Melaza Bistro — Restaurant in Woodstock

While this place came highly recommended by our hotel, we can’t quite understand why. Hoping it was an off night, but we were disappointed from start to finish. It was the last meal of our honeymoon which made it even more disappointing. First, the host was short and rude, after telling a walk in family they could have a table but would be unlikely to be served… which was weird. We got seated fairly quickly as we had a reservation then waiting over 30 minutes for a server to even get water. We sat down at 7:26, got drinks at 8:05, and not a single other thing until 8:35. We aren’t complainers, but when asked the server laughed as she told us they gave our appetizer to another table and they were making a new one. 2 tables next to us who sat long after us already had tucked into food. Then 10 mins later all of our food, apps and mains arrived all at once, leaving us confused and feeling very rushed. We tried to enjoy but when we asked for water and another drink, nothing came. The table Next to us had similar issues, so the vibe was really just depressing and sad, which essentially ruined our night. We got one apology from the waitress as she laughed at our disappointment and did nothing to make it right. The whole experience was really just terrible from start to finish. The food was mostly cold, and honestly so subpar we were stunned. I understand being understaffed but the lack of service and any kind of help with issues was beyond upsetting. As we left the woman to our right was on her 8th ask for more water, to the point we made a comment to the server on our way out as we felt so badly for her. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to anyone, despite the menu being so promising and us so looking forward to this. I never leave bad reviews but I am struggling to even comprehend how it all went so...

I'm expressing these thoughts with an understanding of why some of my concerns may not be widely shared. Firstly, the restaurant is neatly tucked in the heart of Woodstock, Vermont, drawing my family and me due to the promise of authentic Spanish cuisine.

Initially, the atmosphere was less than ideal, with cramped seating hindering our ability to enjoy a quiet family dinner. We anticipated ambient chatter but found ourselves struggling to hear amidst everyone else's conversations, despite the place being somewhat empty. This highlights the compact size of the restaurant, likely influenced by the older buildings in downtown Woodstock and the premium rent associated with the area.

Secondly, my order of a market-priced steak, my wife's Jerk chicken, and my son's chicken nuggets left us disappointed. The items were overpriced, and the food lacked seasoning. Authentic Spanish cuisine typically boasts seasoned and flavorful dishes, but we found ourselves questioning whether the food had been seasoned at all. Although my son enjoyed his $10+ chicken kids meal, receiving bland food at these prices felt unacceptable. We recognize the location's influence on pricing but believe that blandness shouldn't be the compromise, perhaps catering to a diverse community less accustomed to bold seasonings.

Lastly, the customer service was satisfactory—courteous with occasional lapses in attention, never crossing into rudeness.

Overall, not a terrible place, but for those seeking truly authentic Spanish food or more reasonably priced options with better quality control, I recommend exploring other...

I waited a couple of days to write this so that I could approach it with a level head. I drove an hour and a half to meet a friend there for dinner. I was very excited because I love Caribbean cuisine, and it has been a very long time since I have enjoyed any. We arrived over an hour before they closed and noticed the bar area was completely empty. We did not have reservations but were told we could have a table in the bar area, and we're quickly seated by a very friendly hostess. After a little bit of a wait, we were approached by a waitress who was loudly joking with the bartender about having to take our table. We ordered two drinks and wanted a few more minutes to talk and look over the menu. The waitress was visibly annoyed by this but smiled and excused herself. We barely had time to try our drinks when she appeared again in the (still empty) bar, making an awful "buzzer" noise and exclaimed "times up!". It was not done in a charming or funny way. My friend ordered the jerk chicken, and I ordered an appetizer of empanadas. The food was just okay. We were never checked on or offered a second round of drinks. The service was horrendous. I will not return and would recommend that others find another local restaurant to spend your money at. There are plenty of businesses that would appreciate...