Tomatina — Restaurant in Walnut Creek

Firstly I'm not one to give reviews at first glance. I like to give the business the benefit of the doubt. However, the place was way too blunt! Sat and ordered drinks and food, then waited for over an hour while I and my wife got passed over time after time. While everyone around us got served their food. After 45 minutes passed I complained then 15 minutes later our waitress said they're just getting our order started! Wait! An entire hour passed and our order is just getting started? Wow! So I and my wife said let's just go I lost my appetite! So i ask, "How can we make this right? We waited and everyone that sat after us ate and left we're still here waiting." I got my 2 beers and my wife had her drink. Her solution was to take the food off the our bill. Well duh! We never freaking got it! However, she says but you have to pay for your drinks! I ask how can we make this right? We waited HANGRY and looking forward to having dinner and it never happened! So you expect me to pay for mediocrity and beer that only took a freaking flip of the wrist to pour while the reason we sat down was to have dinner and great conversation. But not once did we get the actual apology for their inconsideration and for not given a ish about the professionalism that everyone NON-BLACK got! Yes I said it! Then the Manager came out after asking for her. She came out strong and assertive instead of compassionate and a listener! Being business owners ourselves (Real Estate and Med-Spa) in the same block in Walnut Creek CA. you would think they she would at least listen but she didn't want anything to do with us! So we said OK we'll stay,, but when the food came out, it was not tasty and my wife's food was cold!! To hell with this place.. Never again will you see my dollars in this place! And for who I know this place will never see another black dollar. And the food was bland and cold,...

I am upgrading my review because the owner has taken notice to my post. I really like that! So now it's a 5 star. :-)

The food here was good here. Though the server seemed overwhelmed. At the end of our meal I Wanted to get dessert for me and my daughter. I ask the server "how big is the Apple crisp?" She said "it's this big." so, I said "OK I will have that and my little girl wants chocolate gelato." she responded "1 or 2 scoops?" I said "1. When we got our dessert the chocolate gelato was on top of the Apple Chris. The server brought it to the table and just ran away. I thought maybe she was going to get the other scoop of gelato and they just messed up the Apple Crisp. Before the server finally came back around to the table my little girl had already started to eat whatever you would call that. So I asked her about it and she said "THEY must have mixed it up." I got the impression it was the kitchen's falt. The server said "it's OK I'll just get it comped" and went to the manager then had the response "hes being weird about it. how about I can get you something else would you like a drink?" I told her "no and I just wanted to check." looking at the check it differently said Apple crisp with chocolate gelato ala mode not la cart. First off I didn't asked for it to be comped. second off who puts chocolate on top of an apple crisp? Third, why would the manager be weird about anything? Forth, no I dont want a drink I'm about to drive my daughter home. I like going here the food is great and it's good to go here with friends. But, the way this was handled was bad. If the server simply fessed up to it and said that she did it by accident, I would have given her the benefit...

It was a long 30-40 minute wait to get a table for 5. When finally seated, It took another 10 minutes before a staff member finally stopped by our table to take our orders, the manager, who said we are supposed to order thru the app...and reluctantly took our order.

There was no bread, water, nothing served while we waited get our drinks which was unusual.

Generally speaking, the Staff is unaccommodating, borderline hostile, Avoiding eye contact and not checking whether all is OK with us or whether we need anything. These are usually signs of unhappy staff and poor management which was where we should have gotten up and left...

Food selection and menu were surprisingly limited and uninspiring: 5-6 pastas, 4-5 entrees, a few salads and appetizers reminding more of a fast food restaurant, pizza delivery place, mor a dine-in restaurant.

We tried the Alfredo chicken pasta, shrimp pomodoro, chicken with lemon capers and the carne pizza for appetizer.

All the pastas were small and tasteless and very greasy. We had drowned them in grated Parmesan to make it eatable as we were hungry after the long wait. The pizza was ok. The sautéed spinach that seem to come with all the classics (entrees) is disgusting, try to have it substituted otherwise just not placed on your plate.

Hygiene is questionable: staff member was handling the utensils we were provided with bare hands, touching knives blades and fork ends with bare fingers before rolling in paper towels and serving to dinners. see photos attached. 2 of us suffered stomach ache right after leaving Tomatina which developed to upset stomach and immediate toilet visits.

My family and I will not be returning...