What is a really good restaurant in Frankfurt?

How do I express my displeasure at a maitre d' of a restaurant?

• I made a reservation for 2 at 7pm at the restaurant (Osteria of Palo Alto, by the way), which was accepted.  When I arrived with my party exactly at 7, I wasn't seated even though there were many empty seats.  Others were let in ahead when they knew the maitre d'.  Our two polite inquiries were met with "just a moment", and nothing more.  Finally we were seated after half an hour of waiting. I don't want to tip less because it's not our waitress' fault.  What can I do to express my displeasure for this poor service?  We could have gone some other place if they didn't have space to take our reservation, but we didn't know early enough that it would take that long. People apparently have complained about this guy before on Yelp (see below). Should I just add another bad review?  How can I be more direct? From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:jWO9K8OnjwFePMHtix8TtQ Great delicious food. Knocked off one star for the obnoxious attitude we got from whom seems to be a manager or owner of Osteria. Very cocky attitude. Doesn't even look you in the face when he talks to you even if you have a reservation. Feels like I am begging for foods everytime he happens to be the host.  Everyone else in the restaurant have really polite attitude so we keep coming back. But this tall skinny dude really turns us off and leaves a bad taste in our mouth at every lucky encounter... From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:0jZVmi08RR_tCjA7uNi6wg If you have to wait an hour for your reservation and people who came in after you (with reservation times before yours) are being seated before you, that's definitely a sign that "your money isn't welcome here".  When other patrons are greeted with a hug and a glass of wine, while you sit in the entry area waiting and waiting (while these favored patrons are seated first), that's also not a good sign. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:YyyEAXyOXKExN6iHiz7inw Good food but why do they continue to hire total douche bags for hosts? If you have a reservation why do they make you wait for more people? They can't use the table anyways. Roid dude with right black shirt and pointed leather shoes thinks he is bouncer at a nightclub and not a palo alto restaurant. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:-pmIUXiF2J1yGFSq8hd-Hw I couldn't give it NO stars... Thought the douche from all the reviews left so i decided to give it a try. Unfortunately I was wrong... Told us it would be less than 10-15 minutes wait. I left after 30 minutes since he was seating everyone who came in after me. When I asked for our table, he didn't even bother to ask for my name. I guess I should have walked out then. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:I6LgTXZRw361by0l0VoI9g One of the worse place I ever been in Palo Alto! Food is just Ok  but the manager was really rude. We were a big table and when our waiter who was a nice guy brought the check for us, we could not read the hand writing ! We asked for a printed check and the guy refuse to do that. He said if you are unhappy, we should leave. He also mentioned that we did not order enough and he already made so many exception for us which is Not clear to us what it meant. Never seen such kind of behavior. He also said that the owner of Facebook was there two night ago so we bette shut up. Any ways, never going there again and not recommend it if you are big group of people. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:Rqaa2nC0_mixO5_S8wn6CA We made reservations for 2 at 7PM, because we've been here before and there's no way you can expect shorter than an hour wait for a table for 2 without a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night.  This place is always crackin!  So we got there early at 6:40, checked in with the host and waited around for them to seat us.  The thing is, every other party of two who came in after us (we counted 4 separate parties of 2) was seated because they somehow seemed to know the host.  We weren't seated until 7:20PM.  Now, there is NO WAY all these people had reservations before 7PM - before we got there.  We went up to the host and before we even said anything, the tall guy in all black said "We'll seat you shortly, just wait."  I wouldn't have minded being seated at 7:05, but making me wait 20 minutes after our reservation and seating people ahead of us was what pissed me off.  We didn't say another word to the host, just waited patiently, as every single other party around us got seated until we were pretty much the last original party who had been waiting and a new wave of people had come in. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:vePXqNM6ySkact2JVKLFPw I am Asian, and in this time and age we should not have to tolerate discrimination. I've brought a friend who's also Asian here for lunch before the busy lunch hour when the restaurant had only 1 (one) customer already seated. With the entire restaurant empty, the man in black by the counter "greeted" us with silent, open eyes when I said, "for two." Then he proceeded lead and sit us in a dark corner with an old emergency door behind one of our chairs. Eh..? With the entire open area and lush sunny windows abound, why were we seated there? Of course we've requested later to sit at a more decent table. Moments passed, and as we eat (decent food, btw) we've noticed other customers being led to that same dark corner when the restaurant was not entirely full - and each time these people were Asian. Needless to say, they've also shamelessly requested a different table. As the noon hour approached, the restaurant filled up rapidly. I've turned my head to check things out and witnessed every pleasantly lit table and window spots were taken by Caucasians. Coincidence? I liked the food here, I really do. But that's not enough to suppress the regrets and anger as I left this establishment after leaving the obligatory tips despite the service and attitude that I've experienced. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:AHwqg0aV-cmIyhhJsUpBzQ This place deserves NO star and if the owner were to read this, he should be questioning the MANAGER of the restaurant. My boyfriend and I called ahead of time on a Friday night to ensure that there was a table available when we arrive at the restaurant.  When we arrived at the restaurant, the host told us to wait while they set up a table.  Two couples came in after us and were seated immedately  by the manager. The manager greeted the first couple with hugs and handshakes and walked the couple to a really nice table by the window.  The manager then grabbed the second couple and sat them down immediately, before we could even asked about the status of our table.  When we approached the manager regarding the status of our table, he pointed to the table next to the kitchen (which has not been set up) and said that table was ours.  We told the manager that we waited longer and would have preferred the other two tables in the main dining area.  He rudely challenged us, claiming we never had a reservation. We never saw him checking reservations of the other two couples, furthermore, we did call ahead and gave our name saying we will be there shortly. The manager was extremely rude, reminding us that he was the "MANAGER" and implied that he was doing us a favor by sitting us right next to the kitchen at a table where we can feel the draft from outside. There was no way we could have enjoyed our dinner and thus we decided to leave. I would highly recommend not wasting your time calling for a reservation cos' it is meaningless. From http://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-palo-alto#hrid:F6FTIQNawBd6QCL8t9_TgQ If I could give this place zero stars I would, and I haven't even tried the food. I walked in to this place around 9:30 on friday night, they weren't that busy, I asked the Tool behind the bar with the collared shirt for a table for two. He offered us a table at the front of the restaurant, right by the front door, I had seen a open table in the back when we are walking up so I politely asked the guy (that's too cool for school) that I thought there might be a table in the back and if we could have that table instead. He responded in the rudest possible way with the a look of disgust on his face "I know whats back there", like he couldn't believe I would ask for a different table. It was like I insulated him or something. With much regret he gave us the small table in the back. We sat down for about 10 seconds and then left. No way we would of enjoyed our dinner their after that. I've never been treated so poorly walking into a restaurant before. I will never go back to this place. I can't comment on the actual food because we never made it to the point where they bring you the food, but if the Tool's demeanor is any indication of the type of service they have I would highly recommend not wasting your time going here.

• Answer:

  A good Maitre d' would have offered you a complimentary drink at the bar, along with an explanation as to why you were not seated at the time of your reservation. I agree that you should write a scathing review on Yelp and other SM, but I would also contact the restaurant directly and ask to speak to the owner. I have found brutal honesty to be the most effective when stripped of any display of anger or undue emotion. As a business owner, I add that I appreciate feedback, as it's an important part of improving customer service, and as such, I'm extending the same to them. (Nobody wants to minimize the importance of that.) I would express that no apology was offered, no explanation given, I was not offered a drink at the bar while I waited for their foul up to be straightened out. I would express that this delay impacted my other plans for the evening, and that I found the Maitre d's behavior to be unacceptable. If the owner fails to better the situation to your satisfaction, I would explain that I would no longer be bringing my business to them, and would no longer be able to recommend them to friends and colleagues.