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| - If I based this solely on food I would have to say a high three or maybe a low four star rating, but there were so many little problems that just lessened the overall experience it was teetering on two star territory.
Immediately upon walking in this place did not smell good. Not instantly being overwhelmed with a delicious aromas is fine, but this place smelled more like an old hardware store with a leaky roof. I'm not sure if it was just the age of the building or if there was a more serious issue but it was definitely noticeable.
Seated without issue, place wasn't very busy. The benches of the booths have definitely seen some miles, a little wobbly and some torn vinyl but not terribly uncomfortable. The overall aesthetic seemed to be that of a rundown diner with a coat of slightly more trendy diner painted over top. It just didn't seem to mesh with itself.
One of my biggest gripes was the menu and the fact that it was a colossal mess. It was physically large itself and on those 8 (four double sided) pages there were SO . . . MANY . . . DISHES. Seriously, look at the pictures. I have never seen a menu with so many words on it. They were crammed on there in a tiny font too. I'm sure there are places out there with a big team of chefs that can handle a menu like that, but typically quality suffers when you try to have your cooks memorize several dozen (low hundreds maybe?) different things.
I finally settled on a dish and once ordered I excused myself to the restroom where I was greeted with an even greater disparity in design than the main restaurant. It was just so . . . weird. The door into the room itself, as well as the wall and paneling surrounding said door were very clearly white painted plywood and were showing plenty of wear and the floor was moderately clean linoleum. That was paired with what appeared to be a brand new kohler sink, brand new brushed nickel faucet and a new paper towel dispenser. From chest height up there was beautiful tile and white walls, while from chest down the same semi clean linoleum on the floor covered the rest of the walls. It would all be forgivable if it was just an in between for updating the restroom but it seemed deranged and on purpose. Back to the table with washed hands.
Finally the part where I get to mention the nice things.
Our server whose name I unfortunately don't remember was wonderful. The sweet tea was on point and she always kept our glasses full of it. Never had to ask for extra napkins or straws and was super polite the whole while. We didn't have to wait long for the food either, another plus. My dish itself while not world class was a welcome surprise, especially after the experience up to this point. I ordered the Gyro Pita and it was actually quite flavorful. Soft but slightly toasted pita bread, good seasoning on the meat, came out piping hot. Fries tasted like they might be frozen but they were at least warm and crispy.
I'm torn because this place didn't really make me want to come back, but I also feel like cutting the menu in half and taking about a week to clean and remodel would really make this place shine. I don't wish any ill will on them but I hope they take the time and effort to step up their game.
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