HiroBay

My wife and I had drinks Sunday evening.
The decor and atmosphere was really unique as each table had a different chair and the view of the Lake was lovely.
We had a great time at the bar with Paul, the Barman.
You can tell he is passionate about his craft because he made some exceptional drinks and recommendations which really hit the mark.
We will definitely return.
Bravo Paul!

DISASTER! HiroBay is undeniably stunning, with a prime location on Lake Herastrau.
The restaurant's visual appeal is impeccable, right down to the smallest detail.
The best tables by the water were reserved for larger groups, so we settled at the bar. Read on if you want to learn why the customer service failed so miserably.
Otherwise, do yourself a favor: AVOID this place at all costs! We ordered: 2 sokata — alcohol-free lemonade-like drinks 1 Negroni 1 beer 1 Prosecco 1 small Pellegrino We ate: Langoustine tartare (appetizer size) Greek salad Rigatoni with black truffle Side of fried zucchini Total: $170 I have no idea if the tip was included, as they directly brought the POS, and we didn’t even see a bill first.
My partner —ordinarily calm, collected, and a very generous tipper said, “NO TIP for this one!” We don’t expect every place to have the attention to detail in customer service you find at Keith McNally’s restaurants—Balthazar, The Odeon, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, etc.
That man can teach a thing or two about customer experience. We expect a cohesive experience encompassing service, food, cleanliness, and attentive and polite staff.
The food presentation was lovely, and the restaurant was clean.
My appetizer, a langoustine tartare topped with caviar on a bed of ice, came with delicate crackers.
The dish was more like a ceviche than a tartare.
Though not the freshest, it was acceptable.
My partner's Greek salad and rigatoni with black truffle were top-notch. I also noticed fried zucchini at another table and ordered those, too.
Excellent. The service, on the other hand, was abysmal.
It's embarrassing, and it's tough for me to call it out, as my priority is to highlight ALL GOOD THINGS, ROMANIAN, and there are plenty! Gabriel, the first bartender, was inept and impolite.
He explained he was new.
I empathize.
But that doesn’t excuse his lack of basic manners: smile and acknowledge the customer in front of you, maybe make some small talk.
ASK your customer how you can help.
He ignored my partner when taking our drink order because he assumed I ordered for both.
My partner had to chase him down for a beer that never arrived as G disappeared.
The second bartender eventually brought the beer but displayed a complete lack of customer service skills.
He was unfriendly, uninterested, and stone-faced.
We don’t need to be BFFs; we need customer service. As the ice from my ornate dish melted, the water started to drip from my shell-like dish's irregular edges.
It dripped onto the bar, floor, dress, and shoes.
Bartender 2—I think Nicu called someone who took the plate away without a word, wiped the bar with my napkin, and walked off with my half-consumed tartare and nearly untouched crackers.
My partner had to ask for the dish back, which was returned without its original presentation and no crackers, which we had to request separately.
No apologies. The bartenders and whoever interacted with us acted wholly disinterested throughout our visit.
They didn’t check if we needed anything, if my dress was okay, or if we wanted more drinks.
We were utterly neglected.
We would’ve probably had another round of drinks and maybe even more appetizers.
I bet management thinks sales are weak because people have no money.
Sales are weak because the staff is undertrained and lacks the basic skills to promote a joyous and pleasant customer experience. At this point, we were done.
We asked to take home the crackers and zucchini, paid $170, and left.
We discovered at home that someone had spitefully poured another dish's leftovers onto our zucchini.
To clarify, the weird mushy thing on top of my zucchini was NOT the same as what I had on my plate.
I didn’t mix my dish with this much sauce; I just poured a few drops from one of the little vials that came with it.
They took my dish away with very little food left, and I indicated that I was DONE with it. This was someone else’s leftovers that they threw over a completely different dish.
It was spiteful, and I am angry! Appalling level of disrespect.
Bad, bad management and horrendous service!

By far one of my favorite spots in Bucharest.
I return here every time with excitement! The food is fantastic (you should check out their Sunday brunch) and the staff is very friendly.
Adrian Tudorache took very good care of us making our lunch a delightful experience. The DJs are always creating a very nice vibe either it's early afternoon or late evening! 10/10