Russo's 91st & Yale

[tulsa_fan]

Date/Time of Visit: Tuesday, 10/1/13
Quality of Food (1-5): 4.5
Menu/Food Options (1-5): 5
Quality of Service (1-5): 2.5
Atmosphere (1-5): 4
Overall Rating (1-5): 3
Price ($-$$$$$): $$$

What makes this restaurant unique:  Wood brick oven, upscale south Tulsa option

Tell us about your experience:
So, we went last night, and I think the Italian American Society was there, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.  The food timing was AWFUL!  Even worse my entrée came out and no one else at my table got their food for another 30 minutes.  We were apologized to profusely, but it didn't really help the issue.  If the rest of our order was delayed, they should have kept mine back there.   Then they didn't make any exception on the bill.  That part was stinky, and because I happen to know the owners and manager, I didn't make an issue of it, but ordinarily I would have been pretty upset.  Other than that part . . . the food was very good, there is a HUGE selection of entrees, pasta, pizzas, sandwiches, seafood options, etc.  I had a hard time choosing, and will go back to try other items.  We also took our two kids and they loved the kids pasta selections and ate every bite!

The entire restaurant was full while we were there (which turned into nearly 2 hours!), with a few having to wait on occasion.  There is also bar seating, with a decent wine list and a couple Marshall's selection on tap. 

We had an appetizer, two entrees, two kid meals, one beer and one wine, and it was $60 before tip.

We will go back, and I like having a few nicer restaurants to choose from near our house.

[Gaspar]

We had a similar experience.  They have some service issued to work through.  Hopefully they will improve before they implode.

[Conan71]

The expansive menu may be one of the issues they have with getting the food out.  Having many items certainly gives the consumer more choices, but it can also create a massive log-jam in the kitchen and bog down service when you get a 10 top and no one can make up their mind what they want.  I'm a fan of "do 10 or 20 things you do very well and nothing more". 

[Gaspar]

The expansive menu may be one of the issues they have with getting the food out.  Having many items certainly gives the consumer more choices, but it can also create a massive log-jam in the kitchen and bog down service when you get a 10 top and no one can make up their mind what they want.  I'm a fan of "do 10 or 20 things you do very well and nothing more". 

I always agree with that, unless you are a pizza or Mexican joint, where different menu offerings only require changing the shape or toppings of the food.

One of the biggest mistakes that restaurants make is trying to be everything to everyone.  I've seen restaurants rescued by simply preserving 4 or 5 of their most popular items and eliminating everything else from the menu.  Quality, margins, service, and identity all benefit. 

Unfortunately too many are willing to succumb to the lure of variety (thinking they are going to capture additional market), but instead they dilute their brand, cut their profits, and impact their overall quality.  Sure, they have folks that say "Wow, I love your new wolf-nipple fritter," and they use that to justify their decline in other ways.

[sgrizzle]

"Wow, I love your new wolf-nipple fritter,"

We will never dine together

[redpeace]

Is this a brick oven pizza/Italian in the method of Macaroni Grill?