Kirsten W.
Yelp
When I go out to sit down and eat at a restaurant, I am prepared to pay - a lot - for a meal I could cook for a small fraction of the cost. However, for that payment, I expect three things:
1. Good service
2. Nice atmosphere
3. Good food
IN THAT ORDER
FOOD:
The food was good. I have no complaints about it. If THIS is why you are willing to pay a lot, and you don't really care about smiles, service, or atmosphere, definitely come to this place.
ATMOSPHERE: (one star down)
Part of atmosphere should be the staff. I have worked in a service industry my entire life and I know how VERY DIFFICULT it can be to work with the public. However, it is your JOB to make the customers feel welcome and comfortable. No one in this restaurant had that "welcome to our restaurant" feeling. It was more of a "sit down, shut up, eat, pay, and then get out so we can make more money" feeling.
The decorations are wonderful. But why OH WHY aren't you playing ANY Buffet music? I heard Madonna, Culture Club, Sting and even Gary Neuman - but NO Jimmy Buffet songs! At LEAST play stuff that makes people think of the Caribbean!
SERVICE: (two stars down for the beginning of the visit)
When I walked in, the place was empty (maybe 10 tables occupied - and this is a BIG place). I smiled at the person by the front podium. She smiled back (so far, so good) and then handed me a small piece of paper (?) and then directed to go to "the top of the ramp." I got to the top of the ramp and stood there, not sure of what to do. It felt like "You are supposed to know what to do with this piece of paper. Why don't you?" Very odd, but...OK...I can "go with the flow..."
Anyway, someone came over - no smile, no greeting - took the piece of paper without a word and started walking away - deeper into the restaurant. I wasn't sure if I should follow, but I did and then realized that I was about to be seated in a dark corner - away from all of the other customers. I really did not want to sit way back there on this beautiful day. Once I realized where we were going, I stopped the person, smiled, apologized, and asked if I could sit ("...at that table, maybe?...") closer to the windows so I could see outside. She stopped and frowned (she actually frowned, like I had asked for something unseemly) and then just walked away and left me standing in the middle of the restaurant. A different person came over - with a frown - and asked, "so you want a table for six people for a party of two?" I guess she thought I had pointed to a table of six? Maybe I did. Ooops! Sorry for the misunderstanding! BUT - Even if I DID want that table, please remember that the place was empty - there were MANY large tables open. I smiled and answered "no, I did not mean that I needed THAT table specifically. I would like to sit outside or where I can - at least - see outside"
By now, I was ready to walk out and find somewhere else to eat ... but I thought, "OK be patient. Clearly, this was just a misunderstanding. Be patient."
Another wait. ANOTHER person - with a bigger frown - came over and said, "we have a big party, so I have to ask the server's permission to seat you where you are requesting."
???
I could actually see three empty tables outside - and no one else waiting. Servers were everywhere - some of them just standing around - seriously, just standing around - not helping anyone. Weren't you going to bring one of the other servers to the busy server's station to help anyway? It was as if my request to sit by a window or outside had never happened before in the restaurant business.
I realize that the staff is "ruled" by corporate policy...
but...If corporate policy leads to this sort of thing, corporate policy should be changed.... don't you agree?
Anyway....
Eventually, "Third Frowning Host" returned and I was seated in a corner behind the bar. Not really by a window, but I thought, "OK - I give up. This will do. I'll let it go. Just a bad start. Let's see how it goes from here." I said, "I'm sorry....thank you for accommodating me" and she just walked away.
SERVICE part 2 (one star down for poor table service)
The server (who was NOT the server with the big party, by the way) was nice enough, but, after taking the order and bringing the food, she never returned until I was almost done. She server walked right by several times. Never stopped to check if everything was OK. At one point, she was just standing at the window, about 30 feet away, and staring outside. I had to walk over to get something that I needed for my meal. Even after that, she did not check on my table.
And for this, I paid $70.00 for two people.
If the misunderstanding about the tables had been handled with smiles and patience, this would have been a four-star review (one star down for the inattentive table service) and I wouldn't have mentioned it at all.