"This restaurant used to be a family favorite for us, as we visited twice a week for years. However, our experience a few months ago really soured our impression. One evening, they were promoting a great deal on ribs for $19.99. After waiting nearly half an hour for drinks, our server took our order. Twenty minutes later, he returned to inform us that they were out of the special ribs. He offered an alternative type, but at a different price. Frustrated, I asked to speak with the manager. I explained that we were regular customers and had already been waiting for 50 minutes, with only seven of the ten customers in the restaurant at our table. The manager expressed his apologies but stated that there was nothing he could do about the pricing for the substitute ribs. I could either choose something else or... he trailed off without finishing his thought.
My wife ordered an appetizer and a salad as her meal, which arrived while the rest of us were still waiting. This meal took an additional 30 minutes to come out. Eventually, the rest of our changed orders also arrived, but it took another 45 minutes. The manager refused to adjust the bill and gave us a $10 gift card to try to make up for the issues, encouraging us to give them another chance.
Fast forward to yesterday, July 4th, when we decided to return. The restaurant was mostly empty except for two tables, and there were three servers, including the bartender. We ordered the ribs and a fried chicken salad. Coincidentally, the ribs were, once again, on special, but I didn’t notice until I had already ordered a tall beer. When I asked if I could apply the beer price difference to my order, I was told no; the system couldn’t accommodate that. Instead, the server offered a side salad to replace the complimentary beer, which I accepted.
My wife’s chicken salad was supposed to contain mixed greens, feta cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries, red onions, strawberries, and grilled or fried chicken with honey mustard dressing. Instead, it arrived with only mixed greens and feta, without the promised strawberries or cranberries. The ribs were tough, as if they had been reheated from the previous day, yet they tasted alright, requiring considerable effort to gnaw off the bone.
This is their last chance with us. I have $200 in gift cards from our visits, so I hope they can redeem themselves on our next trip, but I fear it may be our final visit. It’s concerning to see how they’ve maintained such poor service while other restaurants like Olive Garden and BJ's are thriving.
One last point: they used to allow smoking in the bar after 9 PM, which drew in local staff from other eateries, who would come to eat and spend money. Now that they prohibit smoking, that customer base has vanished, likely costing them significant revenue. It seems they are making all the wrong moves. Someone needs to step in and address the management issues at this restaurant before it becomes just another seasonal Halloween shop."
