I had high hopes for this restaurant when I made a reservation for Valentine's Day, but…read moreunfortunately, the experience fell far below expectations. While I take full responsibility for arriving 15 minutes late, I was shocked at how rudely the hostess--who we later learned was the manager--handled the situation. Rather than a simple acknowledgment of the delay, or improbability of getting a table, she made a point to shame us, emphasizing that accommodating us would be an extra burden for her. This set an uncomfortable tone from the start.
When she begrudgingly seated us at a table that had somehow magically become available, she made another unnecessary comment, implying that I should do my part to not make her job so difficult again. My partner was immediately put off and suggested we leave, but I decided to give the restaurant another chance, assuming the manager might just be having a rough night. Unfortunately, things did not improve.
The food, best described as uninspired frozen bar fare from the main Duckworth's kitchen, took over 30 minutes to arrive--and even then, it was served before our drinks. When the drinks finally did arrive, they were nothing exceptional. I ordered a French 75, and my partner had a Paloma, only to realize that even the drinks had come from downstairs at Duckworth's. Given the restaurant's supposed reputation, I was surprised that it didn't have its own bar, unlike how things are set up at The Cellar.
The only redeeming aspect of our visit was our waitress, who was pleasant and professional. However, what puzzled us the most was that despite the manager's initial reluctance to seat us, nearly half of the restaurant remained empty throughout the evening. With at least three or four servers working in a relatively small space, it was clear that staffing wasn't the issue--so why the hostility? It was hard not to wonder if other potential diners had been similarly turned off by the manager's deplorable attitude and the underwhelming menu.
Overall, the experience left a bad taste in our mouths--both literally and figuratively. Between the lackluster food and drinks, and the uncalled-for attitude from management (she is bald and was wearing a dress on the evening of 2/14/25 at 9:30PM-11PM), I cannot recommend this place to anyone looking for a pleasant dining experience.