about service and try to do so only when there is merit but I’ve never dropped $60 on a bottle of wine before and had the waiter or waitress not offer to pour it. When during my conversation this morning, my friend asked, “Did he...

My husband and I have enjoyed two dinners at Taillevent. The first time I choose it because we wanted to experience a 3 star restaurant but were unsure of attitudes towards Americans (didn’t want any snooty waiters). We had...

vin blanc, were 12 euros each, and the coffees and petit fours were 9 each. The ambience and service are top-notch, as one would expect in an establishment of this caliber. Monday we took a train to Antwerp. After walking around...

A Spanish chef doesn’t want his Michelin rating.

When I was twenty-one and living in Italy, I traveled by myself to a four-star all-inclusive resort in Sharm el Sheikh where gratuities were supposedly included. I was sexually harassed by almost every male employee in the hotel....

I know that now. At the time I just wanted to make the little weasel of a waiter feel guilty — this was beyond bad service, it was outright rude and I cancelled the rest of our meal. The owner(ess), even more obnoxious than...

, and include a number of thoughtful comments about why service is often so lacking in San Diego. Since the board mods haven’t elected to split off those posts, here’s a thread specifically devoted to service in San...

Hello – My husband and I will be in Venice in late September. Our criteria include excellent food, value (30-40 euros/person maximum), and a romantic ambience. However, “romantic” need not be candlelight –...

by our servers and hosts. I applaud Reichle for her Le Cirque assesment and review. The punch line here is that service is included at most English restaurants, so it wasn’t even a matter of not expecting a good tip from...

have a higher threshold for excellent service than others and perhaps I should rethink this. In my opinion, excellence does not include forgetfulness (whether it’s the bread, or the person who has to check two to three...

, friendly service, and reasonable prices. Clearly we are not the only ones who feel this way as the place was packed when we arrived at 7PM and just as bustling when we left a few hours later. Two of us had a special drink made...

I am bringing four friends to S.F. I lived there about 15 years ago, and I still have my favorite haunts. But I wanted to get some ideas from people with more current knowledge of the city. I have four days, that’s twelve...

the proper silverware is unacceptable. And, in general, what I observe most often, is an overly casual or an overly gruff waiter at a nice restaurant or a nice a steak place where the bill for four can easily be hundreds of...

% on wine really that big a deal? For great dinners with perfect service, I’ve (gasp!) left over 20%, including pricey wine. Why? Was I throwing my hard earned money down the drain? I don’t think so. I think if a...

Craving shelter from sudden rain and political canvassing, I ducked into The Secret Garden teahouse today, four-year-old birthday girl (and her aunt) in tow. The tea house is on the other side of the Canvas Cafe parking lot, and...