The Monte Vigna Italian Restaurant at the Atlantis Casino in Reno Nevada employs small-minded, shallow, trite and incredibly insulting staff. Do not patronize this establishment. Caveat Emptor.

Why make such a statement?

On April 28th 2001, at approximately 10pm or 11pm in the evening, around the time this restaurant was about to close, I walked into the restaurant with my family. We just came back from being at a wedding all day and were somewhat fatigued. Before we went to the restaurant we went up to the room, changed, and came down to the restaurant for a nitecap. Sound harmless and innocent? Sure.

Well, when I came up to the bar, I was about to order a couple glasses of chianti for my wife and I when out of the blue, the bartender and his friend said something to the effect of, "I guess you have to help the dishelved young gentleman...". Dishelved? What they hell? Look, the last thing I expect while I'm on vacation is getting insulted by some as_hole hillybilly who is under the illusion that his supposedly swank establishment is worthy of his passive-aggressive, narrow-minded, golf course mentality. I mean the f_cker even had the nerve to ask me where I bought my shorts. As if I have to justify myself to anyone. F_ck him! F_ck Monte Vigna! I probably make more in a month as an Engineer than that f_cker makes all year!

Being a San Francisco native, Monte Vigna does not hold a candle to ANY San Francisco or Napa restaurant. The French Laundry, Domain Chandon, Tra Vigne, Scalas, Postrio, Masa's and just about any decent restaurant in California makes a mockery out of this establishment, and at these places, one is treated properly and respectfully.

The bottom line is that Reno is full of small-minded souls. So, when they have somewhat of a decent restaurant, a place that one can actually digest what is served to them, they cop a 'hollier-than-thou' attitude and convince themselves they are special. Reno has created a tollerable restaurant, but the attitude, warmth, and quality customer service which completes the experience has not yet made its way into the boorish minds of Monte Vigna's staff. Geez, and I'm not even an ethnic minority.

Avoid at all costs.