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| - This is a tough review to write.
I am not one to ever knock a business, especially a new one, most especially an independent. I rally around independent businesses and even cut them some slack as they figure it all out.
Having said that...
We made 9 PM reservations for Nardi's for New Years Eve. Ok. A risk, admittedly, it was their first NYE. Food reviews for the place had been mercurial at best - people seemed to either love it or hate it.
We arrived at 8:40 PM. When the elevator door opened, the voices in my head told me to stay in the elevator and head back to the car. It was a madhouse. The earlier seatings had not cleared out yet - not a good plan. That earlier seating should have been well on their way out the door but, again, ok, first year, there are learning pains.
Now it began. Where do you put the 30 - 40 folks waiting for their tables? In a narrow hallway jammed in like sardines outside the dishroom. We waited until 9:30 PM. DH got whacked with a tray by a busboy who truly thought he could make it through (oops). We watched glasses drop and break. We saw plates of food and bones go by in our faces. We watched maybe the hostess come out complaining as she was looking for a busboy to clear tables and throw her hands up in the air. It was crowded and frankly, not an appealing way to start the night. Busboys, waitresses, arriving guests and departing guests were all fighting for space in that same hallway. At 9:24 PM, with the host not yet saying anything to the crowd and realizing that we were no closer to having anyone seated, we left.
Now, I figured if we were seated by 945 (with a prayer), maybe we would have appetizers by 1015 and entrees by 1045 or 1100.
With that thought in mind, we left and went elsewhere.
Chef, obviously you have a popular restaurant. And I am assuming maybe the food was so good that folks were willing to wait it out. But please plan better for next year. Space the seatings better so that you can clear out the early seating before the late seating arrives since you have no waiting area (the location is great because of the view but - it is what it is - you cannot change it much).
We may come back to try again someday - but certainly not on a holiday.
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