Trattoria al Forno - superbly disappointing, best to avoid.

[NashvilleMama]

I just replied to a thread below with this and wanted to share as a "formal" review as well:

We (4 adults) just ate at Trattoria on Wednesday night (4/26/17), and I cannot adequately express how awful the meal was. I feel like my new mission in life is to warn people away from this place, it was that bad. The service was slow which we can all live with. But the food? My sister's ravioli was cold (and the waiter didn't care, but we'll put that aside), my mother couldn't even finish her carbonara pasta and called it the worst carbonara she's ever had. My short rib bolognese pasta was like eating rubber...and I don't even remember what my Dad got but he was "meh" about it and he'll eat anything.

Our "breadsticks" that came with the antipasto plate were soft. I asked to make sure that was on purpose and was told no, that's weird. They're usually crispy.

We are NOT picky eaters or foodies and while we all appreciate a good meal, my standards while at Disney are rather low.

but this? Just nooooooot acceptable at any price point. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

 

[alex9179]

What a disappointment! I hope you let management know.

 

[bumbershoot]

Your experience there is like our one and ONLY experience at Via Napoli, just with food and people changed.

My son, who will eat ANY pizza, had only one full slice. I took 2, maybe 3, bites and the ones beyond the first were only to make sure I wasn't mistaken. The appetizers were awful. DH ate but he'll eat anything, and still he had only 2 pieces of pizza. He thought it was terrible. He had just been in Italy, too, and loved all the food he had there, including the pizza.

Our server didn't care. Didn't care that we didn't want it boxed up. Didn't care that we barely ate. Didn't care.

We didn't tell management because we already knew we would never give them another chance.

I feel for you, OP!

 

[Hikergirl]

That is really too bad OP, that was not our experience at all. Last trip dh and I went there on a whim when our dinner plans at the F&W booths were closed due to a storm. Our service was wonderful, one of the best waitresses we have had ever at WDW. I had the ravioli and dh had the bolognese and we both thought our meal was good. I'm sorry your experience was so different.

 

[wilkeliza]

So sorry you had that experience OP. For those considering it though I will say we had it in September and it was a wonderful night. We eat a lot of Italian food and felt like it was above average for Disney Italian food.

 

[jwfla422]

It is interesting though how one day you can go to a restaurant and have a great experience only to return even a few days later and have a terrible experience. Unfortunately Disney restaurants are no exception to this. OR we've had experiences like this ..."so and so restaurant" is fabulous and the best and fantastic, blaa, blaa, blaa so we go because of the rave reviews and our experience may not be nearly as rave or even good for that matter...hence that's how our website was born some years ago, we are just very honest about our experiences.

Hey we love VN and have gone there many times and always enjoy it however there have been some instances where some servers haven't been as good as another or the same pizza we have gotten so many times before may not have been as good as the last time we had it and so on and so forth.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

Wow! Guess it can happen anywhere....We (3)ate there in May 2016 and then with friends and family(6) in Jan..and have ADR's for (14 )of us for this May 2017..to start our family vacation......I will nicely voice complaints if the food isn't good....

 

[disneydreamer781]

Sorry to hear you didn't like TAF although I would still want to try it myself sometime. I've been lucky thus far and I've only one bad dining experience many years ago. In recent years, I've had maybe one disappointing one at a Signature but nothing exceptionally bad.

 

[Parker Clan]

That's really too bad- you must have had an off day there. We've eaten there the last two years and it was exceptional. Exceptional food AND service!
We are going back again this year.
I read mixed / bad reviews about Trattoria before we went and still tried it anyways and loved it.
I like to go and see for myself, because you never know.
Don't let this review keep you away from there!
Also- the server there went out of her way last year on our Honeymoon to make it the most special meal. They're great there!!

 

[johnnyblz20]

I've been several times and every one of them was a disappointment. Definitely wouldn't return. I would much rather go to Olive Garden and pay less for better food.

 

[Pennstate6411]

I've been several times and every one of them was a disappointment. Definitely wouldn't return. I would much rather go to Olive Garden and pay less for better food.

I am going to say you really think its THAT bad then as maybe your Olive Gardens near you are good, but the Olive Gardens in my area straight up STINK- I despise when people want to go to OG - the breadsticks are awful, the pasta is always overcooked and most of the meals are microwaved.

 

[johnnyblz20]

Not sure if its just my OG is that good, but I can definitely say Trattoria is overrated and over priced for the mediocre food they serve and that's not even counting the subpar service you get there. This isn't just from one occasion either.

 

[Halbleib1]

I am going to say you really think its THAT bad then as maybe your Olive Gardens near you are good, but the Olive Gardens in my area straight up STINK- I despise when people want to go to OG - the breadsticks are awful, the pasta is always overcooked and most of the meals are microwaved.

Olive Garden here use to be really good but the last couple of years it has gotten bad. It use to be our go to place for special occasions now we skip it. The breadsticks are always hard now and the pasta never has enough sauce. Prices have gone way up while portions have gone down.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

We have been to Trattoria many times and it has always been delicious. Don't know what happened the night you were there. The menu is also reasonably priced by Disney standards. I would give it a try again. We have Italian food several times a week and have ever had anything but a good meal there. Olive Garden blah!!!!!!!

 

[jesswindsor]

I am so sorry you had such a disappointing meal.

 

[texas200]

Sounds very hit or miss.

 

[Eastern]

If a meal was so bad I couldn't eat it, I would ask to have it taken off the check. Sometimes the servers don't care but the manager usually does.