Frustrating restaurant experiences - No recourse

[kieselguhr]

The price point is irrelevant. It’s quite reasonable to expect decent service when eating out.
By the way, I never ever use valet services. Not even for the beater car.

[Wcdhtwn]

IF the manager let the valet argue with you then you’re telling half the story. What’s the other half? What did you do?

[Atone]

Maestros sold some years back and it just hasn’t been as good since. Not sure which one you went to. As for Javier’s, I’ve had some good meals there. Sometimes a place just misses. I eat out 3-4 times as week, last night at The Rooftop by JG. Servers were polite but SLOOOOWWW and not really paying attention. Food was very good tho. I used to wait tables years ago, I was quite good bc 1) it isn’t rocket science 2) anticipating needs goes a long way. We’re lucky to be able to have these kinds of experiences. Stiff upper lip!

[SDGT3]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Service is such a crapshoot, it’s not worth spending a lot eating at restaurants.

There is an epidemic of mental illness in this country, and a lot of people are angry about doing any work after Covid-era handouts, so it continues to be hard to hire anyone good. Restaurants are Exhibit A of these trends

Also agree with Seth. I provide prompt, good quality client service in my field (lawyer) and people seem stunned. Not because I’m doing anything magical but because so many other lawyers are crap at client service and treat their clients like nuisances.

Everything above is factually correct counselor. I have several family members that own restaurant and my kids have worked as hostesses whilst in college. The stories I've heard about most, not all, but most servers is incredible. They don't care about you or the establishment they work for - it's all about their tip and screw everything else.

Originally Posted by JoeJoeBobo

Restaurant service in Ca is trash.

It's poor elsewhere but CA leads the nation in this unwanted area as well.

Pro tip: I was a valet in college - never valet your car. How do you think I got the skills to be the wheel man in bank heists?

Surprised no one asked what the OP tipped on the meals.

[Travelair007]

Originally Posted by rod727

Midwest here…my local bistro/pub has my beer ready when I walk through the door…makes me feel like Norm from cheers now theres an age tell….nothing fancy but I did have steak medallions and pomme frites recently and I think I dropped $50 with tip but Im a heathen :)

I haven’t found that spot since moving to CA. I had one in the NE and hard to beat a Guiness and flank steak for me.

Originally Posted by Danny83

Hmmm … I frequent both of those restaurants in the Crystal Cove shopping center. Im surprised

Mastro’s was Costa Mesa and Javier’s was Crystal Cove. Never had an issue at Javier’s in Irvine.

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

IF the manager let the valet argue with you then you’re telling half the story. What’s the other half? What did you do?

Many reasons why he could have let him argue. Inexperience? First day on the job? Scared? I tried to engage him and he kept saying we would love to see you again soon. I was ruder to the valet because I was fed up.

[SWS65SM]

Originally Posted by Travelair007

More of a rant than anything else. In the span of a week, had a terrible experience at Maestros after spending $1,900 and then Javier’s for $1,000. Service and food at Maestros was so bad that the waiter decided not to return to our table (under cooked steaks, wrong orders, etc) but sent the manager who offered free ice cream. Icing on the cake… valet was extremely rude to us and completely ruined the night.

Transpose a few days later, terrible service, but decent food at Javier’s. We don’t even complain, we pay and walk out… same valet waiting for us. Sparks ignite after he makes a rude comment. Manager comes out but allows his valet to argue with us and doesn’t even interject. No free ice cream this time.

I can’t eat out… that’s my conclusion.

Sorry to hear, maybe hit up the Javier's in Irvine next time then, I've always had good experience there

But can sympathize with u and agree with some of the responses, the post-pandemic restaurant service in LA, particularly at higher end places, has been spotty. My experience up here in LA so far in the past year-ish has been high end sushi restaurants consistently deliver better service than these other larger name brands, if you are into raw fish....

[Moondoggy]

The supply/labour issues plaguing the world economy does not discriminate, if there ever is a time to not spend absurd money on dining out it is now.

As usual never decide on the quality of something based on price, like wine i always taste it before I know the price of it if I like it I buy it whether $3 or greater.

[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

The price point is irrelevant. It’s quite reasonable to expect decent service when eating out.
By the way, I never ever use valet services. Not even for the beater car.

This, getting some random person to drive your car into often a tight spot is just ludicrous imo.

[TRS1]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

This, getting some random person to drive your car into often a tight spot is just ludicrous imo.

My belief for years.

[HHIslander]

I’ve found recently that food, lodging, etc. service experiences in the luxury price point have declined from superb to marginally above average at best. My FIL recently paid for a 4 day lodging at a infamous four star resort/spa that came to 4k a night and the service was akin to a well managed Days Inn.

OP, I feel your pain. It’s not too much to ask to get the level of service that you pay for. You weren’t at Applebees.

[derekhayden]

Unfortunately I have had many restaurant service disappointments post pandemic....not at these price points but that shouldn't matter. My wife and I have now resorted to only going to places we have a specific waiter / waitress we like. With the cost of food increasing its just easier and more fun to eat at home. At least at home I know why the waitress is sometimes rude.

[HHIslander]

Originally Posted by derekhayden

Unfortunately I have had many restaurant service disappointments post pandemic....not at these price points but that shouldn't matter. My wife and I have now resorted to only going to places we have a specific waiter / waitress we like. With the cost of food increasing its just easier and more fun to eat at home. At least at home I know why the waitress is sometimes rude.

Exactly same for us. And we tip like kings for that service. Venturing outside of our usual places never seems to end up well these days.

[Travelair007]

Originally Posted by HHIslander

I’ve found recently that food, lodging, etc. service experiences in the luxury price point have declined from superb to marginally above average at best. My FIL recently paid for a 4 day lodging at a infamous four star resort/spa that came to 4k a night and the service was akin to a well managed Days Inn.

OP, I feel your pain. It’s not too much to ask to get the level of service that you pay for. You weren’t at Applebees.

Great point!

Originally Posted by derekhayden

Unfortunately I have had many restaurant service disappointments post pandemic....not at these price points but that shouldn't matter. My wife and I have now resorted to only going to places we have a specific waiter / waitress we like. With the cost of food increasing its just easier and more fun to eat at home. At least at home I know why the waitress is sometimes rude.

Haha too funny! my waitress would make me cook my own food…and serve it. And do the dishes… oh and do the list of chores!

[Chiboy]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

By the way, I never ever use valet services. Not even for the beater car.

I was a valet parker in high school. It's where I learned to drive a stick shift. FWIW, I have never valeted my cars, which have always been manual shifts except for one, and virtually never valet my wife's sedan or SUV. Just my $0.02.

[derekhayden]

Originally Posted by Travelair007

Haha too funny! my waitress would make me cook my own food…and serve it. And do the dishes… oh and do the list of chores!

This is much more accurate of what happens at my restaurant as well

[twitch54]

Originally Posted by Kowaco

try Macdonalds', I got a really good meal there although the cashier was a little talkative

Love it, yeah people crying about their $1900 meals

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

This, getting some random person to drive your car into often a tight spot is just ludicrous imo.

they always park me up front.

[m j b]

I generally don't eat out for these reasons (all of them listed earlier) but I've had to in recent months because of business travel and vacation. Service ranged from poor (girl dropped plate of food which took 40 minutes to replace, and they never did pick up the mess or clean the floor) to average/good (which is exceptional these days) to truly exceptional, although at that place the valets were understaffed and so we waited far too long to drop off the car and to get it back.

It's just not worth the bother, really.

I did have lunch at a ShakeShack recently and although it's insanely slow, the burger was nice.

My Jersey Mike's rarely disappoints. And no valet to mess with.

[Calatrava r]

[QUOTE=Travelair007;12395031]Both reputable well established restaurants. I’ve been there a few times, always little issues but nothing like this.



4 people
For $1900 for 4 people, I would expect everything perfect.

[NewEnthusiast]

Can you get an undercooked steak? If it can't be saved by a decent vet then it's overcooked!

Jokes aside I can relate. One of the most expensive meals my wife and I had was one of the worst in terms of quality and service (despite external awards for the food)

[brandrea]

[QUOTE=Calatrava r;12396667]

Originally Posted by Travelair007

Both reputable well established restaurants. I’ve been there a few times, always little issues but nothing like this.



4 people
For $1900 for 4 people, I would expect everything perfect.

Indeed.

At the price point, you’d expect nothing less.

Curious how the OP handled the tip …

[JasoninDenver]

Things are not going to change until we bring back public flogging.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by Travelair007

Hahaha you reminded me of that scene in Fawlty Towers, “if you don’t like duck you rather stuck…”



Ha! Very true!!

It's actually from LA Stories with Steve Martin, pre-pandemic. But it feels like how "good" restaurants seem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1IRqqp8vHw

Luckily the best restaurant I've enjoyed is Auberge du Soleil in Napa (Rutherford).

I've eaten at a few big name places on my wife's corporate card with her clients and it just isn't me.

For me they are far too pretentious, too precious and too much needy people either new or old money trying too hard.

I'd much prefer hanging out with bartenders or waiters and waitresses. (perhaps not these days but back in the day).

I shun the whole putting on airs, so great family restaurants with real people, are my favs.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by twitch54

Love it, yeah people crying about their $1900 meals

Why do people instinctively defend restaurant staff and blame customers? Only a handful of times in my life have I seen customers be blatantly disrespectful to staff, and all the incidents were outside of the US.

I’m literally nicer to restaurant staff than they are to me. There are some great people who, either as a career or as a temporary source of income, work in restaurants. But overall it’s not a great quality of person and that’s only become more true in recent years. Call a spade a spade.

[TheDude]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Why do people instinctively defend restaurant staff and blame customers? Only a handful of times in my life have I seen customers be blatantly disrespectful to staff, and all the incidents were outside of the US.

I’m literally nicer to restaurant staff than they are to me. There are some great people who, either as a career or as a temporary source of income, work in restaurants. But overall it’s not a great quality of person and that’s only become more true in recent years. Call a spade a spade.

Right. Most patrons in that situation are overly nice and accommodating. Having experienced similar frustrations during the past year and a half, it’s really not a good sign for fine dining. I’ve learned to pick certain trustworthy dishes at places I find myself frequenting due to professional and social obligations. I don’t voluntarily seek out high end dining, especially now with the current state of affairs.

Also, $1900 for 4 might not be as high as it sounds depending on how much alcohol and wine was involved.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by JasoninDenver

Things are not going to change until we bring back public flogging.

The floggings will continue until morale improves.

We're in a transitional period due to covid in a lot of things and the hospitality industry and restaurants are in flux. Probably not a good time to be in that business right now.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by TheDude

…

Also, $1900 for 4 might not be as high as it sounds depending on how much alcohol and wine was involved.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Been there done that … $1850 for the bottle of wine and we’ll share the appetizer

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Been there done that … $1850 for the bottle of wine and we’ll share the appetizer

And living in Wine Country you know that bottle sells down at Costco for $34.50

Of course without the fancy ice bucket and ceremonial deflowering.

[Griswald]

Originally Posted by Blansky

It's actually from LA Stories with Steve Martin, pre-pandemic. But it feels like how "good" restaurants seem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1IRqqp8vHw

Luckily the best restaurant I've enjoyed is Auberge du Soleil in Napa (Rutherford).

I've eaten at a few big name places on my wife's corporate card with her clients and it just isn't me.

For me they are far too pretentious, too precious and too much needy people either new or old money trying too hard.

I'd much prefer hanging out with bartenders or waiters and waitresses. (perhaps not these days but back in the day).

I shun the whole putting on airs, so great family restaurants with real people, are my favs.

THIS RIGHT HERE!

[904VT]

I've found even the high end spots are cutting costs in the inflationary environment. I order nice steaks from an online provider. Sometimes imported Japanese Kobe. Then I grill it on my Big Green Egg. I find service highly lacking most restaurants nowadays. LA is notoriously hit or miss with restaurants. NYC almost everything is great, while LA attitude can be too laid back for me at a high-end spot. I want everyone at a high-end spot to be on the ball. Vegas, AZ or San Diego would probably beat LA for restaurants, at least for me.