I made reservations to Odd Duck for my 9th wedding...

I made reservations to Odd Duck for my 9th wedding anniversary a month in advance. The restaurant contacted me a few days in advance to confirm and let me know they knew it was our anniversary, which was very nice. We had been excited to try Odd Duck after so many friends giving it rave reviews.

When we arrived we were greeted and seated at the bar first strike next to the drink pickup station second strike. It was December and we had no place to put our coats, being sat at the bar for our anniversary dinner.

Soon, the manager came out and gave us a dish as a gift telling us that the 9th anniversary is the pottery anniversary. There was a nice message written on the bottom, which was super thoughtful. But we had no place to put this ceramic bowl other than on the bar (because again, we were sat at the bar. For a special occasion meal.). Because it was one of their dishes, the servers kept trying to clear our gift.

My wife nearly had a full glass of red wine spilled on her, twice strikes three and four since were sat next to the drinks station.

If I'm honest, I barely remember the food because the service was so bad. I remember getting a taco with crickets that was crunchy, and the donut. I remember lackluster cocktails that were overpriced. I remember being stressed the entire meal.

Odd Duck ruined their reputation with me in that one meal. I still don't understand how any restaurant so highly rated can get a simple thing like an anniversary reservation so wrong. The service alone made that one of the worst dining experiences I've had in Austin.