Black Olive - Jonesborough, TN ---- Only 2 Stars. I will be nice to those who deserve it. The waitress(es) were nice, polite, and cheerful. The food, as always, was good. The service from them, the speed at which the food was brought out was good, except for two dishes that were slow in coming. The interaction with the maître d was horrible!
So - NEVER reserve a room well in advance at the Black Olive in Jonesborough TN . IF you do, make sure you add about 5 to ten extra people to your party (who may or may not actually be coming). That way, when you are seated in the reserved space, you actually have enough seating.
WE reserved the space for 20 people well over a month ago, for five o'clock. We were later called and asked for an exact number. We told them we didn't know, but that maybe only 15 would show up, and we reserved for 20. So what did they do? They set three tables for us. Two pushed together and one alone. Where in reality, 12 people could fit. We had 18 people show up for my very special milestone birthday dinner. When we arrived, we were told they could not seat that many, that the rest of the room was reserved for another large party that would arrive in an hour.
They allowed the overflow of our group to sit at two other tables in that room, while they were empty. BUT at 8 minutes to 6, we were told the other party had arrived, and those of our party that were sitting at the other table would have to leave! Thankfully, we had all finished eating, but had not had dessert which was supposed to be an entire carrot cake we ordered to be cut and served to all who wanted it within our party. The rest of the cake we were going to take home. Mind you, a whole carrot cake there costs $80.00! It was my birthday, and we weren't concerned about the price.
When those of our party were told they would have to leave, the maitre d ' (a man with a man bun) started clearing all of their plates from the table.
We were never asked if they wanted dessert! We kept reminding them about the cake. The waitress said she would cut it for us if we wanted. We did. She did not. There was never a cake brought to us. Thankfully, we were not charged for it either.
Needless to say, we were told repeatedly before, during, and after our meal by this maître d that he had arranged seating for 15 people and that we had told him there would only be 15 - wrong. We told them 20. Plus, there is no way even 15 people could have fit into the seating he had arranged.
Bottom report - we were not happy, but we will get over it. And for most of the 18 people who were there ---- we won't be back. It used to be my favorite restaurant in Jonesborough. I will no longer be there, nor recommend it.
Our minister was part of our dinner party, and now he has a new sermon to work on.... Bad customer service and how not to let it escalate.
We were never told any of the waitstaff's names. So I don't know who to tell you was a great waitress. On our way out to pay, the girls at the register were frustrated but friendly. When we got home, we realized that while we had paid for our almost $400.00 meal, we received receipts for two take-out orders. I hope those customers got their food for free, as when they arrived, there was no receipt for them. read more