I've never been on Yelp to write a review but this place deserves a little warning to people today.
First of all, I've been to this bar many times over the last 14 years, never had a problem. Before or after the current owner bought it. It's a dive bar, I like dive bars. The prices are a little high here for a dive bar since it changed hands but whatever, I was there to spend money and was in good spirits just having gotten off work on a nice, sunny Monday evening.
I met the new owner for the first time today. He's owned it for several years now fwiw. I got off work nearby and I was meeting 6 friends there for a few beers after work. We do this at the Anchor for a week stretch a couple times a year at most. When I walked in I was greeted well by the owner and he asked what I'd like, I replied a couple of PBR's. He asked, "who's the other one for?" I thought that was a strange question but happily told him they were both for me and that I'd like a glass please. He reached for the beer, brought me one and said he'd serve me one at a time, strange but I agreed and again, 'whatever' I'm thinking. I handed him a $20, when he brought me the change he said,"I charged you for both of them, come back when you want the next one." I agreed and left him a $1 tip.
I drank most of my beer and went in for the other. Waited for bit, no one was tending the bar. After a minute or two I thought, I've still got a little left, I'll go back and finish my beer and come back. So I did. A short while later I saw a couple going for a beer so I followed them in, as mine was now gone. We all cozied up to the bar and still crickets in there. I say to them, "they need a bell in here at the bar" and slapped the bar like I was ringing a counter bell. Not too hard mind you, but I slapped the bar. It was all in jest to my fellow thirsty patrons, no harm or ill will intended at all. Well here he comes out of nowhere right away and he gives me a look, like before with the 2 beers thing, but then is friendly and after hearing my request for the beer he seemingly happily gives it to me. Suggests I may want a new glass to which I declined and said, "this one's cold", which is what I always do everywhere.
I return to my friends, who have spent a good sum on shots and beers for themselves and are prepared to spend more. But apparently that little comment about the bell, he apparently heard it. And it didn't sit right with him... He must have been stewing about it since I left because I wasn't back outside for more than a few minutes when he came out and approached me. He asked me if the can was empty, as if to clear the empties from the table. I replied, "no" as I'd only poured 3/4 of it into my glass. Then he says, "If you want to get service at the bar you don't need a bell, you can ask me by name, Jeff(?)" I may be wrong on his name b/c this is when everything went sideways...
Now in any normal bar this would have been a good laugh and get to know you type thing. But not here, he was pissed. So I said to him that I had gone in twice. I wasn't being a dick or confrontational about it just stating a fact. Never once did I raise my voice or swear in any way. I didn't mention that he already charged me for a beer I went in twice for when the joke was made, in his absence. My friend told me he waited 10 minutes to get his first beer when he arrived. I didn't bring that up or give any guff later. I got there last and got lucky I guess......
So anyway, he lunges back over to the table from the garbage can where he just had disposed of my first beer can. He grabs my beer glass dumps it into the garbage and tells me to get the F out of his bar. So I did, and so did all of my friends and probably the best table he would have had all day. We would have been back all week! It was crazy.
I'm not accustomed to being ejected from bars. One beer in? This guy has some kind of personal issue going on and I don't think I or any of us had anything to do with it other than being on the receiving end of his bad day. He basically stole $3.50 from me plus the $1 tip. Which I sure wouldn't have given him if i'd known what he was about to do. He lost 6 local customers for life and their spouses and everyone they know. I felt really blessed when my friends said they were leaving to and walked out with me. This guy's an idiot, he'll be lucky to get through another year.
If the owner is reading this, you need a bell dude ;) If you're going to abandon the bar and lurk just around the corner listening ad infinitum, get a bell. It's not rocket science, it's a bar. You serve drinks, right? 17 years bartending? Really?? That's amazing. You're a nut case. A know-it-all hot head and it's going to catch up with you one of these days if it hasn't already. You can't run a hospitality business like this in a small town. I'm not sure you're cut out for the bar business. 17 years experience don't mean a thing if you don't listen to anyone. read more