10/24/09

Worst restaurant experience ever

by jtting

My wife and friends came for dinner 10/24/09. This restaurant was recommended by the concierge at the Westin Boston Waterfront. All members of our party had some serious problem with the service at some point in the dinner ranging from multiple mistakes about our orders to dispute over whether or not the soda pop was flat (which is absurd since all 3 of us with pop insisted it was flat). My wife and I paid more than $70 for dinner and my wife did not even get her main course since she sent it back because it was not what she ordered. She was too disappointed to order anything else. We had to have a second meal at the hotel pub. A shame since it is a beautiful restaurant.

• Pros: Beautiful ambiance
• Cons: Service, attitude, food

10/05/08

Not my top choice

by dynamopix

I dined here on a Friday night. The place was packed but we were lucky to get a table upon entering. It's has a small cozy atmosphere. It is rather dark but that adds to the ambiance. The place is a bit overdecorated with fake grape vines hanging from the celing (some of which visibily cracking and peeling). Soon after we were seated at the tiny table we were handed gigantic menus. The next 20 minutes or so while we waited for someone, anyone to come over and at least take our drink order we were stuck with these huge folders. It was extremely awkward! Finally someone came over with bread and tapenade, which was the very good although the bread was a big hard and crusty. We were finally able to order drinks and a while later the waiter came back for the food order. We were very hungry so it was a bit irriating to have to wait almost 1/2 an hour before ordering any food. Then the food took an eternity to arrive as well. Luckily when the food did arrive, first our salads and then our meals, everything was delicous. The portions weren't too big, but I felt with a salad and entree I had the perfect amount, well maybe a little too much. Again it took quite a while to get the bill and even then the waiter passed us a few times before collecting the credit card for payment.

The food is great, but the service could use a little help. It was a busy Friday evening, perhaps a weeknight would be better as far as the service goes.

• Pros: Food, polite waitstaff, cozy, menu variety
• Cons: Slow service, Huge menus that are too big for the table

06/21/08

I hope no one's special occasion gets ruined like mine!

by dlite12

I regrettably chose to celebrate my 34th birthday here tonight. I've never written a review before and immediately got on line on returning home to get this out to other people.

Background: I am a single female recently moved here from New York City where I am used to a very different dining experience than I think many Boston restaurants believe consumers deserve. I've learned to stop putting expectations on my dinners but tonight was just altogether UNACCEPTABLE in my book.

Tonight at Rabia's I was told on having my dinner plate taken away that the check would follow. A message was relayed from the manager that we would not be allowed dessert given the long wait for a table tonight. 1. There was no visible crowd formed anywhere nearby, 2. The couple seated next to my friend and I were served dessert minutes prior. When asked to speak w the manager he was "not in the building". The check came, on learning it was my birthday, the order to hustle us out the door was "retracted" after our waitress spoke with someone. We refused on principle. Their soggy hospitality was complimentary to their dry almost crispy angel hair pasta.

The food might have been decent to good (ordered lobster and king crabs that were not pre cut and super difficult to break apart). But how can the food be appreciated if you are knocking your elbows into the person next to you and being hawked by stressed out wait staff who want nothing more than to see you off. Other busy places can pull this off w style, offering perhaps an alternative dessert spot or certificate to return another time.

Go ahead and see for yourself. It was quite unbelieveable. I've eaten at MANY restaurants (I don't cook) and have never brought myself to put a review on line til now. Rabia's failed miserably in the service department. I hope no one else's special occasion gets ruined like mine.