I've eaten at Skylark's for 4 years and I've always enjoyed it until recently.
Aside from the super high prices (1.5X for the same food as other Fairhaven cafes), there really isn't much to complain about Skylark: the atmosphere, the decorations, the history, and the friendly wait staff are all just fine. I've really enjoyed this restaurant and have been going back almost monthly till winter 2009.
HOWEVER, last week my boyfriend, me, and my friend got kicked out of the restaurant for something super petty and it totally broke my heart...I cried because I really really liked the restaurant and to think that I'd never go back due to humiliation just really made me sad.
The incident was so small too it was ridiculous: we went in at about 10pm, and the door was wide open and there was chilly wind coming in, so I asked the bartender if he could close it. (He was the only staff) He said "in a moment" because there was a lot of customers and he was trying to let some air in. Fair enough, so we all sat close to each other I even had my arms inside my shirt for a little while.
I ordered a cream brulee martini with him which my bf ordered a couple months ago and it was really good. But the drink that came was really bitter and sour so I went and double check, he said it was the same drink, so I asked him if there's anyway we can make it sweeter. He added some syrup but it still tasted bitter, so he said I'm welcomed to order something else if I want, I looked at the menu and thought about ordering a Hershey's kiss, but when I asked him he seemed very offended and said "You have to say PLEASE"!
I was startled as I didn't even realize that I was being rude to him...I said "please~?" he nodded. I went back to my seat and my friends both thought that it was a little out of line for a service profession to demand a customer to say please. I didn't care that much though coz the new drink was really good and he smiled at me too. But after 5 minutes a group of people came in and they seem to know each other. He started to complain to them loudly about how he's so tired of customers sending back orders. My friends and I were all silent and amazed. But it wasn't for long till he went to the back.
In about 15 minutes we started to smell very strong cigarette smoke, and I began to cough vigorously since I'm allergic to it. My bf went and shut the door and I thanked him. Nevertheless, the bartender guy came back and asked us if we shut the door, my boyfriend said he did and explained the reason to him...He said "I'm gonna have to ask you guys to leave as the management of the restaurant".
I just couldn't believe my ears! He then went into the back again. My boyfriend was furious and went in the back too to ask him for a reason while me and my friend anxiously waited.
My bf came back and said that the "manager" insisted on kicking us out due to the following reasons:
-We were disrespectful to him today.
-We have been disrespectful in the past and he's heard complaints from other wait persons and he just recognized us.
-The gratuity we gave in the past is not enough so = disrespectful.
Okay I was so shocked! And I honestly don't think that's us! First of all, how good of a memory does he have to actually recognize us coz last time we went in was June (this happened in the end of August) and before that time was Feburary. We haven't been eaten out as often this year because of the changes in our financial situation. So seriously!? Remembering us from like 6 months ago? Sounded like an excuse to me at best.
Second of all, we've never ran into any kind of problems or any unpleasant situations with any wait staff. One particular waitress and I even became friends and she'd come to say hi to me even when she's not serving our table. So for him to say that we've been disrespectful to other wait persons in the past is really really strange. Third of all, I'm not a salaried person, I'm just a student who makes a little bit more than minimum wage, but I've always tipped at least ten percent. I know some people would think that it is too little for nights, and it should be 15 percent. But running on a $25max budget per meal, tipping 15 percent usually is just very difficult for me to do.
But as how I understand it, isn't gratuity OPTIONAL? If I don't feel that I have the financial ability to tip extra I shouldn't have to.
Not to mention getting kicked out from a restaurant for not tipping enough. I know how wait persons see tips seriously as my aunt is a waitress herself. She always tells me she feels betrayed when her customers don't tip her after she works real hard for them. I totally understand how that could make a wait person upset. But I have my hardships too, and sometimes I try to express my gratitude in other ways like saying thank you loudly with a big smile. But in this "manager's" case that apparently doesn't make up for it.
Anyway this is no way to conduct a business!
I'm running out of space... read more