"went to brew river last night to enjoy a sit-down get together outside for a friend's 30th birthday party. present in the group were three ER nurses, an RN, a DE police officer, a firefighter, a teacher and a CPA. none of them were probably interested in skipping out on a tab.
at the recommendation of an employee, we ordered from a cocktail waitress rather than walk three feet to the bar. separate checks were requested, and the waitress never wrote anything down. when three couples decided to leave, the five females went to pay the five tabs at the computer in front of the bar.
a half hour later the waitress comes back and says two tabs were still open--one for $11 and one for $24. the five people remaining maintained that all tabs had been paid, that their tabs were definitely paid and that all beers ordered afterward were ordered from the bar. the manager, part of the family, insisted that if we didn't pay then the waitress would have to pay. we thought that was unfair to make us pay and we thought it may be a learning experience for the new waitress.
an hour later, the manager returns and says that she spoke to the general manager (her brother) and we absolutely have to pay because it was our party who did not pay. again we maintained we would not pay for anything except a few of the beers because they POSSIBLY could have been ours. she said "in all fairness" we were a large party and we requested separate checks. also, we should have to pay all of it. shortly after, a salisbury police officer came to our table to resolve the problem. he insisted we needed to pay the tabs. a credit card was given to pay the tabs and avoid any more of a scene than was already occurring. words were exchanged between one of the guests and the group of five or six employees huddled in the inside bar watching the scene. one of them called the cops behind the manager's back.
after some more argument which moved to inside the bar, the waitress resurfaced. it turns out, when she went to give another table their checks, she couldn't find them. their checks were the ones she gave to us and called the cops on us about.
the charges were refunded on the credit card, but no sensible apology was given. nothing even to try to get anyone to come back for another drink or meal at the establishment."
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
27 comments:
Be thankful that you escaped from that place with just a small incident about money. Most people who talk about their experience at Brew River use words like "projectile vomiting" and "severe diarrhea". You got off cheap, even if you'd had to pay the bar tab from everyone there.
HAHAHA, sounds about right. There's not a whole lot of responsibility there at Brew River, the bartenders have an attitude and the wait staff doesn't what the phuck is going on. This is pretty much what goes on at every bar in salisbury so my suggestion is to just not go out.
Brew River is quite possibly the worst place I have ever eaten or drank at. The service is always terrible and the waiters are incredibly rude. I've waited over an hour for a table on a slow night and waited another 20 minutes for some waiter to bother taking my order. I've also waited over 45 minutes for my tab at the bar. I've sat there and watched bouncers charge "pretty girls" half the cover that they turn around and charge me. I've watched a bartender throw a drink on an unsuspecting bar patron-and then get the patron kicked out!!!!!! Hands down, Brew River is probably the worst establishment in Salisbury and people continue to support them. The food isn't even good!
Sarah, the blonde dock bar bartender, is great. Other than that, you're right--terrible service, incompetent management and training, and subpar food. I go to that place a lot for lack of outside options. Market Street has a deck bar now too--not as big but probably more fun. I can honestly say after reading this blog that Brew River just lost my twice a week business. having worked in a restaurant for years, i actually became angry while reading this post.
I take it that David Hopper and Chef Bernie are no longer there?
What is with the puddle of water always in the back of the building by the kitchen??? Is that the over flow from the womens bathroom that seems to always have a puddle on the floor.
Just keep that in mind the next time you decide to dine at the "River".
We used to go there to hear Randy Lee Ashcraft play outside in the nice months. Several couples would meet and enjoy the weather and the music, and tolerate the food and expensive, watered-down drinks. Now, for whatever reason, they don't have him performing, we hear him in OC instead. It means less alcohol, as there must be one member of each party as designated driver, but we still enjoy the experience. Having such a local icon perform there added some credibility. Too bad they couldn't keep him. Or our business.
The Hanna's may have done it right in Ocean City, but Brew River is a far cry from a good dinning experience. The Brew is near the bottom of my favorite Salisbury Restaurants list. (just under McDonalds) I think Henry needs to coach big brother on this one. Bring back the Royal Exchange Pub!
i've had several friends work at Brew when I was in college and they all complained about same thing; MANAGEMENT. They also told me that the bar managers would take a portion of thier tips because they were "intitiled to it as managers". Then half of the bartenders would pocket thier own tips and not put any in bucket while the new bartenders got fed up and quit or someone got fired. Over the course of five years living in Salisbury I heard the exact same story over and over.
And lets not forget the $10 cover charge that comes with a side of gang violence from the hoods. My buddy was a bar back that was cleaning up one night after a fight had broken out and found a gun lying in corner. He quit the next day.
I've had similar experiences at Market Street. With what drinks cost these days, sometimes you might not have the cash to do so, but I pay by the drink. That way I keep track of things and I actually spend less, b/c it keeps me aware of what I am spending.
i would agree with all ... I was once one of those unlucky people that got sick from eating there . I have not eaten the food there for about five years . this past tuesday night my wife and had a few drinks at happy hour, left for dinner at a place we trusted and for some dumb reason decided to go back to Brew River. Upon returning they wanted a five dollar cover charge from both of us. On a Tuesday night!! no band and about six people at the dock bar. My wife was digging in her wallet when one of the idiots saw she had a seacrets gold card. the incredibly overweight bouncer said if she gave him the card he would let her in. Didn't realize that worked at Brew River? Bartering for a cover charge. No quality control in the kitchen why would there be any at the front door?
I was at the dock bar Monday Night and obviously someone was intoxicated by they way they were screaming at the staff. I'm not so sure that whole table even knew what should have been on their tab. We love Brew River and only feel bad because they have to deal with cheap people like them.
bring randy lee back!!! oh and sounds like that last comment was from a staff member. nice cover up though.
wow, you all are harsh! No wonder there are so few good restaurants in Salisbury. With this type of local support, it's obvious!
I had my rehearsal dinner there 3 weeks ago. I couldn't have picked a better place! The food was excellent and the service was great. We hung out at the dock bar afterwards and it was packed. They must be doing something right.
What's the definition of insanity?
Going to Brew River over and over again expecting it to be pleasant.
as a person in her mid-30s, I have mixed feelings about brew river.
but..i think some of you are missing the point here. the POLICE were called on patrons because they did not pay a tab that was never theirs. that's the message i got from the story. it has nothing to do with local support of an establishment or cheap people!
So much for the customer is always right.
If I were an Officer I would have asked how often that group visited that establishment. If it was fairly often and they never had this issues with them before, let the customer off on the bill. If they were known to do this there or elsewhere, force them to pay the bill.
good call. i agree joe!! i worked at a local bar in salisbury for a while, but not now. but never seen this happen!
i actually was at the dock bar monday when all this happened. not many people could tell what was going on other than being able to see the manager come over to the table a few times over the course of an hour or two. and also the cop came eventually. it didn't seem like anyone was wasted from what i could tell. i actually found out from the bartender later on in the night after everything settled that the waitress made a mistake and gave the table another table's check. ridiculous! you'd think it would occur to her that she still had open tickets before anyone called the cops on innocent people.
but as far as the officer--if i was him and a restaurant told me they had customers who did not pay, i would take the restaurant's side too. i bet he never thought to ask if it could have been another table's check!! this is a good one!
I'm a local contractor and was doing work in the building.
Needless to say they have a sign posted near there kitchen just for employees to see that says.
Excessivly Hungover or Drunk employees will be sent home.
So its okay to be a little bit or moderately, but not excessivly. The kitchen smelled like wicomico county landfill, and the whole building is a walking violation, fire hazard. Take a look in the sprinkler control room its filled with cardboard boxes and flammable cleaning supplies.
Guess it pays to be a somebody.
Good to be A Hanna.
Watch your debit cards...they regularly run your card thru and then run it thru again after you add the tip by hand...without releasing the hold on the first charge.
The hold, from some local banks stays on for up to 7 days.
What else would you expect from a Hood Rat hole in the earth?
If you don't like it, don't go there! One of the bartenders named Lauren with short blonde hair is the best bartender in the world. Every time I go there to enjoy my weekend she is always so friendly and cheerful to everyone! Yay Lauren!
I find myself going to this place because it is "a nice outdoor bar you can enjoy in the summer that is close to home" yet every time I go, I complain. They charge way too much for drinks in a plastic cup, forget about ordering any food and the wait staff is the ditsiest around.
This person is better then me because if I was told to pay tabs that weren't mine I would not be very happy. But then to have the manager and cops come....I would flip.
I think some of you are reading this post wrong. These people were patronizing the restaurant and not trying to be cheap at all. If they were trying to skip out on their tab wouldn't they leave the place??? Why would they hang out for a couple hours afterwards??
This is just another example of Daddy giving his kids a job so it looks like they do something
I am very sorry for all the people that have had a bad experience at
Brew River, but please don't just jump on the band wagon, especially if you have not eaten there in months. I feel very strong about Brew River, and I like how nobody notices the new landscape, and the new blinds, not to mention the new lunch salads and the new servers. I can't believe a town completely full of white trash, red-neck, low class customers who think a 15% tip is acceptable would have the audacity to have such a strong opinion on a place they can't even afford. I say Brew River should just become a fine dining restaurant, so that the people who have the etiquette of a barn yard animal and the complainers, will have nothing to complain about because they will no longer be welcome. If you don't like the establishment, don't go. I think you are just putting a bad stigma on the restaurant and when you go, you are just looking for something to bitch about, and knowing Salisbury, you are probably trying to get something for free, you Greedy Bastards! Just Give it a chance, and have some class, if you bring in trash, you're going to have a trashy experience.
Im sorry to say all of these people have no clue what your talking about. The Hanna kids have been working in the business since they were young and probably put in more work time by the age of 21 then any of you have in a lifetime. Hence every time you go up there or their other restaurant one of them seems to be up there.
As for the table and their drinks. Get your story straight. I guy that was sitting next to them offered to pay the tables $20 tab to get them to go home NOT because it was his items on the check, which is what the table and officer proceeded to tell the manager and staff. And it's a little hard to believe that they weren't drinking those items when they're 10 empty bottles in front of you of the same brand. Plain and simple ...if you drink and eat something don't expect not to pay for it.
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