Gary's On Spring Disappointment

On Wednesday afternoon of this past week, I called Gary's on Spring to reserve a table for Friday evening at 8:00 PM for two (2) people. After a short hold, a woman took the information, asked for and received our name and a phone number.

We arrived at 7:55 PM with no one attending the front desk; after several servers looked through the reservation book, the owner, Gary, came to the desk. Once again, our name was asked for and we were informed that no reservation was in the book for us. He did not offer anything to us -- no table available for at least an hour, and we were promptly dismissed.

If a restaurant can't get it together to keep a reservation book (honestly and by perhaps not giving friends/relatives a place with a simple erasing of another's name and phone number), my suggestion is to utilize "Open Table" for your reservations.

Very disappointed by the owner's dismissal and look of disdain. I had the impression that he believed we were scamming him.

[Robin Garr]

Sharon, I can't blame you for feeling dissed and disappointed. I know I would, too, even if I tried to recognize that mistakes do happen.

Have you considered calling and talking to management later, maybe during the day when they're not busy, and see if they have an explanation or even possibly an apology and effort to make things right?

First post drive by shooting. Hate to see that.

First post drive by shooting. Hate to see that.

I was thinking the same thing! It will be interesting to see if she ever posts anything else.

[Robin Garr]

First post drive by shooting. Hate to see that.

That wasn't a drive-by shooting. They are nasty and obviously faked. I didn't see any insincerity there, just a disappointed customer.

I hate to see us attack a first-time poster and wish it wouldn't happen. 'nuff said?

[Robin Garr]

First post drive by shooting. Hate to see that.

I was thinking the same thing! It will be interesting to see if she ever posts anything else.

What I told TP, Mark. Ease up. We'll never be a welcoming place if newbies can expect to be attacked for expressing their opinion. This is completely different from the old Nios-Jicama wars, and we didn't have forum registration then.

This is completely different from the old Nios-Jicama wars, and we didn't have forum registration then.

Point taken and it's your forum!

[Robin Garr]

Point taken and it's your forum!

Thanks for your understanding, good sir.

Thanks for your understanding, good sir.

I can be painfully compliant.

On our first visit to Gary's we too had the "no reservation" situation with a completely different resolution. My husband said he had a funny feeling about the woman who took the information over the phone and sure enough, we get there and nothing. But it was for an early time (7:00?), so the manager asked if we would mind waiting in the bar upstairs, both he and a server chatted with us on and off as we waited for a table and we were seated within the 1/2 hour. Really, it couldn't have been handled any better.

As for the food - it was excellent!

I'm sorry Sharon's experience was not positive.

First post drive by shooting. Hate to see that.

I was thinking the same thing! It will be interesting to see if she ever posts anything else.

What I told TP, Mark. Ease up. We'll never be a welcoming place if newbies can expect to be attacked for expressing their opinion. This is completely different from the old Nios-Jicama wars, and we didn't have forum registration then.

Point taken.

[Robin Garr]

Point taken.

Thanks, Mark!

With two such incidents, I have to ask "who is taking the reservations for Gary's and what are they doing with them afterwards?" (spellcheck does not like my colloquial "afterwards...")

Well, this report disappoints me greatly since I 1) Love Gary's on Spring, and 2) My roommate is Sous-Chef there.

I will be sure that my contacts there know of this post. I know the review HotBytes at times, and will call this to their attention.

I for one am glad she posted, and hopefully, it will be corrected in the future.

The owner's name is "Guy" not Gary.