T'roy Williams
Google
After a long day of traveling, our group eagerly anticipated a good meal. We decided to venture out to Hancock to try Buddy Lou’s, having heard excellent things about the place.
The atmosphere was engaging, with plenty of interesting décor and nostalgic Motown music filling the air. Despite our high expectations, the experience fell significantly short.
Firstly, it's important to note that Buddy Lou’s is dog-friendly. While this wasn't an issue for us, be aware that you might find yourself dining on a $30 plate of food surrounded by dogs. We were the only table without a canine companion.
Our troubles began when we attempted to order the lobster roll, only to be informed that the online menu was not available because they offer a different menu on Sundays. We settled for the crab fries. While the house-cut fries were tasty, they weren't what we had hoped for. In casual conversation with our waitress, we mentioned our long drive from Kentucky. Her response was that we should have kept driving to Maine if we wanted lobster.
The menu was already limited, and they were out of the first two items our friends tried to order. One friend who ordered seafood was told there was no tartar sauce available. In a rather sad and comical turn, he had to request individual ingredients to make his own tartar sauce.
Being Father's Day, there was a "special" menu which included a ribeye. I decided to give it a try, but was unpleasantly surprised. When the food arrived, I noticed the waitstaff circling our table. It turned out my ribeye was actually a New York strip. Upon inquiring, the waitress explained they were out of ribeyes and had substituted it with a New York strip without informing me, offering a mere $3 discount as if that were a favor. The steak was tough, overcooked, and utterly flavorless. I sent it back, having lost my appetite, and watched as my friends ate their overpriced and underwhelming meals. The ribeye was $29, the NY Strip $27, and the crab cake sandwich, at $20, featured a crab cake no larger than a hockey puck.
As avid foodies, we love exploring new restaurants and typically provide fair, detailed reviews, always giving establishments the benefit of the doubt. However, this was one of the absolute worst dining experiences we've ever had. Our waitress even said she was so embarrassed that she just wanted to go home.