I'm obliged to rate this place with at least one star in order to publish the review. But zero is…read morefar more accurate. One cannot really rate nothing as anything but nothing. To me this place is as close to nothing as possible.
I can honestly rate all three aspects of this alleged food business *zero*. Food: 0, Service: 0, and Ambiance: 0. FAIL, to put it bluntly. And sadly.
This place looks like it was used as a film set by a renegade low-budget movie producer many decades ago, and since then, no one has lifted a finger to improve on that impression.
Seeing multiple vehicles in the gravel parking lot told me they do have *customers*, and I, being someone who reserves judgment until I have actually visited a place to try for myself (the reviews were quite mixed, to put it politely), so I decided to give Depot Tavern a *chance* for a lunch visit during the noon hour. MY huge mistake! Lesson learned.
Well, they chose to *not* give me a chance (of any sort), other than to realize I'd walked into the liquor home of "Go, Brandon!" (as depicted on signage nearby), and they were NOT interested in serving ME in any way--at any time, breakfast, lunch or dinner.
I have never witnessed such a sad spectacle of dour-faced individuals (male and female; apparently some were employees, but NONE of the other "humans" in Depot Tavern managed to actually make eye contact with me, no one spoke to me (with the expected simple hello, maybe "welcome new potential customer", etc.)... Hmm!
After more than a full minute of being ignored like I was a Black man in a racist 1950s redneck bar that chose to not serve me, and neither any bar patron or the staff there even acknowledging my humanity and presence... I left.
I was not scowling like they were, so maybe that disqualified me from being among their clientele. Again, there was zero communication and I was obviously being scrupulously ignored. They must've WANTED me to leave but couldn't muster the courage to say that directly to me. Pitiful.
In full fairness, there was a cryptic sign on the door about someone who was apparently recently deceased or otherwise in an unhappy situation... but the trials and tribulations of life (like a customer's death or injury) are IMO better left for other places than for notes how to un-welcome tavern patrons.
This is the SADDEST "business" I've ever entered in six decades of some travels in Missouri and elsewhere (even abroad), and upon concluding that they openly disliked me based solely on my appearance (and there's little that's bizarre or freakish about my looks!) and having zero interaction with anyone else, I left, vowing to never return.
That will be easy. This joint and the people in it give me the creeps. To me, they look like a bunch of angry criminals. I no longer give half a hoot what they think of me. No one there was adult enough to interact with me on my one and forever-only visit. My guess is, despite its alleged very long existence, it won't be around very much longer. Even if it remains, I wouldn't expect it to be improved at any point.
My advice to the owner/mgmt is if you're having a wake, do it before or after hours when Google Business thinks you're "open for business". I'm not used to being discriminated against, but it feels really CREEPY. At least I can take comfort in knowing that I won't repeat that mistake! My final guess is that even if they read this review, they'll never learn from it. (But now I'm being ignorant--like they obviously were too, as it pertains to me.)
News Flash: Contempt breeds contempt! Maybe it's time to consider other options. I went to a friendly restaurant across town and spent my money where it's welcomed and appreciated.
