Terrible.
I set up my birthday party at Declan's Irish Pub three weeks prior to my party. Initially, I was pleased with the service I received from a guy named Jeff who sets up events/parties at the bar. I explained that there would be 20-30 people and that ideally, we wanted the upstairs portion of the bar (with its own bar in the back) for a casual environment for people to mingle, sit down, not be too crowded, etc...
Jeff said that they could definitely give my party the upstairs that evening and that no other party was scheduled and that I did not even need to book a wristband party. Those are just a pain in the ass anyways and no one really likes them.
I confirmed with Jeff a few days before the party and I was really looking forward to it, thinking we were set. The night of my party, I get there with six others at 9 p.m, when I was told I'd have the upstairs/tables reserved. We walk in and I speak with a "Jamie." He had no recollection of my reserved party at first, spoke with another guy named TJ behind the bar, came back and told me to go ahead upstairs.
Immediately after we walked up there, the bartender up there named Christina told me that my party was downstairs because she had a "wristband" band party that night up there. My friends and I walked back downstairs and Jamie walked up and said that I had two tables downstairs, which was NOT the agreement, nor was I pleased or calm for that matter. If I had known I was going to have two tables downstairs in the middle of the bar, I never would have chosen Declan's.
I walked back up to Jamie, told him this was all completely unacceptable and he told me that a "partner" of Declan's or some other dude who was an investor in the bar was having a party and that they had to give him and his guests the upstairs "because of who he was."
Okay first of all, I don't care who this person is... the fact of the matter, I reserved the space weeks ago, confirmed earlier that week and I should have been called or contacted prior if there was going to be a complications with my reservation or another party needing the space, etc... A minute or two later, Jamie walked back up to me and apologized, which I appreciated at the time and told me that I was right and that I had booked this weeks ago and that the other "wristband" party would take the downstairs. He did try and rectify the situation, giving us the upstairs, but I was still taken back by his poor customer service and demeanor.
As my guests started to show up, I noticed a large group of people not in my party trickle to the upstairs. Then I saw the wristband guy at the top of the stairs and realized that the wristband party was in fact also upstairs. This was complete crap, the people in the other party were complete slime-balls, it was way too crowded, I was stressed out the entire time, and all around it was a terrible experience. I would not recommend Declan's to anyone (sorry Jamie!) and I will not be back.
These people do not know anything about customer service or how to run a successful business. Good luck to you guys. Thanks for nothing. read more