Sunday, January 16, 2011

Boi na Braza, Fountain Square, Cincinnati

Dinner at Boi na Braza was wonderful, and well worth the price, which is on the high side.
The selections of meat were well presented and delicious. Of particular note was the bacon wrapped filet mignon. We found many favorites at the salad bar, with the mashed potatoes being Katies personal choice. Our only comPlaint was that the waiter was a bit too over-bearing. It was definitely worth the money, though. A great place for a romantic interlude.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Red Robin, Streets of Westchester

Recently my wife and I went to Red Robin to have an early birthday celebration dinner. As it was somewhat early in the evening, we were seated without a wait. Our drinks were prompt and refilled properly. Though there was an issue with my wifes burger not bein cooked properly, it was taken care of in a short amount of time. What truly impressed us was that the manager took the time to come out to our table, without being asked, to make sure that we were satisfied. All-in-all, it was a great meal, with great service.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Applebees, Colerain Avenue

We had a quick (or so we thought) supper last night at Applebees. Though being told it would be a 20-25 minute wait for a table, it turned into a 45 minute wait. Once we were seated, though, things progressed fairly smoothly. Our server was a bit ditsy at times, but she was polite and informative. Our appetizer was brought out in a reasonable amount of time, and after an initial  delay on refills, she kept things under control. There was a 14 minute wait for the entrees, which wasn't too bad. The food was acceptable, and filling, which is better then I can say about other places we've dined. Our server was quick with the bill and change, and all-in-all, it was a good meal.

Jax Grill at Game Works, Newport on the Levee

A few nights ago, my wife and I took our 10 year old nephew out to eat at Game Works. I can't imagine a worse dining experience. First, we had to wait at the entrance for about 10 minutes due to there not being anyone at the host station. Multiple employees looked at us, but no one came to acknowledge us. I finally had to chase down a manager and ask him if we should seat ourselves or continue waiting. Once we were seated, directly in front of the open kitchens expo area, we were ignored for another 10 minutes before the server came to take our drink orders. Once we placed our order, we noticed that food orders were sitting in the staging window and were being ignored and pushed from side-to-side. After waiting about 35 minutes and seeing food in the window that we were pretty sure was ours, my wife beat me to the punch by going up to the manager, who was the one traying the orders. After about 10 minutes, the server came over with my wife's burger platter and told us that our nephew and I's food wasn't ready yet and did she want her food or to wait? Keep in mind that he and I only ordered chicken tenders and a chicken sandwich,( both with fries) not exactly meals that should take an hour to prepare. Anyway, my wifes fries were lukewarm, at best, and the "onion straws" that topped her sandwich were cold and limp.  Another 10 minutes go by before the manager brings the two remaining plates over to the table and sits them down and walks off. No apology, no acknowledgment. Nothing. Oh, during this same time, my drink was completely empty and had been for at least 15 minutes. Managers, servers, cooks; all walking past and working not 5 8 feet away, yet my drink remained empty. Once the server finally brought refills, my wife had to ask, yet again, for a side of dipping sauce. In passing, she told us that the manager was taking care of our bill. Umm, the last time I checked, it was the Managers job to tell a table that the Manager was picking up the tab. But, of course, this is the same manager who had failed to own up to the delay, mistakes, etc. I should also point out that through out the hour long wait for our food, we watched NUMEROUS parties go through the same ordeal that we did, at the entrance; meaning waiting forever for someone to acknowledge them before either seating themselves, or chasing down an employee. The managers that were visible were the most disorganized and unprofessional that I have seen in a very long time.


In short, the food was mediocre, at best. The service was terrible. And the overall experience was horrible. We will definitely not be returning to this restaurant. I would advise you to save your time and money, and find somewhere else to dine.