Beth
Google
This one took me a couple weeks to write, and I mulled this over for a while before writing.
We came in on December 12th with a reservation for a party of 9 for our 17 year olds birthday. Prior to coming in we called and ensured no high table seating due to elderly people in our reservation. That was never relayed to the host team, and they attempted to sit us at a high table. No big deal, we just had to wait for another table to come available. The host seemed frustrated at this request though. My grandma is nearly 90, and the majority of our party was 65 and older other than us and our 17 year old, we simply could not sit at a high table.
After being seated, our sweet server Brooke seemed so overwhelmed with multiple large tables and needed some assistance (not her fault). She was beyond kind the entire time, so polite and fantastic, despite what occurred during our stay.
Our reservation was at 5:45. We did not receive our food until 7:30. We were sat by 6. Ordered quickly. And it took around 1.25 HOURS to come out. On multiple occasions, a random person would come out and say it’s because one person at our table ordered a pork chop. One pork chop. Again, we go to Dock multiple times a month for brunch and dinner, and never has it taken over an hour for a pork chop. People around us were sat, ate, and left prior to us even receiving our food. When the food did arrive, the pork chop was inedible, we couldn’t even cut it with a knife, and another family members meal didn’t come out for another 15 more minutes despite everyone already having their food. My mom’s food was cold, mine was half cold (the fries) and looked like someone had thrown it from across the room onto the plate.
The manager Megan was dropping off something at our table, and I gently pointed out the issues we were having, and she was extremely rude to the point of blaming us for coming in on a Friday night when they had a party on their patio, and that it’s our fault for ordering a pork chop. There was no sincerity or care from her. We were able to get chicken instead of the pork chop, that was it. Even after Megan left, the family member without a meal still sat there for 10 more minutes without a meal.
On top of all of this, when we arrived they were debuting their new menu and had significantly raised prices on their menu while also removing the second side. The portion sizes of salmon were tiny, and my dad’s plate was empty at best for $28. As a southern inspired restaurant, a meat and 2 veg plate is a must.
Lastly, live music is fabulous. Absolutely love it. But during our meal on a Friday evening, it was so loud from music on top of the ambience of the restaurant that I couldn’t have a conversation without yelling and at one point I just stopped trying to talk to my mom who was across the table from me. We usually come in for brunch, and if we do come in the evening it’s typically just me and my partner sitting at the bar next to each other on a Thursday, so I guess we rarely have this issue. It would be cool to be able to know that there are evenings without live music besides a Sunday.
During all of our visits over the past year the wait and bar staff (Eve, Brooke, Hanna, Ashley) have all been extremely warm and welcoming. They are in no way the problem. But inedible food, 1.25 hour food times, higher prices, less food, and a rude manager? At this point Dock 17 has lost their way.
