about a half hour left in our time when all of a sudden I noticed my aunt arguing with the owner. I walk over and he was actually telling everyone it was time to leave so his staff can set up for the next party. It was so embarrassing and I will NEVER recommend this place to even my worst enemy. Disgusting building, food, and service. The owner is not a people's person and does not know how to treat his customers.

Save yourself your time and money. DO NOT EVER GO...

This restaurant is a disgrace to Italian dining establishments. My wife and I traveled from North Carolina to baptize our baby and chose Sergio’s for our post-church dinner. Despite prior family members warning us about the limited space, Sergio assured us there would be no issues accommodating everyone.

Upon arrival, it was clear there weren’t enough chairs, and the tables were crammed together to make room for the buffet. We asked Sergio to add another table and move the buffet outside since there were no incoming guests until 4:30, but he deflected and refused. As a result, my wife, our baby, a few others, and I had to sit in the main dining area, separated from our guests.

The issues didn’t end there. When it was time for the cake, we discovered it had been improperly stored in the freezer, causing it to melt and lose shape. Initially, Sergio lied, claiming his staff had already cut it, then blamed the bakery when confronted about its condition. We knew this was false because we personally delivered and explained how to store the cake the day before. The cake was still frozen in the middle, raising concerns about its safety, so we had to dispose of it and inform our guests there would be no dessert.

Overall, this event was mishandled by a restaurant that was unprepared and should not be hosting events. I strongly caution anyone considering...