Review of Top of Daytona Restaurant | ***READ THIS BEFORE YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!***

3 years ago

READ THIS BEFORE YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!

***READ THIS BEFORE YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!***

Summary: Turn around, go to McDonald's, and tip the guy at the grill $50. I promise it will be a better value and the food will be better.

***Let me start by saying that my entire family is full of Foodies. We eat out often and always try new places. We don't mind paying $100 for a meal as long as it is prepared well and served to us by friendly staff.***

My family used to frequent this restaurant when it was owned by Sophie Kay, many years ago. It was absolutely amazing. The food was great, the decor beautiful and the atmosphere second to none.

Then the restaurant was sold. Poorly prepared food trying to pass for expensive entrees, second rate decor, a disappointing atmosphere.

My father finally returned several years ago thinking maybe they had turned it around. Nope.

Recently my husband and I looked at the menu and thought maybe they had FINALLY improved things or come under newer ownership.

At the bottom area where the elevator takes you up and I immediately thought "Yikes. Look at this decor. Look at the photos of the 'entertainers'." I almost suggested we just walk away. (GOD how I wish we would have!)

As we stepped onto the 29th floor, I was even more embarrassed by the decorum than I had been in the ground floor waiting area. It was extremely outdated. Then walking up to the hostess desk, I saw a sign that claimed the restaurant had received an award as one of Daytona's best restaurants in 2012. That is the only reason we stayed for dinner. In retrospect, I would bet $1000 that had been a piece of paper an employee had just created in photoshop and printed to keep patrons from turning away at the first sight of the ghastly decor and dreary atmosphere.

We were seated. There was a man playing an extremely poorly tuned guitar and singing. Off key. Our waiter came. He was nice enough. Beautiful view. Then our food began to arrive...

Lobster tower - $18 - they fail to mention the secret ingredient of "HAIR" listed in the description. We were brought a new one, which took a very long time, and were still expected to pay after being traumatized by our opening dish.

Caprese Salad - $9 - dry, stale mozzarella, warm tomatoes, a couple old basil leaves and about a teaspoon of balsamic reduction (which tasted just a little worse than what I buy in the supermarket).

Caesar Salad with Ranch - $5 - small portion and warm, not crispy and cold. Decent taste.

Cream of Vegetable Soup - $5 or so - taste wasn't bad, but very runny. Not satisfying. I could have made a 10x better soup at home in 30 minutes.

Chilean Sea Bass - $35 - cold and gooey in the middle, not crisp on the outside, and not even a decent sized portion. Included potatoes which were actually the highlight of both our meals.

Relax riesling - $9 a glass (Sold for $7 a bottle in grocery stores). The best thing I had all night aside from the potatoes.

My husband told the waiter about the fish and he looked at him like he had just farted. No offer to recook, replace, or remove from check.

We opted to not have dessert as we had already wasted enough money on decently conceived yet extremely poorly executed dishes.

We told the waiter we were extremely disappointed in the food overall, and didn't really enjoy anything aside from the potatoes. No offer to do anything to make it up to us. Again, just looked at us as if we had just broken wind.

Check - $78. I handed the waiter $100 in 20 dollar bills and he asked if he could keep it all. I told him I needed change and he looked angry. I left him a $12 tip.

So a total of $90.

At the hostess stand, we told the manager how much we had disliked the food and she blamed it on our tastes.

Afterwords, my husband and I went to Baskin Robbins and got ice cream for a grand total $10. I would have felt 100 times better if I had given THEM the $90. The quality was better, the staff was nicer, and the atmosphere much more pleasant.