Sa Za - Serious Italian Food

Reviews 5

BA

Backyard Movies

First let me say, we came in with a very large party…the wait staff tried their hardest to accommodate, but we were simply beyond their skills. You ever gone to a restaurant and had your dining experience evolve into something akin to a hostage situation? I have…it was at a place called Sa Za in Montgomery, AL. We showed up a large boisterous group excited for a night of comradery…we left the restaurant broken and some even still a little hungry. Drink orders were taken, the drinks came for the most part, and then orders were taken. A few appetizers were ordered and those came relatively quickly, but that is when everything changed. WE sat at our table for several hours before everyone got their food. We watched a human drama unfold in the kitchen as the red shirted expediter looking at the orders scratched his head in confusion, flung his hands to the heavens in frustration….and despite his flailing and gyrations, the food still did not come. Like survivors on a desert island, talk turned amazing meals we had once had, elsewhere. There was even dreamy talk of visiting Jimmy Johns, it this dinner ever ended. Some wanted to leave without their food, but stayed because they believed their order to a promise to the restaurant. Sa Za felt not such commitment to their patrons. The dishes eventually came out sporadically and across the faces of the diners you could see the transition from hunger, to excitement, to disappointment, and finally resignation to survive this ordeal. My Grandma’s Pizza was nothing I would serve my own grandmother or anyone that I cared about. The crust was hard and thick, it tasted as if it were purchased by the case from a big box store. The sauce tasted canned and there was but a sprinkling of basil on top. It was lacking on all accounts. After 2.5 hours the waitress approached two members of our party who still had not received their food for a refresher on what they ordered…for those keeping track at home, this is never a good sign. By the time we paid, we had endured 3 hours of Sa Za’s incompetence and at least one member of our party completely giving up the idea of eating, despite having just sat in a restaurant for an 1/8th of a day. In hindsight, she was the lucky one. Save yourself some time and money, buy some Chef Boyardee and a Hot Pocket, heat them using rays from the sun and eat them in a crowded waiting room.

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A

A Private User

To whom this may concern, I was just in your Montgomery,AL location. I received some of the worst customer service in my life from one of your corporate managers. I can find his name out if you wish. I was sitting at the counter with a couple of friends and another friend wanted to come so we invited him down. When he got there we tried to get him a chair or maybe a table. All of a sudden your "manager" (he said he was a corporate manager) gets the worst attitude with me. I realize the place was busy and we have ordered but this guy came at me like i was doing something wrong. So i decided i didnt want to dine in that kind of environment so i canceled my order. After a verbal altercation with this "manager" I asked for my check and left. I was talking with another buddy outside and the manager comes out said he was going to "take his apron off" and fight. My friend stepped in and ended the altercation. I just got home and thought you might want to know what kind of employees you have hired. I know this. I will NEVER step foot in another Saza in my life. I have a business and have took my entire staff there before but never again. I am also a food blogger and plan to tell everyone about my experience. I will also tell my friends to never eat there. I cant believe the type of place you are running. I am very sad that this had to end this way.

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MI

misterpetee allen

The food was over 5 stars delicious; however the service was unbelievable by a server named Brandy. We waited 10 minutes before we got drinks. Then we witnessed all this by our waitress: (1) Dropped food on floor (2) Could not uncork champagne bottle at table next to us so the customer had to do it for her. (3) Dropped pizza off tray on counter (4) Waited forever for drink refills (5) Watched her sit down at the table and talk to a patron next to us on her shift (6) Came to our table and apologized that it would be longer because she failed to put in our order in time (7) Acted exasperated and upset when she came to our table. (8) Watched a whole table leave because she never waited on them. I think the manager should know this as my daughter used to be a waitress and even said how ridiculous all of this was. She said you never show how frantic you are in front of customers. We were out of town customers trying this place for the first time. We did leave her a good tip because we felt sorry for her being so overwhelmed and it may not have been all her fault if she was trying to do more than one job. I realize it was Mothers Day about 4pm but I think management needs to be aware of the situation for the patrons that frequent this establishment on a regular basis. Thank you.

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BR

Brad Seehawer

For as much eye-rolling as is incurred by the inclusion of "serious Italian food" in the damn title of the restaurant and the franchising promises on the website, Sazas actually does put out a mean pie. Made in the New York style with a thinner heel and coal-fired with a noticeable bit of char, the thin crust and thick cut pies require to be folded to be eaten neatly, and the toppings, while not always handled gracefully, were at least tasty. The wild mushroom and goat cheese pizza had large amounts of morels, chanterelles, and porcini, and along with a balsamic reduction made for a sauceless pie of sophistication. They seem to place a lot of emphasis on their meatballs and "Sunday sauce", and the conflux of both of these in the smashed meatball pizza resulted in a slice that was overshadowed by its toppings, but given the heavily-seasoned sauce, I didnt really mind. Service was a little slow, but I was in a large party, so I didnt mind. Sitting out on the patio in downtown Montgomery, youre pretty much obligated to take things a little more slowly.

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AS

Ashley Doxie

My friend and I went to the SaZa restaurant on Commerce St. for dinner and was told there were only seats available at the bar. There were clearly tables available, but I chose not to complain and asked to be notified when a table outside became available. I gave the host my number and was told I would receive a text with the wait time immediately and another text once the table was ready. We decided to take a stroll through the alley and after about 15 minutes, we realized we had never received a confirmation text mesaage. We walked back to the restaurant only to discover the couple that walked in after us had been seated in a addition to two other couples. Two host failed to recognize us upon re-entering the restaurant, therefore we left. Ive never experienced any worse service that at Saza on tonight. So glad, we were able to be seated and served in a matter of minutes right across the street at Wintzells. Ill never set foot in SaZas again.

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