Since I’m on a “Quick Hits” roll, here’s another from NYC. Don’t eat at Lazzara’s Pizza Cafe in Manhattan. Based on looking at Yelp reviews, this place had above average reviews mainly saying that the pizza was good, but the service in some cases was so-so. We never even made it far enough to try the food.
My friends and I stopped there for a late-ish lunch and wanted to take a load off after walking around Times Square for a while (which is down the street). It was around 2, maybe 3 in the afternoon. The group of us sat down and because it was a later in the afternoon, some of us had already eaten, while the others just wanted a couple of slices (this was New York City after all). Keep in mind, this place was absolutely empty — we were the only ones in there other than another couple.
The waitress first took a while to come over to us, which in itself wasn’t that big a deal. But then she proceeded to tell us that we had to order whole pies if we wanted to sit at the table. We explained to her some of us only really wanted to have a few slices, and the others were just looking to have a couple beers. Nope, she said we’d have to order at least a pizza per 2 people if we wanted to stay otherwise it had to be takeout. She didn’t even seem that apologetic or willing to compromise for some business! It seemed more like we were bothering her afternoon session of General Hospital.
Needless to say, we didn’t want to order that much pizza and we left. But on the way out, we said it loudly and clearly, “You just lost your empty restaurant some easy business for no real good reason.” If there was a line out the door for people who wanted to sit, then I might understand that policy. But the place was empty!
So, while the food might have been good, we never found out because it looks like those other reviewers who said the service was poor were spot on.
Here and There 