With the rave reviews I had read and being the consummate 'foodie', I planned on including a dinner at Alexis Taverna during my recent trip to Greece. I emailed them one month prior to my visit to Rhodes to make a reservation, however I never received a reply. That should have been my first warning…
While in Rhodes I booked the reservation through the hotel where I was staying, and as it turned out my reservation was on my last evening in Rhodes. 'What a wonderful way to end a trip!', I thought to myself in eager anticipation.
I arrived at the restaurant and only one other couple was in the restaurant - I had an early reservation as there was no other time available that evening. As I entered the restaurant, I stood there while two or three employees were busy preparing for the evening. No 'good evening', no acknowledgment whatsoever that I even existed. This would prove to be a recurring theme.
I finally took the initiative to greet them, and explained that I had a reservation. There was a verbal exchange between the two gentlemen that I did not understand, but they did not seem to be aware
of my reservation. When I stated what hotel had called on my behalf, one of the gentlemen finally said 'You can choose one of those 3 tables against the wall outside'. All other tables had a 'reserved' sign on them - I guess my reservation did not warrant such signage.
I then sat alone on the outside patio for several minutes - no menu, no water, no bread, until finally the same gentleman who told me to sit outside, then came to tell me that I now had to go inside to choose the seafood I wanted for dinner. Not sure why I was 'put' outside only to be told to come back inside, but this was a minor point.
I then chose a small bottle of white wine, a shellfish medley as appetizer, and a red snapper for dinner - I returned to my seat. In the mean time, the first couple who had arrived before I did had been seated, brought a bucket for their wine and had a bottle of water on the table as well. Another party of two and a party of six arrived after I did.
I proceeded to sit at my table without bread or water, but did get my small bottle of wine. I then observed the second table of two and the table of six all receive not only bread, a bottle of water and appetizers, but they were all brought a bowl of salad as well. I continued to sit watching everyone else receive service that was sorely lacking at my table (in fact, I appear to have been given the 'busboy' as a waiter, where the other gentlemen who I believe were the owners doted on the other tables). My bread finally arrived as well as my appetizer - both very good.
By the time my fish arrived, everyone who had arrived after I did were well underway in enjoying their dinner. I then asked my 'busboy waiter' who barely spoke English where my salad was and where was my water. I explained that everyone else had water, and everyone else had salad. I said in Greek that 'I did not understand'. He looked sheepish and said that I had to ask for the salad. Are you kidding me? Every single table was brought salad and they all specifically asked for it? Even if this were the case, at the very least it should have been offered. I then said that 'I was not happy', and felt completely ignored.
One of the gentlemen arrived and asked how my fish was, and I stated that the fish was fine. My entire demeanor had changed, I did not smile and continued eating. There was no inquiry regarding my comments that I was not pleased, although it is quite likely that the 'busboy' did not transmit my comments to anyone.
I then noticed that for every table that ordered fish as I did, the gentlemen bringing the fish automatically deboned the fish for the table, and poured more wine into glasses. I received no offer to debone my fish and not once was my wine poured for me - I had had enough.
My appetite lost, I asked for the bill (very difficult to obtain when you are being completely ignored), left them a note expressing my displeasure at the complete lack of service I was subjected to, and left.
I have since asked two other gentlemen in the hospitality industry (one working at the hotel where I stayed in Rhodes, and the other a waiter at a restaurant in Athens) why I would have been treated so terribly. They both immediately replied that the reason was because I was alone = not spending as much as a table of two, three or four.
I was expecting to see antiquities while in Greece, but not in the conduct of an established restaurant. I would also like to note that while in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete and all other restaurants I visited in Rhodes, I did not receive this shabby treatment anywhere, and was always warmly welcomed.
Being an aforementioned foodie, I have eaten in hundreds of restaurants all over the world, and have never been treated so poorly. When one is subjected to bad service, one normally tells at least 20 people, and I made sure that the hotel reception staff where I stayed in Rhodes was made aware. I also had quite the discussion with the waiter at the SofitelHotel in Athens who by the way treated me like royalty. My dinner was wonderful and I gave my compliments to both the chef and to my waiter, thanking my lucky stars that my last dinner in Greece was here and not at the Alexis Taverna.
I would suggest that the owners of the Alexis Taverna visit the Sofitel Hotel restaurant in Athens to learn what real service is - for they still have much to learn after all these years. A horrendous disappointment…
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