Restaurant Critique Essay, Research Paper

It is only natural to evaluate the customer service of an establishment in which you are dining. The trade-off between what is paid for and what is received should balance. Naturally, for every price range there is a different set of expectations of the quality of service. The higher the money spent the higher the expectations. I chose to evaluate the quality of service of Elda’s Bar and Restaurant on Lark St, and found that the service was better than I had anticipated.

My four friends and I had arrived to Elda’s around ten o’clock on a Friday night. Our decision to eat here was because we like to treat ourselves to a fairly nice meal once every couple of weeks, since we are students living away from home. We all had somewhat causal attire on.

Elda’s is located on Lark Street, which is a fairly busy street. Therefore, there is no parking lot next to the restaurant. We had parked about a block away which was no inconvenience since it was a beautiful night. We took a walk after our meal, and if it were not so late, we would have stopped at any of the outdoor cafes that were open. However, had it been a cold night and a special occasion, the absence of a lot would have been disappointing. In addition, since it was late at night I imagine it was easier than usual to find parking, being so late in the evening. It is understandable, due to the densely populated location.

Elda’s is located in a corner, and there is outdoor dining available, but we chose to eat indoors. Just inside of the restaurant by the bar, there was a keyboardist and singer. The ambience seemed more for couples at first. The restaurant was dim lighted with dark colored wallpaper and gold fixtures on the walls. We were seated on the first floor, but the second floor seemed perfect for an evening with a partner. The atmosphere was very romantic, but also perfect for a quiet evening with friends.

Our greeting could not have been better. The owner of the restaurant, Elda herself, greeted us. She was a sweet Italian woman with an accent, who could not stop smiling. She had the waiters put two tables together so we could have more room. She spoke with us for a couple of minutes, told us a little about her restaurant. Her daughter, named Elda also, was part owner, and took care of the bar.

I was very pleasantly surprised as to how empty the restaurant was on a Friday night. Usually when my friends and I go out for dinner at this time, the restaurants are crowded and the service is not as personal. Our waiter was very attentive and thoughtful. He offered his own opinions as to what dishes were delicious and what wines were inexpensive yet still of quality. Anything we requested we were given. He walked over to us on numerous occasions making sure we were satisfied and cleared the table of plates and glasses that were cluttering the table. The one problem prior to ordering my meal, was the mosquito floating in my water. The waiter apolgized twice and immediately brought me a new water.

We first ordered appetizers and a bottle of wine. The price range of the appetizers ranged from six to twelve dollars. I shared mozzarella caprise with a friend, which was eight dollars. The appetizers arrived so quickly that we still had not decided on our main course. We continued to eat and drink until we set on our main dishes. I had ordered the grilled swordfish, which was considerably reasonable at $14.95. We did not wait very long for our meals to arrive and all arrived at the same time, which I find very important. We spent the first few minutes tasting each other’s dishes. One friend ordered the grilled swordfish also, the other ordered the salmon, which was delicious, another ordered ravioli stuffed with assorted vegetables and cheese, and the other ordered nioche stuffed with potatoes, spinach and cheese. All the entrees on the menu ranged from twelve to twenty-five dollars.

Most of the customers had left during our meal, yet we were not pressured or rushed to leave. I myself like to eat late, and for that reason on many occasions, I am rushed to get out as fast as possible. After we finished our meal and paid our check, we sat and finished our drinks and talked, and were still not pressured to leave. This is a major indicator of the level of importance customer service is in a restaurant.

When we left the restaurant, Elda approached us to say goodbye. The quality of service and food definitely made spending more than the usual amount I spend on a night of eating out. I was very satisfied with the food. I left completely filled and happy. Many times, I leave with a doggy bag from restaurants like Olive Garden or Macaroni grill, because I simply do not enjoy the meal enough to finish it. However, Elda’s let me enjoy my food, because it was quiet, not rowdy, and I can have a good conversation with friends without worrying about the bad service. It made for a very relaxing night with my friends, why I like to eat out in the first place. Being a student of limited funds away from school, it is difficult to have nice meals.

I walked passed Elda’s on a Thursday afternoon and saw the restaurant was crowded and full. I believe my experience would have been different had I come a different time. It also appeared that for the most part businessmen were dining there. I have no doubt the service would have still been great.