The Federal Bar - Long Beach

Great service the fish and chip Appitizer was perfect but I ordered short ribs but was severd pot roast. The mashed potatoes were luke warm and the pot roast (short ribs) were tasteless. I expected better from the Federal Bar that had so many other good reviews.

This review is going to be quite satisfying.  I hate to be cynical, but I think it's well deserved.

I came here with my girlfriend after the Long Beach marathon, the sign outside "Join us for Brunch!" looked pretty inviting so we gave it a go.  The food wasn't great, but that wasn't really the problem.

The check came, it was cheap, around 20 bucks.  I only had a $100 bill, so I gave it to them expecting change...here comes the fun part! About 20 minutes later, someone who looked like a manager came to our table asking for another form of payment.

"You gave us a counterfeit $100 bill, we need another form of payment, and we already called the police."

As soon as he says that, 5-6 cops walk in and start questioning me, making me look like some kind of criminal.  Who knows, I may have some how been handed a fake bill, and passed it on thinking it's real.  I ask to see the money, they bring me the bill and it doesn't look like they've marked the bill with a pen.  To top it off, the cops hand the bill to a customer in the restaurant that works at a bank... he said it looked real to him!

Staff takes the money into the back to "double check" one on more time, this time they mark it with a pen to check it's authenticity (something they should have done before they called the cops!)

They come back and say that the results aren't "definitive", they hand me back my money and comp my meal... here's the kicker... the manager comes back to say "we comp'd your meal, but we don't know how you plan on leaving gratuity"

They want a tip after they called the cops on me for not doing their job correctly?  Keep in mind, I was surrounded by cops in front of the whole restaurant, made too look like I was some kind of thief.

This was pretty embarrassing, they didn't really check the authenticity of the bill and went off of some kind of hunch.. Had me questioned by the cops for 30 minutes in front of my girlfriend and the whole restaurant.  Forget the food, how about good service and common sense? Seems they lack both.

Felt like I was in a bad dream... I was mortified, embarrassed, and wrongly accused for doing something illegal.  Thanks for the crappy experience!

I wanted to love this place but frankly...the food is never hot.  Ive been on 3 occassions and each time is disappointing.  Last time i ordered the baked potatoe with everything on the side.  I put butter on on it...the butter never melted.  Who the hell eats cold BAKED potatoe?   I give 2 stars only for the decor and bar.  Come to this place for the drinks not the food. Oh - and I can't complain on the servers.... they were actually pretty cool.  My mom asked me why I didn't have the potato sent back...my simple reply .... I didn't want to have spit mixed in too.  

My # 1 rule to anyone COMPLAINING about food in a restaurant...  WATCH the movie WAITING with Ryan Reynolds.  NEVER will I send food back.  I rather pay for it and go to Mickey D's later....

Just my opinion...try the place if you wish...