Morgan W.
Yelp
I had a really disappointing experience and interaction and one of the weirdest with a bartender I've ever had Sat night 1/21.
A really good friend's younger brother invited me out for his 21st birthday at Story Tavern. Being in my mid to late 30s, I'm not keeping up but wanted to pop by to buy him some heavy alcohol drink, something like an AMF, LA Water, or Long Island.
I wait at the bar next to a couple who just ordered. There's only one bartender taking orders, a gentleman in a hat, most likely late 20s. After he serves them, he ignores me and goes to the other end of the bar. Fair, this has happened before, maybe he missed me. Then he comes back and takes an order of a new customer who literally just walked up next to me, despite me trying to wave him down and me standing there for 5 minutes now.
Fair again, I'm in a good mood and just think, maybe I remind him of someone he doesn't like. All good. Then a third time, my friend walks up next to me and the bartender ignores me and is about to take his order before my friend tells him "he's definitely next". This whole time, I was raising my hand to try and get attention. All good - maybe it's just a bad night or something, I'm still keeping a good mood.
So then I ask the bartender - can I get a moscow mule, and does he know how to make a "Black Superman" for my buddy's 21st. He gives me a weird look and says, "no - what's that?" (for record - a Black Superman is no harder than an AMF or LA Water, just different ingredients).
I very nicely just dismissed and said, ya know what, don't worry about it...
He stops me and confidently says "well can we make it with what we have" and gestures to the bar behind him.
I say surprised and delighted "oh, uhm I'm sure" and then list the ingredients which he has all of them.
He stops. Gives me a very weird and judgemental look, and then says "Yeeeeah. I'm not making that for you."
Then takes a short pause - and tells me "And if you try and order that from anyone here, or at any other bar around here - they'll laugh at you."
Honestly, I was just taken aback at this point. I've never had any bartender say something like this, let alone with the attitude. I was perfectly fine not ordering the drink or ordering something else - but to be addressed that way and insulted took me by surprise.
Essentially he went out of his way to prove (or at least claim) he could make the drink - only to tell me specifically that he won't make the drink despite me even telling you it's for a 21st birthday. Then, you feel the need to make a comment that's clearly meant to be judgemental and insulting towards a customer - and the only takeaway I can see from that is either A. the bartender couldn't make the drink and was embarrassed and deflected or B. The bartender was lazy - not realizing they could have charged anything they wanted for a drink not on the menu and I was going to tip really well for a special request. But if that's the case, when I offered to scrap the drink, I don't know why he felt the need to insult. I just cancelled my order and went to hang with friends.
I wasn't even mad and am still not, more just shocked and surprised anyone would treat a customer like that.
And to add insult to injury - my friend who was at the bar after me said, after I walked away the bartender walked over to a coworker to tell him "did you hear that? I just did that kid a favor."
It is very telling in how insecure the bartender was that he felt the need to justify himself and get validation from another bartender. And anyone over the age of a teenager knows referring to someone as "kid" especially when they're older then you is meant to be insulting and condescending - another thing I was really surprised he did within earshot of patrons at the bar - especially my friends I was just with who could overhear him insulting me.
Though I did talk to people in our party and he was apparently pouring huge shots and big pours for people who tipped him $5, so honestly sounds more just like a dive bar, beer and sloppy shot pour bartender to me. Which is totally fine, I would just prefer if you are not interested in making mixed drinks, just say so and don't be insulting. I would have been happy still ordering had he just simply declined to make the drink.
I will certainly never be going back to this establishment just based on customer service alone. And on the flip side - I don't have enough GOOD THINGS to say about Fantasias across the street!
Not 30 minutes later, I went across the street to Fantasias - asked about the drink, and the response from the bartender was "uhm, no I haven't heard of it - but I can look it up quick on my phone and make it for you." I was over the moon at someone just taking the few seconds to show kindness and consideration to take 30 seconds to help someone instead of insult them. I told her to charge whatever she wanted for the drink and tipped her $15 on top just for going a little above and beyond.