Sneakers Bistro — Restaurant in Winooski

We had a very poor experience here recently. Since the restaurant does not accept reservations (party of 6 for brunch) we had to continually check the Yelp app to use the estimated wait time to try and guess when to start our wait (via the app) to get a table at the time we wanted. This alone was frustrating - we were on the waitlist for over 1.5 hours before showing up at the restaurant (all 6 of us) when the app said to check in. We checked in with the hostess and waited about 25 minutes before checking in again (bringing our total wait to around 2 hours). When we asked the hostess what our remaining wait time was, she informed us that we had been taken off of the list.

When we asked why, she repeatedly said "You were notified". Now I was standing 4 feet from her the entire 25 minutes and never once heard our parties name mentioned. When we inquired further, she spat out that we were informed via text and did not respond. The hostess did not 1) mention that we were going to be notified via text or 2) say our parties name out loud to make sure that we were not standing directly in front of her. When confronted with this information, she told us that "I have 30 party names to remember, you can't expect me to remember everyones face".

When we asked what the wait would be, she informed us it would be around 1.5 hours. She did not apologize for the mixup or apologize for not explaining the "proper" check in process to us.

We left and went to Waterworks where we waited for 3 minutes before being sat and had a wonderful meal.

Now you might say that this is our fault for not looking for a text message, and we do share some of the blame but after initially checking with her in person we assumed that we no longer have to pay attention to our phones - and if we were expected to she would at least call out our parties name (like every other restaurant I have literally been to) to see if we were standing in the restaurant before completely removing us from the waitlist after 1.5 hours.

Because of this I will not be returning and will be urging everyone I know to avoid the restaurant as well - Waterworks has fantastic brunch specials and a much nicer atmosphere overlooking the scenic...

Quick review: waited an hour longer than our quoted time. Food was bland and was ill prepared. The server was pleasant but not very present.

My wife and I joined the wait-list online and showed up 15 minutes before our quoted time and checked in with the host. She said they would text us when the table was ready. We waited for about 30 minutes outside before we moved inside to be within view of the host stand. After another 25 minutes of standing uncomfortably in the hallway we found out we had been dropped from the wait-list. Luckily we were sat within the next 5 minutes.

We ordered the cowboy hash which at first bite was pretty good, but we quickly found out it was way too smokey. Seemed like somebody was a little heavy handed with liquid smoke, which in my opinion doesn't taste great on meat anyway. Since they minced everything into tiny bits, the dish had the aesthetic appeal of dogfood with two poached eggs on it. We also got one of the specials of the day which was something like a southwest quesadilla. It was a nice enough idea, but not well executed. The egg was dry and flopping out of the sides. There seemed to be no salt or spices within the quesadilla at all, and very little cheese. The hash browns had very good flavor and seasoning, but I wish that they were crispy for some texture. But they were cooked all the way through which was nice.

Since this was our first and only time there I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 3 stars. I know my experience was colored by being on the wait-list for 2 hours and standing for an hour. I realize it was during Saturday lunch which is a busy time for them. But I felt compelled to share my experience, so...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Sneakers Bistro, and what a fantastic experience it was! I'd heard good things, but the reality surpassed my expectations. Arriving for brunch, I was seated remarkably quickly, a testament to their efficient and friendly service. The menu itself was impressive, offering such a diverse range of options that I struggled to pick just one. I ultimately settled on the California Eggs Benedict, and it was simply incredible. Every element, from the perfectly poached eggs to the fresh avocado and hollandaise, tasted like it was crafted with top-quality ingredients.

Beyond the delicious food, the atmosphere was genuinely welcoming, buzzing with a moderate level of happy chatter. I even spotted the quirky leg lamp, which added a fun touch! The coffee was excellent, and the service was consistently attentive without being overbearing – my water glass was always full. While I didn't encounter any issues, I noted their commitment to customer satisfaction even when facing minor challenges, which speaks volumes. The prices felt incredibly fair for the quality and portion sizes. Sneakers Bistro truly delivers on all fronts, and I'm already planning my next visit to explore more of their delightful menu. This is definitely a spot not to miss for...