What was your worst restaurant experience?

Last night we went to a new restaurant for an invite-only, “soft opening.” My husband had done a lot of work in the restaurant, which is a very upscale, beautiful place. This being the first night they were open, we didn’t expect great things. However, the owner decided to also open the door to the general public due to a large crowd from a nearby car show. We arrived with another couple, sat down at 7:00, had two bottles of wine and waited almost three hours before leaving without dinner. We did get one appetizer, but it wasn’t what we ordered and none of us cared for it.

My husband and I finally gave up and left, with three kids at home and a babysitter to relieve. We told the waiter to cancel our orders, but our friends stayed at the restaurant. We later learned that the food finally arrived a little after 11:00—all four entrees. Later, the waiter gave them a bill totalling almost $200, including charges for the appetizers we never had and the two meals they’d returned to the kitchen. The waiter claimed he couldn’t find the owner and couldn’t change the bill himself. Our friends refused to pay for anything other than the drinks and their own dinners, then walked out.

I truly feel bad for this restaurant having such a disastrous opening (none of the tables around us were getting their food either), but I can’t help being mad about the whole thing. I’m sure we’ll try the place again in the future, when they’ve gotten their act together. At least the artwork looked fantastic (thanks to my talented husband).

Has something like this happened to anyone else? How did you deal with it, and did you ever go back?