Bottega Bistro (Reported Closed)

Doesn't Recommend

MMR75

Joined 3 years ago

Bottega Bistro - No longer in business. On Sunday Mar. 28, 2010, I tried their website but noticed it wasn't working. Wanted to try out their Brunch Buffet. Called the number and it is no longer in service.

Doesn't Recommend

mmchen

Joined 5 years ago

Worst Italian Restaurant in Richmond. I've never understood why this restaurant is still in business....this restaurant is overpriced and has poor service and bad food (let me emphasize bad food). The only enjoyable aspect of my experience was the dining atmosphere. However, I would not let this even be a reason to eat at this restaurant. There are plenty of other good Italian restaurants in Richmond to visit...

Doesn't Recommend

annapurna5

Joined 5 years ago

Big name, little on everything else.. We called ahead for reservations for a party of 6 for a young mans birthday. No one made any reference when we arrived or during the course of the evening. The service was horrible with the exception that after dinner, I asked for an espresso and was told that the machine was broken, the waitress snuck next door to Ruth's Chris and got me a cup.

The food was forgettable if not downright inedible, and at these price points, it had better be memorable. We dine frequently at some of the best establishments from Washington to Savannah, and this is NOT one of them. I have had better pasta at an Olive Garden.

Doesn't Recommend

hungrydrummer

Joined 5 years ago

Decent service.....avaoid the pork.. Long story short, my wife and I head out to Bottega to have our first real meal out with our ten month old son. Couple glasses of wine, a basket of really chewy bread but fairly good service. Had the Calamari to start....huge portion, average quality. She orders the stuffed chicken off the regular menu and I decide on the $28 pork plate off the "Chef's Specials" page.....gotta be good right, the chef personally recommends it. So it turns out the pork is pieces of pork butt, AKA pork shoulder. The same cut people use to make pulled pork BBQ. A very tough, very fatty and very cheap cut if not the cheapest cut on the pig. There was more fat on the plate then meat and it was incredibly under seasoned. The dish was accompanied by a mound of again average mashed potatoes and a cluster of overcooked vegetables.

Now I'm no chef but I have spent many a weekend slow smoking countless pork butts with much, much better results. My gripe.....if you're gonna charge people $28 for a pork dish either serve them a better cut of meat or tell them up front they're gonna get a plate of fat with cafeteria quality sides.

On the way out we noticed everyone else was eating pizza. Maybe they'd tried the pork before as well?

Recommends

divjam

Joined 5 years ago

Great customer service and food (avoid on weekends). My wife and I just dined on a Tuesday evening at Bottega. We made a reservation through opentable, which worked out great, telling us what times and dates were available. We were immediately seated and a very charismatic waiter named Chris immediately approached us. Chris was extremely funny and very attentive to our needs. I had the veal scallopini and my wife had a tuna dish; both dishes were excellent. We also split a special salad arugola , which was unique and delicious. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant during the week. (My wife tried dining on a Friday night, the young hostress simply said, "Sorry, we have nothing availabe, but you can sit at the high rise tables.) One word of caution, dining isn't cheap, unless you get the pizza. The above dishes and one bottle of red wine + tip was $120. Bon Appetite!

Doesn't Recommend

courtneypaulk

Joined 5 years ago

Terrible Food and Service. Despite repeatedly bad experiences, my husband and I have continued to give this restaurant a shot. However, we have finally given up and will never go back there again. Generally, the wait-staff is incredibly inexperienced and the management could not have been less professional to us on at least two ocassions. The women's bathroom is always completely dirty and unkept. One time when I complained to the manager he said "you know we have all these unruly women in here that we just can't keep up with". On top of the insult to women, there was not even an apology or an assurance that it would be tended to (it wasn't). The last time we were there was the last day they were serving Sunday brunch (thank goodness). My husband ordered a club sandwich and it came without turkey on it, with mayonaise when he had requested no mayonaise and with the wrong side dish. My dish was completely cold (not just luke warm) and came without a few of the items mentioned on the menu. The couple next to us had just as bad an experience. When we asked to speak to the manager (because the waiter didn't know whether a club was supposed to have turkey on it) the waiter went to find him and came back and said "the manager is too busy to come talk with you." AMAZING! The restaurant wasn't even 1/4 full and the manager was too busy to speak with us. So... we now will be busy going to Ruth's Chris or Bookbinder's Grill and NOT spending our money at Bottega.

Recommends

luvtodineandtravel

Joined 6 years ago

Wonderful wine, great service. We arrived at Bottega Bistro, and instantly liked the darker atmosphere. Our online seating request was honored (intimate booth), and our server was wonderful. The bread was so dense it almost tasted like cake. not warm and yummy like many other restaurants. Was NOT impressed with the bread. We had a wonderful bottle of wine and the selection was decent. Had a chefs special appetizer, which was very good, but VERY heavy. Caesar salad (which is my most important "grading criteria" next to the steak) was phenomenal! I had steak as I do every week, and it was good, but not memorable like that of Mortons and/or Sensi on Cary st. Ordered bananas foster dessert which was completely disappointing because it had pineapples and not bananas. Also, there is no after dinner coffee menu like cappuchinos and lattes. Coffee and decaf only. Overall, it was a good experience, but for $180, I would go elsewhere.

Recommends

sunset2b

Joined 6 years ago

Absolutely the best value in Metro Richmond area. This is absolutely our favorite restaurant in the metro Richmond area. The food is always outstanding. The wine selection is extensive and the wait staff is knowledgeable, friendly and prompt. We have tried almost every dish on the menu and they have all been outstanding. And the best value in the area. As they say, "Save room for desert!"

Doesn't Recommend

st3v3

Joined 7 years ago

Poor Service. We ate there on an late Saturday afternoon and there were only about 4-5 other tables seated. It took well over 2 hrs to dine. The wait staff was more interested in talking with each other that serving their customers. in General service was terrible.

The food was ok, definately not on par with a restaurant of this type and the price.

They have missed the formula of operating a nice restaurant.

Recommends

dominique_a

Joined 8 years ago

Very pleasant, great food. I brought a group of about 10 here for my girlfriend's birthday and was very pleased with everything. The quality and presentation of the food overall was very good: careful and innovative. One of the things I appreciate about their menu is that you aren't restricted to entrees that START at $22 (like so many other restaurants in this city). You can order little gourmet pizzas or moderately priced pastas, so people in a group who wish to eat more modestly can do so. I did order a pricey entree, however (lamb), and it was terrific. And I must add that the service was outstanding. We had a large party with a complicated bill, and they could not have been more accommodating and pleasant. Very romantic ambience but also a great place to bring visiting family, too. It felt a bit pricey, but I will certainly come back.