I'm a sucker for southern food, which seems to be a growing trend in Seattle. The Sexton offers small plates, and I recommend ordering at least 3 if going with a friend. The fried chicken and grits are my absolute favorite, but I haven't found anything on the menu I don't like.
The drinks are amazing. Atmosphere is causal and quirky. A great find in Old Ballard.
Hubby and I went here last night for the first time, and we were blown away! It was during the Ballard Seafood Festival, and we saw a sign outside the Sexton offering a shrimp po' boy, a beer, and a shot for $12! Obviously we had to try it out! Â We each got one and it was sooo delicious. We even had to order a 3rd, which we split. It was by far the best shrimp po' boy we ever had!
And the vibe of the place is just great. Low lights, relaxed but still feels swanky. We really enjoyed it. We hope to be back soon!
What a sultry spot!
Drinks were tasty. Bartender and server were both very friendly and helpful.
We ordered drinks and the shrimp and grits and one of the mac and cheese varieties. I thought the food was just ok. I would just have drinks next time, I think.
The atmosphere is cozy and nicely decorated. This is a good place for a date, if a bit noisy. I'd return for cocktails for sure. The Sexton is a solid spot on Ballard Ave for drinks!
On vacation in Seattle from LA, and got to it via other YELPers. This place has a cool vibe and fun atmosphere. We sat out on the back patio, which was nice. We had the mac n' cheese, sliders, and brussel sprouts. The sliders were delicious. Normally, sliders are pretty typical and are more for convenience than flavor, but these were great! Highly recommend the beef over the pork, we had both. The mac n' cheese was great as well, heavy, but to be expected with mac and cheese. Yummy brussel sprouts too! Highly recommend for good drinks, great food, and a good time!
Review Source:Brunch here is pretty darn good, plus an extra hip vibe (if you're into that). I can confirm that the mimosas are tasty, the service is prompt, and the fried chicken (comes with a waffle) and baked eggs are delicious.
Two notes:
1) If you're going to have single stall bathrooms, you should just make them unisex to reduce any waiting.
2) bonus points for hooks for bags or jackets under the bar. Awesome, especially on a Sunday morning Farmer's Market run.
This place has a lot of heart and soul. From the handcrafted bar and mason-jar chandeliers to the hand distressed tables, I can feel how much work went into the details of this place, and I absolutely love spending time here. My boyfriend and I eat here whenever we are in town from Portland. The prices are awesome, those sliders are crazy good, and the cocktails are inspiring and delicious. Anyone that puts cardamom in booze, is a friend of mine. Can't wait to go back, we love you SEXTON!
Kelsey
Two things:
1. Â Karl the mixologist. Â Just tell him what you want and he'll make it. Â Fantastic drinks. Â I haven't seen him lately, so I hope he still works there.
2. Â Chicken pot pie. Â I grew up eating southern food and this is good ol' down home chicken pot pie--scrumdiddleyumptious deep fried chicken and veggies all bundled up in a buttery crust. Â Other "southern" place ain't got nothin' on this pie.
Thanks for bringing a little bit of southern charm into the northwest!
in the words of mississippi rockabilly legend lee denson (aka jesse james) who purportedly taught elvis how to play guitar, the south's gonna rise again. Â growing up asian in the south, i always felt out-of-place. Â people always assumed i was related to/ the same person as that other "oriental" kid in school. Â when my chance finally came, i fled to the pacific northwest, officially for college, unofficially, to stalk my favourite band. Â upon arrival, i experienced the exact opposite of what i expected, "why are there so many asian people here??" Â during my first years here, friends from back home pointed out my new-found valley girl accent (aka loss of a southern twang), but as i have thrived here the last decade, i've grown nostalgic over southern ways and have come to miss its food and hospitality. Â with the recent elevation of chefs such as sean brock and linton hopkins in the culinary arena, what was once poor man's fare has been made shiny and vogue. Â restaurants across the country are jumping on the bandwagon of grits and gravy gravitas, with the sexton leading the charge for the ballard troops. Â however, a southern food establishment in the northwest is much like a chinese girl raised in the south, a juxtaposition of something half way between here and there. Â sure the cocktails are served in mason jars, but jalapeno vodka is less southern and more south of the border. Â and yes, all the usual suspects are on the menu: fried chicken, hush puppies, and more, but i seriously doubt that any of it had lard, a staple in any southern grocery store. Â so while a valiant war was fought by the sexton, i'll march on for something that feels more like home.
Review Source:We went for happy hour and sat at the admittedly cool cassette tape bar under the dandelion-blossom IKEA chandeliers that everyone on the planet has. We had some great drinks, thanks to Terrence. But the foods we tried (hush puppies, brussel sprouts) were weirdly flavorless. Given that our neighborhood has some pretty stellar places, I'm not sure that The Sexton is going to make it into my regular rounds.
Review Source:Went there once, thought "meh." I get they're trying to be trendy & crafty & whatnot but there's something lacking. But since the experience/drinks weren't awful, just average, didn't really put up a fight when my friends wanted to give it another go. Sat down, server came over to us, brought us water, gave us menus. Everything ok. We had already had dinner so we were just finishing up with dessert & more wine. Server came back for our order, we ordered our two cheesecakes & 2 glasses of wine. Then nothing. Waited 30 mins, no cheesecake no drinks. Our server finally came back to us & said flatly, verbatim "you can kill me or whatever but we don't have any more cheesecake." Umm? 1. either way, why didn't we get our drinks? Worked the industry, drinks go out right away. 2. why did it take so long to figure that out? 3. why the attitude? All 3 of us work customer service and are understandable. But dude's lack of attention & his indifference were uncalled for. We cancelled our drink orders & left. Needless to say, not going to hesitate to pass them up next time we're strolling Ballard Ave.
Review Source:Delightful happy hour, delicious food, great service.
I've been here just a couple of times now, and have to say that if you come here for one thing only, definitely go for the cocktails.
Or the fried chicken.
Or both. OK, I lied, because the fried chicken and the cocktails are amazing, and it would be a pity to deny yourself one over the other. Â The service was wonderful and indulgent, and the barman was charming. Maybe it was the fact I ordered a drink called a "Ladyship." I hadn't thought about it, but when my drink came, and it was set in front of me, he said "Your Ladyship," and I just about swooned. Then I realized, that was the name of my drink. Smart naming of that delicious cocktail. I admit to having two.
I'll definitely come again. It ain't cheap, but rarely are fine experiences.
Positive: Great whiskey selection! The bartender was very knowledgeable about the products and let us sample many different types before we picked the one. I enjoyed the smoky scotch. The decor was funky and unique. I loved the cassette tapes under the glass bar table. Brings me back to the good old 90's. They also had nice looking lights made of glass jars. Great location, right next to the Sunday Ballard market location. Best to check out for Sunday brunch while you also explore the fun market!
Review Source:I'm sorry, but this place is the pits!
As much as I like to be thrifty, I'm always happy to throw stacks of cash at my eating and drinking habits. I am no stranger to spending lots and lots of money on food and drink.
That being said- ohmygod..... the prices here are INSANE. In fact, they're insulting. A martini for 12.50? Â TWELVE DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? I didn't order top shelf alcohol, or some special drink. I ordered a martini with a twist. It came ssssuuupppeerrr dirty (never asked for it that way!) and then I was charged 12.50 for it.
I was hungry too, but decided to hold off for dinner and order something small. I got cornbread. You know, that food that originated because people were so poor? Yeah, they make it here in a little waffle iron... and only give you three of the four waffle quarters.... which is weird.... and they're tiny. It's like 3/4 of a mini cornbread waffle. And guess what? I paid five bucks for it. I paid five dollars for roughly two ounces of corn meal.
My waitress was ridiculously nice and a wonderful server, I hope she gets a job somewhere that doesn't require her to overcharge people for terrible drinks, because she is fabulous.
Mason jar revolutionaries unite! Cute urban-rustic bourbon bar, next to Urban Family Public House.
Delicious cocktails, though a bit pricey ($9-12/e) which I would happily pay at Needle & Thread or Bathtub Gin. That being said, bourbon drinks were the best - highly recommend the Dustbowl (bourbon, cynar, allllspice dram). Jack & June is light and refreshing.
Comfort food small plates makes for tasty bar snacks - friends enjoyed the yam fries (large steak fries) and pesto mac & cheese.
Outstanding decor, laidback vibe, friendly staff. Ideal for small groups.
While there certainly is a cozy appeal about the Sexton, there is nothing particularly unique about this place. Has anyone else noticed that the it-thing in Seattle right now seems to be rustic charm? The Sexton fits well into this model with its charming wood decor, mason jar glasses, and southern-style home cooking. I had a couple decent bourbon cocktails and a few tempting bites from the bar menu. It was a typical "A-OK" dining experience.
Review Source:This place has everything you would think a great cocktail bar would have. Off-beat vibe, Interesting drink menu, lots of whiskey, seemingly knowledgeable bartenders. It's just missing one thing, good cocktails!
The drinks are somehow terrible! They should be good, right? It just doesn't add up. If you go and have a drink there and aren't sure what you think, walk over to the Gerald, Hazelwood, Ocho, or Bastille and it will click. I tried about 6 drinks total from their menu and not a single one was particularly good. Everything was overly orange bittered or otherwise orange flavored. The Moscow mule was terrible; primarily because they use the Jamaican ginger beer you buy at Safeway which tastes like sprite... A cocktail place would be better served with Goslings, Fever Tree, or of course Rachel's Ginger Beer.
I like the food. I just can't patronize a place that fools you into thinking it has great cocktails and falls flat on delivery. Please revise your drink recipes.
Good drinks, good vibe but I don't know if it pulls it all together effectively. I can't put my finger on it but something about this place just does not do it for me
It is nice to see a craft cocktail joint take hold in Ballard but it fall short of Hazelwood (which I love).
The drinks are too expensive, the food even more so (and very small portions)
Everything is very tasty but just not the proper vibe for Ballard
Cassette tape bar top? Â I'm sold! Â Came here for happy hour with some friends. Â While we were waiting to be seated the host sat us at the bar. Â I ordered one of their gin based signature cocktails called 'The Ladyship'. Â It came in a cute flue glass with a lemon peel, and it was delicious! The host was so nice and helpful, he even offered to hold our glasses as we moved to out seat! One of my friends I was with thought he was too nice even. Â Like most bars, the specialty cocktails were pushing $10, so I went with wine after that.
Once we got seated we ordered some food, and were blown away at how delicious everything was. Â I Recommend the Sexton mac & cheese and the brussels sprouts. Â Thinking about it I want to go back and order a big bowl of each. Â We were sat in the back, which a cute porchy looking area. Â It was kind of nice because I got to keep an eye out on the one bathroom so I didn't have to hoover over the door. Â The waiter was very attentive and checked on us a great amount, not as friendly as the host though. Â I can't wait to go back for another HH
Hi - my name is PretendingToBeRich. Â I like to drink spendy, well-made cocktails while I eat... fried chicken and cornbread?
Don't judge me... it was awesome... and nothing is more attractive to a girl than when you constantly are licking the grease off your fingers, guys. Â Just trust me.
I'm genuinely impressed with the feel of the bar and more impressed with the menu. Â Those of you who don't know me (most of you at this point, I imagine) would be interested to know that a bar without food to me is.. a bar I don't visit. Â Except Bathtub Gin, which has food that I never order because I'm too busy being full of sushi from down the block.
POINT IS - the menu makes this place a cut above the rest. Â There are many nice, sexy bars in this city but the Sexton knows the way to my heart. Â
Sexy waitresses.
I'm kidding - the menu.
...
Great date night on a rainy Friday! Awesome cocktails, the wife had a few menu cocktails and I tried a whisky flight of Buffalo Trace bourbons and Lucille IPA. The space is rad and the bar top is unlike anything else in town-- old tapes (as in cassette tapes) Â spray painted white and then set under a clear bar top. Cool. Very cool. Great light fixtures and old school decor. Huge props to whoever redesigned the space. I always thought Madame K's felt gaudy and cramped, but the Sexton (which occupies the old MK's space) didn't feel too cramped even though every seat in the house was filled.
We had to wait about 20 minutes for our table, which was fine since the hostess (who is also the manager) made us feel welcome and showed us to a back bar where we were able to order drinks while we waited. Nice touch-- we might have made the mistake of cooking dinner at home if she hadn't insisted we come inside for a drink. Plus, we had a view of the kitchen and all the plates coming out.
The food is pretty damn solid for Ballard BBQ and leaps and bounds better than Kickin' Boot (read, our food was hot!) Even if the plates aren't huge, they're priced so that you can order a few and share, which we did. Fried chicken is solid, the ribs (pork) fell off the bone, fried brussles sprouts were worth the hype. The only miss was the cornbread-- it's savory and served with red pepper butter that we thought was just not tasty. The little cornbread muffins themselves were delicious, though. It was a little strange that nothing came out at the same time, too, but that's how they do things. Otherwise the service was great.
Go there.
This has become my new go-to cocktail place on Ballard Ave. Â I don't know what I love more---the atmosphere (a nice mix of vintage-industiral-southern flair) or the small plates and drinks.
I am usually a beer or wine girl, but the derbyshire cocktail is like a little piece of heaven. Have also had friends order a bartender-surprise type drink, and that was great too.
Service is fast, and food good too (the only time we had to wait was when we ordered sliders once, and they took an extra 15 mins b/c they had to "bake the brioche buns in-house"--what? Awesome.) Â Although there are a couple of other southern-themed places cropping up on Ballard ave, the food here doesn't disappoint, but is geared mostly towards small plates, a bit bigger than apps but smaller than a real meal.
McKayla Not Impressed. Â :/
The Sexton looks so cute from the street, and you walk in late night. Â It's packed - bar, back tables, everything. Â A model-looking waitress tells you to wait.
You settle in for drinks from the bar; both bartenders are capable but act as if they don't mind if you get your drink tomorrow rather than today. Â However they are tasty, off the menu concoctions.
Finally, your group is seated and presented with the minuscule Happy Hour food list - about 10-15 items. Â Unfortunately you don't see much you like... Â
Your friends order:
*3 sliders: waay too much mayo (had to wipe it off before each bite)
*Buttermilk fried chicken (extra spicy and lacking in juice factor. Â Pulled off the skin!)
*Yam fries: (kind of like sweet potato fries)
*Mini corndogs: didn't order, but wtf? Â Why on this menu? Â Corndogs. Â I didn't even like them when I was 5.
The seats are picnic benches. Â Good for looks, bad for comfort factor. Â
Waiting too long for 2nd, 3rd round of drinks and food while the servers chat, it's evident this bar hires servers based on looks and not competence. Â
Probably not going to make it one of my Ballard stops.
A lovely interior that is welcoming, airy with a touch of Southern Charm. Curious what would replace Madame K's pizza, I was impressed. A great selection of small dishes (hush pups marginal, amazing sweet potatoes, the chicken pot pie and mac and cheese delectable, and fried chicken crisp and tasty). In my humble opinion, the paper serving dishes miss the mark, but the cocktails are tasty and well crafted.
Makes me want long summer evenings on the back patio extend a little longer..
The Sexton to me is the perfect place to drink, but not a top choice to eat. I love the ambiance, I think the space is designed incredibly well, from the rustic wood tables, to the unique mason jar light fixtures, to the vintage photos on the walls. The courtyard out back is equally adorable, with cute clever touches like a bicycle that has been sprayed white and draped in white lights perched in the crux of a beautiful big tree.
I wasn't jazzed by the food -- it was ok but nothing that really wowed me. I was happiest with the hush puppies and the sliders and would definitely get them again, but was disappointed by the shrimp and grits when, upon inspection, I saw that the shrimp were not de-veined. It's not hard to do with shrimp that size, and to me a properly prepped shrimp is a sign that the kitchen is well trained, sanitary, and has a good attention to detail. We sent it back so I didn't get a chance to try it, which was a pity because it looked scrumptious.
My new favorite place in Ballard. Â I love it. Â
I am a sucker for decently done southern comfort food, not gonna lie. Â Add some well mixed cocktails and some nice atmosphere and I am putty in your hands. Â And to what a PP said about the music being the perfect level - it really is. Â
Please get yourself some greens and those incredibly fattening but oh so delicious fried brussel sprouts. Â I had ordered the pesto mac but got the regular mac by accident. Â Was 'aight. Â Maybe if they fry some green onions for the top it might spruce it up a bit. Â
Otherwise, fun place. I didn't notice it being any more expensive than any other small plate restaurant in Seattle...so I guess it's all about perspective.
I am glad I went back, I was not impressed when they initially opened for various reasons. Seems like they got a new menu! The outdoor patio out back is a great secret, its an awesome ambience and as a previous reviewer said, it feels like Brooklyn or something you'd get in NYC....we walked right in on a Ballard summer eve. Food breakdown...
The sweet potato fries are the best I ever had, for sure. I liked my cucumber cocktail, it was small and at $10 a bit steep....but delicious, somehow I ended up downing two. The main dish (blackened rockfish) was good, though the fish lacked a bit of flavor and I didn't really like the aioli. My friend got the shrimp and grits and I liked that better and served very hot (as in temp)- impressed. I'll continue to go back.
We ended up at The Sexton for dinner last Friday after wandering down Ballard Ave because of the delicious sounding menu and casual patio we could glimpse out back. The Sexton features small plates of Southern Comfort food and lots of bourbon. The atmosphere is very casual and we sat at a picnic table underneath a tree with a bicycle in the branches while drinking out of mason jars. Definitely my kind of place.
We weren't quite sure how big the portions would be, so to be on the safe side we decided to order one of almost everything on the menu. This turned out to be a great idea because we got to try almost everything and my husband didn't go away hungry. Some of the dishes we sampled were the chicken pot pie, sliders (best I've ever had!), Sexton mac, boneless buttermilk fried chicken, and the red beans and rice, all ranging from $7 - $11 per item.
Everything was delicious and our server was incredibly nice and personable. She just brought the dishes out as they were ready which gave us time to enjoy the food and drinks and chat in between "courses." The portions were definitely on the small side so I would say order at least 4-5 items for a couple if you're planning on a whole meal. Otherwise The Sexton would be a great place for drinks and apps or happy hour before heading somewhere else for your main meal. We really liked it there and would definitely go back.
It's a good thing that bitterroot is just down the block. Â that way you can go eat dinner there after you realize the forty dollars you just dropped on your mediocre, oversalted dinner at the sexton leaves you only half-full.
beautiful decor! Â too bad the overpriced everythings makes it impossible to enjoy. Â it feels very williamsburg. Â bring your brooklyn friends as long as they're paying.
Checked out The Sexton last night while on Ballard Night Out. I'll be back, for sure.
There are tables and a bar, plus a few seats at countertops. The music was great -- Â Prince, Beastie Boys, Soft Cell! to name a few -- and not too loud. We all agreed the music didn't fit the decor, but in a good way.
I had the Duck Pond chardonnay, mac & cheese and brussels. All were excellent. The brussels were a little salty, but delicious. The mac & cheese was awesome... my friend decided to order one for himself once he saw mine. It comes with a few greens and balsamic reduction tucked into the side of the ramekin... unusual, but the perfect compliment to the cheesiness. My friends tried the cornbread and said it wasn't worth the $5.
Another friend tried a vodka drink called The Veiled Wheel (I think), and it was the stand-out cocktail of the evening. I will order it next time. The full drink list was interesting... plenty to try!
The Sexton is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a night out in Ballard.
Now that I've had the all-around experience at Sexton I can update my review. It still stands that the cocktails are to die for, and I like the ambience of the place. But it's still a bit crowded, and the smell of the brussel sprouts is so overwhelming, I really hate smelling like it when I leave.
The last time I went I had food - the menu sounded delicious as we all know I love down home comfort food. Well the menu was handwritten on a greasy piece of paper and it was PACKED with my comfort favorites so I was super stoked to try it.
I ended up getting chicken with apple & cheddar scalloped potatoes which sounded amazing - but the potatoes ended up being just OK and the chicken tasted overly pumped with fatty oils. It didn't let the true taste of the food come through as it was overly basted and it tasted like greasy diner food. Unfortunately, the description was to die for but the actual taste was pretty mediocre. I ate probably 1/4 of it :( Â I was sorely disappointed.
I'll still go back there for the drinks however - just skip the food.
When you think Ballard, you think home-cooking Southern food, no? Well, I guess they do have a bit of everything...
We stopped by when they had just opened, and it was very clear they had just opened. The staff didn't really know what was in all the items (I don't eat certain foods, and they were a lot of "ummm, lemme check with the kitchen" on many things). And the space was completely stale with oil vapor -- I'm not sure that's completely a word, but they was not nearly enough ventilation for the amount of deep-frying going on. You literally felt like you needed a shower when you walked out.
Besides that, it's a cool faux-divey space, with exposed wood everywhere. Â The front bar was nice, with a great selection of bourbon. The dishes were what you might expect from a southern-themed place, though it came off a little expensive from the amount of tapas-style small dishes you had to order to get your fill.
I'll have to try it again some time, but for now I'm still trying to get the smell out of my clothing...
I was here a few weeks ago on a Friday night. It was busy and my boyfriend and I were surprised to get a table as easily as we did. I don't know how new The Sexton is, but it was one of a few places we'd recently seen and thought to try.
I wanted to really like it... very cute interior and a friendly staff, unfortunately the food was pretty bad. Small plates, so we shared some things... I had ordered a twice roasted chicken expecting something... well, roasted? But the plate I got looked more like chicken priming for the BBQ, a couple small thigh pieces in a red sauce, and the skin was flabby and inedible. We also shared mac and cheese and collard greens, both looked appealing, but they were nothing special, not much flavor.
I'm not a whiskey girl, so I didn't try any of their specialty cocktails which some reviewers obviously really enjoyed, and instead stuck with red vino. I did not choose a very good wine, neither did my boyfriend, and I'm not picky when it comes to wine, but their by the glass selection was pretty limited.
I think their food needs some improvement. I would say there are plenty of other good places right now in the neighborhood to go to.
Went here last night for Happy Hour. Â The fried chicken was super delicious, as was the mac n cheese! Â The plates are small, and it is easy to share things among good friends. Â Order several items to make a meal. Â A friend and I shared: fried chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens and hush puppies. Â That was the perfect amount of food for the two of us. Â
Big pro of this place: the drinks! Â The cocktails are creative and delicious. Â The Double Bind, a whisky cocktail is small but oh so tasty. Â
If you go, be sure to go for Happy Hour. Â It'll help you save a few dollars on food and drink.
Mixed feelings about this place.
Pros:
Pleasant environment
Collards, pot pie were great
$3 tall boys
Prices reasonable in general
Cons:
Took 15 minutes to make and serve my cocktail
Red beans and rice not good
Cornbread was cold
IMO, Ballard has SO many options - many of which consistently serve great food and have excellent service. I'm always disappointed when I spend hard-earned money at places like this. Hopefully they're reading these reviews and working to improve...
Let me preface by saying of the several years that I've been a member of Yelp, I've never wanted to write a review. Â Until tonight.
My friends and I (group of 6) were excited to try the Sexton. Â Two of my friends got to the restaurant at 7 and got us on the list. Â They were told that the wait would be about 30 minutes. Â We all eventually arrived at the Sexton and had drinks at the bar while we waited. Â The drinks were great by the way, so were the bartenders (more on that later). Â We patiently waited for about an hour. Â When one of the two large tables by the window finally cleared out, we thought for sure we would be next. Â Instead of seating us the group of six (by then the largest group waiting for a table at the restaurant), the hostess went and seated a group of five. Â Curious, I went and asked the hostess how much longer we had to wait. Â Here is the conversation:
Me: Hi, how much longer for the group of six
Hostess: OH, you guys are here? Â I gave your table away because you left your number and I thought your group wasn't here.
Me: [Dumbfounded, internal dialogue: WTF do you mean you gave our table away? Â Why didn't you call us to let us know that our table was ready? Â WTF was the point of taking down our number and having a list if you weren't going to give us a courtesy ring?] Â Of course, being a good, passive aggressive Seattlelite, I didn't say anything and said, "Oh, okay" and went back to my group to deliver the bad news.
Of course, my group was dumbfounded as well that a restaurant would keep a list and on purpose take a number but wouldn't give that number a call to let that person know the table was ready. Â We were miffed. Â I told the bartender to close out our tab. Â She asked if we were moving to a table. Â I said no, the hostess gave away our table without trying to reach us and expected us to wait another hour.
The bartender was on our side and was clearly perturbed that the hostess would do such a thing. Â She went and spoke to the hostess who, in turn, decided to come and defend her position. Â She basically said, well, it's not our fault; you guys weren't here (but we were). Â You gave us your number, so we thought you weren't here physically and we had to give away the table to the group that was actually here. Â As passive aggressive as we all are, that set us over the edge. Â Why in the world would you take our number if you weren't going to call us to let us know our table was ready? Â Shouldn't you at least call us, and if we didn't answer, tough luck? Â Instead of being apologetic about how the restaurant screwed up, the hostess basically said, well, there isn't anything else I can do, so you guys just wait another hour until one of the large tables opens up.
We were all excited to try the food, because the menu looked very promising. Â We would have waited another 30 minutes to an hour for our table had the hostess been more apologetic. Â Here is what she should have said:
"Gosh, I am so sorry. Â Our mistake. Â Please, if you guys would like to wait a little bit longer, we'll comp your drinks, or order a few appetizers on the house while you guys wait."
Nope. Â None of what you would expect from basic customer service.
Instead, it was, "fuck you, it's your fault that you left your number and you guys weren't here (even though we had been waiting in the bar the entire time, with everyone in the group present)."
So, we said, well, looks like the Sexton could care less about customer service. Â We closed up our tab and went somewhere else for dinner. Â Before we left, the bartender felt really bad for the snafu and gave us a round of shots. Â
Bottom line: if you do try to go to the Sexton for food, go during off hours. Â Or, if you get your name on the list, under no circumstances do you leave your number, because that tells the hostess that you're not present and will give your table away. Â And don't expect basic, fundamental customer service. Â Apparently the hostess thought her restaurant was the Arcade Fire of restaurants - we are WAY too popular and successful to care if a large group left with a bad taste in its mouth. Â All of us vowed to never go back there for food.
Do go to the Sexton for drinks - the bartender actually knew what customer service meant and made mean drinks.
***Oh my goodness. Â Could it be? Â A bar with two of my favorite things: alcohol, and sex? Â Wait, no, that's not right. Â What does Sexton mean? Â I'm confused.***
I did look up "Sexton" and this is what wikipedia told me: A sexton is a church, congregation, or synagogue officer charged with the maintenance of its buildings and/or the surrounding graveyard. Â Hmm...I still don't get it.
After getting over the confusion of "Sexton", I sat down and tried their lovely tequila cocktail: Daisy's Last Stand. Â Filled with Tequila, Lime, Grenadine, Ginger Soda. Â So delicious! Â I could've downed at least 5 of these, but I controlled myself. Â My coworkers were brave enough to "Bet on your Bartender", but were pleasantly surprised with their mysterious cocktail...they drank a lot of bourbon this night. Â :)
Next on the list, FOOD. Â We ordered the collard greens, ribs (bourbon BBQ, yum), hush puppies with spicy aioli, and red beans & rice. Â ALL really captures the "southern comfort" idea and damn were these items tasty! Â Next time I definitely want to try the fried chicken, sexton mac, and sliders. Â Geez so much good stuff!
The decor is awesome. Â From the outside, the windows are all foggy (because of all the sex going on ;)) and it's very dim lit inside. Â The chandeliers were made up of mason jars, which I thought was SO creative! Â
Overall, awesome. Â This is definitely on my HH go-to list now!
***Update, Feb 9 2012*** was recently notified that Sexton is the chef's last name. :) Â Thanks, Nina!
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