La Barra - Riverside

"We have been coming here since 2017. Never once had we had a problem with service or our food. Last time we ordered takeout the food kind of tasted different-- a little bland but we didn't let it stop us from coming back; maybe it was a bad night. Tonight we came back and decided to eat in. They still had the beet salad from years ago that I LOVEEEEEE...... I noticed this time it was only golden beets, no red beets- fine whatever no problem however, they tasted like they were previously frozen then defrosted... The whole salad had no flavor whatsoever... I was so upset I just left it on the side .. The bartender got a busy dinner rush and was kind of complaining how busy he was even some of his regulars were like "Hey what's the matter man and he's like I'm just busy"... Maybe pick a different career if you're upset that you're going to have a dinner rush... Especially in the food/ customer service business. He checked on us for 2 seconds and when I asked him if the beet recipe was different he just walked away and kind of turn his head and said "yeah"... The deep dish pizza also lacked a bit of flavor.... idk maybe they changed chefs over the course of a few years but the quality and flavor definitely has gone down ..... It's really sad because it looks so delectable but then when you take a bite there's no flavor.. Of course 25 mins or so later when he isn't as busy he is very attentive and wants to know how everything is actually So I just asked him for a box for the pizza and to send the beets back because they tasted wrong. You can clearly see he's talking about me and the appetizer with his fellow co-workers in the back laughing ... I get the bill and expected to pay for something that I said tasted wrong... I won't be back for subpar service and poor quality food"

"Will add more photos next time around because we will be back but a great place for dinner, I can imagine the same for lunch and other times of the day! Reservations encouraged…."

"We've been to La Barra many times in the past and have always enjoyed their eggplant parmesan. This time, I thought I would try their whitefish. It was a bit slimy and tepid in temperature when I received it. I'm not one to complain and send food back. I just know that if we come back, I'll stick with their eggplant parmesan. The service was quite inattentive as well. After making a request for parmesan cheese (which they have readily available in those shakers), it was forgotten about. From the time we were seated to getting our tab, it was about 2.25 hours. So slow. It must have also been a "take your child out to eat" night. The children were rambunctious and noisy. Many running around. It really ruined the ambiance of the evening. And the parents were absolutely oblivious to their children's actions. The wait staff need to get new uniforms. The t-shirts are getting old and tattered. And seeing the slogan, "Legalize marinara", on the back of the t-shirts is passe. Black pants and a white button-down shirt would go with the caliber of the restaurant. Photo that I shared shows girls running around table while one is holding a cellphone to her head that displays a word that others are to describe without saying the word. Very disruptive to the other patrons."

"First time diner here, came in on Sunday. The menu was a little different than what I found online because this is independent of the chain, but I would highly reccomend coming to this specific location. Service was wonderful from the moment we walked in. Staff was attentive, friendly and welcoming. Our server was patient and honest as she helped us decide what to get. (props to her as we were hungry and fickle) Everyone helped each other out, showing they were a solid team, which made our experience all the better. Fried calamari was great, but the grilled octopus was absolutely incredible. Presentation was beautiful as well. We had the Salsiccia pizza; sauce was savory and the dough perfect. For drinks we had the Joe-La Espresso Martini, Mediterranean Spa-tini, and the Shady Lady (favorites listed in that order, would order them all again!) For dessert we had The Oreo Cake (delicious but a little on the drier side) and the Pistachio Gelato (partner says it wowed his taste buds). We were in bliss. Despite being busy, the host and manager both came over to check on us several times throughout the evening. Loved the food, the service and the ambience. I'll be coming back again several times; excited to try the rest of the menu."

"The food here is unreal, so much to choose from and tastes really authentic. Special shout-out to Tony for looking after us, I hope to be back soon!"