I came here for the sole purpose of trying Beef Wellington and I was not disappointed. The building itself it very luxurious or perhaps more so chic. There's lots of ornate features such as the stain glass windows which are a nice touch to the dining experience. Now, it goes without saying that given the prices, this is more of a special occasion restaurant, but for me trying Beef Wellington was a special occasion and it was worth every penny. If you've never been, that's what you should order and if you have been but never tried it, go back soon! (Can't wait to try the Lobster Wellington next!)
(4)
David D.
When something is done so well - with excellence it becomes just about impossible to bring more to the description. Alfred's is such a place. Friends from California decided to surprise my wife and take her to dinner for her birthday. All four of us decided to choose differently from each other. Everything, from service to food preparation was Excellent. The decor was so so special, a step back in time to days long gone bye. The owner was wonderful to speak with, a warm and very interesting person. We will be returning as a special treat once more. This restaurant is a "10" in our book.
(5)
Ed B.
I have been going to Alfred's for over 40 years for special events. It is a landmark and we have loved it. However the last time we went, quite frankly I was hit with some sort of food poisoning just as we pulled out to go home which was both painful and embarrassing. I won't go into the ugly details, but something was not clean or spoiled or bad and it ruined the evening for me. Am not likely to go there again. Again, this was a first in 40 years, but it was that bad that I will think twice before going again or recommending it.
(1)
Jillian K.
I've been going to Alfred's Victorian since I was a little girl. It is the epitome of elegance and one of my very favorite restaurants. I've lived in NYC for two years now and consider myself quite the foodie, but I am yet to find a place that serves pumpkin soup or butternut-crusted chicken like Alfred's can. Their lunch prices are very affordable too! Definitely do yourself a favor and try Alfred's. You will not regret it!
The food here is delicious and the people are amazing. Had lunch here with some colleagues this past summer, we all tried something different and we all loved what we had. Definitely try something new, you'll be glad you did. I tried the encrusted salmon and wow was it good! The owner, Robin, is great company as well and if you ask she may tell you about all the celebrities who have dined at Alfred's Victorian over the years. She knows everything about the area too.
(5)
William W.
Food was great, and ambiance was nice for a formal night out. But there were some things that kept this place from getting a higher review. The beer selection was pour, a place like this with some class you would expect a nice selection of craft brews. Instead you are stuck with bottled domestics that they charge way too much for. Secondly, the music, they had a mix of music that ranged from opera to Celine Dion. That is fine, except they had about 7 songs on repeat which resulted in hearing some songs about 5 times during our 3 hour dinner. In the end prices where also a little steep for what you got. Close to $30 for an entree with no salad is a little much.
If I was rating on food alone, I would give it 4+ stars. Unfortunately I'm one of those people who judge a place immediately based on ambiance, smells, music, etc., and that's where Alfred's Victorian needs to improve. Our alcove seating was nice in theory, but they had 1970's beads hanging from the ceiling (definitely doesn't fit the Victorian style), the tablecloths were falling apart, and there was dust and crumbs all over the seats and woodwork. Also, the entire restaurant was quite 'musty'; some deep cleaning and candles would help! Our food was quite tasty; we recommend the Spedino bread, the Nut-Encrusted Salmon, and the Steak Dianne. We didn't have room to try dessert! A little sprucing up of the place, perhaps some soft music, and we'd visit again.
(3)
Bei Y.
Alfred's Victorian is a historical landmark that also happens to be a restaurant in the heart of central Pennsylvania. Does it deliver an upscale dining experience to match this place's ambiance? The answer is sadly no. From the moment you walk in, the real world disappears and you are transported to a different time. Everything from the decor to the hosts' attire matches the theme of this converted residence. The food attempts to match this great environment but comes up short. While the wine selection is good, the food selection is mostly what you would find in family restaurants in the area: Italian influenced with some steak and fish. This could be forgiven if the preparations were better. It was not. The table-side caesar salad was mostly worcester sauce and the pastas were often over cooked. Alfred's Victorian has great potential, but the most important thing for a restaurant: the food, keeps it from rising above it's small town roots.
You have to go just to see the inside of the place. If you like old/historical buildings, this one is very cool. Lots of architectural interest inside. There were two of us. I was not wowed by my conch entree and there are no sides to speak of besides a couple slices of potato & broccoli on the plate, a small bread offering. My companion had a pasta dish and she said it was very good. I was trying to select something that would not be made in my home but it did not look like a fresh fish dish, it seemed like a piece of frozen breaded fish with way too many sauteed mushies on top, not much flavor or appeal but I ate it. The peanut butter pie is to die for so that was a definite highlight for me. Went on a Sunday at 4pm which gave us and another table the whole place to ourselves. The service was great and the prices are what you would expect for a classier place such as this. I'll know to order something different next time.
(4)
Ellen G.
A large group of us came here for lunch today. Happily, Alfred's Victorian is well-equipped to handle groups (there were 15+ of us); all our food came out at the same time, was good and hot, and the wait staff were unruffled by the size of our crowd. The table was set beautifully and, true to everything I've heard about this building, all the rooms are decorated and appointed gorgeously. We took time after ordering to go on a little tour of the other areas and they were all beautiful. So, you ask, if you are giving high marks to the staff and high marks for the ambiance, why only three stars? Well, the answer is I was less impressed with the meal. I ordered Pasta Alfredino - pasta in an Alfredo sauce with baby peas, prosciutto, and Parmesan cheese, accompanied by a side salad. The salad was very good: crisp, a nice mix of greens, grape tomatoes, red onion, and tasty croutons. I opted for oil and vinegar for the dressing and I was happy to be presented with a decent oil and balsamic vinegar (instead of the anemic-looking, acidic "wine" vinegar that's served in many places). We also were served warm rolls and butter, which I wish had been offered right after we ordered so we would have had something to nibble on while waiting for our meal. Anyway, the rolls were very good and I think the butter was herbed. After the salad course our entrees were served. I was taken aback to have a plate of very thin sauce placed before me. In my experience, Alfredo sauce is creamy with a thick consistency - not clotted, but with a nice body so that it adheres to the pasta. The flavor of the sauce was fine, but if I wanted a good mouthful of it I had to use my spoon. The prosciutto...aah, so disappointed. Teeny-tiny squares of ham that were so small I couldn't tell by sight or taste whether is was really Italian prosciutto or just regular old deli ham. If there were even an ounce of the meat on the platter I'd be surprised. The peas were a nice bright green and cooked OK. The pasta was the biggest disappointment. White and green linguini-style noodles that were more Pennsylvania Dutch style (thick and doughy) than Italian (silky). One of the things I enjoy about Italian food is that it is a fine cuisine, with flavors and textures that are more subtle than aggressive. There should be a true marriage of spices, sauce, pasta - a balanced and complementary relationship - rather than one item overpowering the others. In this case, the noodles were so thick theydidn't twirl easily on the fork and dominated the sauce, rather than allowing the sauce to harmonize with the pasta. We didn't order any desserts (sadly, we had to return to work!) but a table in the room behind us ordered cherries jubilee, and that looked pretty good. Anyway, although my overall experience was OK, I would not go out of my way to travel here for a meal. I feel bad saying this because I think the owner and employees work hard to make this a stellar dining experience, and I appreciate their efforts, but for my money I'll look elsewhere for an upscale meal.
(3)
Juliet G.
The name of this restaurant is "Alfred's Victorian" and it is located in a beautiful historic mansion. Great Peanut Butter Pie and Salmon with a coating of nuts. Service rather slow so subtracted a star. Dined here for lunch. Great ambience! Nice secluded areas for intimate dining.
(4)
Donna B.
If you want to pay a lot of money for broken promises, humiliation, and substandard food and service, then by all means book your next event at Alfred's Victorian. I am writing this so no one will else will ever have to experience what my family and I have had to go through. At least you will have had the benefit of my story for which to make your decision. I was promised high-quality, fresh homemade food. I was promised excellent service. I was promised attention to details-- none of those promises were kept. We booked this place for a wedding rehearsal brunch "tea" ( approximately $35.00 per person for basically sandwiches.) the day before our only child was to be married. We waited about 1 1/2 hours to be served cold soup. Two wait staff were introduced to serve 36 people-- only one served. This one server was inexperienced and unable to perform the tasks required= SO SLOW and not fulfilling requests like, "more water, please". Appetizers were to be on the tables when we arrived. There was NO food on the tables when we arrived. The appetizers didn't show up until well after the soup and salad (which did not contain the promised fruit). Two of the 4 appetizers that were to be served were not served. An appetizer I specifically asked NOT be served-- was served (some sort of bread with cream cheese or something and oregano? sprinkled on top. It was bland and stale tasting -- and not appealing to look at.) We kept asking for more water and drinks which we never received. Other items that were to be served were not served or not served the way in which it was agreed upon-- and none of the promised breads were homemade (merchant said everything was homemade.homemade. Umm-no it wasn't.) Many people were not served food beyond the soup and salad. I told the owner when we were planning this event--that I was very willing to pay the price but expected there to be a a lot of great food-- I was assured there would be an over-abundance of great food. I wrote on the invitations "please come hungry" : ) How mortifying that our guests came hungry but also left hungry. Ugh. (Because it was a brunch after a 9 am morning wedding rehearsal, I didn't want people to have had a large breakfast and then not be hungry for all of the food that was supposed to be served. I wanted them to have an appetite. Oh brother...) Not once did the owner come to see us during the event or personally check on things in the dining room - although she knew there were problems. The one server who was MIA in the dining room and with whom I spoken about the problems that were going on-- told the owner (who was in the kitchen) what was going on.(The 2 servers were nice. And the one who was MIA, I had a suspicion was put to work in the kitchen.) The owner and her son knew what was going on and that it wasn't going well-- but never once did anything to rectify the situation or make an appearance. There is much more I could say about all of the the things that were wrong--much more. Let me end by saying that the owner did not own up to any of the problems or apologize, although it was quite obvious that they had not delivered what they had promised. (When my husband and I arrived at the restaurant, the owner greeted us at the door in her sweat pants and sweat shirt saying something about someone calling out or there were issues and she was working in the kitchen. Obviously, something was going on.) The owner was unyielding in her position that all was well and if there were any issues-- they were MY fault. When I told her I had the documentation about what was promised and what the menu was supposed to have been-- for example-- two of the appetizers not being made or served-- she begrudgingly said she would take $35.00 off of the bill. Unfortunately, I don't think this was just a bad day for this place. I think it was business as usual. I wish I knew then what know now. And I would much rather be writing a glowing report then to have to write this review. I will not get to do this very important time in our lives over again. My consolation is the wedding at Moonstone Manor and JDK catering was excellent beyond compare and my son and his wife had a beautiful day. If something had to be ruined-- better the rehearsal then the wedding.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Intimate, Romantic, Classy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Daniel G.
I came here for the sole purpose of trying Beef Wellington and I was not disappointed. The building itself it very luxurious or perhaps more so chic. There's lots of ornate features such as the stain glass windows which are a nice touch to the dining experience. Now, it goes without saying that given the prices, this is more of a special occasion restaurant, but for me trying Beef Wellington was a special occasion and it was worth every penny. If you've never been, that's what you should order and if you have been but never tried it, go back soon! (Can't wait to try the Lobster Wellington next!)
(4)David D.
When something is done so well - with excellence it becomes just about impossible to bring more to the description. Alfred's is such a place. Friends from California decided to surprise my wife and take her to dinner for her birthday. All four of us decided to choose differently from each other. Everything, from service to food preparation was Excellent. The decor was so so special, a step back in time to days long gone bye. The owner was wonderful to speak with, a warm and very interesting person. We will be returning as a special treat once more. This restaurant is a "10" in our book.
(5)Ed B.
I have been going to Alfred's for over 40 years for special events. It is a landmark and we have loved it. However the last time we went, quite frankly I was hit with some sort of food poisoning just as we pulled out to go home which was both painful and embarrassing. I won't go into the ugly details, but something was not clean or spoiled or bad and it ruined the evening for me. Am not likely to go there again. Again, this was a first in 40 years, but it was that bad that I will think twice before going again or recommending it.
(1)Jillian K.
I've been going to Alfred's Victorian since I was a little girl. It is the epitome of elegance and one of my very favorite restaurants. I've lived in NYC for two years now and consider myself quite the foodie, but I am yet to find a place that serves pumpkin soup or butternut-crusted chicken like Alfred's can. Their lunch prices are very affordable too! Definitely do yourself a favor and try Alfred's. You will not regret it!
(5)Bob J.
Our first visit today. We arrived at 5pm and were seated promptly. There were not too many tables seated at that time and we were the second ones in our dining room. Drink orders arrived promptly as did salads and soup. Another couple was seated approximately 10 minutes after us and both their salad and entrée required table side preparations. Once we received our entrees, the restaurant was getting busier. Our server checked on us after a few minutes and no additional service was needed at that time. Unfortunately we did not know that we would not see him about for almost a full 1/2 hour. The hostess noticed that we were sitting there, finished with our meals and boxed up the leftovers. We also requested the dessert menu from her. At least 15 minutes then went by and no one came back to ask if we wanted additional beverages for dessert. Finally, we flagged down another waiter and asked if the could have our waiter bring our check. A few minutes later he returned saying that our waiter was making a Caesar salad and would then bring the check. A few minutes later our waiter brought the check, never asked about dessert/coffee or apologized for the lack of attentive service. Overall the food was very good and we will return but we will definitely ask not to have this waiter serve us.
(4)Sean M.
The food here is delicious and the people are amazing. Had lunch here with some colleagues this past summer, we all tried something different and we all loved what we had. Definitely try something new, you'll be glad you did. I tried the encrusted salmon and wow was it good! The owner, Robin, is great company as well and if you ask she may tell you about all the celebrities who have dined at Alfred's Victorian over the years. She knows everything about the area too.
(5)William W.
Food was great, and ambiance was nice for a formal night out. But there were some things that kept this place from getting a higher review. The beer selection was pour, a place like this with some class you would expect a nice selection of craft brews. Instead you are stuck with bottled domestics that they charge way too much for. Secondly, the music, they had a mix of music that ranged from opera to Celine Dion. That is fine, except they had about 7 songs on repeat which resulted in hearing some songs about 5 times during our 3 hour dinner. In the end prices where also a little steep for what you got. Close to $30 for an entree with no salad is a little much.
(4)Veronica N.
My parents, brother, and I went here for a birthday dinner on a Saturday night. When we checked in with the hostess (who was also the owner) she told us we could look around since they weren't using any dining areas upstairs. It was my family's first time there, so they enjoyed touring the building. It is quite beautiful and lends a romantic charm to any visit. My mom ordered the dinner version of the portobello belle (they also had this as an appetizer option). It was a large mushroom cap roasted and stuffed with crab imperial. Very tender and flavorful. My dad got twin crab cakes. They were sizable and fluffy. In my opinion, they had a bit too much filler, but did have a nice amount of lump crabmeat. My brother got the filet Chesapeake. That entree had two nice-sized pieces of filet mignon each topped with crab imperial. Perfection! I ordered the steak Diane as most places don't offer that. It was flambeed table side and had a wonderful sauce. I watched him make the sauce and it was a delicious combination of butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, pepper and the juices from the filet. Im not sure what liquor they used to flambé it, but it didn't overpower the sauce. Dinner was served with a vegetable medley and bread basket. My dad got the key lime pie for dessert and it was a perfect balance of tart and sweet. My mom got the cheesecake, which was incredibly light and had an airy texture. That was served with a tasty raspberry sauce. I got the peanut butter chocolate crumb pie, which was also fantastic! Since it was my brother's 30th bday, the owner came around and gave us each cordials. All in all it was a superb experience! The staff were all so friendly and the food is as you would expect from a fine dining establishment. I would definitely recommend this place!
(5)Kelsey F.
If I was rating on food alone, I would give it 4+ stars. Unfortunately I'm one of those people who judge a place immediately based on ambiance, smells, music, etc., and that's where Alfred's Victorian needs to improve. Our alcove seating was nice in theory, but they had 1970's beads hanging from the ceiling (definitely doesn't fit the Victorian style), the tablecloths were falling apart, and there was dust and crumbs all over the seats and woodwork. Also, the entire restaurant was quite 'musty'; some deep cleaning and candles would help! Our food was quite tasty; we recommend the Spedino bread, the Nut-Encrusted Salmon, and the Steak Dianne. We didn't have room to try dessert! A little sprucing up of the place, perhaps some soft music, and we'd visit again.
(3)Bei Y.
Alfred's Victorian is a historical landmark that also happens to be a restaurant in the heart of central Pennsylvania. Does it deliver an upscale dining experience to match this place's ambiance? The answer is sadly no. From the moment you walk in, the real world disappears and you are transported to a different time. Everything from the decor to the hosts' attire matches the theme of this converted residence. The food attempts to match this great environment but comes up short. While the wine selection is good, the food selection is mostly what you would find in family restaurants in the area: Italian influenced with some steak and fish. This could be forgiven if the preparations were better. It was not. The table-side caesar salad was mostly worcester sauce and the pastas were often over cooked. Alfred's Victorian has great potential, but the most important thing for a restaurant: the food, keeps it from rising above it's small town roots.
(2)Letty L.
We had such a great experience at this restaurant! My brother and I treated our parents to a dinner in a restaurant they would not have otherwise chosen. This restaurant is beautiful. Old house that may or may not be haunted, original woodwork, 70's décor mixed with period stuff appropriate to the house. The menu is very old fashioned. Very "Mad Men" which makes the food SUPER COOL. It has items from the 60's and 70's ... dishes such as Steak Dianne, Beef Wellington and so forth that I have only heard of but never tasted. The restaurant makes you feel like you WANT to dress for dinner and make dining out an event even though you don't have to as there is no official dress code. The food was amazing. I asked for a specific temperature of beef that was wrapped in Phylo dough and got it exactly how I wanted it. Can you imagine trying to cook a slow cooking thick steak INSIDE a fast cooking Phylo and getting it right? FABULOUS chef ! Every single dish came out perfect. There is no child menu, but they do have "demi" sizes of a variety of pastas that were appropriately sized for an 8 and a 10 year old. The 8 year old claims it's the best food he has ever eaten (carbonnera). I also suspect the chef is flexible enough you can get almost any pasta customized for your child. While children are welcome, and we brought ours, for me the atmosphere screamed class and babysitter needed. :) The kids did truly love the food and the ghost stories and the adult ambiance. The waiter was attentive without being intrusive, obviously well trained and experienced. He told us the ghost stories when we asked, answered questions from the kids and took family pictures around the restaurant. Very nice and extremely competent man. Again, the food was amazing. The atmosphere was a lot of fun and we were allowed to tour the home. (ghost hunting is a hobby for my husband so between the great food and the ghosts, he has found his favorite of all time restaurant) The reservationist is responsive to your needs, placing you in desirable areas of the home. In other words, if you want something romantic and private you will be seated in a turret seat near a fireplace with a privacy screen. How cool is that? Our party of 9 got practically a converted bedroom to ourselves! The homemade Key Lime Pie is to die for. So is the steak with crab topping, the Steak Dianne and the Carbonnera. Surprisingly.. all this goodness is priced just a little bit more than Outback. The quality/value/price/atmosphere ratio of the restaurant amazed us. Anyplace other than Harrisburg our excellent experience would have been triple the cost. We were visiting in from Pittsburgh. What a gem! West Shore peeps actually have a nice restaurant! And one that markets and delivers retro to boot! Excellent.
(5)Kim K.
You have to go just to see the inside of the place. If you like old/historical buildings, this one is very cool. Lots of architectural interest inside. There were two of us. I was not wowed by my conch entree and there are no sides to speak of besides a couple slices of potato & broccoli on the plate, a small bread offering. My companion had a pasta dish and she said it was very good. I was trying to select something that would not be made in my home but it did not look like a fresh fish dish, it seemed like a piece of frozen breaded fish with way too many sauteed mushies on top, not much flavor or appeal but I ate it. The peanut butter pie is to die for so that was a definite highlight for me. Went on a Sunday at 4pm which gave us and another table the whole place to ourselves. The service was great and the prices are what you would expect for a classier place such as this. I'll know to order something different next time.
(4)Ellen G.
A large group of us came here for lunch today. Happily, Alfred's Victorian is well-equipped to handle groups (there were 15+ of us); all our food came out at the same time, was good and hot, and the wait staff were unruffled by the size of our crowd. The table was set beautifully and, true to everything I've heard about this building, all the rooms are decorated and appointed gorgeously. We took time after ordering to go on a little tour of the other areas and they were all beautiful. So, you ask, if you are giving high marks to the staff and high marks for the ambiance, why only three stars? Well, the answer is I was less impressed with the meal. I ordered Pasta Alfredino - pasta in an Alfredo sauce with baby peas, prosciutto, and Parmesan cheese, accompanied by a side salad. The salad was very good: crisp, a nice mix of greens, grape tomatoes, red onion, and tasty croutons. I opted for oil and vinegar for the dressing and I was happy to be presented with a decent oil and balsamic vinegar (instead of the anemic-looking, acidic "wine" vinegar that's served in many places). We also were served warm rolls and butter, which I wish had been offered right after we ordered so we would have had something to nibble on while waiting for our meal. Anyway, the rolls were very good and I think the butter was herbed. After the salad course our entrees were served. I was taken aback to have a plate of very thin sauce placed before me. In my experience, Alfredo sauce is creamy with a thick consistency - not clotted, but with a nice body so that it adheres to the pasta. The flavor of the sauce was fine, but if I wanted a good mouthful of it I had to use my spoon. The prosciutto...aah, so disappointed. Teeny-tiny squares of ham that were so small I couldn't tell by sight or taste whether is was really Italian prosciutto or just regular old deli ham. If there were even an ounce of the meat on the platter I'd be surprised. The peas were a nice bright green and cooked OK. The pasta was the biggest disappointment. White and green linguini-style noodles that were more Pennsylvania Dutch style (thick and doughy) than Italian (silky). One of the things I enjoy about Italian food is that it is a fine cuisine, with flavors and textures that are more subtle than aggressive. There should be a true marriage of spices, sauce, pasta - a balanced and complementary relationship - rather than one item overpowering the others. In this case, the noodles were so thick theydidn't twirl easily on the fork and dominated the sauce, rather than allowing the sauce to harmonize with the pasta. We didn't order any desserts (sadly, we had to return to work!) but a table in the room behind us ordered cherries jubilee, and that looked pretty good. Anyway, although my overall experience was OK, I would not go out of my way to travel here for a meal. I feel bad saying this because I think the owner and employees work hard to make this a stellar dining experience, and I appreciate their efforts, but for my money I'll look elsewhere for an upscale meal.
(3)Juliet G.
The name of this restaurant is "Alfred's Victorian" and it is located in a beautiful historic mansion. Great Peanut Butter Pie and Salmon with a coating of nuts. Service rather slow so subtracted a star. Dined here for lunch. Great ambience! Nice secluded areas for intimate dining.
(4)Donna B.
If you want to pay a lot of money for broken promises, humiliation, and substandard food and service, then by all means book your next event at Alfred's Victorian. I am writing this so no one will else will ever have to experience what my family and I have had to go through. At least you will have had the benefit of my story for which to make your decision. I was promised high-quality, fresh homemade food. I was promised excellent service. I was promised attention to details-- none of those promises were kept. We booked this place for a wedding rehearsal brunch "tea" ( approximately $35.00 per person for basically sandwiches.) the day before our only child was to be married. We waited about 1 1/2 hours to be served cold soup. Two wait staff were introduced to serve 36 people-- only one served. This one server was inexperienced and unable to perform the tasks required= SO SLOW and not fulfilling requests like, "more water, please". Appetizers were to be on the tables when we arrived. There was NO food on the tables when we arrived. The appetizers didn't show up until well after the soup and salad (which did not contain the promised fruit). Two of the 4 appetizers that were to be served were not served. An appetizer I specifically asked NOT be served-- was served (some sort of bread with cream cheese or something and oregano? sprinkled on top. It was bland and stale tasting -- and not appealing to look at.) We kept asking for more water and drinks which we never received. Other items that were to be served were not served or not served the way in which it was agreed upon-- and none of the promised breads were homemade (merchant said everything was homemade.homemade. Umm-no it wasn't.) Many people were not served food beyond the soup and salad. I told the owner when we were planning this event--that I was very willing to pay the price but expected there to be a a lot of great food-- I was assured there would be an over-abundance of great food. I wrote on the invitations "please come hungry" : ) How mortifying that our guests came hungry but also left hungry. Ugh. (Because it was a brunch after a 9 am morning wedding rehearsal, I didn't want people to have had a large breakfast and then not be hungry for all of the food that was supposed to be served. I wanted them to have an appetite. Oh brother...) Not once did the owner come to see us during the event or personally check on things in the dining room - although she knew there were problems. The one server who was MIA in the dining room and with whom I spoken about the problems that were going on-- told the owner (who was in the kitchen) what was going on.(The 2 servers were nice. And the one who was MIA, I had a suspicion was put to work in the kitchen.) The owner and her son knew what was going on and that it wasn't going well-- but never once did anything to rectify the situation or make an appearance. There is much more I could say about all of the the things that were wrong--much more. Let me end by saying that the owner did not own up to any of the problems or apologize, although it was quite obvious that they had not delivered what they had promised. (When my husband and I arrived at the restaurant, the owner greeted us at the door in her sweat pants and sweat shirt saying something about someone calling out or there were issues and she was working in the kitchen. Obviously, something was going on.) The owner was unyielding in her position that all was well and if there were any issues-- they were MY fault. When I told her I had the documentation about what was promised and what the menu was supposed to have been-- for example-- two of the appetizers not being made or served-- she begrudgingly said she would take $35.00 off of the bill. Unfortunately, I don't think this was just a bad day for this place. I think it was business as usual. I wish I knew then what know now. And I would much rather be writing a glowing report then to have to write this review. I will not get to do this very important time in our lives over again. My consolation is the wedding at Moonstone Manor and JDK catering was excellent beyond compare and my son and his wife had a beautiful day. If something had to be ruined-- better the rehearsal then the wedding.
(1)