Nazneen M.
Yelp
I recently had the misfortune of dining at Iron Gate for their Harry Potter-themed event, and despite the incredible theme, the experience was a complete failure from a customer service perspective. We arrived promptly for our reservation, only to be told that our table was still occupied. Anyone who has been to pop up themes know tables should be advised ahead of time on time limits. When we asked how long the wait would be, the hostess mentioned 10-15 minutes, but this turned into a 50-minute delayed ordeal.
Despite an empty bar, we were told we couldn't sit there and had to wait outside in the cold Michigan autumn night--because of their miscalculation. We had driven over 30 minutes for the event, so leaving wasn't an option. During our wait, we saw not one but two large groups without reservations being seated before us. This was a blatant disregard for customers who had planned ahead. When we addressed it with the manager, they blamed it on a "miscommunication" with a hostess who had already left, which was an unacceptable excuse for such poor management.
The so-called effort to make it up to us was laughable. The manager asked if we had any allergies, only for us to be served the cheapest appetizer--topped with mushrooms, which the birthday girl was allergic to! And yes, they were advised of the allergy. It was so bad that it felt almost comical and we didn't feel uncomfortable after being served food we were allergic to. We had to advocate for ourselves when we the ones paying and the service was slow despite being served an hour after. We all had work in the morning. From a customer's perspective, this experience was completely unprofessional and unwelcoming despite their efforts to correct it.
I had been warned about Wyandotte by friends of color, and now I see why. It's a shame that despite the excellent Harry Potter theme, the service was a glaring failure. This experience will stick with me, and not in a good way. Unfortunately not all spaces are welcoming.