Went for brunch and am already plotting when we will go back. The food was delish, I'd order the poached eggs with farro, squash and mushrooms again. They have the most lovely staff and friendly service, everyone was kind and professional even with a packed restaurant. They take reservations which is nice!! read more

worth the probable wait. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

We were able to basically walk in for lunch and thought it was pretty good. We ordered a refreshing and bitter dandelion leaf salad, this nettle cacao e Pepe that was quite interesting and also quite rich, and a lamb sausage pizza which was great. Very good dough. It's expensive, but I think basically worth the price. It's a good place to have more people because a lot of the stuff is very shareable. read more

We arrived just before opening for lunch service. There is a little bit of uncertainty over whether we could be seated or not. The interior is rustic, but modern, and after we sat, service was quick. We sat next to a group guys who seemed like old restauranteurs. The pizza was so delicious with its bubbly crust. If I could eat the sweet potatoes again, I would die happy. The salty crispy roasted sweet, covered in the jalapeño sauce, was perfection. The salad was also wonderfully composed with all of the jam, lettuce, apple and cheese. read more

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Gjelina gets lots of buzz from influencers and is crazy busy. However, based on the brunch we had last Sunday methinks this place is seriously overrated. Service was ok, ambiance is typical SoCal, the noise level in the dining room is intense, food was very good but not amazing considering the rep this place has. There's no place to wait when they are running behind so people just mill around on the sidewalk hoping their name will be called soon. BTW, parking on Abbot Kinney on the weekend is a nightmare. read more

I absolutely love the pizza here! It is made extremely well, you can taste the high-quality ingredients. The crust is fantastic as are the topics. It does get full here, so I suggest ordering at. Prices are fair, considering the quality and the pizzas are huge and plenty to share between a few people. Highly recommended! read more

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I was nervous to try Gjelina but was pleasantly surprised! We came around 6 on a weekend night and were able to get seated immediately without a reservation. The dimly-lit restaurant had a warm, intimate vibe well-suited for a date night. We got a couple things to share. The Grilled & Raw Rosalba Radicchio salad we got was amazing; I really loved the balsamic vignette and all the flavors in this dish. Liked the four onion pizza as well, could've skipped the Chicken Pasta and the Mushroom Toast. The Saffron pasta (the exact name I forget) was delicious, I really liked the texture of the pasta. It was cooked perfectly, and made in house I hear. We got the butterscotch pot as dessert -- this we could've also skipped, as it felt a bit overly sweet. Highly recommend the Salad & Saffron pasta. Had a wonderful meal and Gjelina, looking forward to visiting its New York location as well :) read more

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Food 3/5: food is good but small portion like appetizer than main dish. Be prepared to order two to three dishes per person. No modification of the dishes is allowed. Service 4/5: service is great and professional. Food is served without much wait. read more

I am sorry to have to post this review but after living in Venice off Abbot for 11 years, I have been to this place 3 times and all 3 times I've been wildly consistently disappointed by the apathetic hostesses who act like your presence is a burden and every time I'm underwhelmed by the food. After mh first experience I said I'd never return to give them my business, but unfortunately I've returned for birthday dinners. The only reason people love this place is because of the vibe or appearance. This is a great place for out-of towners to go and say they went to gjelina. The other restaurant that gives the same vibe of NOT wanting your presence is RVR on Abbott. RVR is a new venture by Travis Lett, the former co-owner of Gjelina. He must teach or hire the exact same hostesses because they treat people like a burden upon entering. They're all the same "type" , pretty, and couldn't be bothered to display any level of customer service or kind greeting. My suggestion.... Head to Barrique or Owa where the staff is wonderful, or skip AK all together and go to Rose- Wallflower, Chulita or cafe gratitude... all of these places have much better staff members and are very happy to have you. read more

A wonderful atmosphere and a nice service. The steak sandwich is crispy and soft. The Gelato and the coffee are perfect. Why don't I visit again? read more

Tried Gjelina with the wifey per her request. It's a restaurant she's heard of before and been wanting to try. We went just around lunch time and saw that there was plenty on their menu. Didn't know what to try so we asked our server for recs but she pretty much said "can't go wrong - they're all good"...so that was a big help... Ultimately chose the Duck Hash and the Mushroom Truffle Pizza. We were pretty satisfied with it. The food was definitely good. I want to give a 4 stars but the rest of the experience was just okay. It took a long time to finally get our waters - we finally got it when the food came out. And we were just kind of sitting there for a while before someone asked us about our drinks or to take our food order. I might be nitpicking this time, but I would expect more from a restaurant like this. Food was good, but not SO good that it made us overlook these other things. read more

Gjelina - Mushroom Truffle Pizza - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Absolutely perfect breakfast / lunch experience at Gjelina. Fresh, delicious, fare that tastes so nourishing and flavorful! Generous, warm and friendly staff. Can't say enough about what a lovely experience this is-- it's truly a place to be a "regular." read more

Good service- they were able to accommodate us as a walk in on New Year's Eve. The staff was very nice. The food was good but nothing groundbreaking. The Brussel sprouts were a bit undercooked and the pizza was decent. It's a fun vibe and great location, but not sure I would go back solely for the food. read more

Ok, what can I add here... Gjelina has 5,200+ (!) reviews and 4500+ (!) photos... (So I'm not gonna add more pics) And that kinda tells you everything you need to know. All of the food items here are off-the-charts amazing *BOOM* I'll add: go with a group (that's open minded) and order a _lot_ of items, share & taste them, and then debate which ones you like more & why. It's extremely awesome food and packed with customers for a reason. Atmosphere is very hip & trendy. Our service was good. So overall why only 'Great' vs 'Good'? You can easily spend into three digits per person here... It's worth it, but whoa... I'm still going back read more

Gjelina - Obligatory menu pic - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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We visited this restaurant because it was one of the Chase Sapphire perks. It was well worth the drive from North of LA. We had a lovely waitress named Alley who recommended several of the menu items we ordered, like the Gruyere, Caramelized Onion & Fromage Blanc pizza and the Grilled Kabocha Squash with Mint Pistou, pomegranate and red walnuts. Oh my gosh, those were so good. My husband's favorite was the broccolini with plenty of confit garlic and a slight chili taste. And I'd say the Japanese sweet potato and Brussel sprouts were totally unique and great tasting too. The restaurant was crowded for a Saturday brunch, so make a reservation (we still waited a bit). We sat upstairs which was quiet and would have been perfect on a typical LA warm day, but the inside was bustling, so take your pick. The price is a bit high, but we were full on the vegies and pizza, and Alley was so great, checking on us and making sure the food came out timely and we were enjoying everything. A lovely experience. read more

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I underestimated the restaurant at first, I will admit. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the food and the eggs with black pepper were the best eggs I have had in my entire life. Rigo was my server and he was very good. He refilled my coffee 3 times and checked for how the food tasted and ensured I received my food on time. The atmosphere was strong with the beautiful greeter at the front ensuring a smooth transition to my seat. I highly recommend coming here, especially for the top notch customer-service and atmosphere. read more

Excellent food. Ambiance inside is okay but would have preferred to be outside. In front of house seemed a bit confused and unclear why we couldn't sit outside. read more

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As a local and customer from the earliest days of Travis Lett, when Gjelina's vegetables, salads and super thin pizzas where revolutionary, I am thankful for what it did in excelling in the wood-fired restaurant concept and in giving vegetables their due. Now, sadly, I cannot recommend Gjelina. It needs, very badly, to get over itself. Hostesses don't care that you have a reservation. You wait anyway. No sorries on their part. We came at the early end of lunch, for the lunch menu. Well, they decided to serve brunch instead, so the items we wanted, under the usual "plates" section of the menu, weren't available. Pivot. So, we ask about dessert, do they have the date cake, as that is what we really came for. They were out of it last night the waiter says.He sees that we are sad, so, he checks and says they have it. Later, he says they don't. Their multigrain pancake is one pancake, not a thick pancake, not a very dense or grainy pancake, not a pancake that fills the plate. It's not even hot when it arrives. Total dud. The pizzas were still good (redeemed a few stars). save yourself the giant heap of attitude, the indifference and the mediocre food. you aren't doing us a favor by letting us sit at your restaurant and spending money. Maybe you're all just phoning in the cooking and the service as tourists have descended on your restaurant. whatever it is, it's sad. go to SUPERBA, on Lincoln, for excellent food and cheerful service. they will be happy to have you. read more

Kitchen opens for dinner at 5:30 and that was actually the only reservation time that was open when I reserved. Indoor and outdoor seating. - Pomodoro pizza with buratta was amazing. Springy crust. Perfect thickness - wood roasted cauliflower - I'm not a cauliflower lover but I would eat this every day if I could. -grilled Yu choy which was exactly like bok choy just longer pieces. Great flavor. read more

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We were ambitious and arrived early expecting to be in a line for brunch. We arrived at 9:15am and got seated promptly, so we were able to have a breakfast. We got our choice of an outdoor table and the outdoor space has just the right amount of sun coverage while also letting in light and warmth. The staff were also very attentive to put up my umbrellas as the day got warmer. We ordered the Moroccan egg and blueberry waffles entrees. The server gave us the option to have our savory food first then bring out our sweet after we had finished the first item. This worked great because the table for two was just the right size for sharing one large plate at a time. The Moroccan egg entree had little pieces of sausage, the tomato was savory and not sour, and the eggs were perfectly runny. Paired with the toast, it was excellent. The pancakes were above my expectation - although you get a stack of 3, they are moist and don't feel dry in your mouth at all. The ricotta and blueberry syrup were very fresh. Bonus points for having so many blueberries on the plate, it felt like they were a star and not just a dish garnish. Our server had such great timing that he arrived at all the right times to switch our plates for clean ones and switch out the entree. Our waters were refilled generously as well. Our meal was not rushed at all and we got the check at a very natural end of the meal, even though the line was out the door by the time we exited the restaurant. It's clear that gjelina has a commitment to great service and great food without leaning into being a stuffy brunch place. And the location is amazing - it's right around the corner from a city lot that offers free/really cheap parking. read more

Gjelina - Lemon ricotta Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes, Blueberry Compote & Creme Fraiche - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Came here for brunch and put our name down with the hostess. When we checked back an hour later, our table still wasn't ready. After waiting 90 minutes, we were finally seated outside. Once we ordered, they asked us to move to a smaller table, which we agreed to, only to be moved again shortly after. The whole process felt disorganized and frustrating. The service was slow and inattentive, and when the pizza finally arrived, it was cold. Overall, the restaurant felt overcrowded, loud, and poorly managed. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. read more

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Came in with a reservation for dinner on a Wednesday and had to wait about 10 minutes only to be seated in an isolated bar type area with only a few stools and not a lot of space. Our waiter seemed disinterested and not once did he come and check on us during our meal. While we saw him check up on other tables, we were indivisible to him. To make matters worse after we had finished eating it took forever for him to come around and ask us if we wanted dessert or our bill. Food was good but nothing to write home about. Overall very disappointed in the dining experience. read more

Gjelina, is a must stop when on Abbot. With delectable plates, and a hipster ambiance it's exactly what Venice Beach is all about. An intricate menu of assorted decadence, it's truly hard to go wrong with your order, so long as you've read the ingredients description correctly, so eyes open folks! Some of our loved dishes are most DEFINITELY the lemon ricotta pancakes, sumac eggplant, lamb pizza and most definitely the cucumber lemon salad! Each item is a flavor bomb, holding its own, until you're ready to move on to the next. To truly enjoy such a gem, make sure to order at least three items off the menu, and feed family style. To truly enjoy is to truly try different items off their exquisite menu. Don't just take my word for it, make a reservation and check it out for yourself. Cheers to neighborhood eats Yelpers xx read more

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I travelled all the way from Orange County because of a meeting and one of the Caucasian waitress as well as one of the Caucasian hosts were super rude and you can see in the way they look at you plus the side eye. These women need not be racist! read more

Phenomenal pizza and cauliflower helped kickoff our incredible dinner. Followed by mouth watering duck with tart and tangy cherries along with delicious steak with green peppercorn. So good!! read more

Gjelina - Cauliflower so good we only took after photos. Lol. - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Having just gotten into town in Las Vegas and staying at the Palazzo, we were already planning on eating an easy first-night meal at Grand Luxe. But then I saw this as one of the new restaurants on the property, and saw the terms "produce-forward" and "farm-to-table," and we immediately reversed course. The only problem was that everything on the menu sounded so good and so interesting. Fortunately, we had Liz, an excellent server, who patiently explained everything and answered all of our many questions. She spoke so poetically and passionately about each dish, which didn't make our decisions any easier! :) When she said this restaurant was "the cleanest and most locally sourced" on the Strip, I was in love and wanted to eat every meal here for the rest of our trip. She told us that people actually do that, and told us we could come back for lunch the next day and try more things. (In case you wonder, as I did, what "locally sourced" means in Vegas...it means it's locally sourced from Venice, California, home of the flagship restaurant. With her guidance, though, to start, we ordered the English peas in a butter-miso sauce, which was so simple, yet so delicious. We also shared the endive and sunchoke salad with a beautiful lemon preserve dressing. My husband got the sea bass, which came whole, head-on, and Liz pointed out all the features of the fish (the cheek meat had the best flavor, and she indicated where all the pin bones were that he should watch for). We asked her 'what the cool kids" order as far as the pizza, and she said the Guanciale was by far the coolest. Knowing it had Fresno chiles on it, I asked her if it was spicy and she assured me that it wasn't, that she also is spice-sensitive and that nothing on the menu was really spicy. Well...it got spicier as I ate it, so I must be REALLY spice-sensitive. I also thought it was a tad too oily on the bottom for my liking. But other than that, we enjoyed our meal. And the decor is beautiful ... stunning, actually. My husband was enthralled with the Venetian plaster (even the ceiling!). We were here a few months ago, and had no idea all this was going on behind that Instagrammable "Want the World" lighted sign. Funny thing, we did plan on coming back for lunch, but we were so full from that dinner that we didn't eat a thing at all the next day until dinnertime. And we already had reservations at Bavette's so we didn't end up going again. But next time we're there, it's definitely in the plan! Oh, and they make their own sourdough every day, which we really wanted to try, as well, so there's a reason right there to go back. read more

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Unimpressive. We ordered from the cafe. Two salads, one slice of pizza, two small premade smoothies and a cup of coffee. the total was $62. The salads were below average and bizarre, pizza was good and smoothies were terrible and tasted old. I would not return. read more

The salad with the Shropshire blue cheese was pretty good. The lamb merguez is served with mint and yogurt. I thought the yogurt was perfection. The selection of charcuterie came with pickled vegetables. I would have never thought about placing kimchi on charcuterie. The red pickled onions must've been pickled in some type of sweet wine. It was quite distinctive. I had to give this place only three stars because the service was a tad slow. The offensive odor in the men's restroom was disappointing. There is an automatic 20% service charge. read more

Gjelina - Shropshire blue cheese salad with radish and snow peas - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Where do I begin? I was led to the second floor and the dining room looked like a construction site. See photos attached. The room smelled like BO-- it is a hot summer night and only the windows are open. My friend and I ordered the saffron spaghetti and the lamb sausage pizza. The spaghetti was just OK. The sausage pizza was terrible! I couldn't eat it. We switched it out for a truffle mushroom pizza. Unfortunately, we both thought this pizza tasted awful too. What could we do at this point after already switching out a pizza earlier? We just sucked it up, took a few bites and asked for the check. We were thinking to order the butterscotch pot beforehand because it looks pretty good in photos, but we didn't want to risk ordering something else we didn't like here. I don't understand the hype and definitely won't be coming back. read more

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Fun place. Cool hangout. Terrific food. Hipsters galore and pretty ladies. I'm Joseph Miller starring in "Eddie" on Amazon Prime. Also the "story teller" voice on Tiktok and for you young hipsters out there I'm the voice of "Marcus the Worm" which is burning up the internet now. "Robert, I don't like this rock". Ha. read more

Gjelina is consistently good but doesn't stand out more than a tourist spot. They have cute seating both indoors and outdoors, and it's good for either a date night or larger parties. One complaint I have is that I've rarely been seated on time with a reservation and they only tell you about the automatic 20% gratuity when you get your bill. Food-wise, it's pretty pricey for the portions you get, but the dishes are always on point. The saffron spaghetti, mussels, lamb sausage pizza, half chicken, and date cake are some of my favorite dishes from here. read more

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Had a really disappointing experience here that left a bad taste, and honestly felt borderline discriminatory. We came in as a party of two (we're Asian), and were told the wait would be about 45 minutes. Totally fine we added our name to the list and waited patiently. When we finally got the text that our table was ready, we came back promptly... only to be told to wait again. While we stood there, we noticed something odd. Several groups all non-Asian, and some who arrived after us being seated ahead of us, without explanation. We stayed polite, but it felt off. After about 10 more minutes, I kindly showed the host the confirmation message we'd received. They finally brought us to a table... but it was a cramped, dark corner with barely enough room to move. It felt like a table they didn't want to use unless they absolutely had to. There were multiple people squished in the table . On top of that it seemed like the Asians were also sat there. Now after reading multiple reviews it seems like this hasn't just happened to me but to other non Caucasian ppl as well. At that point, I asked if we could be seated at one of the w open, well-lit tables for two that were clearly empty. The host quickly said, "Sorry, those are reserved." Which clearly didn't make sense as one Caucasian man was sitting by himself in the booth clearly surrounded by two empty tables beside him. I'm not sure it felt off and I told the host "that's ok " and me and my partner ended up taking our business elsewhere. The hostess and host acted like we were an inconvenience and seemed extremely stuck up. Overall I will be taking my business elsewhere. read more

Our experience at Gjelina was just alright. We ate here during the lull between the lunch rush and dinner so were seated quickly. The service was adequate and quick. We had the burrata appetizer and anchovy & pickled lemon pizza. The burrata was alright but the greens/salad that attended it was the best a part. Very fresh and tasty greens. The pizza wasn't very good and the toppings were pretty sparse. The dough was mid. Definitely felt it wasn't worth the $20+ price they were charging for it. Overall our experience was just fairly middling with nothing super offensive and nothing super great. read more

Rude and NOT pet friendly. We initially came here to checkout the restaurant. We didn't consider dining in yet as we just wanted to feel out the vibes and check out the menu, but a staff member rudely came up to us and asked if our dog is a service animal followed by a very snarky "We only allow service animals here" response as if we're idiots. We've been turned away before by other establishments but they were more polite than the staff from this restaurant. Considering their average reviews, there are plenty of other better and pet-friendly options down Abbot Kinney. Thanks for nothing Gjelina! read more

After a fairly poor first impression with Gjelina two years ago, a friend and I decided to give it another shot this past week. From our first step into the space, the atmosphere could not have been colder. We arrived early for our reservation and staff treated us as if we were intruding. Sure, we're in Venice. Being too cool is par for the course. We ordered oysters upon seating and perused the menu for options that fit within the admittedly strict dietary requirements that my friend had. Living with numerous allergies and restrictions, he had already checked their menu and website to ensure he had enough options to choose from. Nowhere on their website stated their very strict "NO MODIFICATION" policy. We placed our order with minor adjustments (no chili oil) and were told immediately that no modifications were allowed. My friend clarified that it was due to a severe allergy and asked if he could show our server a list of foods he is able to eat. The server said he could show him the list but it wouldn't make a difference. I mentioned to the server that I suddenly remembered them being infamous for their policy and that they were involved in a public celebrity incident in the early 2010's with Victoria Beckham. He rolled his eyes and said that wasn't true and continued to stand there while we went line by line and explained which food items would not be suitable. After our server suggested a few things on the menu that did not fall within any of my friend's dietary restrictions, we expressed our disappointment and said we'd prefer the check. The attitude of our server at this point was at best, annoyed and at worst, condescending with several facial expressions and mumbled sentiments that this restaurant wasn't a fit for someone with such severe food restrictions. Again, the only modification to three dishes we wanted to order was simply the omission of chili oil. We both work in hospitality and were completely floored with his lack of compassion or willingness to offer any sort of possible solution. It was a complete stalemate. I cannot wrap my head around the reason why an establishment in one of the most notoriously picky food cities in the world would pride themselves on being harshly unaccommodating but I guess it's because they simply can. I also don't understand why a server would choose to or be trained to communicate said philosophy in a way that would certainly guarantee a non-repeating customer. For all of these reasons, we won't be giving Gjelina a third chance. Had our final interaction been more pleasant, I'd have little problem visiting solo but even without eating our dinner there, we were left with a sour taste filling our mouths. read more

The main restaurant was under construction, but I was able to snag a veggie sandwich for lunch. Loved the pickled turnip and the vinegar-y sprouts. Definitely a cramped space with the restaurant being out of commission but in the meantime certainly recommend for takeaway! read more

Gjelina - Veggie sandwich - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Food is decent. Waiter knowledgeable but the experience is poor. They insist you order all at once and they will "course it out". That resulted in us getting appetizer, then salad and not enough time to eat that before mains appeared on the too small table for 5. It just feels like a factory and like they don't care to make it more enjoyable. They don't take substitutions or anything. Again fine but it feels like a bit of a grind rather than a relaxing dinner. read more

Had a pretty large group here for a work dinner. We sat upstairs outside and the ambiance was great. Went through sunset to darkness. We got a little bit of everything for the whole table. The salads were good, and I normally don't eat my veggies. The pizza was the surprise winner of the night for me. The crust was perfect. Crunchy but chewy. I really liked the vegetarian pizza too and I'm a die hard carnivore! The pasta and cauliflower were decent. The mushroom....amazing! Don't skip it. The chicken was good but I was way too full to enjoy it. The desserts were a haze but I remember it being decadent. The wine refills came often and overall a great place if you have a large group! read more

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Stopped by Gjelina just for dessert on a Sunday night. Ordered the Butterscotch Pot de Creme and Yogurt Panna Cotta with Mango and Lime Zest. Pros: - Great ambience with dim lighting and some communal tables - We were able to walk in with no reservations likely because it's a large space - Super friendly server! No cons! Can't wait to come back for dinner - we were seated near the fresh fruit storage and the prosucitto/salami slicer and it all looked so delish and fresh! read more

Gjelina - Butterscotch Pot de Crème and Yogurt Panna Cotta - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Heard this place was great for brunch. My opinion is that it is just ok. We had reservations and had a corner table. Server came quickly but we needed a few extra minutes to figure out our order. Big mistake there. Took him forever it seemed to come back. He seemed to chatting it up with another table. Anyway, when he did come back, we have him our orders. One member of my party specifically said he didn't want mushrooms. Turns out the waiter didn't hear that and when the omelet came, uhhh it had mushrooms. Waiter then proceeded to tell us that they make ZERO substitutions. According to him, the food is already prepped that way. The waiter admitted he didn't hear the request though everyone at my table did. I ordered the buckwheat blueberry pancakes. Presentation was very nice but the pancakes were very dense and quite dry. I definitely wouldn't order again. Took a long time to get that check too and then.... What really surprised me was the mandatory 20% tip. I have no problem tipping for good service and majority of the time, I do give 20% but to say it is MANDATORY on the bill? Come to think of it, I am not sure if it said 20% is a mandatory tip or 20% was a mandatory charge? I did a bit of reading and "A tip is voluntarily left by the patron, while a mandatory service charge is a mandatory charge to the patron" Either way, not sure what was the service I was paying for because none of it was really very good....definitely wasn't a good experience.. Not cool. Yeah....definitely won't go back. read more