I never leave bad reviews, but I suppose that there's a first time for everything. Just a really disappointing choice on my part to sit down in this establishment. Wish I had picked another location since I just wanted to eat, drink and relax while getting a bit of work done. I was mostly attracted to the lack of customers and roomy space, which should have been an obvious clue.
There was one bartender and two servers and many empty seats. Took forever to place an order. I noticed some people leaving before even being acknowledged. As a business owner, this would crush me.
I was just about to stand up and leave, but I guess the bartender noticed and came to take my order. Once placed, I had to wait 10 minutes only to be told that the cabernet I ordered was not available, so I reluctantly agreed to pinot noir as a substitute. Not bad, I guess, until it was unapologetically served to me in a champagne flute, because that was "the only type of glass available at the moment." Honestly, I would have preferred a plastic cup to a flute.
Food finally came after another 15 minutes. I ordered the hamburger and I must say that it was delicious, so that did calm me a bit. However, the server essentially threw the plate at me (I was sitting at the bar) and it made a loud noise. It startled me and we even made solid eye contact. I swear it was like she was mad at me for some reason. Maybe I looked like her ex-boyfriend? Not a word was spoken. I was still a bit rattled, or else I would have requested her attention.
She just dumped the plate and left me without utensils, napkins or condiments. Nothing but the plate in front of me. I just watched her slowly slink away. It felt like a Twilight Zone episode, or perhaps one of those vintage Candid Camera pranks. Hint: I wanted ketchup to cover up the greasy taste of my very cold, soggy and sparse shoestring fries. From this point forward, none of the three employees checked on me.
But I have thick skin, so I just ate with my bare hands in a way that would make any Neanderthal proud. When finished eating, I got up and walked to the other side of the bar to retrieve some cocktail napkins. Without doing so, there was no way that I could have reached for my wallet without spreading grease all over my pants pocket (the burger buns were covered in grease.....but still tasty).
Next came the dreaded "may I please cash out" moment. After another 10 minute wait, I was about to just throw down some cash and leave after estimating the cost and tip, but the bartender finally came up and asked if I wanted another drink. I declined for fear of missing my flight and/or being forced to drink a Manhattan out of a soup bowl or coffee cup. So I got the bill, paid it and then walked to the pleasant martini bar one gate down. Had a couple of martinis while working on my laptop for the remainder of my 2 hour layover. Problem solved.
This bar and grill could (and should) be a great spot to eat, drink and relax while traveling through Nashville International Airport as it does have nice ambiance and the burger was great. There's a lot of potential here, and I have a feeling that the main problem is the lack of staff.
Bartenders and servers do have a demanding, stressful job---we can all agree on that fact. Just one more employee may have made the difference that day. Maybe an employee called in sick? I swear that I wanted to go around and start taking orders and making drinks. Or perhaps management will get lucky and hire some old-school "go-getters" to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Best of luck to the restaurant and best wishes for a successful future. read more