Ke P.
Google
We truly wanted this visit to Virgil’s to be a great experience, especially after seeing so many positive reviews. Unfortunately, the service fell far short of what it could and should have been.
When we arrived, the staff were gathered together chitchatting, not working. There was only one person tending the bar, one patron at the bar and a party of four and a party of two sitting at nearby tables. We stood patiently at the door waiting to be acknowledged, but eventually had to ask for assistance just to be seated despite there being another 3-4 additional staff in the dining area plus a Greeter.
We initially chose to sit outside to enjoy the weather, even after the waitress warned us about flies. The flies weren’t the issue, though the lack of service was. After 15 minutes of sitting with no greeting, no drink order, and no acknowledgment, we decided to go back inside. Ironically, the moment we sat at the bar, everything suddenly started moving: drink orders taken, entrées ordered, and service finally began.
What made the experience even more disappointing was the constant chitchat and gossip among the staff. These were not work-related conversations - they were personal, loud, and nonstop. We repeatedly overheard “I know that’s right” and “girl bye,” along with plenty of non-professional commentary. With 4-5 staff members on the clock, attentiveness should not have been an issue, yet it clearly was.
At one point, we had to ask if our food was ready. The young lady said she would check, only to immediately return with our plates - making it obvious that the food had been sitting, waiting. We also had to repeatedly ask for refills and eventually request the bill because no one was paying attention to us.
Now, onto the positive: The food itself was absolutely excellent. The fried chicken, greens, and mac and cheese were all delicious and some of the best we’ve had.
Because of that, I might return but only for takeout. The dine-in experience felt less like a restaurant and more like sitting in the audience of a live “Jerry Springer” episode. Until the service and professionalism match the quality of the food, dining in just isn’t something we can do again.