Santino's Tap & Table (West Chester) — Restaurant in West Chester

I really wanted to like this place. The menu was intriguing. However, a series of issues led to a less than pleasant experience.

The server took more time to get to us then the small crowd would have suggested. We were presented with brunch menus at 2:45, and were eager to try a couple of the selections. Drinks were ordered and delivered, and then we we finally put in our food order. I tried the winter sangria. It was too strong on the pear liqueur, The Cabernet Sauvignon that was used was rather thin, and there were no berries or fruit. My dining companion ordered an Irish coffee which seemed like it had Bailey's, but no whiskey. About 5 minutes later, a manager came out and explained that their brunch menu ended at two. He did kindly offer to comp our drinks and a dessert, which was nice. The server did bring around the dinner menus, and then disappeared for several more minutes.

I ordered the spinach and crab dip thinking that it would not take long at all to come out, because I was starting to be a little pressed for time. My companion ordered a sandwich. The server did not think to ask if I wanted the appetizer out first. When my time was running out, the server happened to come by and ask if we wanted more drinks. I asked about the ETA of the food because I needed to leave within a few minutes He told me it should be out within a minute and that he would box it to go for me. It was almost 5 minutes later when the box landed on my table.

When I got to my destination about 30 minutes later, I opened the box and tried my spinach and crab dip. There was spinach, and there was cream, but it tasted like the spinach had maybe been cooked in crab water and that was the sole source of the crab flavor. I talked to my companion after he left the restaurant, and he said that some of the meat in his sandwich had almost been cooked or dried to a jerky consistency. The dessert listed as a tiramisu he said was okay, but it had enough changes or add-ons that it wasn't really tiramisu any longer.

Maybe this was just a series of miscues. Maybe it was a bad day in the kitchen. But it was an all-around disappointing experience for both my...

As someone who follows a strict vegan diet, I was excited to try this place, a restaurant that proudly advertises itself as fully vegan. With high hopes, I ordered their “Vegan Steak,” expecting a delicious, plant-based alternative to traditional meat. However, what I received was nothing short of shocking—real beef!

At first, I thought there had been a mistake in the kitchen. I even asked the server to confirm that my order was indeed vegan. To my horror, they casually admitted that the “Vegan Steak” was actually made from real beef, as if that was completely acceptable. When I expressed my disbelief, the staff brushed it off, claiming that many customers “wouldn’t be able to tell the difference” and that I should “just try it.”

This is beyond unacceptable. A restaurant that claims to be 100% vegan should never serve animal products—especially without clearly disclosing it. Many people choose a vegan lifestyle for ethical, health, or religious reasons, and tricking customers into eating meat is not only deceptive but also deeply disrespectful.

To make matters worse, when I demanded a refund, the manager was dismissive and unapologetic, offering only a discount on my next visit. As if I would ever return! The entire experience felt like a betrayal. If I hadn’t been cautious enough to double-check my meal, I could have unknowingly consumed something that goes against my values.

I am leaving this one-star review as a warning to others. If you are vegan, vegetarian, or simply expect honesty from a restaurant, avoid this place at all costs! There are plenty of ethical, trustworthy vegan restaurants out there—this is not one of them.

Let me know if you want to make it...

We walked in at 6:30 on a Saturday night without a reservation, and were quoted an hour wait time. No problem, we went to Split Rail to have a drink. About 20 minutes later the host called me to say our table was ready. We had just gotten our drinks at Split Rail, so that was a little annoying b/c we had to chug them. We were seated, and waited quite a while for the waitress to greet us. Once she came by we asked her to tell us what exactly the crab gravy was, like was it a red sauce or white wine sauce, and she said multiple times "its crab gravy" without any further details. Not very helpful. The calamari appetizer came out quickly, but we waited about 40 minutes for our dinners. The waitress said we ordered in b/w two big parties. But she only mentioned it after coming by to fill our waters and she could tell we were wondering what was happening. She just wasn't very communicative. I had the seafood risotto, and for $32 I wasn't all that impressed. Flavor wise it was good, but the amount of seafood was definitely lacking. I couldn't really tell if there was crab meat or lobster, there were a handful of tiny scallops mixed it, and 4 large shrimp on top. My husband liked his shaved prime rib sandwich. My sister had the stuffed shrimp special and it looked good, and she was happy with it. I don't think we would return considering all the other...