Ham's Restaurant

My family and I went to celebrate my birthday yesterday. The server, Amanda, was nice but she only came to deliver the drinks, food and bill. Never even saw her, and there were only 3 other tables in the restaurant, and they had different servers. The cookie skillet I ordered for my dessert was uncooked. I told her we tried to power through and eat it, but it really was just "doughy" and raw like a fresh mixture of cookie dough. She returned stating the manager said it is supposed to be like that, but they could burn it for me if I wanted, so that the center could be cooked. Since I have ordered this before at other Ham's locations, I knew they wanted to just blow me off. I declined.Thanks for the birthday treat. Won't go back.

Ok, after going here more often (yes, i am a sports bar junkie at times), i was surprised that i gave a 4 star (must have been on the Ham's crack when writing!).

Not that Ham's is bad - its a solid option for standard pub grub, cold beer and watching sporting events.  Service has always been on top of it and very friendly.

My family went to the New Garden location a few days ago.  We had just experienced a death in the family and went late at night after making funeral arrangements.  Actually we wanted to go to Applebees on Lawndale but the Kareoke music was insanely loud and we just couldn't do it with a 4 year old in tow.

I had been to Ham's on Cone years ago, so we stopped in the one on New Garden.  I didn't realize it was a bar, and nearly didn't stay because they were preparing Kareoke there too, but it wasn't bad.

JENNY- the "waitress" there really had no desire to work as a matter of fact, most of the wait staff spent their time in the kitchen or crunched up in the booth by the kitchen. I guess the benefit of waiting tables in a bar is no one complains until they need another drink and if they have enough of them, the client will tip well, re.

We weren't drinking, just coming back from dealing with arrangement for a funeral in the middle of the night. See JENNY, you just don't know what people may be going through.  This is a great story. My son ordered a 13.00 steak and an appetizer.  Our bill was about 50.00 for low grade bar food.   On the menu it stated that the steak came with garlic bread and two sides.  

JENNYdidn't bother to let us know that there was no garlic bread, that they had been out since 7:30 PM according to her.  But she brought the meal without the bread.  I asked her where the bread was.  That's when she had told me that they were out of garlic bread.  I asked if there could be a substitution, she just bent over in my face and said "well, it's one of those FREE things, you know?" ( It gets better) So obviously there was no way she could have offered up a piece of free grilled bread or anything.  I guess there was just no bread left in the place.  Although my daughter ordered a sandwich that was on grilled bread, so obviously there was some sort of bread that could have been offered as a substitute.

She just didn't want to be there period.  As a younger woman, I had made a living waiting tables in upscale restaurants.  And my life has been working in client services, so you can imagine the stupidity I was looking at when a waitress tells me that a piece of garlic toast can't be substituted with a piece of grilled bread "because it was one of those FREE things, you know?"  Don't go yet, it gets better.

So we box up our things and get out of there.  I have never once in my life walked out of any establishment without providing at least 15% on a tip.  I know how it is.  But there was NO WAY, I was leaving a tip for someone who was so lazy that they weren't even willing to ask the cook if there could be a substitute for a piece of bread on a 13.00 steak dinner, minimal already, in a bar.

Instead, I left her a note written in purple crayon, on the back of a coloring sheet that read " A tip is one of those FREE things you get when you actually do your job" " I left my phone number and wrote beneath that "Have your manager call me"  So instead of getting the message and understanding that you can't treat everyone like crap just because they aren't drinking and leaving you money you don't deserve because you don't care about your client's experience... ready?.... She  chases us out the door screaming " Thank you guys SOOO MUCH!"  She continued to scream other things as well that I won't put in here, but then ended her scream fest with " Great example!"  I have no idea what "great example meant"  My son turned around and said " We ARE setting an example!"  And she went back inside.

Now, I've read that Ham's was recently acquired in bankruptsy court.  If this is an indicator as to how their clients are treated? I get it!  I never heard from a manager of course.  I'm sure she never offered up my note, unless she did and the manager blew it off, which wouldn't surprise me.  I gave it a few days before I decided to post here, to be fair. Monday I will call their corporate offices.

That was the FIRST time I had ever been there and I will NEVER go back.  Had it been a decent experience, I would have returned. In my opinion, it was an over priced bar with low quality food and horrible service.  I shouldn't have even paid that ticket.  And honestly feel I should be reimbursed for such a horrible experience.  There is no doubt in my mind that the rest of the customers in the restaurant heard and saw everything she did.  She had the door open, she was half in and half out when she started screaming.  Wonderful for their client services reputation.

I wanted to just post this here this weekend.  Avoid JENNY as your wait person at all costs.  If you were to be dissatisfied with her services she just may chase you out into the parking lot.  Just so you know, JENNY et al, we went to Golden Corral on Wendover the next night and were treated beautifully, we tipped her 20.