I seldom write negative restaurant reviews, but our experience at Jesse's yesterday was sufficiently egregious that I feel compelled to share it.
Several months ago, we had a very pleasant dining experience at Jesse's. Based on that experience, I decided to take my wife there for her birthday lunch. We drove more than 40 minutes each way, anticipating a quiet, elegant meal together. What we experienced was anything but.
The hostess was pleasant and initially seated us at what was ostensibly one of the best tables in the restaurant. Unfortunately, it was in the bar. The music was too loud, the television was distracting, and the atmosphere was entirely inappropriate for the dining experience we had anticipated. Our server essentially ignored us, at one point standing at a station directly in front of our table with her back to us.
I eventually got up and requested another table. Although the dining room was completely empty and the bar was largely unoccupied, we were once again seated in the bar. We reluctantly accepted the arrangement.
The food was another disappointment. We both ordered steaks, which were acceptable, but the accompanying vegetables were another matter. The Brussels sprouts were burned, and the cheese grits looked as though they had been sitting in a greasy, lukewarm pan for hours. When we complained about the Brussels sprouts, they were replaced with asparagus, which was somewhat better but had not been properly cleaned.
There were also flies in the restaurant, and both my wife and I came away with the distinct impression that the establishment was not particularly clean.
Most concerning, we both felt sick to our stomachs after the meal. Neither of us felt well enough to eat dinner that evening, and I am writing this the following morning, still experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort. I cannot establish that the food caused our symptoms, but the coincidence, particularly in light of what we observed, is troubling.
For this experience, we paid $170, including a generous tip. I generally tip well because I appreciate the demands placed on restaurant servers. In retrospect, however, I regret having rewarded such inattentive service.
What makes this experience particularly disappointing is that we had previously enjoyed Jesse's and had every reason to expect another pleasant meal. Instead, we endured poor service, an unpleasant atmosphere, inadequately prepared food, questionable cleanliness, and lingering physical discomfort.
Most importantly, what should have been a lovely birthday lunch for my wife was ruined.
At this price point, excellent food, attentive service, cleanliness, and a comfortable dining environment are reasonable expectations. Jesse's failed on virtually every count.
We will not be returning. read more