Tara L.
Google
I am submitting this complaint regarding an incident that occurred at your establishment in Galveston, Texas “It’s Island Time” on 02/09/26….
I entered the bar with my boyfriend, who is a Black transgender man with only one other person who was previously there… so it was basically the 4 of us… Upon walking in, the Caucasian female bartender “Chelsea” looked us up and down and visibly rolled her eyes. I have been to this establishment many of times being from Houston Tx. And I ALWAYS feel welcomed and respected especially from an amazing bar tender named Gabby!!! This bartender “Chelsea”…. Instructed my boyfriend to sit at the bar where she was standing. He sat down, ordered his drink, and asked me what I wanted. I told him to order me whatever he is ordering while I briefly stepped away to use the restroom.
When I returned, the bartender continued to stand in front of us with a visibly disgusted expression. My boyfriend then asked me what I wanted to drink because he drinks Jameson hence he knows I don’t. I stated that I would sit and look at the menu for a few minutes before deciding. The bartender heard me say this. Despite that, she remained standing there staring at me and then said, “Can you order something?”
I responded, “Are you telling me to order something?” She replied, “No, I’m asking you to order something so I don’t have to just stand here.” I told her, “You don’t have to stand here. I said I would wait and look at the menu for a few minutes.” She rolled her eyes and walked away with an attitude, then sat across the bar continuing to glare.
After witnessing this treatment, I contacted a previous bartender Gabby from the establishment to explain what was happening. That individual informed me that this particular bartender has received multiple complaints from African American customers and others also in the past and encouraged me to file a complaint.
While I was on the phone discussing the situation, the bartender appeared to overhear and went into the office to contact her manager. She later returned and told me, “It’s not that serious,” handed me a manager’s card, and stated she did not have the owner’s contact information. I informed her I would be contacting the owner directly.
She then stated that she was refusing service to me and told me I needed to leave, while continuing to serve my boyfriend. She claimed she was refusing service because I was “on the phone talking shit.” When I stated that the treatment felt racially motivated, she responded, “I don’t care, it is what it is,” and further stated that she had a red button she could press and the police would arrive within five minutes to remove me.
Being singled out, treated with visible hostility from the moment I entered, refused service while my partner was not, and threatened with police escalation was humiliating and deeply concerning. As a Black woman in what should be an inclusive LGBTQIA space, this experience felt discriminatory and unsafe.
I am requesting that this incident be formally investigated, that appropriate action be taken, and that the establishment provide a written response addressing how they plan to prevent discriminatory treatment of customers in the future.
