4 years ago
Red Pump Kitchen Management -
Red Pump Kitchen Management -
Last week, I had dinner with a group of friends at Red Pump Kitchen. We had a 5:45 pm reservation for dinner, and some of our group was delayed in arriving until 5:55 pm. The manager was understanding, and sat us as soon as the six of us were there. We had a great table in the window - it was made up of two four-tops put together, leaving the two seats at the end of the table unoccupied.
We ordered drinks at 6:05, and did not receive them until almost 6:30. When they arrived, it appeared that they may have been sitting for awhile, as none of them appeared freshly poured (cocktails and beer). This was frustrating - the restaurant appeared busy, but certainly not packed. At no point did our server come over to check in to let us know about the delay.
We ordered our dinners and three appetizers, which came out in decent time. While we were eating, a couple we knew passed by the open window outside, saw us, and came in to Red Pump. They came over to say hello, and realizing that the table had two empty seats, asked our server if they could sit and order a drink. He agreed, so they had their drinks while we finished dinner.
Unfortunately, the dinner did not end well - when the time came to pay the bill, there was a great deal of confusion/difficulty resulting from the fact that the server treated the table as an 8-top. The couple who had only drinks had paid their bill and left to get to the concert at the Pavilion (we were all headed there). It took 2 managers 25 minutes to sort out the bill, leaving us frustrated about missing the concert. Why was it so difficult? The original party of six (3 couples) split evenly on credit cards, with the couple (there for a half hour) paying separately. In addition, a gratuity was added because we had become a table of 8, which left us frustrated - our service had not been great, and we were unable to reflect that in the tip. In the end, my husband and I received two bills at the end, leaving us feeling uneasy about the resolution of the bill issues. This all seems like something that would be a routine experience at such a bustling restaurant.
Our experience was negative. Each couple paid over $100 for our dinner, which feels like a lot for a mediocre experience. We are disappointed enough that we will not be returning to Red Pump Kitchen, and will not recommend it, until we have confidence that the service is improved.