First reviewed by stfong

• 

  stfong
  Oct 14, 2008

  Call me....disappointed...

  • Your Rating: 0/5 Stars
  • Average Rating: 3.0/5 Stars

  3.0
  

  We were a group of 10 and we sat in a curtained-off area, which was nice, though it was a little dark. Service was generally very good and very attentive. Unfortunately, however, we took the server's advice on dishes and wine. He said the crab cake was the best and he should know because he was from Maryland. I told him I was from Maryland, too, and I had a pretty high standard. He assured me it was the best. Well, I was disappointed...
  
  He recommended a bone-in rib-eye to my husband, who requested it be prepared medium rare. Unfortunately, it arrived not even rare, but uncooked! Because it was so dark, he knew the rib-eye was rarer than he wanted, so he didn't eat it and just brought it home. Only when we saw it in the light, did we discover that it was totally uncooked, except for the searing on the outsides. We were disappointed...
  
  The server also recommended a bottle of wine, which was delicious. He suggested we get the magnum because it was a good deal and better than buying 2 regular bottles. He kept the glasses filled...and for good reason. It meant that 2 magnums were consumed over the course of a 2 hour meal. Not until we received the bill did we discover, to our surprise, that each magnum cost $200, for a total wine bill of $400. We were all somewhat stunned as we walked out.
  
  Upon reflection, I decided to call the next day to voice our displeasure of not being told how much the magnum cost. The general manager explained that servers are sometimes reluctant to say a price so as not to insult the guests. However, I would argue that there is always a nice way of conveying the price to guests without sounding like they can't afford it. And, it's more awkward for the guests to ask how much. The general manager said he'd speak with his district manager and get back to me.
  
  A week passed before I received a call from the general manager saying that they were sending us a gift certificate. In the meantime, I also dropped by with the raw rib-eye.
  
  I just received a "token of [their] sincerity" in today's mail -- a $50 gift certificate, and NO response to the bottles of wine. I am returning the gift certificate along with a letter recounting a story of how The Refectory treats its customers and knows how to build loyalty.
  
  Needless to say, we are very disappointed and will consider other steakhouses when wanting a steak, or other eating establishments in the Short North when wanting to dine in-town.
  
  Call me....disappointed with their follow-through customer service... Talk about throwing us a bone!

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