We had about three weeks to plan my sister's impromptu engagement party, and I think the owner could smell our desperation, because when we booked this, he offered us a "deal." However, that deal came with strings. The owner was impossible to get in touch with after the initial meeting, and we didn't get to actually scope out and see the venue until the week of, not to mention the menu that he promised us at the point of booking didn't come until three days before the party, and it was nothing that we asked for. I will say that he made the changes requested, and the food was pretty good, but despite us telling him that we only wanted simple party food, he decided to throw in fancy-ish gourmet fare that went largely uneaten. The staff was incredibly rude and had attitudes and frowns on their faces the whole night. The owner and what I assume was his second-in-command refused to play our music at first, because it was on an iPad. He did tell our coordinator she needed an iPod, but her's broke right before the party, and we were scrambling to get something done. I offered multiple solutions and even went to get MY OWN AUXILIARY cable just so we could have some music, instead of the depressed SPCA commercial music blaring through the speakers. These two people made excuse after excuse and finally offered to try it, taking our iPad into the back and prohibiting us from following. The music worked (shocker) but the owner then came and pulled me away from a conversation to tell me that he didn't approve of our music due to the vulgarity. Yes, there were children at our party - it was our family - and I understand his concern, but after reassuring him multiple times that it would not reflect badly on him, he still reprimanded ME, the paying customer, and went and turned our music so low that no one could hear it. He sat in the back and censored our music, only raising the volume for line dances. THE OWNER WOULD NOT ALLOW US ACCESS TO OUR IPAD TO EVEN CHANGE THE PLAYLIST BECAUSE HE DIDN'T APPROVE. This was our party, and no stipulations about music were made prior to this party. Later in the night, the staff rushed my sister through her pictures so that they could cut and serve the cake, just to get us out of there. My sister missed pictures with half of our family because the staff sat right behind her making comments, and they then had the NERVE to tell my mother that the guests could get their own forks because they hadn't thought to put them with the cake. This place was reprehensible and unprofessional. The owner made a point to pass up the KNOWN owner of the iPad, the girl with whom he'd been coordinating, just to present it to me with the flourish of "here you go, princess." He was condescending, insulting, rude, and the most unprofessional person I've ever run across. I've worked in this environment for quite some time, and this venue and the staff was deplorable. I've never in my life seen an OWNER act that way. I was insulted and offended by his treatment of my family and myself, and our guests definitely made comments throughout the night. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone. In fact, I suggest that anyone who considers this place take a DEEP and THOROUGH look at the contract and not make full payment until after the event has concluded. He ruined my sister's party and made my mother and sister cry, and if there were a way to get an owner fired, I'd do it in a heartbeat. read more
