This was my first visit to this IHOP - and it's going to be my last.
I mean, IHOP has never been my favorite place to eat, but it's never been truly horrible, at least in the San Francisco area, but this was my first Pgh. area experience, and I am reminded of why I generally have always preferred to eat almost anywhere else, only on steroids.
Where to start?
After visiting a couple of sick friends at nearby Charles Morris this evening, I was starving, and deeply craving a salad. A quick Google search showed a beautiful Cobb salad on the menu, and for a good bit less money than my current local favorite Shady Grove (and minus the bar scene noise and hassle), so off I went.
The place was deserted. One waitress, and at most two tables in use. So far, so good. It also appeared to be spotlessly clean- another big plus, obviously- although the Pergo/vinyl floor and dim, bluish lighting made it feel quite cold and not very welcoming.
The waitress tries to stick me at a table just in front of and across the aisle from the serving station, which had what looked like a pail of bleach sitting right in view, so I said I didn't want to sit right by the station. She tries to seat me a couple of tables away - equally close to the station but on the other side of it, cleaning pail still fully in view. I end up at a table in the far side of the restaurant at the very back, which was OK, although a bit of a hike.
I order my salad, and the first clue that all would not be well surfaced when I learned that they don't have vinegar and oil, and that avocado is a whopping $0.90 extra. Well, OK, it's not a Cobb salad without avocado, and I love the stuff unreasonably, so fine.
Food and decaf ordered, I head to the rest room.
O. M. G., what a mess! Four stalls, and not a single one usable, *including* the handicapped one, which I need because of, well, walking issues, plus a large service dog. (Did I mention she stuck me at the very back of the restaurant, as far from the restroom as possible? Despite using a cane and said large dog?)
Exiting to get someone to clean the place up, I am greeted by the sight of a group of something like 20 people just arrived.
It took forever, and at least 3 requests, including an actual threat to pee right there on the floor in the entry to get someone to clean it up at all. It had to be a good 15-20 minutes total before the server finally took a super quick swipe at it and I was able to use it. Standing only, though.
Outside the restroom, the party of 20 church group has been seated, and both waitrons were buzzing busily around them. And the other two patrons who had also come in after I did.
I get back to my table, expecting to be able to sit down and at the minimum start my coffee - and even the water isn't there yet.
The water and coffee show up, finally, and then my onion rings. The coffee and onion rings are both only lukewarm. The onion rings were at least warm enough to still be crisp, and were very tasty, but it was still disappointing.
The salad shows up. Oy gevalt, such a sorry looking thing! Limp greens, a mere sliver of avocado, the whole thing only barely covering the bottom of the bowl - nothing at all like the robust picture on the menu. At least it wasn't iceberg, but there was less than a cupful of greens.
They were out of blue cheese "crumbles", and I was offered parmesan cheese (or croutons) instead. I declined. Blech.
The bacon was limp and almost stone cold, only warm enough to let me know it had just been cooked, but was at least edible - which is a lot more than I can say for the chicken. Vile, disgusting- and clearly made of rubber. My dog went nuts for the smell of it, of course - but it was so gross I didn't even want to give it to him.
So now the "Cobb" salad that actually wasn't has lost absolutely *all* resemblance to what a Cobb salad actually should be. There wasn't even an egg. Way, way overpriced for what it was.
I think the salad dressing was actually rancid. It was certainly the worst "ranch" dressing I've ever had, so I ate the salad (such as it was) completely bone dry. The party of 20+ was in full swing; there was clearly no way I was ever going to be able to get anything else this side of next weekend. The one ten days from now.
Not that I was able to find even that out in a timely fashion, because the fork they gave me was filthy. So was the second one I was finally able to obtain after asking three different times. I did finally get a clean one.
Needless to say, no one ever checked in to ask me how things were after serving me.
I asked to have the charge for the avocado deleted when I went to pay, and at least the waitress was willing to do that.
This all went down several hours ago now, and my stomach is still churning in revolt. I'm hoping this will be the end of it. read more