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| - The food was good, but it doesn't outweigh the management practices. The experience was bordering on a nightmare. Definitely a stressful and extremely unpleasant dream.
Graduation day at U of I. Reservations were made far in advance. We had a 9pm reservation with a $50 required deposit. When we walked in a few minutes before 9, we found ourselves shoulder to shoulder with angry and annoyed patrons. We spoke to several people who had been waiting to be seated 1, 2, and even 2 and a half hours AFTER their reservation time. They know how to take a reservation, just not how to keep the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation.
So, due to the $50 required credit card deposit, all those people were stuck waiting and waiting and waiting. After waiting an hour, we asked what would happen if we left, and they said they would charge us $50. I'm pretty sure this wouldn't hold up in a court of law, but the small claims filing fee is more than $50 so they have people hooked.
When we were finally seated an hour and a half after our "reservation" time, the 5 of us were squished into a small booth with a chair at the end. There was no space for that chair. It was very uncomfortable. Were our drinks comped? Were we offered anything for our long wait? No.
The server was very nice, but we were starved and exhausted and really annoyed. The food was great, but way overpriced. I had "little parcels" pasta filled with cheese. Really great. The taste was worth 5 stars.
I find management's policy on the U of I graduation date coupled with their failure to keep reservations absolutely unacceptable. It is completely unnecessary, their restaurant would be packed skipped reservations or not. The management decided to take this opportunity to swindle people.
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