Bailey
Google
Visited for lunch a few weeks ago and was unfortunately sorely disappointed.
I arrived at about 12:45 and found a fairly full parking lot. The lot is a little torn up but not too bad. It's easy to get in and out.
Walked around to the front and stood in the entryway for a few minutes. Didn't know the protocol since it was my first visit. Eventually, a waitress said loudly from the drink machine to seat myself, so I selected an empty booth near the kitchen. There's a lot of seating inside. I'd say the restaurant was about 1/3 full. Idk where people park when they're at capacity lol.
Waitress came over and somewhat incredulously asked if I was by myself, which I confirmed. She pushed a scrap of white paper in front of me and told me to circle what I wanted and she'd pick it up. Eh...okay. It was a limited menu of meat + 3 combinations. They advertise breakfast till 1 as well as burgers and sandwiches but none of that was on there. However, the waitress' demeanor can only be described as frosty, and fortunately I was okay with my choices, so I kept to myself. But a part of me was kind of curious about breakfast for lunch. Alas.
She returned with my tea wordlessly and swiped up my slip with my order. I circled a fried chicken breast with "potato patties" and fried okra. The sweet tea was the best thing I had and I enjoyed drinking it while I waited for my food. No refills or to go cups were ever offered though.
I will grant the food came out fairly fast...but it also came out cold. Well, the chicken and potatoes were approximating room temperature, but the okra wasn't even lukewarm. My grouchy waitress also didn't give me any silverware and ran off before I could ask for any. I had to hunt down a different, only marginally less grouchy waitress so I could eat my food with a fork.
It's a shame the okra was cold because it had a hint of potential; the breading was sort of cornmeal-y and might have once been crispy. As it was, it wasn't good at all -- the cold okra got slimy. The chicken was passable but also not nearly hot enough. The breading also needed more seasoning. The potato patties were...not patties? I was expecting something like a Jojo (small crispy potato round, thicker than a chip) or at least something circular lol, but instead I got two scoops of a sort of whipped potato casserole. This would've also been alright except it was lukewarm and, even worse, absolutely replete with still-crunchy large pieces of onion. Couldn't get a mouthful without them and left with much smellier breath.
The one redeeming factor other than the tea was the bread basket: two yeast rolls and a hunk of cornbread. The cornbread was awful (bland and dry), but the yeast rolls were soft and warm and about the only food item I legitimately enjoyed -- even though, once again, my waitress left me hanging with no butter.
I really couldn't wait to get out as I felt terribly unwelcome, so as soon as I ate what I could stomach I went to the marginally less unfriendly waitress and paid at the register. The price was decent (~$15 before tip). I did still tip, but I was salty -- legitimately some of the worst service I've had in a long time. I'm forgiving of long wait times and forgotten stuff, but I really don't like callous attitudes when I do my best to be pleasant and accommodating.
Definitely wouldn't return. 2 stars because the food was edible and the place was clean enough. The hunt for a decent lunch in Scottsboro continues.