i've been wating tables for almost 3 years now and i know more or less how an upscale restaurant is supposed to run. i made reservations for my mom's birthday. normally a good restaurant takes note of that to make the occasion memorable in some way (i would only expect more attentive service). yet when we arrived early we were told to wait at the bar filled with those who were interested in the party scene. we're a family with a couple of kids so this was an awkward waiting room...especially when there weren't any seats available. next, a server took our drink orders but our real server arrived 20 minutes later saying that he wasn't used to the rush (there really wasn't one). we were deciding on some menu items and told him to check back in a couple of minutes (don't get the scallops because it only comes with 3 and they aren't even jumbo-sized). 15 MINUTES LATER he comes to finally take our order. a manager tosses us bread as he passes by. at this point i was too lazy and turned off to order wine for my mom's birthday. after we finish our bread basket they bring out the butter that was supposed to go along with it. great, so we ask for more bread but the cheese didn't come out with it becaues the waiter explained it was still cooking (we never got it). then he tells me that the kitchen just ran out of rib eye so i had to order something else. after we all receive our sub-par meals, my brother discovers his buffalo steak was well done when he specifically asked for medium rare. this is an amateaur mistake for a high-class restaurant. finally, we complained. they offered us free dessert but if you work in the restaurant business desserts are the cheapest items on the menu and marked at a premium. we declined and the most professionalism we got out of cullen's was from the manager who took $75 off our $235 tab for four.
Pros: butternut squash soup, lobster risotto, sweet dining area
Cons: the flounder special, any pizzas (not unique for $12), service, kitchen
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