Brian M.
Yelp
I want to preface this review with one point, that being that even in some of the most disappointing experiences I've had at bars and restaurants, I rarely write anything publicly about the issue as I prefer to discuss any negative experiences with management at that time to rectify any issues and prevent it in the future, and generally management is receptive to feedback.
A friend and I visited Nomad's patio on September 7th to grab a drink. My friend went up to the bartender and asked to order a Ranch Water, a hard seltzer that I myself have never had prior, and my friend maybe once prior. My friend simply liked this particular seltzer, plain and simple. The male bartender immediately responds to this request with "That's from Texas, are you sure you want to support that?" My friend was immediately caught off guard by this response and was entirely unsure what this bartender was referring to. Before she can even get another word in or try to understand the point the bartender is trying to make, he immediately follows up with "I mean, f**k Texas, you really want to buy something from there?"
This eventually drew attention from some of the staff as well as customers on the patio. My friend asks again "Can I please have the ranch water I asked for?" The bartender eventually says "Sure" and opens the fridge door, only to then point to another bartender and make that bartender get the can on seltzer instead, I am assuming due to the fact that this particular bartender does not want to sell or even touch this beverage.
I would like to clarify that my friend is a female, and we soon realized that this bartender is evidently upset over certain political / health care policies that have been implemented in Texas. I would like to clarify that neither of us sought to order this drink to "Support Texas", nor do we agree with the policies I am assuming this individual is upset about, nor are we from Texas, or have ANY SAY in Texas' policies. My friend was NOT EVEN AWARE OF WHERE THIS DRINK IS SOURCED FROM. She simply enjoys the drink. He simply made an assumption based off of her drink order and became verbally aggressive because of it. After my friend received the drink she ordered, this bartender went on to complain to the other bar staff who were working at the time, saying things to the effect of "I can't believe this woman just ordered a cider from Texas" and so on and so forth. It goes without saying that all of this made my friend beyond uncomfortable, with the entire bar and some customers staring at her and the bartender due to him making a scene of her drink order.
In short, this bartender decided to harass my friend over a drink she decided to order because of views that SHE DOES NOT EVEN HOLD, because this bartender is apparently incapable of going to work and separating their views from their work responsibilities, and sees it fit to make customers uncomfortable if he even thinks that someone may disagree with him. I'll say it again just for clarification, I don't think myself, my friend and this employee disagree on anything, except evidently the fact on how you should treat your customers who have done nothing but walked into your establishment and asked for a drink that YOUR establishment decides to source.
If any of the staff at this bar has an issue with the company that makes Ranch Water, you are more than welcome to have this discussion internally on what alcoholic beverages you decided to stock and which you choose to not stock. That is the correct way to handle this. As a private business, you may purchase whatever beverages you would like. But it beyond unacceptable to source beverages and then have bartenders berate a female because she ordered a drink YOU decided to put on display for sale.
I'm absolutely disgusted with the way this individual acted and how assumptions were made which resulted in my friend being publicly chastised and we will absolutely not be spending another dime at this establishment.