urban table

the service just keeps getting worse!. we eat at urban table almost weekly because we like their food. but it pains me to go because the service is awful. during sunday brunch we had almost finished our food before the server even checked on us. during a weekend evening, the bartender was more worried experimenting with new drinks and serving them to fellow servers. it was a very slow evening and we were 2 of maybe 10 patrons there and we had to wave our glass at the bartender for him to come over. again during a weekday late lunch, the bartender was just okay; not attentive even though we were the only ones at the bar. the staff socialize more with each other than actually work. to the management, i am more than happy to order at the counter and get my own food. i don't see how we should tip for our food being brought to us and less than stellar service during the meal. do yourselves a favor and get rid of the staff. we love the food but would rather save the 20% tip for service well deserved. if you really need the servers could you just have whoever trained the servers at brgr to train your servers. now they have good service!


update:
after my review above, i received an email from urban table saying that they were working n the service issues i had pointed out. we have since been back, once for brunch with our kids and another was on a sat. night. the service was excellent. the servers were attentive which made our evening out enjoyable. thank you, thank you! we will be enjoying our weekly visits to urban table even more! my new-found faves are the croque sandwich, and the trio spread. try them!

overcooked food. the atmoshphere is pleasant. service is good. however, both items that were ordered were over cooked--steak sandwich and salmon. i wondered if the steak sandwich meat was left over from lunch. very high priced small portions.

it was just ok. ordered the white sangria that promised strawberries, grapes and apples. it came with orange, lemon and a cherry. it was just ok. brgr had better sangria next door. the burger wad missing the bbq mayo and was more bun than anything else. the steak french dip was tough and the au jus was bland. nothing was bad but nothing stood out as great. doubt we'll go back.

i spent at least 10 minutes trying to find something to eat and nothing on the menu sounded remotely good so i settled for the french dip. when i got it it was cold the meat tasted like nothing but tenderizer. i only ate the bread it was terrible. but they did have a nice location and set up

out with friends. fun place to go and the food is very good, menu items are always done just right and their specials are always worth looking at. have eaten here a few times and it has always been good. one of the few places that knows how to serve a medium rare cheeseburger and the sweet potato fries and excellent.

... urban chicken salad sandwiches. it was awesome, but it left me with one question. what exactly made this chicken salad so "urban"?

awkward ordering/service. lunch was good, had the garden salad (red peppers & goat cheese were nice) and the turkey sandwich on bagel. sandwich was a little spicy, fyi. lunch menu looks appetizing, decor inside is fitting w/ the theme & "bread & butter concepts look" (see brgr, gram & dun). pricing was no steal but in line w/ the mid-high end pv/corinth crowd i guess. on to my gripe: service. not the level of service, as that was fine, but the awkward frankenstein they try to create during the lunch hour with the counter order, table service thing. it's like they tried to emulate panera, but give you a server. they swipe your card and print a ticket when you order, take it to your table with a number you put on a table post (normal up till now), then the waiter brings your food, asks if you want drink/dessert, and reprints your ticket w/ a tip line. not a dig at the servers at all, they were very polite/professional, but i struggle with tipping when there's nothing to tip for (bring out a plate). to me, tipping is earned for constant service throughout the visit from seating to food recommendations, bringing meals to the table refilling drinks, etc.. 15 seconds of interaction when they bring your plate is difficult to warrant a 15-25% tip, so it makes it terribly awkward on deciding what to do. not sure what they're trying to accomplish with this arrangement but i have to say that it makes me think twice about going back. on one hand i don't want to stiff an 18 year old kid, but i think it dilutes what tipping is about if they just bring a plate that you ordered off a wall above a computer screen., imho.

i like the straight-forward salads, soups and sandwiches. just don't like the echo-ey dining room and patio. hard for me to have a relaxing meal here.

we ate there with another couple & their infant. awesome atmosphere! creative food like polenta fries! yum! turkey meatloaf sammy was good & the chef's special: fluke lettuce wraps were good & light! salads good & steak sammy!

planning to return. planning to return

i finally got around to trying urban table, which i had been intending to do for quite awhile. i resisted for so long because there were a fair number of less-than-flattering reviews, so it was easy to always find somewhere else to go instead. now, having tried it, i feel compelled to write a review, as my experience was excellent and i'd hate for others to be warned off from trying it.

full disclosure: i ate at dinnertime. i've been told that the setup is different for breakfast/lunch than it is for dinner. the dinner period is a traditional arrangement where a host/hostess shows you to a table, whereas breakfast/lunch are done with a walk-up ordering counter and a find-your-own-table approach. it seems like a fair number of the negative comments about service have to do with the walk-up style, but maybe that's just an impression.

the food i ordered was well-prepared and left me feeling very content.

i started with an order of the polenta 'fries', which evoked the feeling of either extra-large french fries or small, crunchy breadsticks. using the polenta is a great idea, because the starchiness really evokes the taste of traditional fries, but makes them a little bit lighter, like bread. urban table compensated for fact that polenta can be bland with some nice black pepper seasoning and a couple of great sauces. one was a spicy "aioli", although i didn't taste much (if any) garlic, so i wondered if i wasn't eating mayo that was being called "aioli" to sound fancier. either way, it was delicious, so i suppose it's no matter. the other sauce was a ketchup that was billed as "sun dried tomato", but it tasted more like fresh tomatoes than dried ones. not complaining, as it was also delicious, just not quite what i expected.

my main course was the brisket "sammie" with sauteed onions and a horseradish cream sauce and a side of veggie-chorizo soup. while i could quibble here and there with the doneness of the meat and the fact that i prefer my horseradish with a bit more kick, the truth is that the sandwich was great. it had none of the mechanical pitfalls that gourmet sandwiches sometimes have, and the flavors were complimentary and balanced. in my opinion, if you can construct a balanced, well-engineered sandwich, you are probably pretty good at constructing other, less architecturally-intense plates. i'm eager to go back and try an entree-style dish. as noted, my sandwich came with a bowl of soup, which was tasty, but maybe a bit slight on the amount of chorizo. regardless, the meal was filling and satisfying and didn't lack for flavor or substance.

i so want to like this place.... i really do want to like urban table, but i've been there twice (once during the weekday lunch rush and once on a weekend for lunch) and i've been disappointed both times. i think i may need to try the breakfast, which i've heard good things about, or the dinner menu. the lunch menu has been dry, crunchy and unimpressive. i dislike both their shoestring potatoes and their chips. the bread is always way too crunchy so that is scrapes the roof of your mouth. and i hate fighting people for seating; i understand the urban table concept, but i didn't enjoy fighting my sibilings at my parents' dinner table when i was growing up, it's much less fun with pushy strangers desperate to find a seat. i'd really like to find something i can get excited about at urban table, but so far it's all been hype.

pretty good. not sure why this place has such a low % rating. i've been quite a few times and tried a variety of items. the only thing i did not like was the chicken sandwich because the bread was too greasy and hard. breakfast and lunch has been tasty and the odessa is a must. the lunch combo is usally the best bet so you can try a few different items and the brownies are awesome! really wish they had coffee drinks and better muffins/scones. think this place would do much better if they didn't try and do lunch and dinner differently. people like to know what ot expect and from what i've read dinner is not a great experience for people.


-----04 oct, 2011-----

good atmosphere. like the bench seating that feels like open air. wish they had coffee drinks and yummy baked goods. food is decent, but need to try a few more items. hopefully they will change their menu with the seasons or offer some specialty items.

great neighborhood place. been here a few times now to cover all meals, and i don't have a single complaint which doesn't come easy for me. great flavors, good pricepoint, solid service, terrific atmosphere!

so delicious.. went there with a friend for dinner on a friday night. our wait was very minimal, maybe 5 minutes? our waiter came pretty quickly and took our drink order. the restaurant itself is decorated beautiful. very modern but also inviting. my friend didn't like the metal table tops but not a big deal.
i had the prosciutto & fig stuffed chicken breast. it was absolutely yummy! i can't think of one thing to complain about it.
my friend had the braised short rib. the ribs just fell apart. the sweet potatoes was beyond good and the sauce all over? amazing!
we both ate everything and left very happy and full.
awesome place. we will definitely be back soon.

new years eve at urban table. it was a delightful evening of fresh and delicious foods, paired each course with remarkable companion wines. it was a set menu with multiple course choices. we had the butcher's tenderloin and the sea scallops - each perfectly prepared and of comfortable portion size. the crab cake opener was excellent! desserts were a wonderful way to end the meal! you have to meet the vivacious and energetic manager - emily - and learn why urabn table is quite the place for wonderful flavors and value!