Guest User
July 2, 2023
HORRIBLE. My party of 4 arrived and were seated, only after we ordered drinks and appetizers were we told that they were missing over half the items on the menu. I ordered a mocktail, my SIL ordered an aperol spritz, my husband an old fashioned, and my BIL a Manhattan. The mocktail and spritz were fine however, the old fashioned was watered down and possibly the worst old fashioned we’ve experienced. The Manhattan…well, first it was delivered with a lime. When my BIL inquired about the lime, the bartender rudely said “well that’s how we make them here, what do you want a cherry? Fine here’s a cherry” and dropped it in then asking how the drink was. My BIL had not even taken a sip yet which he told her, and she walked away before he could. Surprise, surprise, it too was awful. The proportions of bourbon, bitters, and vermouth were wrong and it was watered down. My BIL didn’t drink his drink due to how bad it was, and the bartender never returned to check on the “amended” beverage. When the appetizers arrived, the tomatoes in the caprese salad were mealy and bad, and the 6 coconut shrimp were over fried, had no pineapple as listed on the menu, and were hard to chew. We each had one and could not work our way through them, leaving the two remaining on the plate. At this time, we informed them that we would not be staying and asked for the check….the bill was $100!!! We argued about paying, but did and left. In the time it took us to get home, we decided we had to go back and say something. I went back on behalf of my group, provided the feedback to the manager, and asked for a refund of the Manhattan, old fashioned and coconut shrimp. The manager agreed that it was the fault of the restaurant and said he would ask about how to comp those items. After talking to the bartender and waitress, he called the owner and came back to me saying that no refund was possible, due to the bartender saying my BIL threw a fit over a cherry in his Manhattan, that he and my husband said their drinks were fine (they did not) and that we had eaten ALL of our food and left….OH, and mocked the fact that I asked for a mocktail (nice touch). In all my years working in the service industry (bartending and waiting) I have never come across a situation such as this. My family has been going to the WilloughVale since the 60s when they first came to the NEK and have only ever had great things to say, but this new ownership/management/staff has run this place into the ground. We will NEVER come back, I will ensure no one from my family will go back and will ensure our neighbors know what the service is like as well (with a strong recommendation that they do not go). We.are.appalled