Stefano's - Bethlehem

I attended a rehearsal dinner here this past weekend. Being from out of town, we have high expectations when it comes to Italian cuisine. However, we were pleas... read more I attended a rehearsal dinner here this past weekend. Being from out of town, we have high expectations when it comes to Italian cuisine. However, we were pleasantly surprised by...

We decided to visit this restaurant again since we were in the area. The pizza was delicious, but it felt as if I was sitting right beside it while eating! read more We decided to visit this restaurant again since we were in the area. The pizza was delicious, but it felt as if I was sitting right beside it while eating!

This is a wonderful local gem. We frequently order takeout from here. The coal-fired pizzas are fantastic, featuring unique topping combinations, and we really... read more This is a wonderful local gem. We frequently order takeout from here. The coal-fired pizzas are fantastic, featuring unique topping combinations, and we really appreciate the delicious coal char. A classic choice!

I studied hospitality management in New York City and have managed two five-star restaurants there under top chefs, so my expectations are high. I dined at this... read more I studied hospitality management in New York City and have managed two five-star restaurants there under top chefs, so my expectations are high. I dined at this restaurant three weeks ago, and I'm still shocked by the experience! The food was overpriced and tasted bland. I truly felt sorry for the waitress. My daughter's spaghetti arrived with water all over the plate, and I had to drain it myself! It was a kitchen nightmare, to say the least. Where's Chef Ramsay when you need him? I reluctantly had to give it one star, but I didn't want to.

The review before mine could easily have been written by me. My group of eight arrived at 12:30 PM on Mother’s Day, and the back dining room wasn’t fully booked... read more The review before mine could easily have been written by me. My group of eight arrived at 12:30 PM on Mother’s Day, and the back dining room wasn’t fully booked, with two empty tables available. We experienced an unreasonably long wait for our drinks, finally receiving them just before 1:00 PM. The food came out slowly, with some dishes taking almost 45 minutes to arrive after we placed our orders. I was surprised not by the prices, but rather by the small portion sizes. The mozzarella salad was particularly scant, and most of the other appetizers were similarly underwhelming. It seems that Stephanos has decided to maintain their prices while serving smaller portions. I thought about voicing my concerns, but since we were celebrating Mother’s Day, I didn’t want to create a scene, which is unlike me. So, I chose to let it slide. One guest had to request extra spaghetti sauce because the amount provided was so minimal that it felt as if it had just been sprayed on. While the food was decent, there are definitely better values out there. It seemed like they were taking advantage of Mother’s Day, assuming that only a few people would be celebrating at restaurants on this occasion. Since our group was large, they automatically added the customary gratuity, which felt presumptuous considering the mediocre service and small portions. To make matters worse, they even left a space for an additional tip! Absolutely not! I will not be coming back. Why do restaurants think they can get away with this? You would think that in today’s economy, they would want to attract customers, not drive them away. There are plenty of other places worth trying... at least once.