AWFUL. This is my first Yelp - and I go to new places every day. I frequent places like Postino, the Parlor, St. Francis. Based on their website this looked like it fit into the same category. Nope! \n\nFirst off, I'll admit that on a rainy Monday I had a hankering for soup at Baby Kays. Didn't know they are gone, so I walked across and thought - why not try a new place. I was already disappointed so I'll give them that; maybe I'm just over critical today. You be the judge. I arrived at 1pm and the place was very busy. The greeter was unkept with wet hair and seemed to have no clue. I just opted to sit at the bar. \n\nBar: Restaurant design 101 - SEATING! My pursehook (kudos for at least having this) was between the legs. Add that my knees still hit the wall and I'm still a good foot away from my plate and I look like the hunchback of Notre Dame at a nice dining establishment. I'm 5'3\"". Imagine a taller person sitting there. Not only did I drop a bite - so did my spaghetti eating neighbor. I'd be fairly interested to see how much food lands on the floor at that bar or how many more seats could they fit there if it weren't from men & women sitting spread eagle up to it.  Also, call me old fashioned, the bartender should always be behind the bar. Never was. I wasn't needing drinks; I just think someone should be there. Maybe they were severely understaffed at 1pm on a rainy Monday? \n\nMy water glass was never refilled; I sat right next to the 'water station' at the bar, where the waitress repeatedly slammed it down next to me. Yet my glass remain empty. \n\nFood: First off, I am gluten-free (not by choice). The menu is absolutely the furthest place you'd ever want to go for a gluten-free person. McDonalds has more options. Typically - Italian is not my forte with all the breads and pastas, but most all restaurants have enough options. Many Italian restaurants make their own gluten-free pastas and pizzas - Picazzo is a favorite. \n\nMy choice? The simple salad and their wood roasted mushroom side. What I got was a plate with a mound of oily leaves and 3 seeded olives. That's it. Oily lettuce. The mushrooms were a plate full of standard button mushrooms sauteed in...you guessed it...oil! I was imagining wood fired, wild mushrooms with a twist that only this chef could create. No flavor whatsoever. I tried to trick my tastebuds with salt and switching from one bite to the other (salad, mushroom), sans water. It was so disgusting. Being that I waited so long to eat I shoveled it in to satisfy my stomach, give my knees a break and got the heck out of there. \n\nAll for a staggering $23. Would you? Sorry Chef Bianco - one lunchtime midcentral foodie fail. I have no interest in returning to this restaurant, nor trying any of the sister restaurants and am now even more eager when the long time Phoenix staple Baby Kays returns at the old Richardsons location in November!