LOZA — Restaurant in Turlock

My daughter and I went in yesterday for brunch, and it was all around an awful experience. I’ve been here dozens of times and feel like service has definitely gone downhill. We were seated immediately, which is always nice. Probably because it was cold and rainy, so nobody was waiting. Our server came pretty quickly and we were given ice water. Well, that’s a stretch. It was room temp water (pretty sure it was tap) with a couple lonely ice cubes floating in it. She took our orders, and I requested a cup of ice for my water. It took forever for my daughter to get her coffee, and my ice didn’t come with it. I had to remind the server to get my ice. By then, there was literally NO ice in the cup. Anyway, as we are sitting there talking, we were both FREEEZING even though we were seated inside. I guess inside doesn’t mean much when doors are wide open and there is no heat. So we finally get our food and it was fine, but we never saw the server again for the entirety of the meal. We were done eating, beyond ready to go, and ready to pay the bill. Finally saw the server again at a table across from us, so I figured she’d come by when she was done. Nope. I had to get up and ask some other random employee to get my check. Our server dropped it off, and honestly, I wasn’t going to tip her well. She did the bare minimum, and not really even that. As I read the tab, I realized why. Apparently Loza now takes it upon themselves to automatically add in their own 16% “service fee” whether you like it or not. The meal was ridiculously expensive—$67 for two people to have breakfast, one coffee, one water. That lazy server’s tip came out to almost $8. Definitely not what I would’ve left her, but that’s why she wasn’t worrried about providing good service, because she gets that either way. Loza is not what it used to be, and I will definitely not be in a hurry...

I’m not one to write reviews all that often but I do have a few things to say about my experience here. First and foremost I called about 4 times to see what the wait time would be before I went over to make a reservation, nobody picked up. Gave them the benefit of the doubt as restaurants can get pretty busy especially during brunch. Get there and I see a total of 3 waiter/waitresses tending to a very busy restaurant. Made reservation and got told a wait time of about 45 minutes, gave them my number so they can call me when a table is ready. About an Hour and a half goes by and no phone call I show up and then miraculously they seat me and my girlfriend ( I wasn’t the first to be in this situation as I observed several different groups notifying the waiters how they have been waiting and have had no phone call) 15-20 minutes in we receive no water or silverware (it’s about 98+ degrees outside) waitress shows up finally gives us water and by this time we are ready to order. Food comes and what do you know still no silverware we let the waitress know that we still don’t have silverware and she says she’ll bring some. 5-10 minutes go by we had to ask another waiter for silverware. As we are finishing up we receive the check and ask for a box to go. We are approaching closing time of 2pm all the waiter/waitresses are now focused on clean up and closing and have completely forgot about the box we had asked for. My patience has dwindled and we had left. I understand the stress of being being short staffed and we tried being accommodating of this as we can visibly see they’re short staffed so in no way I’m blaming the waiters for my frustrations. All I can blame is the restaurant for causing this level of service. Is is a wage issue? Is it a staffing issue? Who know all I can say is that they need to figure this...

My visit to LOZA was truly a delightful experience. From the moment I stepped into their outdoor seating area, I was captivated by the charming atmosphere they had created. The space was adorned with an abundance of lush plants and vibrant flowers, making it a hidden oasis in the midst of the city. The comfortable seating allowed me to relax and enjoy the "natural" beauty that surrounded me.

The highlight of the day, without a doubt, was the food. LOZA's menu was a culinary masterpiece, with every dish bursting with flavor. Their fusion of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and expert culinary craftsmanship resulted in a remarkable dining experience. My dish was a journey through taste and texture, leaving a lasting impression on my palate.

However, it's important to note that LOZA does have one minor drawback – parking. The restaurant's popularity has led to limited parking space in the vicinity, making it a bit challenging to find a spot. Yet, the overall experience is so enchanting that it's well worth the effort to navigate the parking situation.

In summary, LOZA offers a wonderful dining experience, surrounded by the beauty of nature with its lush plants and flowers. The food is a true celebration of flavor, though you might need to be patient when trying to secure a parking spot. It's an ideal destination for those seeking a memorable and delicious culinary adventure in a...