Bartender was excellent, beer was even great. Frankly, the staff we interacted with can better serve a different establishment who's owners actually value their customers.
Had interaction with the owner (or at least an owner) that left a terrible taste in my mouth today:
My father and I were there to enjoy a few beers and get a few to go, the woman who identified herself as the owner was showing a scrapbook of the bar's transition from whatever space it was previously to some other people, no big deal, cool to see a space transformed.
At some point she transitioned from that to the task of "repairing" some drooping LED lights under the seating area of the bar, stated aloud that she could use someone with some mechanical aptitude, I stepped up (and away from my drink and conversation with my father) to lend assistance because mechanical aptitude is something I have.
Proceeded to spend 10-15 minutes helping her reattach lights to the underside of the bar, we concluded and I sat back down. Not sure I got so much as a "thank you" for the effort which doesn't sit right with me but whatever...
She resumed her position of talking to others, and we engaged in conversation a few times. She lamented the "hardships" of running a place like this... You know, tasks as mindbogglingly difficult as maintaining caulking on various surfaces and putting sticky tape on LED light strips...
Feeling a little awkward and trying to make small talk and save the interaction while not completely waylaying my time with my father I interjected that "well yeah maintenance sucks but at least there's beer when you're done" only to be responded to with something to the effect of "I've been doing this since 2015, I don't even like/care about the beer anymore, it's not an incentive..."
At that point I pretty much shrugged and shake my head; decided to just finish my drink, thank our excellent bartender and leave. Not going back again, especially if this the the attitude of the owner.
With some time for reflection I actually think I should have asked her, just to be sure, if she knew I didn't work for her and had no obligation to help her with anything in her bar... I feel like she viewed our interaction as something I was obliged to do despite being a paying customer... A more spiteful person would have pulled the lights they helped fix down on their way out with how unappreciated their action was by the OWNER...
10 out of 10 service by the bartender, 1 out of 10 experience meeting the owner... Really a shame, without big attitude changes by the owner this venue is dead to me and I'll share the story I detailed here with everyone I can. read more