Nathan Y.
Yelp
Let's get something out of the way. The food is good. Calling it "New American" is a major fail, it's pub food. Unusually good pub food, with a couple of fusion Korean twists, with a cocktail menu that is imaginative, working with lower end spirits, but at least a step up from Fridays. But in a pinch, it's a pleasant experience, and the food tastes good. And the prices... well, they're ambitious for a dive bar, but not really upscale. I'd say they're not unreasonable for what they are.
The ambiance is not great. Sports bar, a little cramped, but doing their best with the layout. TV screens everywhere. Some thin layers of grime on surfaces, especially on and around the stairway. Don't touch the walls, just trust me. A place to go hang with the gang, not really a great date setting.
Our server was great. At least, during the meal. He kind of vanished right about the time that we noticed the little fly in the ointment.
See, it's a small thing. I mean, proportionately, it's a small thing. We're not lavish people, we don't spend often, but when we do eat out, we'll order appetizers, entrees, drinks, and tip above the standard 20%, sometimes well above. But we pay attention to what we're being charged, and where those charges go... it's a matter of principle. Are the employees being fairly compensated? And we pay special attention to deceptive service fees. If there's anything shady, we read the fine print, and generally just walk out before ordering.
There was nothing listed. Not on the menu, not on a Visa/MasterCard logo on the window.
Yeah, so, the bill came. We gave them a card. The bill came back to sign... with an additional fee for the card.
With no prior disclosure.
Check the comptroller's page, there's an entirely unambiguous requirement on businesses. Unlike some states, they're allowed to charge a fee (up to a limit that the bill got right up to) for credit cards. But they may only do so if they prominently disclose this in advance of any point where you may commit to spending. Both written and spoken disclosure.
Okay, maybe they're just ignorant of this requirement?
Our server had entirely vanished at this point. We flagged down someone else, and, to be absolutely sure we hadn't missed the required disclosure (Because maybe someone wasn't clear on the meaning of "prominent"? Note that English is very clearly the first language of this place's manager.), we inquired. Confusion. Bemusement, even. We explained about our concern. The employee (who had been acting as hostess) informed is that this was "normal" and acted as if we had sprouted additional heads. We asked for the manager. Eventually, a young woman, radiating "understudy for a stage adaptation of Mean Girls" vibes, emerges from the back office. After some condescending dismissive statements about "corporate policy" and "standard practices", she proceeds to go back into the office, then reemergence with the cash total of this overcharge.
Not. The. Point.
We're not the people this shady business practice really hurts.
We just don't like it when dishonest businesses push the envelope on whatever they can get away with. Baltimore isn't a city that's good at strongly enforcing consumer protections, and any business that's brazenly violating in one place because nobody's going to stop them is undoubtedly doing so in other places too. Substituting liquor? Who knows. Forging safety inspections? Wouldn't shock me. Cavalier transgressions are never in isolation.
Which is a shame, because, ambiance aside, this was a decent bar/casual restaurant, with food that tasted better than average for what it was. We would have been back.
