Sausalito - bad, bad brunch experience

My husband and I live in the neighborhood and visited this restaurant when it was Cucina Bella, Zucco, and also when it changed to Sausalito. Under each of these names, overall it was a good experience.

Arrived at Sausalito for brunch around 11am. I immediately noticed some changes, inquired, and confirmed that the restaurant changed ownership again a couple months ago.

Hubby ordered a bloody mary and I got coffee. Both good.

A large party of about a dozen people was already seated. We put in our orders and waited and waited and waited. Then, the waiter came by to inform us that the wait was prolonged because the large party had to catch a plane and it was the first time that the chef was by himself. We continued to wait and wait some more. Meanwhile, part of the large party left, unable to wait any longer for their food. We waited and wondered, watching as the large party finally received their order, which was about 15 minutes from the time they got the first dish to the last entrée.

After about 1 hour and 15 minutes, it came. My husband’s crab cake was nicely presented, but ended up being a single crab cake, not what we expected for the $8 or $9 item that didn’t include the word “appetizer” on the menu. I ordered a smoked salmon cream cheese pizza, which the staff described as including capers before I ordered it. There was not a single caper. I was large enough for 2 to share. Okay in terms of taste, but not good enough to make up for the wait.

We didn’t bother waiting for the bill and left our money on the table. If the restaurant had just opened, we would have given them a break, but the combination of horrendous waiting, okay quality, and poor value on what we thought was an entree crabcake will make us wait until the next owner comes along before going back.

That sounds truly aggravating. I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back either. The one thing I'm not with you on, however, is your surprise that an $8 order of crabcake would include only one crabcake. I'd be amazed to get two for that price, unless they were awful. (Which, in Chicago, is unfortunately often the case.) In Baltimore, where crabcakes are crabcakes, an order of two will set you back anywhere from $18 to $25.

Sausalito Restaurant and Martini Bar
543 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL
(773) 248-7263

I'm hoping this is the place you're talking about!

Pigmon,

You're right, that's it. Just curious why you hoped that's what it was.