Lola 41 Palm Beach

I had an amazing experience at this restaurant. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious and fresh. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the poke nachos, which was large enough for two people. We also enjoyed the sushi and bulgogi, which were both flavorful and fresh. The personal attention we received made the dining experience even better. I will definitely be returning to this restaurant when I come back to Palm Beach.

My wife and I were here on our baby moon. we have made a 7:30 reservation 30 days in advance. we arrived at 7:15. the host told us that it would be about 15 minutes before the sitting. we were standing by 8:00 a.m. During our waiting we saw several walk-ins that seemed to be ashamed with the host who sat right in front of us. a party of 5 went in, gave the host a $100 bill, and was sitting immediately; but this party did not like their first location and was immediately moved to another of their choice. at 8:05 they sat us out; think they, we have checked with that every 10 minutes before sitting, and he would roll his eyes on every question. our waiter came up, asked what kind of water we wanted and disappeared. we watched our waiters tend to about 4 other tables. Finally, at 8:25 one of the managers went up and asked how everything was, we were honest with him and then elected at this time to go. we were treated like second-class citizens because we were not “regular”. this was one of the worst “thing experiences” of all time. it was hot, crowded, loud and intentional. the worst of palm beach, and possibly, America.

My wife and I went to this restaurant for our babymoon. We had made a reservation for 7:30 thirty days in advance, and arrived at 7:15. The host said it would be a 15 minute wait for our table, but we ended up waiting until 8:00. While waiting, we noticed that several walk-ins were seated before us. A group of 5 even paid the host $100 to be seated immediately, but they were unhappy with their table and moved to another spot. Finally, we were seated at 8:05, but our waiter was slow and inattentive. After voicing our concerns to a manager at 8:25, we decided to leave. We felt like we were treated poorly because we were not regular customers. Overall, it was a terrible experience with a hot, crowded, and noisy atmosphere. This was one of the worst dining experiences we've ever had, and possibly the worst in Palm Beach and even America.

As the president and founder of a hospitality company and former service and wine advisor at the White House for 15 years, I understand the importance of a restaurant setting policies. I also know the significance of knowing when to make exceptions to these policies based on the individual and circumstances. Currently introducing 3 sparkling wines from Portugal, I attempted to contact Lola 41 by phone to inquire about their corkage guidelines. Having had a positive experience at the restaurant a few months prior, I was disappointed when no one answered my calls all afternoon. Upon arriving at the restaurant, I was informed by a manager at the host stand that it was the restaurant's policy not to allow guests to bring their own wine. I politely explained that we were willing to pay a corkage fee and had traveled from Portugal with the hope of showcasing a local producer's wine. The manager refused to accommodate our request, sticking to their policy rigidly. As a result, we made a reservation at a nearby Italian restaurant where we were warmly welcomed and our three bottles were immediately put on ice. Our group of four spent $500 and left a $200 tip for the exceptionally hospitable host and server. Total inflexibility in the hospitality industry is inexcusable at any time. Shameful!

The food and service was incredible. The sushi there is to die for. Such fun cocktails on the menu!!! Highly recommend