I recently moved to the area and Outback happens (or HAPPENED) to be my most favorite place to grab a cocktail and a good meal after work, so I thought I'd try out my new nearest Outback....worst idea ever!!! A woman was leaning on the host table and had on the most unflattering outfit I have seen. Her chest was on display for everyone to see, wearing a low cut spaghetti strap tank top and PIGTAILS (wt..??!) and that's really not the first thing that I wanted to see walking in. Was she the hostess??! She sure acted like one but she wasn't even dressed like the other employees, it was awkward and confusing.
Once I was offered open seating in the bar area I sat up at the bar top itself. It was happy hour and after the day I'd had, I needed a chardonnay. So I sit down, and I swear it took the bartender 3 or 4 minutes to turn around and get off her cell phone to say hi to me. She was an older lady and seemed almost bothered by the fact that she had to put her phone away to help me. She got me the house chardonnay, sat it down, said nothing, didn't even smile, and just walked away..!
I thought that perhaps she was in a mood because she'd had a bad day, who knows? But after a few minutes she returned and as she did, some older bar guests sat at the bar top across from me, and the bartender completely changed her tune. She was loudly welcoming them, going around the outside of the bar to give hugs, etc. One lady clearly asked for a happy hour house chardonnay, and as I watched, I saw the bartender take out a wine glass and a different kind of chardonnay than I had received. I thought that was strange, since the 'house' wine that I was given was sitting in the refrigerator right next to the one she just picked up-it was right there, I could see it clearly! My wine was originally poured into a little wine holder, up to a noticeable little line (I assumed it measured out the 6oz that I'd ordered), but the bartender did not use this for the newer bar guest. She just opened the bottle of wine and began pouring straight into the glass, asking the lady to "tell her when"..! At that point I realized that the new lady was more than likely a regular bar patron, but why does she pay the same price for her drink as I do, yet she gets to determine how much she gets to drink and I don't. .?! It may sound catty, but I felt really cheated.
Besides being ignored for the regulars the rest of my visit, the bar top remained filthy with dirty dishes and spills the whole time, and the flies..!!! So disgusting. Flies all around the beer dispensers. Once that rude bartender accidentally dropped the hand held soda dispenser into the nearby trash, picked it back up out of there, and continued to use it to make a mixed drink without washing it or her hands (!), I quickly asked a nearby waiter for my bill and handed them my credit card at the same time. I was so grossed out by this nasty bartender, her disgusting bar, and her obvious favoritism and over pouring. I paid and left and will NEVER go back!!
I used to love this restaurant, but if this is what management allows their staff to get away with, I will gladly find a new favorite place to eat. Are there any managers that work here? ? The owner's name was on the outside of the building, but he didn't ever come by to say hi. Perhaps he didn't work that day, idk, but I hope that whoever was in charge wrote that bartender up for poor attitude, poor service, and giving away free alcohol. read more