C F.
Yelp
I no longer visit Basalt.
For some context, I was a habitual customer of Basalt. Maybe not a frequent flyer, but I would eat at Basalt ~once a month for the past year or so. I'm a big breakfast person- I frequent many breakfast establishments in Eastown typically 3-4 times a month (think Brown Butter, Wolfgang's, Terra Bagel, Scorpion Hearts Club, etc.). I loved Basalt. They really appeared to be a hole in the wall with decent wait staff. When I visit, I usually get the same order: two breakfast tacos, a beverage (that isn't just water), and their drop biscuits.
Don't get me wrong, the food at Basalt is good, albeit a bit overpriced.
However, my most recent visit went poorly. I entered the restaurant around 11am on a Sunday to find that Basalt has transformed from a full-service restaurant to a fast casual restaurant. It is not apparent when you enter the restaurant that you seat yourself; the "instructions" are off to the side of the entryway. Unlike most fast casual restaurants, the Basalt customer is not naturally guided to the ordering station, which should be front and center, but in Basalt's case, is lost in the mix of the kitchen and the bar. From my initial confusion, the singular wait staff, aside the owner, shouted at me to order from the counter. I recognize the wait staff as an employee I see regularly here, so I'm not super annoyed at being shouted at. Maybe he recognizes me and it's all a part of the employee's character?
I set my things down as far from other customers as possible, as to maximize my time alone, ensure there was a seat for me in this newly "fast casual" business, and dig my wallet out from my bag, and went back up to the counter to order.
From this point on, I am not sure if I PO'd the owner, wait staff, or what, but you are not obligated to tip at fast casual restaurants, especially if you are expected to bus your own tables and pay prior to the food arriving. Tipping is based on service, not on me ordering. So naturally, I didn't tip, because I saw I would be cleaning my table off myself.
I finish my order, collect my order flag, and sit back down at my table. Wait- I forgot my utensils and my complimentary water. Of course I forgot them, they're next to the door when I walked in, not next to the ordering "station" (for lack of better word). I stand back up, grab my utensils, water pitcher, and glass. After an expected amount of time, my breakfast tacos arrive. About halfway through my food, my drink arrives. It was regular horchata. I'm not sure it should have taken longer for the drink to get to me than the food, but I don't know how horchata works, so it isn't my place to say anything. The wait staff takes my flag-- "Wait!" I state I am still am waiting for my drop biscuits.
"Oh, yes. I will find those for you."
Continued, I finish my plate of tacos and my drink and am finishing my drop biscuits. Surprisingly the drop biscuits have a bite to them, so I am sipping down a good amount of water from my water pitcher to keep my eyes from watering. Suddenly, a mother-f--king 8 top walks into the tiny Basalt restaurant. It is a whole-a$$ family. And obviously, they can't find anywhere to sit, it's 11:30 on a Sunday morning. Y'all hit the church brunch rush. 'Should have came sooner or later,' I thought to myself. Apparently, the wait staff didn't think the same as I did, so he started grabbing my plate and water from me.
"No you don't have to bus that for me. I'm just finishing my water."
"We're in a rush and I need this seat." The waiter was obviously kicking me out to make room for their newly arrived 8-top.
I didn't even argue. My food is gone and my water was rudely taken right out from under me. What the heck.
ETA: Glad you took the time to read my review! When a larger man approaches a woman in public and rushes them, they often fear harassment. So I left, as I didn't want to have a man up in my business. The argumentativeness of the owner just WREAKS of men/male privilege. But if you want, you can watch your cameras through and you'll see me say something along the lines of "You don't need to take that, I can bus my own dishes." But I'm not about to physically grab something from somebody else. I'm not rude.
Additionally, I have no problem with the food being priced as it is. Good food should be priced well, but compared to other breakfast places in the area, the food is more-highly priced. Guess the food doesn't match the area.
ETA2: Thank you for your honest feedback!