Daily dispatches on the Washington, DC area's food, restaurant and dining scene.

It’s Official: Galileo Is Coming Back

By Rina Rapuano

Comments

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Posted by: Coach Outlet Online, Oct 04, 2011 09:07:21 PM

Everybody comments that he got rich, took his money back to Italy, didn’t pay his employees did not pay his rent. The Italians waiters he had working for him at Laboratorio very arrogant. Famous for treating his employees very bad. Discrimination was his number one. Good Luck. Roberto.

Posted by: I Matti, Dec 14, 2009 03:02:17 PM

Roberto Donna...Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame? What would that look like? Most would agree that such an amazingly talented Chef of his stature would be deserving of such recognition...However there are those that would question Donna’s induction into the “Hall of Fame”...and would agree the "Hall of Shame" is much more deserving...
~ Nominations are being accepted www.tinyurl.com/donnadaze

Posted by: Donna , May 02, 2009 05:24:29 PM

I went to Galileo twice. Both times the Food was spectacular....and the service was beyond horrible. Examples were, we had 7pm reservations and even though tables were empty we did not get seated until 8:30, the hostes never bothered to come out of the back half the night and was chewing gum when she did. The wait staff was too small and brought out a much cheaper wine to us than we had ordered (And would be billed for) that we were lucky to notice, etc.... If he is going to have the same type of service then I don’t care if the food is good, no food is good enough to be worth getting irritated all night by a horrible staff.

Posted by: Scott, Apr 29, 2009 03:01:29 PM

Roberto Donna has become a joke in the food industry here in Washington. What a shame!!
He might have better luck opening a Galileo in Kansas

Posted by: Susanne, Apr 29, 2009 09:12:06 AM

If chef Roberto will not hire a professional to run his restaurant I would be hesitant to step foot into his new venture.
Too many bad experiences and not enough caring for his customers

Posted by: Thomas55, Apr 28, 2009 08:17:16 PM

After numerous disappointing meals at Bebo and Galileo I can only hope that chef Dona will learn how to be a little more humble, less arrogant, more respectful and a fair man for his employees , mostly for his new customers. I for sure will not be back to visit him anymore after
many slaps in the face, mediocre meals and horrible service
To be successfull you need to be a good person first

Posted by: Mariam, Apr 28, 2009 08:08:09 PM

There are better Italian chefs in town then Donna right now, just look at Tosca and Goldoni.
He will always be a great chef but he fell flat on his face with the many missups and messes he created over the past 3 years. Maybe it is time to get organized and a little humble....and why not? Maybe it is time to pay people as well......Good luck Sir as you need much of it

Posted by: George3, Apr 28, 2009 10:34:04 AM

Ditto on Ericss comment above.

I live near Bebo and had dinner there quite a number of times. I kept expecting the service issues to be corrected before I finally gave up.

A good portion of the disdain I developed for Donna came from his repeatedly defending the mis-management by implying that all the bad press came from people who wanted to see him fail. I think that became his self-fulfilling prophecy at Bebo. Had Donna acknowledged the seriously unacceptable "service" and pledged to hire whomever he had to in order to fix it, I would have felt differently. But the way he handled well-deserved criticism is the very point over which I won’t return to any of his restaurants ever, genius in the kitchen though he is.

Posted by: Mary, Apr 28, 2009 10:04:42 AM

Will he bring the grill back? That’s the only question that matters.

Posted by: Jesse, Apr 28, 2009 09:55:40 AM

I don’t think Roberto fully understands how much the terrible experience many of us had at Bebo has hurt his reputation. Given the mess at Bebo, and the total lack of explanation/apology from Roberto, many in this town are hoping for him to fall flat on his face with his new venture and that is likely to be a self-fulfilling prophecy unless he takes steps to correct it.

Posted by: Eric, Apr 28, 2009 09:49:06 AM

So has Mr Donna learned how to hire someone to run the front of the house yet? You can be the best chef in the world but if the staff member you first meet when you enter is incompetent this is hard to overcome. Donna’s biggest problem was his waiters they were awful and made any dining experience at Bebo, Galileo and the Lab no better than the one at Outback!

Donna is very overrated by the restaurant elite and mags!

Posted by: Fred, Apr 28, 2009 09:20:11 AM