Comments on: Eva restaurant review

By: Stu

Stu — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:30:31 +0000

I think the issue is that they see themselves more as a neighborhood, drop by and grab a quick bite type of place – as opposed to a destination restaurant. That is compounded moreover with the fact it is a really small restaurant. Things get a bit better in the summer with their outdoors pation out back.

Not a huge deal really, I guess that is their choice and they are clearly doing great businesses with obvious wait times for a table.

Good luck to ‘em, we have had nothing but great food there.

By: Muncher

Muncher — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:56:28 +0000

I love a good ‘let’s pop in and get a bite’ sometimes too, but Stu hit the nail on the head. Sometimes people have plans and need to know whether they can be accommodated or not. In our case, we had some movies and knowing downtown restaurants were going to be pretty busy, we wanted to plan ahead. I don’t look at this as being too picky, actually quite the opposite. I look it as lending courtesy to the restaurant by filling them in of our plans ahead of time so they know to expect us at the time of the reservation. I try not to take offense of ambrosia negatively calling me a westerner (although by origin I am) but I might add that reservations at good restaurants are quite typical around the world. I am getting ready to head to France in two weeks (I’ve been four times) and you better bet your tush we make reservations at restaurants. If we were to show up reservation-less expecting a table, well that is when we would be shown to the door by a frustrated manager mumbling ’stupid American’ under his/her breathe. It is simply a polite gesture to inform a restaurant of your plans so they kitchen staff can plan their evening too. Win-win. Now if a place can pull off not needing reservations and taking care of its patrons, by all means, but according to David’s review, it sounds like Eva struggles with this task.

By: David

David — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:44:17 +0000

We went to Eva a couple weeks ago, understanding of the no reservation policy and knowing we would have to wait. We, as a party of 4, arrived around 8, left our name and they asked for a cell number to call us when a table opened, indicating about a 50 minute wait. 50 minutes, no phone call, we go back in, no table. We wait another 40 minutes, watching tables clear. We get seated and then are told that there menu is now “the after hours menu”.

So, will I go back to a place that can’t follow it’s own party tracking protocol, knows that we have been waiting a couple hours, can’t seat us at the open counter so we can at least have a drink while we wait, and then, after acknowledging how long we have waited, only say “sorry you missed the dinner menu…there were some great specials tonight”. Meahhh, next.

And the food….good, not great.

By: Stu

Stu — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:05:40 +0000

Ambrosia: Don’t get me wrong. I have my impulsive days like anyone else.

Quite often though, when planning a night out, having to get a taxi, plan the evening (maybe a show to attend after dinner etc?) it is essential to have a reservation.

There have been a few restaurants I’ve personally shown up at, they’ve been packed, we couldn’t wait for a table as we had plans, or some other reason. So we just don’t bother going to those places.

I’ve been to Eva at least four or five times on the spur of the moment and never had an issue. That was before they got REAL popular though.

By: ambrosia

ambrosia — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:57:22 +0000

really….???!!! you won’t partake in a restaurant’s fabulous cuisine simply because they don’t take reservations. hmmm. double hmmm. perhaps certain individuals need a course of “comfort and ease”…paired with a nice wine from the “enjoying the present moment” valley. just a sign of the times when all westerners want everything “right now” and/or “at a certain calculated time”. well, at least that leaves great food and great memories for the rest of us.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:07:44 +0000

I completely agree with you Muncher. I had the same problem with Red Igunana and Takashi. I’m sure there are more places I have forgotten too.

We haven’t been back to Eva in ages either, reservations would certainly help a lot with that.

I also can’t fathom a reason for not taking reservations, it really blows my mind. You just can’t plan a nice night out without a reservation.

By: Muncher

Muncher — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:25:51 +0000

We called Eva last weekend in effort to make a reservation for this week (we have break just long enough to squeeze in dinner between two Sundance movies) and they said they do not take reservations. This turned me off quicker than a light switch. I have heard so many wonderful things about Eva’s so I’m sorry to say we blew them off and called Martine instead (they were more than happy to make a reservation for us). Maybe just a bone to pick, but I can’t stand no reservation policies at restaurants. No one wants to wait an hour to be seated and if reservations aren’t really necessary, than take them anyway. They help people to plan and feel reassured. Therefore, Eva’s no reservation policy to me says stop by if you are in the neighborhood and haven’t already made other plans and don’t mind waiting if we are busy. That’s fine, but it means I will be stopping by Eva sometime in the next year or so, instead of this week.

By: jose comida

jose comida — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:05 +0000

We tried Eva’s this past weekend and were very pleasently surprised.We arrived to find a 20-30 min. wait so found seats at the bar and commenced drinking!My cohorts in epicurian adventure loved the imaginative cocktails and I was pleased to find PINKUS PILS on the bar menu.It seems as though Pinkus is a “hot” beer now with many establishments offering what was an obscure brew in the past.Tapa style grazing on french pie,short ribs(too salty for me)and gnochi and another pasta were slightly to heavy on the cream sauce but everyone hailed the scallops.Dessert was the “doughnut holes” that everyone else enjoyed but a little too heavy and chewey for my taste.Overall it was anice surprise and economical option for downtown and late night noshing.

By: Gastronomic Salt Lake City | Eva restaurant coupon

Gastronomic Salt Lake City | Eva restaurant coupon — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:37:51 +0000

[...] on the heels of our latest review of Eva restaurant, I noticed this week an official web site popped up. Of most interest is a coupon for a whopping [...]

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:28:51 +0000

Parmesan on the tasty fries? Sounds excellent, but you do know that’s cheese, right Stu?