Bernini Restaurant   

ME AND MY HUSBAND WERE GIVEN A $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO DINE THERE BY MY PARENTS, FOR MY 39TH BIRTHDAY. JUST THE TWO OF USE WENT FOR A ROMANTIC DATE. NO KID'S ALOUD. IT WAS A TUES. NIGHT 10/21/08 AT ABOUT 6:45 PM. WE WERE SEATED RIGHT AWAY, TO A TINY TABLE OFF TO THE LEFT, SHUFFED OFF TO THE FAR SIDE, LIKE TO BUM'S OFF THE STREET, KEEP IN MIND WE WERE DRESSED NICELY FOR THE OCCASION. THE PLACE WAS ALL BUT EMPTY, W/ THE EXCEPTION OF ABOUT THREE OTHER TABLES. OUR WAITRESS GREETED US W/ NO SMILE OR EMOTION ON HER FACE, VERY DRY. WE HAD A FOUR COURSE MEAL AND TOPPED IT OFF W/ COFFEE AND DESERT. KEEP IN MY NO ACOHOLIC DRINK'S. THE BILL CAME TO $92 AND CHANGE, WE THEN GAVE THE WAITRESS THE GIFT CERT. AND A $50 BILL AND ASKED FOR CHANGE, TO GIVE A TIP. SHE BROUGHT BACK OUR $50.00 IN CHANGE. THE RECEIPT SAID TOTAL $92.30 SOMETHING AND $7.00 IN CHANGE BACK. WHICH WE DIDN'T GET BACK SO MY HUSBAND ASKED HER WERE THE CHANGE FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE GIFT CERT. WAS AND SHE SAID, THEY DON'T GIVE CHANGE BACK FROM GIFT CERT. SHE TENDERED IT AS $100.00. MY HUSBAND ASKED HER IF HE ONLY CAME IN AND SPENT $50 OF THE CERTIFICATE YOU MEAN TO TELL HIM HE WOULDN'T GET $50 BACK, SHE SAID OH YEAH IN THE FORM OF ANOTHER GIFT CERT. WHICH WAS UNSTANDABLE, BUT THAT SINCE IT WAS ONLY $7.00 LEFT, THAT WOULD GO TO HER TIP. WE HAD TOTAL INTENTIONS OF LEAVING A GOOD, TIP MATTER OF FACT, IF WE ENJOY THE SERVICE WE TIP OVER 20%. SHE ACTED LIKE WE WERE CHEAP AND WOULD STIFF HER OF A TIP. WE GAVE HER NO CAUSE TO FEEL THIS WAY, MY HUSBAND ASKED TO SPK. TO THE MANAGER ON PRINCIPAL!!! WE WERE MAD BY THE WAY WE HAD BEEN TREATED BY THIS POINT. WE WAITED AND WAITED AND WAITED, I TOLD MY HUSBAND IF THE MANAGER DIDN'T COME QUICKLY WE WERE LEAVING THERE W/ OUT GIVING HER NOTHING MORE THAN THE SEVEN DOLLARS LEFT OVER FROM THE CERTIFICATE. SHE FINALLY CAME BACK, W/ NO SUPPRISE W/ OUT THE MANAGER, SHE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE LIGHT OF THE FACT HE NEVER CAME, SHE JUST SAID HE TOLD HER TO TELL US THAT'S THE WAY THEY DO IT, AND THAT THE $7.00 WENT TOWARDS HER TIP.......WELL I WANTED TO WALK OUT W/ OUT GIVING HER ANOTHER DIME, BUT MY HUSBAND SAID GIVE HER A FIVE AND LET'S GO, KEEP IN MIND WE HAD INTENDED TO GIVE HER $25. NO WAY NOT AFTER BEING TREATED LIKE TO POOR PEOPLE OFF THE STREET ASKING FOR A HAND OUT!!!!!! THE FOOD WAS KINDA BLAND TO ME WE ORDERED THE GROUPER W/ PASTACIO CRUSTED TOPPING AND SHERRY SAUCE, I KEPT HAVING TO ADD SALT. IT WAS JUST OK, WE LOVE TO EAT OUT AND HAVE TRAVELED ALL OVER, BUT THIS WAS NOT WORTH THE FARE!!! IT'S VERY $$$$$ WE DON'T MIND PAYING FOR A GREAT DINING EXPERIENCE IF IT'S WORTH IT. DON'T WAIST YOUR GAS OR TIME GOING THERE!!!! WE'VE HAD MUCH BETTER MEALS AT OUR LOCAL, BONE FISH GRILL, IN BRANDON... I DON'T SEE WHY THE REVIEWS SAY IT THE MOST ROMANTICE PLACE IN TAMPA, THAT'S A LIE!!!!

I had gone to Bernini's for valentines day. It was nice and there were very few people (it was a thursday night); It looked like the tables and chairs were crammed in there, I can't imagine what it would be like if the place was full. I was surprised at how slow the service was despite the emptiness. The food was fine, probably over priced, but ok. Everything was acceptable until my girlfriend and I got home. Within a couple hours we both were sick. Both of our stomachs hurt; I had difficulty sleeping and I cannot recall how many times she ended up vomitting that night. Consequently, I called Bernini's to complain about the sickness that afflicted my girlfriend and I. My first attempt was at a busy time- I voiced my complaint but the manager said he's busy and he'll call me back in 20 minutes, but never did. Two hours later, I called back but he was still too busy to talk. I finally spoke to him again the next day. In my best attempt to remain calm I explained the situation to the manager again. The manager was rigid and was unable accept even the slightest possibility that we got sick as a result of the food at that place. I hadn't even asked for any type of compensation (although I would've liked to be compensated for at least my girlfriend's meal). Dissatisfied with his ability to handle my complaint I asked to be escalated to someone higher up. He gave me the name of the owner and said he would have him call me the following monday... that call never came either. I called a few times later, my last attempt I spoke to the same manager and asked for the owner, he claimed he had just left to go out of town and did not know hen he would return. In any case, I gave him my name again to call back. The call never came.