Reviews
Excellent service and great food. One of the best experiences I’ve had in a long time. Abby was an excellent server. Despite the restaurant being packed, she was very calm and did her best to ensure the customer was completely satisfied and got exactly what they wanted. She was constantly checking in to make sure I had enough water or if there was anything else I needed. No time was wasted. She was quick to put in the order. Food arrived quickly and warm. Presentation was spectacular. I would most definitely recommend this restaurant.
5
8 years ago (24-03-2018)
Mothers Day fiasco. Party of 4 with reservation and although we were seated quickly and initial contact from server was timely, the food took well over a half an hour to arrive. When we asked the server if the food would be up shortly, he said the kitchen was "running about 55 minutes". I had to ask him to repeat that because I wasn't sure I heard him correctly. I was flabbergasted. We had all ordered off the special brunch menu, which should suggest some level of pre-prep to be able to move dishes out quickly on what surely should be anticipated as a busier-than-normal day. Additionally, the place was not full (our reservation was at 1 pm). The server didn't give any indication that this was particularly unusual, but I've been there a number of times before and have seen much heavier crowds accommodated efficiently, so I was pretty disturbed by his aplomb. Anyway, we kept smiles on our faces, particularly since it was MOTHERS DAY and we wanted to do something special for OUR MOTHER. My dining partners said they enjoyed their dishes, although the two of us who had the cheese grits reported lumps of grits about the size of marbles. My breakfast casserole was just OK. The tables on either side of us were not served when we left and had been waiting a long time. Among our three tables, we lamented the service, but everyone was smiling because IT WAS MOTHERS DAY and the mom's were doing their part to make sure everyone had a good time. I doubt that management caught the flak they deserved for the poor effort displayed because the patrons really put their best faces on the situation, but I write this review because they need to know that they really dropped the ball on what needed to have been an 'A' game day. Then again, in the restaurant business, what day isn't an 'A' game day...
1
8 years ago (14-05-2018)
My experience here was pretty disappointing. I thought we were off to a good start when we first walked in. The hostess was friendly and welcoming and was quick to accommodate our request for an outside table at the fire pit. She cleaned the table herself and made small conversation on the walk outside. It was pretty much downhill after that.
Our server obviously wanted to be somewhere else and it was blatantly evident. She was short and rude and was not helpful at all when we had questions about the menu. After ordering, the food did come out fairly quickly but nothing was amazing. I'm not sure if the attitude of our server affected our enjoyment of the dishes, but we probably will not return to figure it out.
I will say that the atmosphere, inside and out are great. The restrooms are very clean, which is always a bonus.
2
8 years ago (16-03-2018)
I have been going to Travinia for years on a regular basis, maybe once or twice per month, sometimes more. Which is why I am surprised with some of the reviews here, which look like hatchet jobs rather than reviews. So here is my assessment.
First, the food is pretty uniformly delicious. Except for a period when they changed chefs and the sauces on such staples as Pasta Mia Nonna were temporarily changed (they are back to normal now), I've never had any meal that was not simply great, hearty food. My sister lived in Italy so I know about Italian food, so although it is Americanized somewhat, it is still authentic, miles above Bella's for instance. And Tavola is good, but not that superior for the added price, at least on a regular basis--certainly when you have to endure the kitchen smell and lack of booking. For desert, I've been getting the cheesecake and chocolate fudge cake also for years and again, with maybe a couple of exceptions when the fudge cake was not warmed up enough or the cheesecake not fresh, they were just perfect. But you ask, and they replace.
Second, yes, there are some staff that are unpleasant. But if that happens, why not call the manager to have it rectified on the spot? It's sort of passive aggressive to wait till you are out, when the manager can't tell who is causing problems. In my experience, the unpleasant ones don't remain for long. At the same time, there are some old hands there that bend over backwards to serve and are always there with a smile. A manager can't fix what a manager does not know.
Finally, the location and atmosphere are just so relaxing you want to be a regular--and many locals are. The patio is great from spring to fall--the fire pits are awesome at night.
This is a great place and underrated, maybe because it is a chain. I eat at Maya too--the food is far superior at Travinia, and there is so much more choice, plus the sizes are more generous, especially for the sides. Same problem at Tavola. They did not serve me enough mashed potatoes to match the steak and they charged me $7 for more! Travinia has never done that. Which is why I go back, but not to Tavola, which costs so much more for less...
In short, strongly recommended, though the manager may need to take more care of customers when it is busy.
5
8 years ago (28-05-2018)
Wonderful place to take the lady out for a nice evening! Always have a good time and leave full when we come here!
5
8 years ago (19-05-2018)
