I'm just joining the ranks of those who consider customer service appalling, and I'm not doing this to vent, but to spare future customers the bad night we had.
Actually, we ended up laughing about the situation because it was so absurd it was ripe for jokes, but the truth is, we were tired and just wanted to have a quiet dinner somewhere normal (i.e., somewhere where I wouldn't be forced to eat something I don't want or where my diet wouldn't be compromised).
I won't go into details—the owner seems to need to respond to every word, so I'll save my breath—but I will say it was an uncomfortable experience. A shame, because the meat was delicious, really good, but I still wouldn't go back. Seeing the other comments, I'll clarify: it wasn't a money issue: we've eaten at more expensive places without a problem. That doesn't mean that if I haven't explicitly asked for a dish, I'm going to give you my money later; that's my ethic of fairness. Maybe for the locals the price is a bit high, especially considering the location isn't great, but for me that's the least of it: if I eat well and am treated well, I'm happy to pay.
What I don't understand is why I have to go to dinner and feel like I'm in the house of a bossy mother who's scolding me (Luckily, my mother was never like that 😂)
I said I wanted potatoes, and they replied that I couldn't eat them because "they're contaminated with gluten." I clarified that I didn't care that I always eat contaminated food, and they replied: "You eat tomatoes!" Not knowing that I don't eat tomatoes... my husband actually died laughing when he saw that they brought me tomatoes instead of potatoes...
It doesn't cost anything to listen to the customer. You don't know them, you don't know their story, or their experience (we come from a family of chefs, but while you were teaching us cooking, we didn't tell you because why?). Therefore: a little humility wouldn't hurt.
I only ask for respect: that they give me what I want, that they serve me politely, and that they don't pressure me into eating something I don't want.
If they changed their attitude, honestly, they could have a very good restaurant. They have good meat and little competition, but they lack something basic: cordiality and empathy.
We would gladly return if that changed.