| rev:text
| - Jordan and I were once big fans of Bahama Breeze. Their menu was always unique and does offer some healthier options. Since we live in ShadySide, anytime we found ourselves out in Robinson, we had always made it a point to make a stop. Our most recent visit, we have both agreed, was our very last.
If you have read my reviews, you may know that I do not like to give bad reviews based on just server performance. However, it was the ENTIRE EXPERIENCE that has inspired us to give up Corporate Chains like Bahama Breeze completely.
We went on rainy Labor Day Monday. Since I was once a server, whether it's nice our or whether it's crappy out, Labor Day is ALWAYS busy. People are off and don't want to cook - plain and simple. Apparently their manager just got hired yesterday because they were extremely under-staffed, and the energy of the place showed it.
First of all, the hostess that greeted us was visibly irritated that people kept flowing through the door; but quoted us a 20 minute wait. We waited for 60.
Still, being understanding and patient, we let the mis-quoted wait time slide, even though other patrons were getting more visibly irritated at this fact.
When we were finally seated, we were seated at a table that faced the open kitchen. I don't care where we sit - I really don't. I always appreciated the Open Kitchen at Bahama Breeze; therefore, servers and line cooks couldn't engage in "bad habits" or bad food practices. NOT SO ON THIS OCCASION! We watched plates being stacked on top of other plates in the window (WHAT?!?! SERIOUSLY!?!? I would have been fired from 5 restaurants if I would have done that); we watched servers eating french fries and shrimp right off of people's plates on the line (which I have seen people get fired for!). Then, after watching servers eat off the plates, they would touch their faces, and then grab the plates to take them to the tables.
While waiting for our server, I hate to sound snobby, but every single server looked like they hadn't showered in a week; therefore, whomever was going to serve us, I was going to be grossed out by their lacking appearance. Every single server, contrary to the frantic kitchen, was a slow-paced tortoise not giving a crap about the food piling up in the windows, the Expo yelling for food runners, and some guests still not having CLEAN silverware. Every single server, male or female, was very un-kept, all had hair in their faces, and chewed food in front of their tables. Eww. Eww. Eww.
When our server finally did greet us - OMG she was way over-perky. Annoyingly perky, scripted, and high-pitched. When she finally took our food and drink order, our waters came right away; however, it took a few minutes for Jordan to get his beer.
*(Oh - and did I forget to mention that even during the long wait - that there were still about 20 open tables and 6 servers standing around?*)
Then the wait for the food. Jordan and I (who actually met working together as line cooks, 4 years ago) just watched the kitchen drown frantically. Then I watched the Manager jump on the line - and that's when I knew it was all over from there. When ANY Front of House manager jumps on the back of the line - just watch out. Your food is going to SUCK! Especially when every ticket that comes in, the Manager rolls his eyes. Um...that is your job isn't it? To make food and serve it to guests. If you're rolling eyes dude...then PLEASE do the guests at Bahama Breeze a huge favor and leave and find a different calling.
Also - if Bahama Breeze is going to rock the Open Kitchen in the first place - that kitchen better ALWAYS run a tight ship. Plus - the windows through that open kitchen should at least look they were washed in the morning. Not caked on grease that hadn't been touched in a week!!! Does anyone do sidework there? The mistakes that we saw MAY NOT been so bad, or disgusting, had we not seen them. But since everything was in plain sight, it made it that much worse, and hard to swallow when we did finally get our food (literally).
We saw our plates get put on the line. And then we saw them sit for 20 minutes. Without even an extensive knowledge of the menu, Jordan and I probably could have taught their kitchen a lesson or two. We just watched our food sit there while the Expo and multiple servers just walked pass. Not their table, not their problem, right?
As we watched our food just sit in the window, our server came over to us and asked "So how is everything going?". Ummm...we really didn't know how to respond - did she really not see we had nothing in front of us besides two waters and one bottle of beer? I said, "Oh the water is delicious. Where is our food?"
Finally a different server ran out our food and informed us that the plates were "really hot." Yeah I know - I saw them sit in a heat lamp for 20 minutes.
Food tasted dry...like it had been under a heat lamp for 20 minutes.
Need I say more?
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