Her perspective: F
His perspective: F
We stopped here for brunch on our way to Treasure Island on Sunday and got there just before noon. We were seated right away, but the host told us our server's name as she was walking away from the table with her back to us. The table we were seated at was extremely wobbly and we had to push it hard against the wall so we would be able to eat. The A/C was either turned off or wasn't working and the fans were not able to keep up with the heat since it was 97 degrees outside.
As we were looking through the menus, we noticed that they were dirty. It took our server quite a while to greet us. So long, in fact, that we were both ready to order by the time she got there. We could tell that she only had four tables including us, so we wondered why she was too busy to even stop by. However, she was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. That is the only good thing I can say about this visit.
After we ordered, we started noticing that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING on the table was dirty and sticky: the dessert menu, the caddies that hold the jelly and sugar, and the salt and pepper shakers. We also noticed that the window that divided us from another section was quite dirty as well.
When our server brought out our food, she couldn't remember what each of us had and kept putting William's plates in front of me. Since there were only two of us, it shouldn't have been hard to remember what each of us ordered. When I adjusted my plate's position on the table, I noticed that the underside of the plate was quite dirty and one of William's plates was dirty on the top as well.
My Eggs Benedict tasted fine, but they put WAY too much parsley on it. It's supposed to be just a garnish. If I had wanted a salad, I would have ordered one. William's bacon was undercooked in some parts and burnt in others. His toast was just barely toasted and his pancakes were not only way undercooked and very wet, but he found a piece of plastic in one of them.
During our meal, the host decided that it was a good time to vacuum the floor. So, we had to listen to the roar of the vacuum while we were eating. It was extremely annoying. We then listened to our server lie twice to the table behind us. They had been seated before we got there, yet we got our food before they did. The server apologized about the long wait for their food, but told them that everything was taking a long time. This was not true considering we had gotten our food promptly. She lied a second time to them by telling them that they don't do chocolate chip pancakes on Sundays because it ruins the grill. Huh? Not even a hint of truth to that one. I think she just didn't want to order them for some reason.
Once we finally got the check, the server explained that she had circled the total at the bottom, but that there were separate totals for each of us as well. Now, I know that as a server, you shouldn't assume anything about who will be paying the check. However, 99% of parties where there is a male and a female are couples (unless it's lunch on a weekday) and only one person will be paying the whole check. It was quite obvious that we are married and we were offended that she thought we might be splitting the check.
We went up to the register to pay, and the host asked if we would like the check back to take their guest satisfaction survey. We both replied yes in tones of voice that should have tipped her off that we were NOT at all happy. She processed my credit card and gave me my credit card receipt, but then I had to ask her to give me the check so I could take the survey. In the 60 seconds it took her to run my credit card, she had forgotten. I snatched the check out of her hand, spun on my heel and walked quickly out the door. Usually, I would try to talk to a manager when things go bad, but it was so bad that we just wanted to get out of there.
Today, I tried to take the survey on line, but the printing on the check trails off where the store number is supposed to be printed, so I can't even take their survey to let them know how horrible our experience was. We won't be back.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Treasure Island Resort and Casino - July 7 & 8, 2007
Her perspective: C+
His perspective: C
After having a bad experience at Grand Casino, Hinckley, we decided to try Treasure Island. We signed up right away for their membership program, Passport Club, and spent some time walking around to get familiar with the layout and find our favorite games. After playing for a couple of hours, we were rapidly running out of money.
We went back the following day because they were giving out quintuple points.
At one point I had $50 on me and decided I wanted to play Blackjack. I sat down at a $5 table and was doing quite well at first. I went through three dealers, and I was doing better than I had at Hinckley, but I walked away from the table with only $25. I think I'd stick to Blackjack at Treasure Island, though. They have the tightest slots of any casino we've been to.
One thing that was pretty nice is that you are allowed to walk around the floor with alcoholic drinks. At Hinckley, you have to stay in their lounge or at the rail of the bar if you have alcohol and at Mystic Lake, they only sell N/A beer and wine. Treasure Island did have complimentary soft drinks and coffee, like everywhere else, but they had a very nice nightclub at the front entrance and three other bars throughout. There's also a non-smoking gaming room.
We might go back for promotions, but probably not make it our regular place. We were hemorrhaging money there.
His perspective: C
After having a bad experience at Grand Casino, Hinckley, we decided to try Treasure Island. We signed up right away for their membership program, Passport Club, and spent some time walking around to get familiar with the layout and find our favorite games. After playing for a couple of hours, we were rapidly running out of money.
We went back the following day because they were giving out quintuple points.
At one point I had $50 on me and decided I wanted to play Blackjack. I sat down at a $5 table and was doing quite well at first. I went through three dealers, and I was doing better than I had at Hinckley, but I walked away from the table with only $25. I think I'd stick to Blackjack at Treasure Island, though. They have the tightest slots of any casino we've been to.
One thing that was pretty nice is that you are allowed to walk around the floor with alcoholic drinks. At Hinckley, you have to stay in their lounge or at the rail of the bar if you have alcohol and at Mystic Lake, they only sell N/A beer and wine. Treasure Island did have complimentary soft drinks and coffee, like everywhere else, but they had a very nice nightclub at the front entrance and three other bars throughout. There's also a non-smoking gaming room.
We might go back for promotions, but probably not make it our regular place. We were hemorrhaging money there.
Grand Casino, Hinckley - July 7, 2007
Her perspective: C
His perspective: D
We have gone up to Hinckley several times in the last few weeks. Usually we lose money or break even. We've only won a couple of times.
The particular visit that I am reviewing was on Saturday, July 7. Being that the date was 7/7/07, they were having a special drawing and anyone who was a Grand Rewards member won something. We got there about an hour and a half before the drawing to find a line from the kiosks where you swipe your card winding halfway through the casino. We got in line and started to wait. After about a half hour, an employee came around saying that they were cutting off the line quite a bit ahead of us. There just wouldn't be enough time for everyone to get their ticket for the drawing. So, we got out of line and started playing some slots. A little while later, we heard over the PA system that due to the overwhelming response, they were going to pick 14 names instead of 7 to win $777 and that the line was still open. We went back to the line where there was another employee telling everyone that the line had been cut off. She also told us that the employee that had cut off the line earlier had been giving wrong information and we were not allowed back in line - not even for our other swipe. Part of the problem is that there are only 6 kiosks in the entire casino and one of them was down.
We were quite angry by this time since we were not allowed to participate in the promotion at all. We grabbed one comment card a piece and sat down in the bar to fill them out while having a cocktail. On our comment cards, we expressed how angry we were and both put in something about having more kiosks in more locations throughout the casino, especially when they have these kinds of special promotions.
We did still have the chance to swipe our cards for another promotion they are running this month, so we went back to the line and waited to use the kiosks. After we got our tickets we left.
We will probably go back for the next drawing, but we have decided to try out other casinos for a little while.
His perspective: D
We have gone up to Hinckley several times in the last few weeks. Usually we lose money or break even. We've only won a couple of times.
The particular visit that I am reviewing was on Saturday, July 7. Being that the date was 7/7/07, they were having a special drawing and anyone who was a Grand Rewards member won something. We got there about an hour and a half before the drawing to find a line from the kiosks where you swipe your card winding halfway through the casino. We got in line and started to wait. After about a half hour, an employee came around saying that they were cutting off the line quite a bit ahead of us. There just wouldn't be enough time for everyone to get their ticket for the drawing. So, we got out of line and started playing some slots. A little while later, we heard over the PA system that due to the overwhelming response, they were going to pick 14 names instead of 7 to win $777 and that the line was still open. We went back to the line where there was another employee telling everyone that the line had been cut off. She also told us that the employee that had cut off the line earlier had been giving wrong information and we were not allowed back in line - not even for our other swipe. Part of the problem is that there are only 6 kiosks in the entire casino and one of them was down.
We were quite angry by this time since we were not allowed to participate in the promotion at all. We grabbed one comment card a piece and sat down in the bar to fill them out while having a cocktail. On our comment cards, we expressed how angry we were and both put in something about having more kiosks in more locations throughout the casino, especially when they have these kinds of special promotions.
We did still have the chance to swipe our cards for another promotion they are running this month, so we went back to the line and waited to use the kiosks. After we got our tickets we left.
We will probably go back for the next drawing, but we have decided to try out other casinos for a little while.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Fieldhouse Sports Tavern & Grill - July 6, 2007
Fieldhouse Sports Tavern & Grill
(763) 533-3400
5632 W Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55428-3510
Rating: A-
I went to this restaurant on my lunch break from work with a friend. We were greeted and seated immediately and got to choose our table. The host was friendly, but seemed like she was bored. She did tell us the specials and our server's name. The server gave us some time to look at the menu before she greeted us, so we knew what we wanted to drink. By the time she returned with our drinks, we were ready to order. She took our order without writing anything down, but got everything correct. She came out a couple of minutes later with two new Cokes because she had noticed that the syrup had been running out when she poured our first ones, so she changed it and poured two new ones in case ours didn't taste right. I really appreciate how observant and guest-focused that was. She wasn't overly friendly, but she did take very good care of us. She checked back at an appropriate time (after we'd had a chance to taste our food, yet not just after we'd taken a bite.
I got the Smothered Chicken. My vegetables were incredibly tasty with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top. As my choice of potato, I got the waffle fries with seasoned sour cream (which tasted more like seasoned Ranch). Nothing good or bad about them, they were waffle fries... My chicken had some burnt grill marks on it, but having portobello mushrooms on it made it quite tasty.
I would definitely go back.
(763) 533-3400
5632 W Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55428-3510
Rating: A-
I went to this restaurant on my lunch break from work with a friend. We were greeted and seated immediately and got to choose our table. The host was friendly, but seemed like she was bored. She did tell us the specials and our server's name. The server gave us some time to look at the menu before she greeted us, so we knew what we wanted to drink. By the time she returned with our drinks, we were ready to order. She took our order without writing anything down, but got everything correct. She came out a couple of minutes later with two new Cokes because she had noticed that the syrup had been running out when she poured our first ones, so she changed it and poured two new ones in case ours didn't taste right. I really appreciate how observant and guest-focused that was. She wasn't overly friendly, but she did take very good care of us. She checked back at an appropriate time (after we'd had a chance to taste our food, yet not just after we'd taken a bite.
I got the Smothered Chicken. My vegetables were incredibly tasty with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top. As my choice of potato, I got the waffle fries with seasoned sour cream (which tasted more like seasoned Ranch). Nothing good or bad about them, they were waffle fries... My chicken had some burnt grill marks on it, but having portobello mushrooms on it made it quite tasty.
I would definitely go back.
Pirates of the Carribean 3: At World's End
Her Perspective: Wait
Synopsis: It is a dark time as the Age of Piracy nears to a close. Lord Cutler Beckett (TOM HOLLANDER) of the East India Company has gained control of the terrifying ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, and its malevolent, vengeful captain, Davy Jones (BILL NIGHY). The Dutchman now roams the seven seas, unstoppable, destroying pirate ships without mercy, under the command of Admiral Norrington (JACK DAVENPORT). Will Turner (ORLANDO BLOOM), Elizabeth Swann (KEIRA KNIGHTLEY) and Captain Barbossa (GEOFFREY RUSH) embark on a desperate quest to gather the Nine Lords of the Brethren Court, their only hope to defeat Beckett, the Flying Dutchman, and his Armada. But one of the Lords is missing—Captain Jack Sparrow (JOHNNY DEPP), either the best or worst pirate ever, and now trapped in Davy Jones’ Locker, thanks to his encounter with the monstrous Kraken. In an increasingly shaky alliance, our heroes, including Tia Dalma (NAOMIE HARRIS), Pintel (LEE ARENBERG) and Ragetti (MACKENZIE CROOK), must first travel to dangerous, exotic Singapore and confront Chinese pirate Captain Sao Feng (CHOW YUN-FAT) to gain charts, and a ship, that will take them off to world’s end, to rescue Jack. But even if Captain Jack is successfully rescued, the gathering of the legendary Brethren Court may not be enough to hold back the fearsome tide of Beckett, Davy Jones and their powerful Armada…unless the capricious sea goddess Calypso, imprisoned in human form, can be freed and convinced to come to their aid. As betrayal piles upon betrayal, it becomes clear that Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Sao Feng, and Barbossa each have their own agenda, and no one can be trusted. Yet each must choose a side, and make their final alliances for one last battle, in a titanic showdown that could eliminate the freedom-loving pirates from the seven seas—forever.
Review: I thought the movie was rather uneventful and boring. Captain Jack Sparrow did not have nearly as much of the quirkiness that we came to love in the first movie and the story didn't go anywhere. It was a very weak story line that was incredibly predictable. While it did have some good action sequences and great actors, there wasn't much they could do with that script. They spent a lot of time on repetetive conversations and not much time trying to further the story. I was very disappointed. On this series, I would have recommended that they stop after the first one. The sequel was not as good and the third was dreadful. If you are a huge Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom fan, by all means go see it, but wait until a dollar theater or video. If not, don't bother. It's a waste of time and money.
Synopsis: It is a dark time as the Age of Piracy nears to a close. Lord Cutler Beckett (TOM HOLLANDER) of the East India Company has gained control of the terrifying ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, and its malevolent, vengeful captain, Davy Jones (BILL NIGHY). The Dutchman now roams the seven seas, unstoppable, destroying pirate ships without mercy, under the command of Admiral Norrington (JACK DAVENPORT). Will Turner (ORLANDO BLOOM), Elizabeth Swann (KEIRA KNIGHTLEY) and Captain Barbossa (GEOFFREY RUSH) embark on a desperate quest to gather the Nine Lords of the Brethren Court, their only hope to defeat Beckett, the Flying Dutchman, and his Armada. But one of the Lords is missing—Captain Jack Sparrow (JOHNNY DEPP), either the best or worst pirate ever, and now trapped in Davy Jones’ Locker, thanks to his encounter with the monstrous Kraken. In an increasingly shaky alliance, our heroes, including Tia Dalma (NAOMIE HARRIS), Pintel (LEE ARENBERG) and Ragetti (MACKENZIE CROOK), must first travel to dangerous, exotic Singapore and confront Chinese pirate Captain Sao Feng (CHOW YUN-FAT) to gain charts, and a ship, that will take them off to world’s end, to rescue Jack. But even if Captain Jack is successfully rescued, the gathering of the legendary Brethren Court may not be enough to hold back the fearsome tide of Beckett, Davy Jones and their powerful Armada…unless the capricious sea goddess Calypso, imprisoned in human form, can be freed and convinced to come to their aid. As betrayal piles upon betrayal, it becomes clear that Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Sao Feng, and Barbossa each have their own agenda, and no one can be trusted. Yet each must choose a side, and make their final alliances for one last battle, in a titanic showdown that could eliminate the freedom-loving pirates from the seven seas—forever.
Review: I thought the movie was rather uneventful and boring. Captain Jack Sparrow did not have nearly as much of the quirkiness that we came to love in the first movie and the story didn't go anywhere. It was a very weak story line that was incredibly predictable. While it did have some good action sequences and great actors, there wasn't much they could do with that script. They spent a lot of time on repetetive conversations and not much time trying to further the story. I was very disappointed. On this series, I would have recommended that they stop after the first one. The sequel was not as good and the third was dreadful. If you are a huge Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom fan, by all means go see it, but wait until a dollar theater or video. If not, don't bother. It's a waste of time and money.
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