Recommends

joan2350

Joined 6 years ago

Long wait, yummy food. Be sure to take lots of patience with you!. We've been dying to try Alexander's. Tonight we called, and were told we could have a table in about 15 minutes, so we went right over. Parking was a problem, but we got ourselves a space and went in, and were promptly put at the bar. Parties that came in after us were acknowledged and seated promptly. We were NEVER acknowledged at the bar, not even a drink order was taken. After about 15 minutes, we were seated at a table, and the waitress, who gave GREAT service to the couple next to us, said she'd be with us "soon" and never came back. A young waiter "in training" ultimately saved the day by serving us, was sympathetic to our complaint, and served up good food and a good attitude. The food was good, but not worth the aggravation of the poor service. The ambiance of the restaurant is great; esthetically very pleasing but oh-so-noisy! They need to pad the walls or carpet the floor, or do something to diminish the noisy environment, and of course, they NEED to improve their service. Otherwise, Alexander's will not succeed if other customers have similar experiences.

Recommends

notasurfer

Joined 7 years ago

Simple, hearty menu; poor service. Service has been the stickler for these guys since they've opened up, and as of now, they still haven't figured it out. It's a shame, because the Old venice menu they're using is classic, yummy, and well priced. It's a great neighborhood location, and a really cute dining room. here's hoping they can get a handle on customer service, so we can all become regulars!

Doesn't Recommend

dayupay

Joined 6 years ago

WARNING! DO NOT ORDER WINES BY THE GLASS HERE!. DO NOT ORDER WINES BY THE GLASS HERE!!!

There are houseflies in their Chianti. Big ones. Two in my glass.

I went to Alexander's last night. It was slow, only four tables taken. We walked in, I believe the proprietor's mother was at a table eating from Whole Foods, still in the plastic container. Weird, but whatever. She later came out to the patio where we were seated and adjusted some settings but never acknowledged us. Again, whatever.

The house garlic bread was delicious. I ordered a glass of the Chianti, classico, (the waiter said it was "better" than their house Chianti) to go with my Filet Mignon & garlic shrimp. The filet was perfectly rare & tender, w/ the mushroom sauce, very delicious. The zucchini, summer squash, onions & mushrooms were very good; could've been crisper if taken off sooner. The shrimp were over done. My friend had the pine nut linguine w/ scallops. Just okay; the heavily flavored garlic pesto overwhelmed even the brininess of the scallop. She said she liked my dish better & she doesn't even like mushrooms.

The nightmare: I get down to the last 10% of my Chianti & notice some sediment. Closer inspection reveals...flies. Not 1. 2 flies. Not fruit flies. Two full size house flies. The olive green ones that buzz around and knock themselves silly against windows. GROSS!

The waiter was brings over my next glass and I show him the flies in my glass. He made a small apology, didn't act surprised & said he would open another bottle. He never apologized again, nobody else came to say that it never happened before, or that it was a big mistake. The bill with 2 Chiantis was charged, I questioned the waiter about it & he said he didn't charge for the Cabernet my friend had. Nice of him to let me know. And shame on him, again, for not making an effort or offering additional assurances that it was a huge error.

Needless to say I'm not going back. Their website is non-existent, so there is no way to get let them know. Suggestions?.

Doesn't Recommend

Erin Chambers

Joined 7 years ago

Italian restaurant family expands into North Park with an intimate, candle-lit dining room and cozy patio.. The Scene
If North Park really is aiming for chic and looking to shed its image as a shabby, thrift-store food 'hood, then Alexander's should be the new poster child. The tiny, all-white interior glows by simple candle light, just like Old Venice, and a DJ spins for a well-dressed crowd at the wine-only, marble bar. A heated patio out back beckons parties of two looking for a more quiet, romantic setting.

The Food
Because of the younger, more hip crowd, it's easy to think Alex's Italian menu would be more edgy and exciting than the Old Venice standard. It's not. It's identical, which is not to say it's poor. Just unsurprising. The "white room" pizza is a rustic, garden treat with spinach and a whole head of garlic in the center. Steak with shrimp satisfies, too, but what about something sweet to finish up a romantic meal? All we got was a melted cookie sundae mess.

Hits: Warm, candle lighting; Unique indoor/outdoor seating options
Misses: Spotty service; Noisy on weekends; Only one dismal dessert option