Upon arriving exactly at 7, our reservation time, the host said,""Give me a minute"", flashing the back of his hand as he walked away. After he passed us repeatedly for the next fifteen minutes without a hint of recognition, he finally seated us. Not a huge deal, but unfortunately a harbinger for the rest of the evening.
Ordered 6 oysters as an appetizer. Bad mistake. I noticed that the first oyster was not quite as cold as I usually prefer. Oyster number 4 was clearly spoiled. I put it back on the plate and informed the waiter who scooped it up and took it to the back. We continued with our salads and entrees which were fine, if not spectacular. When the bill came, the oysters were still listed. I asked the waiter why it remained. He explained that the manager had made the decision to not refund the dish. I asked to see him. The manager/owner explained that we had eaten most of the oysters and that their oysters are extremely fresh. Despite my explanation that the temperature and general freshness of the oysters was not what it should have been, the manager entered into debate mode, relenting only on the price of two oysters after a lengthy diatribe.
I understand that some less than honest diners may try to pull a fast one. However, diners with a $150 tab, such as we were, clearly have little problem paying a fair price for a proper meal. The waiter was embarrassed by the behavior of his manager, which leads me to believe this is a regular occurrence.
There are proper ways to handle customers. This was not it. A happy customer tells two people. An unhappy customer complains to eleven people.
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