I couldn't get myself to give another star to this place.
Neumanali, I really wanted to like you, I did. I was so excited to have dinner there since I'd found it on Yelp and they had great reviews except for complaints that the service was slow, and I thought to myself, slow? Couldnt be that bad... I was so wrong.
3 of my girlfriends and I planned a date and I made reservations here a month in advance. A week before the date, I started looking at the menu, trying to decide what I wanted to get.. it was so difficult to decide between all the entrees, they all sounded delicious!
The day of the date came and I'd finally decided on ordering the lamb chops. Unfortunately, they were doing construction and had street closures on Hayward blvd so 2 of us got stuck in traffic. The other 2 of our friends got there on time, and ate bread and while waiting for us to arrive. We got there nearly 45 minutes late and right when we sat down, our server, who was also our host, goes, "so, you're finally here!" I started to complain about the construction situation and he put his hand up and said, "No, I don't wanna hear it." I didn't think much of it because I figured he was just joking. But after seeing his attitude during the rest of the dinner, I realize that he was being just plain RUDE.
Disappointment #1: They were out of lamb chops, which was not announced by the server when we were given our menus, but I found out from my friend who overheard the table next to her trying to order it.
Disappointment #2: Decided to go with the prime rib. Flagged the server down and indicated we wanted to order. He nodded but proceeded to get the water pitcher and walk around, filling up other customers glasses instead of taking our order. I had a slight inkling that he was upset that we were late, but there's no way to tell for sure.
Disappointment #3: The chef isn't happy with the way the prime rib is turning out, so the server offered to give me the filet mignon at the same sized portion with the same fixings at no additional cost. I decided to take him up on the offer.
The spicy shrimp appetizer comes and it's really good. The portion was a decent size and the 4 of us all enjoyed sharing it.
Disappointment #4: 1hr 10 minutes after the app - the food finally arrives and I'm given a filet mignon that was NOT prime rib portion, but with the same fixings. By then, I'm so exhausted from the drive and from waiting for the food that I felt like it wasn't worth it to ask for another steak. Taste-wise, my entrée wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either and the beef lacked seasoning.
We looked around for a manager or anyone else working there to complain about the prime rib situation, but it looked like our server was the only one working. After seeing his snappy attitude, the last thing I wanted to do was to deal with him.
Disappointment #5: The bill comes and I'd been charged the filet price for the filet portion. Frustrated and tired, I just decided to pay for it, leaving a not-so-generous tip and promising myself I'd never be back.
I know, I should've complained, but I didn't want to ruin our dinner date and trust me, things could get heated REAL fast when I complain. One thing is for sure, Neumanali has lost 4 returning customers from this experience. read more