Vista Bartholomew
3/5
I have mixed feelings about our first experience here on New Years Day. I made reservations about a week prior for a 5pm spot on New Years Day. After putting in the notes of the reservation that I had a picky eater and hoped there was a kid's menu to order from, I got an immediate text from the owner saying they don't have a kids menu but would make whatever I wanted. I asked for a grill cheese and fries and he said that they would accommodate. So, when we arrived, we were seated right on time but did not get any service, menus or water for about 15 minutes. It appeared there was one server for the entire restaurant and he didn't make it to our table for quite a while. We finally got menus and he came back to take our drink orders, I knew there was a special New Years menu, but it wasn't printed anywhere, so I had to ask.
After we decided what we wanted, I mentioned my picky eater and the server was familiar with what I had asked for in the previous conversation with the owner. He stated the grill cheese was going to be $16 and if we added fries, it brought it to $21! At that point, there was nothing else on the regular menu that my son would have eaten, so for $21 I ordered a basic grill cheese and fries.
We were there for over an hour before our food came - which was getting very frustrating. I don't know if the server could sense it but he walked over with a whiskey in his hand and set it in front of my husband. He said "the owner would like to thank you for your service. We hear you're an Air Force officer and pilot". Now, while I appreciate the gesture - I have NO IDEA how he knew this information. As far as we know, have never met the owner or the server so how would he know my husband's occupation other than finding our social media online and seeing it? Again, I appreciate the gesture, but at the same time, he wasn't in uniform, we weren't talking Air Force stuff at the table - it was odd that a stranger would point out that he knew what my husband does for a living. Forgive me if we've met along the way - but I would hope if that was the case you would've walked over and said hi.
Food was tasty, decent portions, but took far too long to get to us. By the time we were done, we had been there for 2 hours and 15 minutes...way too long unless you are being served courses that take up some of that waiting time.
I don't know that I would return for a family dinner, maybe for light appetizers and drinks at the bar. But for the money, I would expect faster, more attentive service and maybe lower the price of a basic grill cheese sandwich to be commensurate with the ingredients. My grilled veggies, hummus and bread dish that I ate as a main was less expensive.
Cool concept, food was good - but just a couple of quirks that would keep me from spending $250 on a meal for 4.
