Thursday 9 February 2012

Luigis Pizza & Steak (south) 1119 Mayor Magrath Dr.

I hate to start out a blog in a negative way but today's experience reminded me of why I have only eaten here one other time. I was looking up the address to add the the blog and I found that I wasn't the only person to be disappointed by Luigi's. There are many bad reviews out there. Anyway here goes. First and most importantly, when I go for lunch I need to be back to work on time. I wish restaurants could understand this. Today we arrived shortly after 12 PM and at 12:50 our meals still had not been served. Once they were served we had to gobble the food down so quick it was hard to enjoy. Well, enjoy would have been a stretch anyway since I wasn't overly impressed. I ordered a steak sandwich with spaghetti thinking that paying extra for spaghetti would give me a little bigger portion. I guessed wrong! I thought spaghetti was relatively cheap but I guess they use the expensive kind here. The veggies were the everyday household mixed veggies from a frozen bag that is about the cheapest, worst thing you can put on a customers plate. Now you really got me going! A server that doesn't know how to smile added to the displeasure. BUT!! wait, it gets better, my steak was very good!! cooked medium rare, tender with great flavor. At least they got one thing right. Sorry Luigi's but you have got to do better than this. I may get brave and try again in another 10 years. "J"






Its getting harder and harder to think of a place to go these days. Today we decided on Luigi's. I haven't been here in a long time and I've never tried lunch here. We were seated right away, the restaurant was busy, but not packed. I thought there was a pretty big lunch menu with lots of different things. I decided on pizza because its a good lunch choice and Luigi's usually has really good pizza. So, we've all ordered and by now its about 12:15. So we waited and talked and waited longer. Seriously, sometimes in a restaurant I don't notice how much time is actually gone by. I looked at the time, wow, its 12:40. We just waited some more. Then, its 12:50 what's going on here? Our food came about 2 minutes after that. I thought the Pizza I ordered was really really good. It had Italian Sausage, Green Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes. It was a good value, and just enough. I was full and ready to go back to work. (which we were late getting back) Lunch should be easy to do in an hour. I don't know why we had to wait so long today. Either way, it was a good tasting lunch and I feel like I got a good lunch for the money. The other "Nomads" didn't order simple pizza, so we'll see what they have to say. "M"

16 comments:

  1. Wow. Luigis has been in business for over 30 years. I think they are doing something right. I really don't think you guys know what you are doing.

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    1. You know what else has been in business for over 30 years? McDonalds, and I wouldn't eat there if it was free.

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  2. I stumbled across your helpful blog when our visiting son wanted to try Los Del Cid. Encouraged by your comments we enjoyed our lunch there very much. After reading the comments after your lunch at the south side Luigi's, I thought I'd write and say I agree their lunch waits are too long. Have you thought to try the north side Luigi's (306 13 Street North)? Their menu is good, the service is great and the restaurant has street and a rear parking lot with back entrance. Also in the north, the A M Cafe at 3205 8 Ave North has easy access from 9 Ave and 32 Street North, the new owners serve great breakfasts and lunches with generous portions. Thank you for your reviews, they are both useful and fun! SJTM

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  3. I agree with pull up your boot Luigis south, your loosing the customers. We were there 1 week ago had a waitress that was snarly when I ordered lemons with my tea and again with my Cesar salad.Since when is she the one that has to roll her eyes at a customers request.RUDE !!!We waited a very long time for meal,and then waited for at least another 8-10 minutes with money in hand . Waiter walked right by us said he would be right back. He proceeded to take a tables order and then go place the order in a computer,walked right passed us again got some drinks from the bar area and served them.Finally took are money.It will be the LAST money Luigis South will get from us in a long time.

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  4. I must have had the same waitress !! No smile and very snotty with her looks .This waitress needs a job out of the public's eye ,can you find her a back room to work in PLEASE.She is doing your business NO GOOD.By the way your food would never erase the terrible service because it was JUST ok. Nothing to tell anyone about. All I tell people is how BAD the service was,and don't bother going there . We do have two Luigis in this city and the NORTH SIDE LUIGIS is a great dinning place.Try them and leave the south side standing looking pretty with its new renovations but terrible food and service.

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  5. I eat out for lunch four or five times a week. At least twice a week at Luigis south side. The food and service is consistently the best. The staff are wonderful. I've had to wait for the food at times but this is when I arrive at the end of a busy lunch rush. The service is typically excellent.

    Your review is unfortunate. You complain of portion size for the steak and spaghetti. The picture shows what looks like an 8 oz steak and a large amount of spaghetti. What exactly do you expect for lunch? How much are you eating? And then you state that the steak was very good. "At least they got one thing right"...yah, the most important thing. But you're not going back for 10 years. Huh? Good luck finding a better steak elsewhere, with a bigger portion size than that. Where else are you getting that steak? Moxies? Firestone? Their food is terrible. Rick's Grill? Good luck getting out of their in an hour.

    I've read through your other review and I think you should stick to your day jobs.

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    1. So we should all just settle for 1 course meals at Luigi's is what you're saying, because everything but the steak is terrible. When I'm in the mood for a 1 course meal I will head to Luigi's then.

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    2. If the portion size is important to J ... that obviously makes it relevant to his post. HE IS THE CONSUMER! Each and every person requires a different amount of food. Something else to keep in mind is that SOME people eat large meals at lunch and small meals for supper. "How much are you eating?" .... boy, you certainly have a sense of entitlement.

      As far as better steak in the city?! There are numerous places that provide great steak in a timely, wallet friendly manner.

      I am happy that you have had great service at Luigi's. I wouldn't begrudge anyone that. I just think it's time for people to respect the fact that not all people have the same opinion and/or experience. Instead of insulting someone with "I think you should stick to your day jobs", be more considerate of their situation and realize that it's just an opinion.

      I applaud the Nomads approach. I seen both good and bad in the post.

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  6. So let me get this right. You went for lunch. M enjoyed a good pizza. J had a juicy, tender steak that was done perfectly. You were unhappy with the vegetables. The food took 35 minutes because it was busy.

    On the surface, that should be a good review, maybe mediocre. Why did you absolutely slam this restaurant? You're not going back for 10 years? Did you get fired from this place or something? What's the problem?

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    1. I don't think the restaurant was "slammed" by any stretch. What I read was that they were unsatisfied with the service and SOME of the food. To post "Did you get fired from this place or something" lacks in intelligence. Also, if you read the post, as it seems you did, you would understand the problem.

      This was a customer based opinion. In the world of customer service, this is feedback. That, IN MY OPINION, is extremely important to a business's success. A good business "person" takes the good with the bad and uses both "sides" to further themselves and their business.

      EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion. We do live in Canada after all. It is called freedom of speech. As a consumer, I appreciate the honesty in ALL the posts. Does ONE sideways review make me decide not to do business with an establishment?? Absolutely not. What WILL make me decide whether or not to do business with an establishment is management/staff reaction to a "not so favorable" OPINION!

      Keep up the good work Nomads!

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  7. I had dinner at Luigis yesterday. The prime rib was perfect. Beautiful setting. Mike, our waiter, was outstanding. I'm definitely going back.

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  8. I love this blog!!! It is so great to see our community giving their opinions. I am one of those that has never liked Luigi's south very much and generally only go there when my grand parents insist. I don't think your review is harsh because it is clearly just your opinion, just as I have mine and just as other anonymous posters and stanloges12 have theirs. The important part of this is to keep talking about it, posting various opinion and then letting the public decide whether they would like t try it out themselves.

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  9. If you want to see additional posts in the event people think the Nomads are being harsh I suggest you check out the reviews on the Urban Spoon site...

    http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/72/1550710/restaurant/Alberta/Luigis-Pizza-and-Steakhouse-South-Lethbridge

    If the link doesn't work just google Luigis Lethbridge Urban Spoon.

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  10. I like "Anonymous" comments the best.

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  11. Went there for dinner on Saturday, terrible service and terrible food, would rather eat out of a garbage can then go back there.

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  12. Waits are too long for food. Even when they are slow food orders take a long time. But the food is good. Our server was named Dusty and she was excellent!!!

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