My friend and I decided to try a new restaurant while headed north on our road trip. We decided to skip local favorites and try this new restaurant. We definitely made the wrong turn and decision by dining here today. After seeing few cars in the parking lot, two customers inside the restaurant, and employees wearing short shorts, we should've followed our gut and dined at a different restaurant. However, I decided to dine at this restaurant to support a local black owned business. The ambience is old and outdated with bare minimum decor. I hesitated to complete my order when the cashier asked me if I wanted my shrimp cooked medium well. She also did not know how many shrimp were to be served on the shrimp platter. I ordered a cup of she crab soup, and the shrimp platter w coleslaw and green beans, after learning that the restaurant was out of potato salad and catfish. I also ordered a lemonade beverage. I ended up finalizing my order with the she crab soup and a trio seafood platter of double trout and shrimp. I didn't order an appetizer because the cashier also did not understand what peel and eat steamed shrimp are. I tipped and paid for my meal, and declined a receipt as usual. After receiving my meal of three thin pieces of trout and about 8 popcorn shrimp with one hush puppy, I asked for hush puppies, and my cup of she crab soup. Two additional hush puppies were delivered to my table, and a waitress returned later with the cup of soup and threw the receipt for the soup on my table. I misunderstood the receipt as a passive-aggressive way to verify my order, not as a new receipt for unpaid she crab soup.The food was bland, not satiable, and was a waste of my time and money. I decided to eat the food and not ask for a refund, because I had a long drive ahead of me, and I was hungry. When my friend received her blue crab meal for two, the platter had a strong odor and was over seasoned with Old Bay seasoning. When she complained about the clams not being fresh, the waitress argued with her and stated that the seafood had been freshly delivered from the seafood truck. Regardless of where the food came from, the food was not fresh, and the waitress should have asks the manager to speak with us, apologize form the inconvenience, and at least attempt to satisfy us with new food or alternate options. My friend picked over a few blue crabs only, because the shrimp and potatoes were not desirable. We never received an apology or offer for new food. As we prepared to leave the restaurant, we cleaned the table and exited. As I prepared to open my car door, three staff member approached me and accused me of trying to leave without paying for the she crab soup. I explained to the three staff members (a male and two females) that I did not eat the soup because it was grey, tasted horrible, and did not resemble she crab soup in any way. One girl claimed that she would have called the police if I would have left without paying. There was no apology from either staff after I explained more than one that I thought that I had paid for the soup initially. I paid the $8.90 balance via Apple Pay as quickly as possible while the employees badgered and accused me of trying to leave without paying. If I had cash, I would have placed the money on the floor for them to pick up. This business is bound for a penny-pinching future. I ended up cussing out the staff for their poor customer service, bully approach, and passive aggressive behavior. It appears that the male called the police while I was in the parking lot taking to customers who asked what happened inside of the restaurant. This event could have had an eventful outcome, as I felt threatened by three angry people walking up on me off guard. On the other hand, the outcome could have been positive if staff would have apologized for not explaining receipts, remained calm, and were professional.I was also surprised to learn that the business is veteran-owned. What a shameful representation of veteran service! No one should approach a customer the way the three employees rolled up on me in a threatening manner for an $8.90 discrepancy. I do not recommend this restaurant, and I believe that the doors should be pad locked. I should have looked for the sanitation grade, because this restaurant is not a gem. By the way, the bathroom was out of order, so we had to sanitize our hands with our hand sanitizer. I would love to give a -0 rating, if possible. Head over to the Tasty Crab in Rocky Mount, NC for finger licking seafood.
Read More
