R. O.

Review of White Oak Kitchen and Cocktail...

The only reason why I am giving this review one st...

The only reason why I am giving this review one star is because the food and drinks were good and our server, Brianna, was outstanding! So she gave my rating a boost. Management could use a lot of improvement.

I am an avid restaurant go'er, as I enjoy trying different restaurants all over Atlanta. What keeps me coming back is a great customer-service experience. So before I begin my detailed play by play, it is certain that I will NOT be back to this restaurant. First impressions are EVERYTHING.

Last Saturday my friend agrees to join me at White Oak as I had been interested in trying the restaurant for quite sometime. When we walk-in he asks the hostess if we could sit on the patio and also if smoking is allowed on the patio...She responds: YES. We get seated and order some drinks , another waitress stops by at our table to check on us, which was really thoughtful. My friend then asks her again, "Is it okay if I smoke out here?" The waitress responds yes and proceeds to BRING US OVER AN ASHTRAY. A few minutes go by and our server, Brianna, is standing at our table taking down another food order for us. We then hear this loud and obnoxious bang on the glass window! Caught off guard, we look up only to see the manager signaling us a "cut it out" while mouthing "no smoking" with a perturbed look on his face. My friend puts out his cigar and says to Brianna "Well two of your staff gave me the okay to smoke, could you let your manager know this?" She apologizes sincerely and heads back inside to inform him of the clear miscommunication among his staff. She comes back outside to relay his response and attempt to smooth things over again. But at that point I was offended that the manager, Terrance, did not have the decency to come outside and speak with us personally. Instead he chose to be evasive and scape goat Brianna to clean up the matter. It is NEVER what happens but INSTEAD the manner in which it is handled. You do not BANG on a glass window at two paying guests at your restaurant as if we are two unruly people that randomly decided to hang out on your patio OR as if we came in only to order two ice waters and a measly appetizer. I expressed my disappointment with Terrance's actions to Briana, as we did not feel like valued guests of this restaurant. No smoking is your policy? Absolutely no problem with that whatsoever! Just ensure that proper SOP is being practiced among your staff so there is no confusion. And in the event that there is a mishap, there should ALWAYS be a standard of professionalism in which that mishap is handled. You never get a second chance to make a first impression and we will not be returning to this establishment.