Tarah Maruyama
My husband and I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton for my 40th birthday and hosted a dinner for ten friends at Quiora. To start with the positives: our server, Kennedy, was wonderful. He was warm, attentive, and offered great recommendations for the table. We especially enjoyed the arancini, ahi dip, uni pasta, and horchata trifle. Those were standouts. A few friends who ordered the pappardelle felt it could have used more seasoning, but overall the food was solid. However, there were several aspects that were frustrating. I don’t mind paying higher prices at a luxury property, but I was surprised by the extra fees that appeared on our bill. For example, there was a $6 “martini upcharge” added to each $16 martini. Since we ordered several, it would have been helpful to be informed of this beforehand. We were also charged $6 each for sides of sauce and Parmesan cheese, which felt excessive. Ultimately, the total came out to over $150 per person, and the value didn’t match that price point. We also encountered issues prior to our reservation. We originally booked for nine guests and asked to add one more when a friend flew in to surprise me. The restaurant told us that increasing the party size meant we would need to submit everyone’s orders in advance. I didn’t want to ask my guests to do that, especially for just one additional person. The back-and-forth over this became more frustrating than it needed to be, and honestly made me regret choosing the restaurant. Had I not put down a deposit I would have tried to change the venue at this point. When we arrived, the staff still seemed flustered that our party size had changed, which didn’t create a welcoming atmosphere. For the level of pricing and the setting, I expected a more accommodating and seamless experience. A simple “We’ll take care of that for you” would have gone a long way.
