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| - Summary: In a plaza that has seen much better establishments fail, it is a cosmic injustice that a bar & grill like this can exist for so long.
As the rest of the far west continues to develop their own unique options, some argue Park(e) West is struggling to maintain relevancy. Establishments from several years ago have already packed their bags. And while it's fortunate other restaurateurs are attempting to upcycle these spaces into something more worthwhile, I'm afraid this could join the long list of failed projects.
Cabin used to be Sandbar. They kept the outdoor bar and the large patio, but traded the sand for more wooden fixtures. Beyond that, literally nothing else was invested in atmosphere.That's not something I'll get riled up over, but I just have to point out that not trying is really a reoccurring theme here.
The menu doesn't really excite me. They boast "whiskey & grill" in the name, but if it weren't for their website, I'd never known they had an expansive whiskey selection. There were no advertisements for it, and I hadn't seen it on a physical menu. In fact, options for their signature drinks or craft beer bottles were never visible to me. That is a problem.
As for food, the menu seems to be really big on a variety of tacos and steaks. I went with a classic pub favorite--the calamari. The familiar chili sauce it came with indicates the menu does borrow from its predecessor. But...this was the worst calamari I'd had--they looked and tasted like just plain fish sticks TBH. I couldn't even finish half, and after sampling it themselves, my friends were in no hurry to indulge either. Yikes! When incredibly simple dishes are terrible, what confidence can you have for the product of actual creativity in the kitchen?
There are plenty of decent dining options nearby, and I wasn't really going there for the food, so this isn't even what gets me the most. The service here is just absolutely flat out terrible. Despite having several tables reserved for about 20 people, any servers were done for the night well over an hour before the kitchen closed. This led to quite a few of us waiting around awkwardly and empty handed, never being asked so much as what we wanted to drink. I had to request a menu.
After spending a few more hours here between my visits, I see why it's all moving so slow. Despite dozens of customers, Cabin tries its hardest to rely on one bartender doing all the work. The barbacks don't ease the workload by handling the simple tasks, like fetching beers or cleaning up. So...what are they doing? They chill out and play beer pong with security and customers for most of their shift. I am not the first reviewer to notice this. And don't get me wrong, I appreciate a laid-back work environment, and I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but management at some point needs to understand that it can *not* come at the expense of the customer experience. Even worse, it looks terrible to have the women (which AFAIK all their bartenders are) busting their asses while the guys literally play around through their entire shift. Slobs.
In the end, the only bright spot here was the bartender during my first visit in early May. Despite being inundated with work, she was positive the entire time, looked like she cared, and wasn't being a jerk--all while having the misfortune of working on her birthday. She's too good for this place. I hope she reads this review, realizes this is a sinking ship, and gets out before it's too late.
I have absolutely no reason to return.
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