Klub Architektu
reviewed by Glynn
from Czech Republic
on Jul.31.2010 | "We were hungry, it was around seven on the last day of July 2010 and my partner suggested we try away from the main square and the throngs of tourists to be found on any Saturday night in Prague. We arrived at the Klub Architektu, Betlemske Namesti 5a. Here we were shown quickly to a table (it was not full in the restaurant and I began to realize why at gone seven p.m. it was not full). After about five minutes, we ordered our meal and drinks. Then the beer, Slovakian, and water arrived quite quickly. Then, we waited and waited and waited. After thirty minutes, I saw one of the occasional visits by the staff into the part of the cellar where we were. I asked this attendant if she could find out when our meal would be delivered. She never re-appeared.
Some five minutes later another came into the room to deliver what we thought was to be our meal but no. It was for a very patient pair of American women. I asked this second waitress (who asked if I wanted a replacement for the beer which by now I had consumed) and then came someone who apeared to be the manager. I asked when our meal would be ready, he seemed unprepared to answer and said that he was quite happy to wait for forty minutes as we had been for a meal - our meal had still not arrived nor was there any ETA (estimated time of arrival). I suggested to him that the restaurant was falling below European standards on service but all he could say was that he was prepared to wait forty minutes or more (with the inference that therefore everyone should). There was no apology for the watt we had had.
He asked if we wished him to cancel the meal which seemed at that point most appropriate. We paid for the drinks and left.
In my six decades I have visited most of the capital cities in Europe (and others beside) and eaten at a large selection of good restaurants as well as many average and the occasional poor restaurant. I have never waited for more than forty minutes for one course nor had inferred by a waiter/manager that I should accept his standards. I am not a tourist but a resident in Prague and like to eat out and eat well and am disappointed by the lack of customer service in a large number of restaurants. Today’s experience was regrettably not completely unique in the city which is now my home and I feel that many tourists feel badly treated by the lack of customer focus as demonstrated by my experience and the potentially cynical exploitation of those visiting this beautiful city.
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