Last night, I eagerly opened the app and added my family of five to the waitlist at 5:37 PM, the anticipation building as it assured us we had a manageable wait of just 1 hour and 15 minutes. When we arrived and checked in, the hostess cheerfully informed us it would only be another 15 minutes--a promising sign. We settled in, expecting to be called soon, but as 30 minutes ticked by without our name being announced, I began to feel a twinge of worry. I approached the hostess once more, asking how much longer we'd have to wait. She assured me it would just be another 15 minutes. More time passed without any movement; another half-hour slipped by, and still, we were left standing there, growing increasingly impatient.
Finally, I approached the hostess again. With a confused expression, she told us, "Oh, you're next." It was hard to ignore the hint of frustration in her tone, as if my inquiry was an annoyance. Eager for our turn, we made our way to the front, but the clock continued to tick. An extra 15 minutes melted away, during which six more tables were seated, leaving us still waiting. After a grueling two and a half hours--yes, you read that right, two and a half hours--we were finally shown to our table.
Once seated, my husband ordered a Bloody Mary garnished with a skewer of succulent shrimp, the kids opted for soda, and I requested a refreshing water with lemon. We also ordered two appetizers to start, our stomachs grumbling with anticipation. The drinks arrived swiftly, but my husband's Bloody Mary was delivered sans the promised shrimp or vegetables. Fortunately, our server promptly rectified this oversight.
Soon, our meal orders were placed: my two daughters chose the classic kids' cheeseburger meal, while my son went for a half slab of ribs, and my husband selected a filet, leaving me with a sirloin. As we waited, our hunger overcame us, and we devoured the warm, fluffy rolls that accompanied our meal, eagerly asking for more.
When the appetizers finally arrived, we were met with disappointment--the blooming onion was overcooked, charred in places and overly crispy, while the bacon cheese fries arrived barely warm, their shredded cheese unmelted and lackluster. After picking at the appetizers, we moved on, but our spirits lifted when the kids' soda refills arrived promptly, thanks to our attentive server.
Next came the Caesar salads, which, unfortunately, fell flat in flavor. My husband enjoyed his, but my son left his untouched, while my daughter tried a few bites of mine. Finally, the main courses graced our table. My husband's filet and my sirloin were cooked to perfection, but where were the baked potatoes? The manager, a man in a crisp blue dress shirt, informed us that the baked potatoes were still baking and temporarily unavailable. After a brief wait, he returned, delivering the much-anticipated baked potatoes just in time for us to enjoy our meals fully.
My son, however, was met with disappointment as he cut into his half rack of ribs, discovering they were predominantly fatty. Left unsatisfied, he nibbled on some extra dinner rolls. Sadly, our server missed the chance to replace his meal, which would have made all the difference.
As we wrapped up our dinner, we asked for to-go boxes for the girls' meals and my potato. Here came the kicker: we handed our server two coupons for free appetizers and two free kids' meals, which my children had received from school. When she returned, she informed us that she needed to split the bill into three checks to utilize the coupons. I shrugged and said to do whatever was necessary. However, when she returned with the bill, the manager had condensed everything onto a single check. We were pleased--until we looked closely at the receipt after getting home. Only two kids' meals were discounted, and one appetizer was removed, leaving our unused coupon for a free appetizer discarded.
All in all, this experience did not inspire us to return. The music is also very loud. Despite the challenges, we tipped our server generously, leaving her over $20 for her efforts. read more