The Tavern Grill

Unfortunately, my visit to The Tavern Grill didn't meet my expectations, leaving me disappointed with both the dining experience and the accommodation of allergens. Despite the elevated prices that suggested a commitment to handling allergens more carefully, there were noticeable gaps in both the kitchen and front-of-house practices. A significant issue arose with the lack of clear gluten-free indicators on the main menu. The only options provided were to swap a regular bun or crust for a gluten-free alternative. When I inquired about a dedicated gluten-free menu, the server initially claimed there wasn't one, only to later find it, revealing a potential lack of training or unfamiliarity with allergen protocols. What bothered me most was that the gluten-free alternatives offered, such as swapping a bun or crust, didn't genuinely address allergies. The oversight of other potentially gluten-containing ingredients or cross-contamination risks made me question the purpose of providing gluten-free options when essential aspects seemed overlooked. Expressing concern about cross-contamination with pizzas, I asked about the possibility of cooking gluten-free crusts separately. Unfortunately, the server informed us that all pizzas were cooked on the same surface, adding to my disappointment. Taking these issues into account – the absence of transparent allergen information, mixed responses, and the revelation of shared cooking surfaces – the higher prices felt unjustified for the overall dining experience. I had hoped for a seamless and safe meal at The Tavern, but this visit left me disappointed. Sharing this feedback is my way of contributing to an improved dining experience, though as things stand, I don't plan on returning. To compound matters, our initial experience at The Tavern lacked a proper greeting upon entry. We stood at the hostess stand for several minutes, expecting assistance with seating or at least a simple acknowledgment. This initial lapse in hospitality set a disappointing tone for the evening. Adding to the letdown, the ambiance at The Tavern fell short of expectations. The lights were surprisingly bright for a Thursday night at 6:30 PM, and the overall atmosphere lacked the warmth and positive vibes one would hope for, further detracting from the overall dining experience. Regrettably, the staff appeared somewhat aloof, compounding the diminishing appeal of The Tavern. I share these observations with the hope that the establishment can address these concerns and provide a more satisfying experience for future patrons.

First of all, the server, John, seemed nice, but he should not be working front of the house or in any customer-facing position. He is clearly way too shy, introverted, soft-spoken, passive, and socially awkward to do well with customer service. As a server you need to be confident enough to look at people and communicate clearly...to ask follow up questions if you're not sure. The main problem is that I ordered a pizza on gluten free crust, but was given a pizza with regular crust. My friends confirmed that they heard me say gluten-free crust. I ate a few of the tiniest squares of pizza I've ever had with only one or no toppings on each square (cutting pizza in squares is annoying, but that's not the issue). The pizza tasted OK, nothing special, although the toppings were pretty sparse. I commented to my friends that the crust didn't seem gluten free. Not because it was extra delicious, chewy, and big as a I would expect from a gluten crust, but tasted like flour and was very small. At that point, I should've verified that my order was correct, but instead I ate a little more and got a box for the rest. I noticed on the check that it didn't say Gluten free or have an additional charge for GF. I asked my server if my pizza was GF because it didn't say that on the check. He shrugged, said it should be, and started to walk away. I stopped him and asked if he rung in a gluten-free pizza because it doesn't say anything on the check. He said that pizza toppings don't show up on the check, I said the crust isn't a topping, but still didn't seem like he knew. I asked him to go back to the kitchen and verify that my pizza was gluten free. He came back and said it was NOT gluten free and apologized. I told him that his mistake is going to ruin my entire Christmas weekend because I'll be sick for the next 3+ days. He apologized again, but didn't offer to comp my meal or anything. I told him I'm not paying for my meal when it's his fault he didn't ring my order in correctly and asked for the manager. The manager apologized and I said the server's mistake is going to ruin my entire Christmas weekend. She tried to say that they can't guarantee that there won't be cross-contamination because they use a lot of gluten-containing foods. I said serving me a pizza on gluten-containing crust isn't cross-contamination, it's completely disregarding allergy awareness. She said she was refunding the charges to my card, but my card was not refunded as promised. My bank shows a finalized charge posted to my account. She gave me a gift card to use "if I decide to come back." I have no intentions of revisiting this restaurant so that's worthless. I shouldn't have to pay for anything because his carelessness did, in fact, ruin my entire Christmas weekend. I didn't leave the house for 3 days following this meal...including Christmas Eve and Day, and missed spending time with my family. I'm aware of the risks of cross-contamination and don't typically react to tiny amounts of gluten. I take gluten enzymes before eating at restaurants just in case there's small gluten exposure. Eating almost half of a regular pizza is more gluten than I've had in 15 years and needless to say, my body was not happy. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but I couldn't leave the house because I had to be close to a bathroom for several days. Plus, I felt achy, flushed, and my head hurt the rest of that day so I had to go home early from Christmas shopping at the mall and canceled my plans that evening. I'm finally starting to feel better a week later. So I don't believe I should be charged anything for this horrible experience and my entire bill should be refunded as promised.