Vegan options was a plain pizza with just vegan ricotta on it. the vegan ricotta was VERY sweet, like sugary. like a cake lol. I don't know how. I just eat and review it. For the $20+ pizza I wouldn't recommend. Glad they have options tho for everyone. I remember my boyfriend pizza(cheese/meat normal ) being a little on the burnt side, but it's wood-fire can't complain too much. Service- was ok I only picked up to go so I can't say. Ambiance- was super busy and packed but we did pick up so not a problem. read more

I wanted to love this place so much. It's tucked in a cute downtown area of Lemont and has all the potential to be one of my new favorite places. It's 4:30pm and when I walk in, it's not busy, and I'm asked if I have a reservation. I get it. You're cool and want me to notice. I'm seated in the corner next to a door that I'm assured won't be used while I'm here. (Spoiler alert - it was, in fact, used by patrons and staff alike.) But the menu looks amazing. We start with the toasted focaccia and whipped ricotta with honeycomb. It's good. Not the best I've ever had, but solid. The wood fired pizza is also good, but, again, not great. But solid. We decided not to linger and get drinks or dessert because the restaurant was filling up and it got loud fast. Really loud. Like, I need my check right now loud. Four stars because it was almost great, and I want to go back and try more of the things. read more

Wooden Paddle - Toasted focaccia with whipped ricotta and honey - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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Food: the food here is amazing! The Pepperonly pizza is the best pepperoni pizza I have ever had. Their mocktails are delicious too. 5/5 Service: we came around 6 PM and I can say that it wasn't a long wait at all. The server was able to sit us within five minutes. The space is small but lovely! The venue is kind friendly and pets can sit outside if the weather permits. 5/5 Ambiance: the venue is simple but comfy. I love that in the center of the room, you can watch the pizzas being made. I found the experience to be calming. The music wasn't loud, which I like! 5/5 Overall: 15/15 read more

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It wasn't very busy when we arrived for brunch on Sunday. We had mimosas which we enjoyed. My son in law ordered the coffee which came as a French press. The coffee had a slightly burnt flavor and he left half of it. There appeared to only be one waiter so though he was attentive for a while, that dropped off as more and more tables came in. My daughter and I are vegetarians so we ordered the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast pizza without the ham and prosciutto. It looked good, but there was no pesto present so the flavor was very bland. My son in law ordered the Peach Pancakes, but they were very, very sweet. We ordered the Monkey Bread as a starter but it came last. It looked good, but the bottom was burnt and overall they were dry. Not a great experience. I enjoy the trendy feel of the dining room, but I think we'll only do dinner there which we have enjoyed in the past. read more

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Second time in, we had a great meal. The seasonal ravioli was yummy, I do wish there was a pinch more sausage. The shroom pizza we had was great! Our server was as such a nice young man. A bit chilly sitting in the window seat. But overall a great experience. Can't wait to go back and try something else! read more

Wooden Paddle - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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I was so excited to go to wooden paddle after looking at their menu online, I saw so many options right up my alley. The restaurant is clean, however it was very busy and somewhat small. It was extremely loud in there. To drink I got the fire and ice, which if you like mezcal I would recommend. For an app we got the mushroom stack, which was good, had a little spice, and probably my favorite thing I tried. The fried Brie was also good. For pizza, my sis and I split the white pie, which was simple and okay. To me it looked and sounded better than it actually was. Nothing I tried was overwhelmingly good or that I'd say you absolutely have to get, but nothing was bad either. Dessert we got the ooey gooey butter cake. I'd skip out on this one. No one at the table of 8 of us cared for it. Service was really good here and you'll always have your drinks full and be able to put your order in, get your check or ask whatever question you might have. They were wonderful, attentive and kind. read more

Wooden Paddle - Pretty Fly for a White Pie, Champagne Mushroom Stack - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

So good. Make reservations and go for it. The pizza is wood-fire and excellent. So good, I missed a picture. We had pepperoni and margaritas pizza. We also dined on Caesar salad, ravioli, octopus, short ribs and bread and butter. We were a party of 8 so make reservations. read more

Wooden Paddle - Wood-Fired Octopus - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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It's no surprise that Wooden Paddle made Yelp's Top Places to Eat list! The intimate and cozy vibe is exactly what I wanted on this Sunday night. FYI, the menu changes by the season, so don't be surprised if something you see on the menu now, isn't on later! It was nice to hear that they tend to keep items that sell well. Our server was so kind and you could tell she knew the menu well and enjoys her job. The food came out timely (faster than we anticipated) and was hot and fresh. My personal favorite was The Last Straw (cocktail) and the Bbq Crispy Pork Belly. Will be trying the new Lemont location next! read more

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I LOVE the vibe of this restaurant. It is so cozy and family friendly, but also makes for a fun date spot. I am gluten free and they have options for gf pizzas but most recently I came for appetizers and I got the "mozzarella brick" which is exactly as incredible and indulgent as it sounds. A massive mozzarella stick is probably on the wish list of most gluten free folks, I am thankful for wooden paddle for providing it. read more

Not many places truly do wood burning stove pizza as well as these guys. Done right, you should get a to-die for crust that's crispy yet light and tender inside. The pizza crust is the star of Neapolitan pizza, and I they really do a great Margherita style pizza with fresh mozzarella. Getting hungry for their pizza just writing this. It's a bit of a drive for me but worth the distance. Only have eaten there for lunch but always had great service and yummy food. Give them a try if you want the real deal! read more

Went out on a Saturday night, very busy but overall still good service. The cheese Arancini's just lacked flavor, the pasta is store bought not made fresh. Maybe I should have just ordered their pizza bc the pasta is NOT good at all. The only pasta made in house is the ravioli, we ordered that.. and it was JUST ok. Do not get pasta here! read more

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Came here once again with my husband and the food was great, it's a very small place so everyone is seated very close together. Overall love coming here read more

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Love this place and its contribution to Lemont community and culture. It is in a league of its own. Talented staff, interesting food. As others have mentioned, when it is at max capacity, it can get very loud. Check it out during a non-peak time to get the best experience! read more

We recently celebrated my boyfriend's birthday at Wooden Paddle with a group of our friends and family on a weekday evening. It's a great spot for groups--spacious, lively, and the food came out quickly and tasted amazing. We especially appreciated the casual yet refined atmosphere - it was the perfect balance for a more casual celebration. However, I do need to call out a serious concern with the menu for those with dietary restrictions. About half of our group was vegetarian and ordering for them became unexpectedly frustrating. The back of the menu clearly states that all fried items are cooked in beef tallow--yet several of those same items are marked with a vegetarian symbol on the menu. That contradiction is incredibly misleading and honestly feels like a disaster waiting to happen. This kind of inconsistency isn't just confusing, it's unacceptable. The menu desperately needs to be updated to reflect what's actually vegetarian and at the very least the staff should be properly informed as well. Our waitress had to ask the kitchen for each appetizer we ordered as she was unsure what was & wasn't vegetarian friendly. Service-wise, our experience was hit-or-miss. Our server wasn't particularly friendly and seemed slightly annoyed with us, many in our group felt this energy from her. Although it seemed more like we got unlucky rather than it being the norm--the rest of the staff seemed warm and attentive. The birthday cake situation was another disappointment. I handed the cake (with candles) to the hostess when I arrived and had confirmed by email ahead of time that bringing an outside cake was perfectly fine--they even said they'd cut and serve it. By the end of dinner, it still hadn't been brought out. I slipped away from the table & asked our server about it, and she responded with, "Oh, there's a cake?" When she eventually brought it over, it was still in the box with the candles sitting on top--completely unlit. I totally understand if they weren't able to cut and serve it, but I at least expected it to arrive ready to celebrate. All in all, we still had a good time and the food was great--but for a place that clearly cares about creating a polished experience, the inconsistencies with dietary labeling and service really stood out. I'd return but with a smaller group and lower expectations until those issues are addressed. read more

Chicken is dry, hard, and mostly breading. Way too much sauce, it was like a soup. Food all came out at different times for all 4 of us at the table. Overpriced crap food. read more

I went to my first tasting menu and it was a blast! It was a "The Bear" themed menu and they even got the Carmy look alike winner to attend the event. Although it was a bit cramped, the food was delicious! For $79 per person, we had 8 different shared courses. The bread with really good butter was just that - really good! My favorite was the truffle butter with the vanilla honey a close second. The pastas, the Seabass and ribeye were excellent! I had a great time and would definitely look forward to attending the future tastings. read more

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I was given a gluten pizza at the La grange location. This is after I told the waiter and noted on our open table reservation that I can't eat gluten or dairy. We went for my birthday and thanks to the mistake I felt ill on my birthday. After the waiter realized he did this, he then tried to offer me a slice of cake if crème brûlée! Hello, gluten and dairy free, neither of those items are both gluten and dairy free. Very upsetting they didn't take care for someone with food issues. read more

We snagged a last minute reservation after always seeing a lot of folks here when we stopped across the street for ice cream at the creamery, and I'm so glad we did. Inside, Wooden Paddle is a comfortable but upscale pizza spot. A family would fit right in here, but so would a romantic date night. My husband and I came here to celebrate our anniversary, and the staff here was so excited to be part of the celebration. Our cocktails were delicious, but the bar seemed a bit backed up so it took a while for us to get our first round of drinks and my drink arrived almost 10 minutes before my husbands. We ordered the Humboldt and prosciutto toast, fried Brie and the hot Seoul mate pizza, and ended the night with the gooey butter cake. The food was delicious, though the appetizers weren't particularly memorable and I know we're looking forward to going back someday for another date night or a night out with some friends. The menu had lots of great sounding options I'm eager to explore! read more

Wooden Paddle - Cucumber melon cocktail - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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We came out here to try this very beautiful place due to social media. The interior is absolutely gorgeous and the service was great. I really liked their sodas and thought it was a cool idea. I did really appreciate that they had better ingredients in their food as I do have a sensitive stomach. However, the food is very pricey for its location. The duck ragu sounded good but I was not a big fan of it. It was a small portion for the price in my opinion and it was lacking in flavor. I tasted an odd, greasy duck taste that I am unsure how to explain. The pizza was good but is not filling. The pizza is on the light side and is great for a nice snack with friends. But meal wise, it was not satisfying. The KBBQ pizza was flavorful and tasty as well as the Buzzkill. I am a huge arugula and prosciutto pizza lover, but this one was not that great to me. Maybe mine needed more balsamic glaze. I was happy that my stomach wasn't hurting, which is a norm for pizza. However, I LOVED the gluten-free crust!!! I was absolutely obsessed with it. It tasted like a crispy but chewy rice paper to me... and that is absolutely divine. It was extra but it was just so yummy... sucks it was so good since I don't want to pay $30 for a light pizza again :( Overall, this is the perfect place for you if you want a very social media post friendly place or a beautiful area to hang out with friends. read more

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Wonderful New Year's Eve! The menu was delicious especially the melt in your mouth sea bass and having a pizza to go for after a night out of partying. You guys are the best! I can't wait for the Lagrange location to open in the new year! read more

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Honestly was going to rate it much higher at first. Loved the atmosphere and the food smelled amazing. The app came out with our pizza which is okay but it didn't happen to the table next to us (who was practically on top of us and they were very uncomfortable). we were without drinks several times and the waiter seemed to avoid our table vs anyone else's. When we asked for a box, he packed it for us (which I thought was kind) until he threw all the scraps of food we clearly didn't want into the box right on top of the pizza...If you do go, I recommend the rocketman pizza. The pizza was still good, the service ruined it for us. read more

Wooden Paddle - The Original Mr. Beef - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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My review is long overdue. My boyfriend and I have been coming here regularly for over 3 years now! We come at least once a month to get our pizza and drinks. My boyfriend is obsessed with the sausage fest, which never disappoints him. I always try a new pizza and have NEVER been upset with my decision! I've tried the rocket man, smoke & shrooms, Gettin Figgy with it, Pretty fly, buzzkill... i've tried everything. The flavor is beyond comparable to any other restaurant. I'm writing this review because we recently went to Italy and were hunting for the best pizza of our lives there, and as expected, Wooden Paddle pizza STILL remained #1. We had a pizza multiple times a day in Italy, trying to find the one that would top Wooden Paddle, and we didn't find it. Add a side of pesto to wooden paddle pizza??? Absolute heaven. This place is our fave spot ever, always inviting all of our family members and friends here for dinners and hangouts. We love to try the new cocktails that come out & my boyfriend is a huge fan of their old fashioned. The ambiance of the restaurant is always super chill & they have remained so true to themselves, regardless of opening up another location. Lemont Wooden Paddle is our top place to eat & that will never change!! Thank you so much to all the cooks and servers who have been so lovely and make amazing food. Y'all are the best! If you've never been here, i'm sorry & also... you should change that. You're missing out if you've never tried their pizza! Trust, maybe it'll heal your soul. read more

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The interesting thing about doing these reviews is that is that I'll get way more review views on my Google Maps vs Yelp. My Yelp reviews just get pushed down more whereas my Google will stay towards the top. With that said, I'm sure my loyal followers/readers will find this particular information useful. Before going to Wooden Paddle, make sure you sign up for their Pie Society. They only ask you a few questions. No biggie. Once you get to the end, they'll send you some offers to use while you're in store. These offers are for free pizza, pasta, snack, or dessert. Yes you read that right. You can only use one per visit, one per table, and it's dine-in only. Just a quick FYI, the executive chef Patrick Cassata was on Hell's Kitchen. I believe it was season 10. Parking is tricky. However, if you go on a weeknight then you should be able to find some street parking as well as the free parking lot that's like a block away. It's like a 2-3 min walk. We didn't need a reservation since we went on a Wed night close to 8 pm. The interior was trendy and stylish, even the bathrooms were colorful. Service was great. We ordered squash ricotta toast, duck around and find out pizza, smoke + 'shrooms pizza, and ooey gooey butter cake. I would come back. I didn't have any burnt pizzas, cold food items, etc. Overall my experience was 4.5 but I'll round it to 5 on the scale. -squash ricotta toast 4 - the size was bigger than I thought, that's a good thing. Toast was soft and crispy. The butternut squash I wanted it to have a more prominent taste than subtle. I definitely tasted the herbed ricotta. -duck around and find out pizza 5 - I love duck. I was surprised to see this on a pizza. It worked well. Duck was very tender and not dry. Along with the sauce, cheese, and caramelized onions, it was a fantastic combo. -smoke + 'shrooms pizza 5 - you can't miss the truffle smell. The cheese, thyme, mushrooms, and black truffle purée made the pizza super flavorsome and mouth watering. I would easily order this again. -ooey gooey butter cake 5 - very good dessert. It was my first time eating something like this. It wasn't too sweet or too sour. It was a good harmony. read more

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This review is based off of a carry out order via ordering online. My friends and I were in the area and decided to grab some pizza from wooden paddle. We ordered online and the application is user friendly and simple to navigate. I'm not sure if we ordered the wrong pizza or if we were given the wrong pizza but either way! What we had was delicious. The crust is light and crispy and the ingredients are of great quality. I was not expecting to care for a bacon pesto pizza and goodness I was so wrong to think that way. These flavors go so well together and is a palette show stopper. read more

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This review is specific to delivery only. We had heard great things about Wooden Paddle, so we gave it a try, and we definitely didn't regret it! The food was extremely fresh and very tasty, and the menu had a nice assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Portion sizes were plentiful given the food is fairly rich, which justified the cost (high quality for sure). Definitely give it a try! We hope to visit in person soon! read more

Very cute little spot next to the lemont bridge. I had passed here before going to the lemont quarry for a Yelp elite event. This time it was after a long mani and pedicure. The brick oven pizza with loaded with a good amount of proscuitto and arugula and out short rib pasta was so rich and heartening. Cocktail was $13 for a spicy mezcal drink with a basil for garnish. Service was attentive and professional read more

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I finally made it to Wooden Paddle!! Each time I ride through Lemont, I would always say I'm going to stop in...finally! My honey and I went to Wooden Paddle on a Saturday...with no reservations. Yeah we tried it but lucky for us, they were able to accommodate a seat at the bar which faces the kitchen so it was nice to see the kitchen in action.....ok they weren't the best seats but we dealt with it. The menu had a nice variety of items to choose from. We started off with the duck fat wings as an appetizer and we shared the Buzzkill pizza. As for cocktails, he had the Don't take me for Pomegranate,lol, and I had the Pearadox. Of course his was better than mine. My cocktail, though it looked pretty, the bitters took me out. I did not enjoy it at all. This was my first time having duck fat anything and I really enjoyed the wings. They were spicy and flavorful but they didn't come with ranch or blue cheese (yeah I'm an all flats with blue cheese type of girl). The pizza though...... This place is the very reason why I'm completely obsessed with pepperoni pizza with hot honey. Good Lord who came up with this!!! Delicious! This place on a Saturday night is jumping. This is a neighborhood gem, you can imagine its also not the largest establishment. Cute for date night and nights out with friends Note to self: order your own pizza boo. Hence the name, they serve wood oven pizzas which are more personal pan size. Sharing just one is NOT going to cut it. read more

Wooden Paddle - Buzzkill pizza and : Don't take me for Pomegranate, Pearadox - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

Food, service and atmosphere were good. The place gets pretty loud after 6sh so less of an intimate date spot and better for friends and family. Liked that mocktails were available. As a non-drinker it was nice to be able to get something more than water. A shout out for the champagne mushroom appetizers. They were particularly delicious and I'd make a trip back just for an order. read more

Brunch was unique and delicious. Had the Lemont-e-cristo which was a unique take on a breakfast pizza. Favorite boozeless drink is the Last Straw. read more

Wooden Paddle - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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The service amazing, and the food is just spectacular every time! Definitely a top restaurant read more

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This place caught me by surprise. I was in the area & simply did a search for best food near me. Upon arrival I noticed there was a tasting menu & at $34 per person I happily indulged. It's four courses, an appetizer, salad, snack & entree. Unlike most tastings this was a ton of food. Most things were good & the only thing that I disliked was the salad. It's worth mentioning that the pizzas crust was a tad soggy as well. For our entree our choices were the pizza or a duck ragù. You can also add a dessert to the tasting for $4 per person. Highlight of the meal was the mushrooms as well as the peach old fashioned cocktail. I personally believer the cocktail program is a hidden gem of this place. Well balanced & truly flavorful. I'd return if in the area. read more

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First time here ! Me and my 6 friends decided to try this place . I thought it was an order at the counter and pick it up when it's done but no it's a dine in . I would have made a reservation but they did have a table for us so that was good luck on our part . The chairs aren't the best . They are small and wooden , not very comfy and it's hot in there w the oven plus the lights , a fan going or better ventilation would help. They don't take cash so plan ahead ! They do accept cash tips though. It's a smaller place so you are pretty much on everyone's convo too. But the food was WONDERFUL !!! I got the goat cheese arancini, they could have been a little hotter , not sure if they sat waiting for someone else's to be done too but they were SO good . The artichokes ... that sauce is amazing !!! And the pretty white pizza ... I want another :) . My friends all loved their food . I tried the shrimp and polenta and the Brie bites . Nothing was bad . All the pizzas , sides, and apps... none of it was a bad call. Our husbands all were jealous and want to make it a combined date night next :) read more

Wooden Paddle - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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This business takes feedback very seriously and I greatly appreciate that! I was upset about them marketing samples but not having the option to purchase the item being sampled. Upon leaving feedback multiple people reached out to me including the chef. The food is great here. The pizzas are very fresh and you can tell by the taste they use high quality ingredients. The pepperoni pizza is my favorite. I also enjoyed the bruschetta. We've come for brunch too and that was good as well. When they make changes to their menu there is always something I'm dying to try. I'm hoping one day they will do a corn pizza as I can't find that at many places but love it! I want to try their pasta the next time I come! read more

Wooden Paddle - Burrata toasts - Pizza Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

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This was the BEST Valentine's dinner out I have had in years! The food was delicious! (I could have eaten a dozen of those oysters.) Most holiday dining experiences I have had elsewhere have been disappointing, with food being prepped ahead of time and being kept warm under lamps so by the time it gets to you it's a sad expensive letdown of a meal. The Wooden Paddle, on Valentine's Day, on a FRIDAY, kicked butt in all respects. The food was top notch, the service was incredible and the ambiance was perfection. We took our kiddo out and he gave his GF cheese pizza a 10/10 star rating on first bite and then continued bumping the rating to somewhere around 2,000 stars by the time we were done. Our server was wonderful and always had a moment for our son to show her how well he was eating. It really was a wonderful night out. Thank you all so much for all of your hard work last night! read more

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New Menu, Who Dis? Visited Wooden Paddle and was pleasantly surprised of their revamped food and cocktail menu. I also loved the cheekiness of descriptions and item names! Our group tried the Ube Mai Tai, Figgy Figgy Figgy Old Fashioned, and Cardi P(ear). All had notably different tastes which was nice for variety. All were balanced well, not overly sweet nor tart, and garnished well. For entrees, we shared the Goat Cheese Arancini, The Best Duckin Ragu, Sausage Fest Pizza, and K-BBQ Pizzas. My brother and sister in law RAV about the K-BBQ pizza always being their favorite and I see why! It's absolutely unique and the sauce it comes with adds great flavor. The Duck Ragu was delicious as well! The menu items can come at a premium but I was happy to see portions have seemed to have gotten a bit bigger to compensate. This spot always seems to be packed so it can be a little loud and cramped. Happy to have a much better experience when visiting recently and upgrade my previous review rating. read more

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Yes, food is great and service. Been to the restaurant several times now. I recommend

The menu is incredible, we've had most of the appetizers and pizza options and have never sent anything back. Always quick and friendly service, plus I think the inside and outside are comfortable and well kept. read more

We have been regular customers since the Lemont location opened. Loved the pizza, gelato flights and ambience. But our last visit was very disappointing. Only 2 of us, it was last minute decision. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the hostess had no options for seated dining at 5:30 pm. She said we needed a reservation. So we left - as we drove away - I checked Open Table - which showed an opening at 5:45 pm. We were disappointed as she clearly could have seated us. Very sad, not sure I'll be able to convince my hubby to go back - especially since it's a 30 min drive. read more

Great food and service! Definitely would recommend the pizza and ravioli. 10/10 experience here

Food was okay, but the restaurant smelled vaguely of sewage. We were seated below a vent where the smell seemed to be emanating from.