Birch & Vine at The Birchwood

Review summary

1. C

   Chantel

   VIP

   Tampa

   4 reviews

   1.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   I’ve been here for dinner 2 times prior to this visit and it was terrible each time so I hadn’t been back. My friend wanted to try it and it had been years, so I figured maybe things would be better. Unfortunately, it was even worse. Appetizer was very underwhelming and bland. My delminico was wayyy under cooked and lacked flavor so only ate a few bites. My friends lamb was so salty he couldn’t eat it. The mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts very basic. We weren’t looking for any freebies whatsoever, but not even an offer to comp anything. I had a bottle of Jordan Chardonnay which tasted as it should. But I brought leftover home and noticed very gross large floaters at the bottom which I’ve never seen in any bottle of wine so I tossed the remainder. About $400 later and will never return again.
   

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2. K

   Kim

   VIP

   Sunshine Coast

   46 reviews

   3.0

   46 reviews

   Dined on December 11, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   Food was great but had to wait 50 mins for the meal and then another 15 mins for dessert on the set menu.
   

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3. C

   Carlos

   VIP

   Peru

   2 reviews

   2.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on December 9, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The place is beautiful and the service was excellent (great waiter Carlos). The food was a disappointment all around. - Focaccia was stale and not fresh - steak was overcooked - chocolate cake was clearly also not fresh, hard and possibly refrigerated for too long While the service was excellent, Based on my experience and the food itself, I would not recommend this place unless it's for a glass of wine or a drink but not a worthwhile meal.
   

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4. S

   Sergio

   VIP

   Tampa

   20 reviews

   2.0

   20 reviews

   Dined on December 8, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   Terrible service , undercooked food, 25 minutes wait for salt , and add 20% service charge.
   

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5. J

   Janell

   Orlando

   23 reviews

   5.0

   23 reviews

   Dined on December 2, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Only three tables with guest tonight, but our waiter was very attentive and good at explaining menu items. Nice ambiance too.
   

   Birch & Vine at The BirchwoodResponded on December 3, 2024

   Thank you for joining us! We hope to see you again soon!
   

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6. K

   Kira

   Washington DC

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 30, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   We have dined at Birch and Vine and your sister restaurant Teak before. With the 20% service charge, we were expecting the level of service to be the same we have experienced at Teak in the past. There seemed to be a fair amount of food runners and bussers on the floor, but not enough servers. We were not given water service, the proper utensils were not provided with the meal that was ordered, and we were not told that the steak comes by itself, and any desired sides had to be ordered separately. The iPad for the drink menu was also a little confusing. The server we had was great when they did stop by our table and the manager did acknowledge us and rectified any questions/issues we had, but again we were expecting the same level of service as the Teak for the 20% service charge.
   

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7. M

   Mike

   Tampa

   14 reviews

   5.0

   14 reviews

   Dined on November 30, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great outdoor dinner experience overlooking Beach Drive. Dinner was great! Awesome server! Looking forward to coming back soon.
   

   Birch & Vine at The BirchwoodResponded on December 3, 2024

   Thank you, Mike! We look forward to seeing you again, soon!
   

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8. G

   Glenn

   VIP

   Washington DC

   34 reviews

   2.0

   34 reviews

   Dined on November 28, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   The restaurant was overbooked and understaffed for Thanksgiving. I arrived a few minutes early for my 6:00 reservation and my table was not ready. At 6:00 I was advised that I could sit the bar if I wanted to order. But the bartenders were overwhelmed and it took another ten minutes before I could order. The meal itself was fine. But every course of the prix fixe dinner took a long time to come out. The restaurant contacted me three times to confirm my reservation. They should have been less focused on filling every seat, and more concerned with being able to serve every customer.
   

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9. M

   Meg

   Greater Boston

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on November 28, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   I’d like to begin with the positives. Our waiter was attentive, professional and efficient. There was also a gentleman who I believe was the floor manager, he was also very helpful to his staff and customers. He was very professional and courteous. The ambiance and holiday decor was lovely and festive! The negatives: greeted the hostess as she was putting on her lip gloss. She continue to put a lip gloss, even asking our name and time of reservation. Which for obvious reasons was ill mannered gross and unprofessional. First impression is most important and she did not represent the house very well, none of the host staff did. The dinner, which was the turkey dinner was lukewarm, salty and pressed turkey was NOT what we expected. The dinner was awful!! I didn’t complain to our waiter because he would’ve brought the same exact dinner back out. We had thought about returning in February for a stay at your hotel but have decided not to. Margaret Strock
   

   Birch & Vine at The BirchwoodResponded on December 3, 2024

   Hi Meg! Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are grateful for your kind words about our waiter and floor manager, as well as your positive comments on the ambiance and holiday decor. We strive to provide exceptional service, and we’re glad that these aspects of your visit stood out to you. We also apologize that the turkey dinner did not meet your expectations. We take all guest feedback seriously, and we will share your comments with our culinary team to ensure we improve the quality and presentation of our dishes.
   

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10. A

    Ashlee

    London

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2

    Please take this as constructive criticism. Guaranteed/included tips make for terrible service. Our server was perfectly pleasant and cordial and what we ordered EVENTUALLY came, but there was no sense of urgency. Everything took forever. It would be dishonest to say it's the kitchen, it took forever to get a high chair. Forever to take our order. Forever to get a round of drinks. Years before our dessert, which I guarantee was pre-sliced and plated and was literally the designated dessert that came with the pre fixe meal to arrive. Servers that know they are already guaranteed a 20% tip have zero motivation to step it up and provide the service we're all used to. I am a former server/bartender and presently a Financial Controller with a background in restaurants, and have dined on 6 of the 7 continents. I have a unique understanding of how labor expenses work in a restaurant so I won't be one of the morons that says "why should I pay your employees wages!" I'm aware that that is my responsibility as a consumer. But think about the last time you dined in Europe...the service was crap, and that's because the servers have no motivation to hustle. Also, please remove the ridiculous term "living wage" from that piece of paper you drop on the tables. It is a nonsense term. 2 people doing the same job in your establishment do not have the same wage needs, so that term means nothing. Furthermore, it is not an employers responsibility to pay someone what they need to live off of. It is your responsibility to pay what the market dictates for the labor. It is the laborers responsibility to seek a job with a market rate that suits their lifestyle and then acquire the skills to gain employment doing that job. I put myself through 2 degrees with no loans by waiting tables, and I never would have agreed to do it without tips. I made WAY more from tips because I was good at my job.
    

    Birch & Vine at The BirchwoodResponded on December 3, 2024

    Hi Ashlee! Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations, especially when it comes to the speed and urgency of service. While we’re glad to hear that you found our server pleasant, we understand that delays in service can be frustrating, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We value both your perspective as a former server and your professional background. The term "living wage," can be seen in different lights depending on individual viewpoints, and we appreciate the chance to reflect on it. We strive to find a balance between fair compensation for our team and providing a positive dining experience for our guests. Thank you again for your insights, and we hope you’ll consider giving us another chance next time.
    

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