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Paige

Beach Lover
Mar 6, 2005
157
6
Arkansas
There are two restaurants that I will not go to specifically b/c of the multitude of negative comments on SoWal. It was not one bad review, it was many. I appreciate the honesty.
 

scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,706
3,339
Sowal
Ditto - handle a negative experience however you want, and certainly let the owner/operator know and give them a chance to correct it, but don't post a positive review unless it WAS a positive experience.

Everyone has their own tastes and opinions when it comes to dining out, but give the FULL scoop so folks aren't wasting their limited dining $.
 

bluemtnrunner

Beach Fanatic
Dec 31, 2007
1,486
144
I tend to not post reviews about restaurants because it is hard to balance positive and negative on the boards without starting a firestorm around the negative comment. I have the added treat of being ChefEd's wife so it will always seem like favoritism/snobbery I think. We do go out to many of the local places and want to hit them all. We enjoy sampling the food and atmosphere of other restaurants in Sowal. We have been disappointed by some of the food, some of the atmosphere and one particularly over large table with very uncomfortable seating BUT....we have always enjoyed ourselves and always found something that we really liked at each place. Ukelele and scallops at Gravel Road, great wine and company at Fish out of Water, Frog Legs and Dred Clampit at Stinky's, even the burgers at Grayton General Store!!!:clap:

I like the PM idea, lord knows if I ever disliked something at B&A's I would let the chef know!!!! Of course, that never happens:roll: but I'm sure he would like to know if there were something they could do better.
 
Two thumbs up for Afunn and swgb!

I, personally, only give good reviews on sowal.com. I think when restaurants
are not talked about here, it speaks volumes. I will almost always give a restaurant in sowal a second chance before I write it off. But, I do agree that any bad experience should be taken up at the restaurant...you then give them a chance to rectify the situation or see that they don't value your patronage.
The problem is that not everyone has the time to read all of the posts. I prefer something similar to scooterbug's approach. Every restaurant has an off-day/night. If a bad experience happens once, I assume that it's an anomaly. If it happens on multiple occasions, I think that constructive criticism (but definitely not a slam) is not out-of-line.
 

elgordoboy

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2007
2,507
888
I no longer stay in Dune Allen
There are only two places I have eaten at in the area from which I left feeling that I had been burgled. I don't have the heart to lower the boom plus I think the market will take care of the issue. Though I do feel a little bad because perhaps some well heeded constructive criticism could save a place or two. Allifunn had it right right right! with the fresh ingredients.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,644
1,773
Personally, I'm of the opinion to criticize the restaurant to the manager in private, if you really want them to improve. Praise them in public. I don't think all restaurants, even those in business for ten years, are good. In fact, I think a couple are rather terrible, but you don't see people giving them praise as they do good restaurants. They will occasionally get a good review from the occasional patron, but mostly, if you don't hear or read good things about a restaurant, you might want to consider trying a place with raving reviews.

I will add that we all come from different places in life, with unique experiences, so I may have high expectations based on what I've heard about a restaurant, and receive avg service and food, so I may be disappointed. We must keep in mind that while there is such a thing as good and bad, expectations play an important role. If one comes from a small town like the place where I was raised, Captain D's was the only seafood place. Come down to south Walton and Elmo's may be fantastic! Try to be fair when judging these places and don't compare a great hole in the wall like Nick's in the Sticks to the elegant Fish Out of Water.

I want restaurants to improve, so keep letting the Mgr and owner know when they are not performing. If they ignore you, move on, and ignore them.
 
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