Yelen P.
Yelp
Stay away from here! Please see all the reviews before deciding on this place! There's a reason why 2/5 is the most popular rating and 1/5 is the second most popular that people give this place!
First, beyond the mandatory 18% tip, which unfortunately I would say this place does not deserve, there is a "service charge" of 4% on the subtotal. So you're really tipping 22%, but they tell you that you're tipping 18% only. That's super shady - but what do you expect from a place that gives you as napkins super thick napkins with their corporate parent company and conglomerate of affiliated restaurants printed on it? At least I know which other restaurants I'll never go to, plus now I have some multi-ply napkins I can wipe my butt with post-BM. I took them with me because I didn't want to waste more paper/trees than the company already wastes in ordering these thick napkins. The napkins are pretty thick and would probably feel good to wipe with.
I wonder if the service is bad because it's a restaurant run by a big company, or because the workers get 22% tips from everyone so they don't care to try too much.
I was going to give them an "objective" 2/5, considering the food, service, and decor, because that's a pretty accurate reflection of the quality of this restaurant (and most reviewers seem to agree with that rating). But when the server threw away the to-go box that she had brought to the table just a couple of minutes before, the box pretty weighty with the food that was inside, my rating went down to 1/5. Who throws away a to-go box filled with food? When I asked her if she had thrown away a to-go box, she said yes. At this point, a server should offer to right their error. But this person did nothing but shrug. Maybe she was having an off day in throwing away the box, but that excuse does not apply to not making it right for the customer.
Unfortunately, I read the other reviews in which other people have complained about the service only after eating there. I hope others don't make that mistake.
Other things:
- Our appetizer came out after the main meals.
- The truffle flavor was nonexistent in at least half of the truffle fries and truffy burger; it should be more evenly distributed.
- The meat was pushed in the middle of the pretzels in the chesesteak pretzels when it should be spread evenly over the pretzels. There was very little meat on it.
- Re the smash burger: "It's good, but I still like Shake Shack better."
- The one good thing was the blackberry lemonade, which tasted like its name. Nothing wrong there.
- The tiny candle that barely provided light went out during the meal, and it was not replaced or relit.
Caption for picture 1: Inside, truffy burger, truffle fries, chesesteak pretzels, smash burger, outside seating, outside, thick napkins with parent company name and logo (blocked out so as not to advertise for them) + affiliated restaurants to avoid
Menu link: https://black-box-menu.webflow.io/blume (the URL to their brunch menu doesn't work)