Disrespectful owner throwing the most childish tantrum.
(Okay, this seven word review requires many many more words to clarify)
The beauty of growing up is that you are able to settle disagreements with words in a civil, adult manner, so I thought. What happened at Walon & Rosetti reminded me of being a kid again, and not in a good way, lots of yelling and people refusing to listen. Especially in a country like Germany where people are calm and controlled, what transpired was rather surreal.
- The reservation
I help organize a get together of people interested in food and drinks where we try out a different establishment each week. The day before the event, I tried to make a reservation for about 14 people and the man I spoke to told me that the largest table they can promise at 20:00 was for 10 people. No problem, the rest of us can stand (since the place is a restaurant bar hybrid) until more spots open up. I also asked him if we could get the next table that opens up for those that can't fit on the original table. He informed me that there is a group that will be seated at 18:30 and we can take that table once they leave. Perfect. So far so good.
- The day of
On the day of, as the organizer, I arrive 10 minutes early only to find few other people who arrived even earlier sitting on a table that was half vacated. No problem, we're early, and everyone hasn't arrived yet. I go and introduce myself to the owner as the guy who made the large reservation, and he informs me that the table for 10 was reserved for 20:30.
Fine, communication mistakes happen.
I also reminded him that I asked for the table that was seated at 18:30 and he says no problem.
Time passes, people show up, table doesn't open up in time so my friend and I are standing around the bar enjoying a beer when a table opens up. Thinking this was probably the table that was seated at 18:30, we sit down. Since the table can sit more than we need, a couple also sits down.
The owner then comes to the table and kicks everyone off saying the table is reserved. Okay, so maybe this wasn't the table. Understandable.
- The tantrum
Once I vacated my spot on the table, I go up to the owner to ask about the second table which is when he threw his tantrum.
"Excuse me..."
And that's as much as I was able to say before he started ranting at me about how we made a reservation for 10 at 20:30 (and conveniently not mentioning the second table). Every time I tried to say something he would cut me off with something like "no, I'm speaking" or "I don't want to have a discussion." He went as far as to say if I don't like it, I can just leave.
I had enough.
I informed the group about what happened and told them that I was leaving. Everyone decided to join me and we headed to another restaurant in the area (although settling the tab took quite some time).
- Conclusion
Needless to say this review is not about the quality or the food or the drinks of this establishment, but the utter disrespectfulness of the owner and the tantrum he threw. It should be no surprise that if I could give something lower than a one star review, I would.
As for the rest of the restaurant/bar...
The ambiance of the place is somewhere between hip and yuppie, a growing trend in the slowly gentrifying Bahnhofsviertel. However, unlike Plank or Maxie Eisen, which I find modest, this place is too pretentious like some of the bars targeting the afterwork bankers in Innenstadt.
Pretentious would also be the word to describe the menu. With wines priced north of 6EUR per glass (cocktails more expensive) and limited number of dishes in the 15-30EUR range, I was surprised to find this place listed under two euro marks on Yelp (should be three). The food on the other tables did look appetizing but considering the situation (restaurant bar hybrid) and location (few blocks away from the red light district), it's incredibly overpriced. There are plenty of good moderately priced restaurants in the area where the people will appreciate your business.
As for the service, with the owner manning the bar and two waiters/waitresses running the floor, the place is absolutely understaffed. Ordering drinks took more than twenty minutes as did settling the tab. Also, unsurprisingly, the overworked service staff aren't that friendly. I saw this pointed out in several other reviews and I couldn't agree more.
- To sum it up
Walon & Rosetti ultimately reminds me of a club, not a restaurant or a bar. It's hip, it's fashionable, but it's also cold and calculated. There is a self fulfilling prophecy in that you'll have a good time because you're supposed to have a good time, even if that means overpaying for underperformance. Many of us will fall under the spell, but luckily I was able to break out of it, because I now know what the owner really thinks about his customers. read more
