The Bitter Truth
Koloman

Koloman

16 W 29th St, New York, United States Of America

Full • Wine • Steak • French


"I chose this restaurant for my birthday celebration after seeing it featured on the New York Times’ 100 Best Restaurants list. I spent time reviewing its photos, menu, and guest feedback, and arrived with genuine excitement to experience its French and Viennese culinary offerings. Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted. The receptionist was gracious and welcoming, and I felt reassured that I’d made a promising choice. Unfortunately, the experience that followed didn’t live up to the anticipation. The food was fine, but lacked the magic I’d hoped for. The menu felt disjointed. Two versions were presented: one for Restaurant Week and one for standard dining. The Restaurant Week menu advertised a three-course meal for $60, yet several dishes carried additional charges. This felt misleading, and I believe clearer communication would have helped maintain trust and transparency. The protein options were limited and oddly paired. Rather than offering a harmonious flow, the combinations felt abrupt and mismatched. The dishes themselves lacked warmth or sensuality. There was a certain austerity to the presentation and flavor that left the experience feeling more functional than celebratory. The atmosphere was also quite cold—physically and emotionally. It gave the impression of a space designed for quick turnover rather than lingering enjoyment. For a restaurant that encourages semi-casual attire and leisurely dining, the chill in the room made it difficult to relax or savor the meal. At the end of the evening, the bill was surprisingly high for what was meant to be a fixed-price menu. Charges for bread and an exorbitant cost for a simple cup of tea felt excessive and out of step with the spirit of hospitality. My companion also felt uncomfortable, as it seemed the waitstaff were visibly displeased about not receiving a tip. But a padded bill, somewhat forceful service, impatience, and the disingenuous presentation of options don’t inspire generosity, they erode it. By the end, the experience felt less like dining and more like being cornered. It was, sadly, a predatory feeling. While I appreciate the effort and the initial welcome, I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant based on my experience. I also question its placement on the NYT 100 Best list, as the evening lacked the cohesion, generosity, and culinary delight that such recognition implies. Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $100+ Food: 1 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1"

Imbibe

Imbibe

108 Henderson St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, United States

Wine • Beer • Cajun • Casual


"Went with my friends on a Saturday night, and the place was completely dead. Monday and Wednesday nights seem to be the active days, so whatever. The menu was a stained sheet of paper with a QR code to their online menu and some specials. There was no table service, and the food had to be ordered online before you tell the bartender your order. I've ordered from a QR code menu before, so I was optimistic, while my friends were a little perplexed. We scanned the QR code and that's when everything went wrong.Half of us were able to scour the menu, pick food, and head to the checkout. I managed to put in my card details but the website immediately froze upon processing my orders. The other half were incapable of accessing the online menu at all, the website server refusing to load. Then the site crashed for all of us. We alerted the bartender who was kind enough to take out a pen and paper and do it the old school way, however the lack of paper menu was really baffling to me at this point.Those of us who managed to put in our orders were reassured that the orders hadn't been accepted yet, but a website crashing with our credit card details didn't make us feel any better. But the bartender and another worker assured us the food would be out. We ordered multiple Po Boys, and waited.It was a long wait, but the food was delicious. I got a blackened pork belly po boy on ciabatta bread that was greasy in all the right ways, if a little salty. My friends who ordered shrimp po boys were a little unsatisfied with the size of the shrimps. But we ate, we dined, we paid, and we left.Overall, it was a ... meh? Experience. I wouldn't return again personally, maybe if it was a busy night with live blues shows, but the QR code and lack of table service left a sour taste in my mouth. Also, the restaurant website requested a tip despite there being no table service. In my opinion, if there is no table service, there should be an option to tip the cooks/bartender directly... or no tip at all! I have no idea if those tips are going to the owner or the workers who actually helped us. I can't imagine how the website holds up during inclement weather, older customers who aren't familiar with QR codes, busy crowds with multiple people accessing the site at once, etc.My advice to the owners: replace the QR codes with reusable paper menus, put at least one waiter for table service on slow days if you're gonna ask for tips, and clean your bathrooms."