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RESTAURANT REVIEWS
Food Or
Fight? At Alessi’s Restaurant In Ravenna,
You Might Get Both
S. Pitera - Staff Writer / Dining Review
Alessi’s Restaurant- Ravenna, OH
Rating: * (One stars out of 5)
Located across from the US Post Office in
Ravenna you will find Alessi’s Restaurant.
The eatery is snugly placed in a historic
building that has seen several businesses
fail in recent years, before Candy and Tony
Alessi took over to try their hand in the
Ravenna marketplace. Prior to coming to
Ravenna, they were the proprietors of the
Old Mill Restaurant in Garrettsville.
To be fair, I will tell you that my family
and I dined at Alessi’s several times before
our last two experiences. During those two
times, we found the food acceptable for the
price, but the staff always seemed to lack a
tableside manner. While most of the food
I have experienced there was of average
quality, the tomato sauce was superb, which
is the sole reason that they earned the
single star.
About 3 months ago, we dined at Alessi’s as
a family, my wife, brother, two children and
myself. The lunch was acceptable to
everyone in attendance, however when the
waitress came to the table and asked how the
cannolli desert was, I informed her that I
had never had a Cannoli draped with so many
sauces and toppings.
We paid the check and on the way out we were
approached, in the middle of the restaurant,
but the owner, Tony Alessi, who
embarrassingly asked us why we had their
waitress cry. Although it was a very
uncomfortable interrogation, we informed him
that we had no idea why she was crying, and
went on our way.
Recently, we decided to give Alessi’s
another try, hoping to find the prior
experience an isolated event. We couldn’t
be more wrong.
We arrived at the restaurant, which had
plenty of open tables, and waited about 10
minutes for the hostess, who is also the
owner’s wife, to seat us.
When the waitress arrived I ordered their
$2.99, all you can eat pasta special (Which
turns out to be quite a bit more when you
find out that each meatball is 60 cents;
piece of sausage, 75 cents; a smaller
version of the olive garden style bread
stick, 35 cents a stick; or a small salad,
$1.09. I also ordered a bowl of wedding
soup. My wife ordered the normal pasta
special.
The soup and breadsticks arrived and we
started eating. The soup was good, but
the breadsticks were cold, as if they came
directly out of the package to our table.
My wife told me that they were cold, but
that she would eat them as they were
anyhow.
Little did we know that the server was
eavesdropping on our conversation, because
within moments, candy Alessi was at our
table asking if everything was ok? We
assured her that everything was fine when
she said, “Well apparently your not happy
with the breadsticks”. I was dumbfounded,
and assured her that everything was fine.
At that point, she told us that she
remembered us as the people that made her
server cry, and we must not be satisfyable
and at a level that the entire restaurant
could hear. I was embarrassed and
appalled.
We again said that we were content and she
continued to drill us about why we are so
unhappy. At that point, I informed my wife
that we were leaving, and asked for the
check. She responded, “Don’t bother, just
get out.” I informed her that she could
read all about our experience here.
Alessi’s was fully aware that I was a
restaurant critic when they decided to take
the stance that they did, and informed me
that they knew who I was on the way out.
Those of you that have read my reviews know
that I am fair and honest. If you were
planning on dining at this restaurant, I
would think twice.
Alessi’s Restaurant
161 N Chestnut St
Ravenna, OH 44266
(330) 298-1180 (Phone)
www.alessisrestaurant.com
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