"First, let’s highlight the positives. I really liked the atmosphere, and I was excited to celebrate my friend's birthday there. The menu featured appealing options, and the overall aesthetic was quite pleasant. We appreciated that they cut the birthday cake we brought with us.
However, the negatives unfortunately outweighed the positives. Our server, Michael, initially seemed friendly and helpful, but he became quite pushy with his recommendations. One of my friends wanted her Angus burger cooked well-done but felt pressured by him to order it medium instead. He claimed this would prevent the patty from being dry, but it ended up making the burger soggy, leading her to wish she had stuck with her original choice.
The major issue came when another friend ordered an Asian chicken salad and mentioned to Michael that it was a bit too spicy for her. She jokingly said, "Sorry, I know the stereotype of brown women is that we eat spicy food, but I don’t fit that mold." Instead of responding appropriately, Michael leaned in and said, “No, you’re exotic,” in an inappropriate tone. This made us all feel very uncomfortable, especially considering many of us are just 18, with some having recently turned 18.
Things only got worse when he commented, “My ex was black, and that was the only good thing about her.” At that point, we all felt the urge to leave and ended up tipping low or not at all after the automatic 20% gratuity. Michael watched as we tipped, making the situation feel even more pressured, and I felt the need to hide the screen from him.
Another unsettling moment occurred when one of my friends was enjoying her food. Michael approached her and asked if she would be able to finish her meal. When she confidently replied that she could, he responded with, "Good girl," which was quite disconcerting, especially since she is only 17.
To wrap up, after thanking us for coming, he made inappropriate comments about our attire, complimenting it as “modest, mature, and good looking," and advised us not to date boys but to seek out "mature men,” all while making eye contact with us.
Overall, Michael's behavior was far from professional, and despite the food being okay, his actions left a sour taste in our mouths."
