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A woman who recently celebrated her 40th birthday in Beverly Hills with her boyfriend and friends is calling out an upscale fine dining restaurant, Cipriani, for mishandling their reservation. In a TikTok video, she claims that not only did the staff do nothing to fix their error but they treated her and her guests with a “snobby” and dismissive attitude throughout their stay.
Here’s What Happened
According to the woman, her boyfriend had spent weeks planning for her birthday celebration and, because she loves jazz, had selected Cipriani specifically for its speakeasy-style jazz nights held in a particular room in the restaurant. The man made sure to reserve a table in that room and even called ahead to let them know he would be bringing a cake. The restaurant assured him that it was fine for him to do so as long as he paid the $4-per-slice cutting fee.
However, when the couple arrived soaked from the rain pouring down that night, the woman said a “snobby” hostess immediately informed them that their reservation was not for the jazz room at all. Her boyfriend tried to clarify that he had explicitly booked the upstairs space, but the hostess insisted there was nothing she could do. Since their guests were already on their way, the couple reluctantly agreed to stay.
More Problems Arise
The woman claimed that after they were seated, she found out that the pasta dishes were priced between $35 and $40. She said that when she ordered ravioli, the portion she received was very small and that the pasta was paper thin. “The food was so below mediocre. It was a joke. What they were charging for their food compared to the quality of their food is actually insane,” she said, adding that Chef Boyardee products tasted better than what she was served.
Another issue came up when it was time for the birthday cake to be presented. The woman said that the same hostess who had refused to help them earlier returned and told them that even though the cake could be placed on the table, the staff could not sing happy birthday or cut and serve the cake inside the restaurant.
This upset her boyfriend and he reminded the hostess that the restaurant had given him permission to bring the cake and that they had been storing it in their refrigerator all evening. “You guys better [expletive] bring out this cake or I’m not paying for this bill. You are making her birthday a nightmare,” she recalled him saying. Still, the hostess insisted there was nothing she could do.
Only after her boyfriend went to speak to someone else did another staff member, one who was noticeably kinder, agree to serve the cake. She warned them, however, that they would still be charged the cake-cutting fee.
The Story Continues
When the cake was finally brought out, the woman said staff members hovered at their table looking impatient while her friends tried to sing her a happy birthday. “I am trying to have a moment with my friends and have at least one nice birthday wish and blow out my candle,” she said. “But they are standing over me like, are you done, can you make a wish, can you do it already so that we can cut the cake and get back to work?”
Their bill later arrived, totaling around $1,300. But she noticed that the restaurant had already added the tip automatically, which she felt was because “they probably knew they were not going to get a good tip from us or any at all.”
How Netizens Reacted to the Beverly Hills Birthday Disaster
People who watched the woman’s story on TikTok had plenty to say, with some agreeing that the Beverly Hills restaurant had been at fault. One viewer wrote, “I cannot even comprehend this level of service. So awful and embarrassing on their part!” A second commented, “Already lost me at $4 cake fee per slice.” A third said, “I’m sorry this happened to you and high five to your boyfriend for making an effort.” A fourth added, “I wish I lived in Beverly Hills just so I could boycott Cipriani’s.”
However, others argued that the restaurant’s pricing and policies were standard for an upscale establishment. One comment read, “I hate to be that guy, but it’s Cipriani. It’s fine dining. That amount for pasta isn’t a lot at all. The fee for the cake is a cake cutting fee… This is all pretty standard.” Another person felt the woman’s reaction went too far, writing, “Girl I’m sorry but you’re coming off as pretty out of touch.” Someone else added, “I don’t know why you are so surprised by the bill. Cipriani has always been upscale and expensive. You should have asked for a Mgr. If things were not right from the start.”
