Niche Dining
• 225 Quebec St | Victoria, BC | V8V 1W2
Average User Rating:
4.33/10
4.33/10
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"The worst customer service"
Carla
June 2009 — "As a frequent visitor to our capital city, I have come to appreciate the great customer service that Victoria's many fine eateries provide. Imagine my shock at my dining experience at Niche on Friday, June 19th. I arrived at 6:30, the time of our reservation, to find that one of our party had yet to arrive. The waitress immediately seemed visibly annoyed and while bringing us water, ignored our request to order a glass of wine. The last of our party (12) arrived at 6:45. The waitress did not return to take our orders until 7pm. The menu was small and offered no vegetarian option for either the appetizer or the main. A three course meal was offered at $40 with a wine paring for an additional $30. When asked for separate bills, (I had arrived with my husband and daughters), we were told by the waitress that it was not restraunt policy to separate the bill and only one bill per table would be allowed. The waitress was also specific about the sequence of order taking. Upon reaching the end of the table, one of my colleagues asked for a vegetarian option. The waitress declared in a rather loud and terse voice "I'll see what I can do" and then left. Several minutes later, she returned and resumed taking the order. By 7:15 pm, some bread arrived on the table, followed by the appetizers some 20 minutes later. Thought the waitress had taken the order in sequence, the staff had, at that point, no idea who had ordered what and simply called out "who ordered the soup (crab, etc). We then waited almost 45 minutes for the entres to arrive. All this time, the wait staff were, for the most part, conspicuously missing. Tables seated after our party were served before us. When quizzed as to when our meal would arrive, the waitress said that because we had arrived late, other orders had "slipped ahead ours". One of our party spoke to the owner, who again admonished our group for arriving late.
When the food arrived, it was wonderful, with one exception - the vegetarian meal was sadly lacking to the point where, upon complaint, the waitress brought out some additional vegetables and bread. We finished our meal and then began the wait for our desserts. One of our party ordered a coffee and had to remind the waitress twice before actually getting it.
The bill arrived soon after the desert - one bill with the requisite 15% built in for a "large group" tip. The bill was not easy to decifer and the tip was certainly not earned.
When leaving, the owner took my husband aside to again admonish our group for arriving late and for being difficult.
Overall, great food, overshadowed by extremely shoddy customer service.
Victoria, you deserve better. This is not a restaurant that I would recommend."
User Rating
4.33/10
4.33/10
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DescriptionLocated right near the inner harbour in downtown Victoria, Niche offers a unique, modern dining atmosphere. Chef Leizert uses all natural ingredients, with dishes inspired by the seasons. Each entree is paired with a distinctive wine, giving customers an enjoyable and memorable experience.
Location Information225 Quebec St
Victoria
BC
V8V 1W2
