Hayley Bessey
Just had lunch here as an early Mothers Day treat. We were seated quickly. Restaurant was clean and our server Leanne was very helpful. Our drinks order was taken and received shortly afterwards, same with our food order. All the food tasted amazing, absolutely delicious! We will definitely come back here again in the future!
Anna Bivsenko
We had a table booked for 4 of us to celebrate our son's 3rd birthday. Service was attentive, polite, not in your face :) throughout our lunch. The food was nice for all - adults and children. Would've been nice if there were more customers in the restaurant for a bit of atmosphere but saying that we had a great time (considering we were with kids ages 3 and 4:))!
Alex Kibble
Starter was delivered cold , however just like the mains , was edible. Both courses were nice enough but didn't grip my taste buds and make me want to go back again. Waitress we had was lovely , giggly and very short but made the experience nice for us :)
Owen Mimpress
for starters the food was delicious, came out nice and quick. I'd suggest the lasagna đ, we were in a rush to get to the cinema and the waiter offered us to pay after we ordered instead of when we're finished. that was kind, compared to other places they checked on us and if there was anything else.. definitely going back there!
Arosha Weerakkody
Excellent service but food was quite bland
Dave Brown
First time I've ever been here. Was quite impressed. Food was nice. I had a burger and brownie with ice cream for dessert. Couldn't fault neither. Service was nice and friendly. Not many people inside. Hence the 3 stars. Would and will be returning.
Aj V
Nice dining experience. Great staff and decent food. No booking necessary. Plenty of parking outside even some electric chargers. Definitely better than pizza hut but not as good as pizza express.
Stefano Pecchio
Sunday dinner.
Busy but not packed.
We had 2 starters, calamari and gnocchi fritti. Calzone and mushroom pizza. The calzone is stuffed with super creamy cheeses, chorizo, and a very tasty tomato sauce.
Very friendly waiters, we will come back for the profiteroles dessert.
Eden Nicholson
My family and I enjoyed lunch here at the weekend and the food was great......but not as great as Max our waiter! He was friendly, attentive, helpful and polite! The restaurant got increasingly busy throughout our visit but the service continued to be spot on!
Tracy Quinn
Max was our server and he did an excellent job. He was very polite and attentive. A great meal out to celebrate results day. Food was prompt and hot and our order was spot on.
Vanessa Aldridge
The 2 waiters that served us were friendly and pleasant. Although they were clearly busy and under pressure, they remained polite, positive and calm. The manager was very enthusiastic and welcoming. Our visit was really positive
Rosie Rosie (Rosie)
Okish....food a bit bland...as has everything price's have gone up ....spent 80plus pound ..table was sticky and still had the last customers salt and pepper spillages...staff friendly...missed an addition to the starter..
took.over 20 minutes to get our bill which we were asked twice if we wanted our bill ....emmm wouldn't rush back.....
Amy Nichole Scarrott
The food is beautiful! But the staff at Basildon really let it down!
When me and my partner arrived no one acknowledged we was waiting for a table or none of the bar staff told us someone will be with us. One of the servers was shaking his head from side to side as though he was stressed... and the restuarant was half full but it only looked like there was 1 guy waiter and 1 waitress... we eventually asked for a table and then had the table laid for us. Another few people arrived after us... when it came to taking our drinks order it was after taking the other table's who came in after us and our waitress didn't introduce herself or smile... we waited about 10-15 minutes for our drinks and was contemplating leaving as we was starving and the waitress was taking the orders of the other tables before ours... when we got our starters they were lovely! We thought hmm worth the wait, we should be ok now... and to be honest it was fine after that. Mains were yummy and drinks after that came quicker - we guessed maybe our waitress had got a break or a hand as service improved and she engaged more with us. We had dessert and then asked for the bill, we felt we should tip her as looks like she had, had a hard night, it seemed very short staffed and she seemed to talk more as our courses went on but she didn't even say thank you for her tip or really say goodbye!? None of the staff said thank you as we walked out or even asked how our food was. I did make a point of saying we liked the food to our waitress but she didn't say anything or seem to care? So as much as we enjoyed Bella Italia's food and drink, the first impression and staff let it down...
Elle Curran
We ordered olives and brad as a starter. The green olives where hard and dry. We got them exchanged for black olives which were ok. The menu stated balsamic vinegar with the bread but we were brought a tiny pot of a cheese sauce. I didn't try I as don't eat cheese, my friends did and did not like it at all.
two of us had tuna steaks which were overcooked partculary the edges and so very dry, the roast vegetables were nice. Some of the deserts on the menu were not available. We asked to be moved to a different table as there was a real cold chilly draft on the one we were seated at.
Suzannah Duncan
As much as I am a fan of Bella Italia restaurants, Basildon is a real let down. Service takes ages due to the restaurant being understaffed, waitress actually cleared the table as we sat down. It took ages to order drinks and receive them & despite my other half ordering a mojito, it was the sadest looking cocktail I've seen. Food took forever to arrive & my burger was clearly overcooked & dry & served in the toughest bun that I gave up halfway through as it gave me jaw ache to chew it. Desert was also a let down with what tasted like pizza dough served with a pot of chocolate sauce, dry & tasteless. I've visited this restaurant a few times hoping it will improve but sadly not. Unfortunately I will never visit this Bella Italia again as it's just not a happy dining experience.
Claire Taylor
I never write reviews but felt i had to after my experience! Took my 7 year old for the pizza making afternoon and it was a total shambles and nothing like I expected it to be. It was basically a pizza chef came out to the restaurant, the kids pointed to what they would like on there pizza and then it was brought to them once cooked. To make matter worse I ordered a slider burger meal for my two year old. The first time the meal came out it was stone cold and when I complained and received a replacement, the chips were still stone cold and the burger was completely raw and still cold in the middle. Hard to understand how it can be so undercooked when it's the size of a 50p and totally disgusting when it's a meal for a two year old!! The restaurant was empty apart from the pizza making group so you couldn't even blame it on being busy!! A total shambles and would ask you to think twice before visiting.
Alex Bear Turpy
Well where do I start. I would like to say that the Barman Sam was very help full and polite also the same goes for Emma I would rate their customer service as 5* now to explain why.
I Went out here for my brothers birthday he really wanted to go Bella Italia our nearest restaurant is basildon. So tonight after I have finished work I meet my family (4 of us in total) Which was just seated even tho they turned up 15minuets before I arrived. Well we was still waiting for 15-20minuets before our starters and meals where ordered. Then half hour for starters to turn up. Starters was not too bad. Then waited for 45minuet before going to ask how long our food is going to be only to find the manager our waitress and another member of staff sitting near the front door playing with their phones. After complaining to the manager he went and asked the kitchen what is going on only to find they have not even started our mains. The manager then came over and said did we want to say for our main they will be 5-10minuets. We stayed. I went to the bar and ask the barman (Sam) to get some drinks as this was a lot faster than getting our waitress to get them. Sam even offered to take our drinks to the table which was nice and above and beyond as I was willing to to take them.
Once we received our food well we was missing sauce and asked for items not to be on the plate. After we had eaten our mains Emma came over with the birthday cake (which we bought) singing happy birthday which was excellent as we did not prompt her to bring it over.
So apart from the Staff members I mentioned at the start the whole visits was terrible.
YeĆim Sharp
Overall the food was nice but we tried the new menu and I donât know if the chef wasnât sure of content but our chicken wings starter didnât have the balsamic bbq sauce and my gnocchi pesto Verdi had no chicken in it whatsoever. Because the menu is new we had no idea of presentation; if the chicken was minced into the gnocchi or if we had read the menu wrong until I checked afterwards. Service was pretty slow and laid back so I didnât get a chance to query food with staff. Iâve just seen an email with pictures & now know for sure that our food wasnât as it should have been. Disappointing.
Barbara Gant
Went Saturday lunchtime. No lunchtime menu. Only two staff on tables. When my meal came up it was nearly cold. Sent it back. Got my meal when the other people I was with had almost finished theirs. Thought the prices were a bit steep. Lunch 2 adults 1 child nearly ÂŁ45 disgusting price for Lunch! seeing how we shared a starter and had no desserts. Won't be going back.
Lisa Coleman
We had our sevond trip to the resturant last night, we had pre booked but our table wasnt ready, not enough staff and out of 5 members 2 were running around like headless chickens, we gave them the benifit of the dout and dat down for our meal, when ordering they had run out of a few things we wanted!! But when we got our food which we didnt have to wait that long for it was lovely. Staff did there best but we had a plesant evening
Chris Whufc Lyddiatt
Apart from the waitress that we had who run a round serving 75% of the people in the restaurant wile the other waiter/waitresses done not much. It was poor. Restaurant 2-10. Waitress 10-10 đ
Mitch Vernon
It was my first visit to this restaurant & it was a calm pleasant atmosphere. I didn't feel rushed to eat my dinner like most restaurants nowadays. The only thing that was concerning was the extremely cold seating area by the glass wall. We moved away without any fuss from staff. Think they felt the same about that cold area as many other customers asked to be moved from that area also. It's a nice a place for food.
John Reilly
Been there 3 times. Service is very poor. Itâs not the staff, itâs whoever manages the rota - never enough staff on. Booked for 6 people today for a birthday lunch and waited for close to 10 minutes at front of house and no one came to ask if we wanted a table. We walked out. I wonder with all the offers if they are struggling with custom - sort your service out would be a start.
Karla Hockton
Just wanted to recommend this fantastic restaurant. My daughter Madison had her9th birthday here on the 10/9/17 where she did a pizza making party. The staff was fantastic with all 14 kids and the children loved there pizza making experience. Thank you to all involved.
Steve Bushell
Absolute joke! Over an hour wait between starters and main course! Nothing technical either!! spaghetti , prawns and chillies , for two people, not a table of ten ...... It's two pasta dishes. Staff have zero idea how to treat customers! Do not use this branch , lakeside branch is 10 stars compared to this place ïżœ
Jackie Lee Quinn
Very nice restaurant... food is good.
Did not have to wait too long between courses.
Staff were very considerate & polite
Would definately recommend.
Christine Gray
Took a long time to be seated the table was very sticky
The restaurant is under staff the staff don't look happy
the food was ok
When I ask for a fork the member of staff said I'm on my break (male) but did get me one won't be going back
Julie Doyle
Popped in for lunch today with 2 friends. We told the gentleman serving us we had 1hr for lunch. We ordered dough balls and pizzas. Quick cooking food. The restaurant wasn't very busy. 45 minutes later we still hadn't received our food. My friend went up and said if starters are ready we will eat them bit box up the mains and we will take away. We still were waiting 50 minutes later. We then co.plained to the manager who woffled on about kitchen . We said nope were going. She said the dough is ready... sorry no time to eat it. Most disappointed in the service today.
Emma Scott
I'm on here right now, we have been seated for 2 hours & still haven't had our starters!!!! After 30 mins of sitting down I had to call a waitress to bring us menus & take drinks orders then it took another half hour for the drinks to arrive; we then had to ask to place our food order as no one had taken that & we were still missing a bottle of wine, 20 mins later we called the waitress again to chase up that wine & my starter has JUST ARRIVED as I finish this review. Not impressed with the service AT ALL.
Charlene Boyes
Lovely staff, lovely food, even had a balloon man which the kids loved! But nowhere near enough waiters/waitresses, the poor girls where run off their feet so we had to wait a while for drinks/deserts/bill but do no blame the staff at all because there definitely wasn't enough of them, they where working their butts off!
Emma Alexander
Went here last night and was sorely disappointed. The food was just tasteless and the service was non existent, to the extent we had to go and pay our bill at the bar in the end because no one would serve us. Had planned on dessert but we had been in there 2 hours already. Not blaming the waitress as she was lovely but clearly understaffed.
Stu Hunt
Terrible service! 30 min wait between finishing starters and receiving our main! This was followed by a 40 minute wait between mains and dessert! I dread to think how bad it would of been if it had been busy in there! Wouldnt recommend!
Ailsa Brockman
Our son loved the pizza making afternoon. He had a great time and we were able to relax while he joined in. We had drinks & a sharing pizza bread while we waited & it was delicious. The staff were friendly and helpful. We will definitely be returning ïżœ
Hannah Jones
Chicken wasn't cooked. I told the waiter I didn't want a replacement. My meal was taken off the bill, but I didn't eat it anyway so where's the compensation.
Louise Broadbent
We had a lovely meal, my daughter didn't fancy the piccolo pastas on the menu so chose spaghetti bolognase from the main menu but kids size instead. She thoroughly enjoyed her meal, picking the veg sticks to start and make your own ice ream to end. She loved going up with the waitress to choose what she wanted, the staff were very attentative. They were very good with my daughter & even supplied her with mini cutlery! Service was great, a pleasant experience.
Ryan Law
Waiting staff were pleasant but we were forgotten like many, food was minimalistic for the kids, having a mere 3 tiny triangles of garlic bread and the other a single large bread stick broken in 3 with a few carrot sticks n a dip. Mains were good for everyone but me, 1st pizza came late and had hardly any cheese for a ÂŁ12 pizza, 2nd time round and the pizza had plenty of cheese and 6 pieces of pepperoni, the childrens pizza had more than a full price adult pizza and tasted funny, not like other restaurants. Manager wasnt helpful, took him 20mins to grab our receipt and we only got it after we went and found him. Was out having a fag break. He mentioned the kids dessert as we said we would wait, we had to get the kids icecream ourselves as nobody came back for the dessert order.
The floor was littered with food. One table left clearly unhappy and their food sat at the table opposite for well over and hour. A member of staff came to clear it up finally but left half of it on the table and it sat there a further 20mins. We were appalled at this restaurant. Lakeside bella italia is far nicer, clean and food was spot on gorgeous. Travel for the experience!!
Paul Fisher
Good friday visit
Arrived about 1445 to. 2/3 empty restaurant to be greeted with â have you bookedâ when I said no it took ages to âsort me out a tableâ.
Ordered a calamari (over cooked) followed by crispy duck (in sauce so not crispy) with boring veg
Staff far too busy and over stressed.
Jacqui Bearman
The food was lovely and so was the service staff very helpful and accomadating looked after us really well
Michelle Cook
Went tonight with my family was an absolute joke ! There arenât enough waitresses, waited 40 minutes for our starters after advising them we had cinema tickets booked, then another half hour for mains and had to rush it down. The manager was useless, couldnât organise a piss up in a brewery. Avoid at all costs on a Saturday night ! I will be writing a complaint letter.
Kerry Ghela
Service very slow. Waited over an hour for food and then told that 2 of the kids meals were missed off the list. Poor kids were starving. Food is lovely when you finally get it.
Stuart Wiseman
Service was very slow and half the staff looked like they came off the street to help. Food was nice but dirty cups knives and forks made me wonder what the kitchen must be like. Was very disappointed so won't be dining there again.
Nikki Fuller
Ordered the Children's Garlic Bread to share with the table instead of a starter and it had far too much salt on it, didn't allow my nephew to eat it at all and we only tried a mouthful each - terrible!
Rest of food was lovely so hoping the garlic bread was just a mistake
Sarah Oakley
Came here this evening to celebrate a big birthday and loved it. The food was delicious and such a great variety even for my fussy eater hubby lol
Staff were lovely and really helpful. Will definitely be coming again.
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