1 /5 Gary Pilgram: My wife and I have been going to the Novato Hopmonk for years now, usually when we make our monthly trip from Greenbrae to Costco. Were always ready for some food and a cold one.
Last night we had to turn around and walk out. The place was dead, with maybe a dozen people seated. We usually grab a booth by the bar if available.
Last night (Sunday the 16th, around 7:30 PM), a young man whose name I didnt get (with dark hair) was the host, and we asked for a bar booth -- he said no problem, help yourself. PROBLEM!
It turned out one table was occupied, and the other hadnt been bused yet, so was still full of trash, leftovers, etc. We took it upon ourselves to sit a few feet away at a booth by the host stand. He came over and went absolutely went off on us that "this was NOT the bar area!" We showed him how there was no more booth seating at the bar. He went off even more how he was (his words) "too busy" to clean up the one booth, and demanded to know why we went over to another unoccupied booth with out checking with him . He complained about how busy HE was. The place, again, was absolutely empty/dead -- we could have sat anywhere no problem.
I held my tongue and just walked out. My wife said she tried to reason with him, but he would have none of it. She joined me and we went elsewhere to eat. It really put a damper on the evening. Nobody with that attitude should be doing a host job.
Some weeks earlier we went there, and there was an unannounced party there. No ticket, no admittance. We were not too happy, but the doorperson/bouncer at the door apologized, and gave us a $10 gift card which brought us back a couple weeks later and had a nice experience.
This "Host" needs a serious amount of retraining with a side of anger management. Or better yet, a different job.
You NEVER tell a patron you are "TOO BUSY" to assist you!
