The Dickens — Restaurant in Burlington

I went here for lunch with a friend and inside the restaurant it smelt pretty gross, that should have been the first hint to have walked out but we decided to sit outside and everyone else was sitting outside as well.. probably due to the stuffy smell. It was the servers first morning shift but she wasn't new, she was incredibly rude, not entirely sure why she decided to pull an attitude with us from the very moment we came there. As paying customers you think she would be a decent server and be somewhat nice. She got our orders wrong, we both ordered steak on a bun with a Caesar salad which was supposed to be $16 each, she came out with almost a $30 steak meal for the both of us. When I politely said I ordered us the steak on the bun instead of fixing the issue she tried fighting me on this matter, she grabbed the menu and pointed to the steak dinner and when I said no that is not what I ordered she had the audacity to slam the menu shut and shower me with even more attitude. Typically the customer is supposed to be right, to a certain degree. I have never been treated so rudely or have a server try and argue me anything. So with that reaction I definitely did not trust sending her back with our food to have I originally ordered us... would you after that? So we just ate what could of it. The steak was delicious but the salad tasted like it had been sitting in the fridge for quite a few hours and the bacon tasted stale, all the dressing and toppings were at the very bottom of the bowl as well.. The coffee was horrible, it actually tasted like dirt. I'm the type of person that will keep drinking it not to be rude, but it was that bad I couldn't continue it after two sips. When we got tea instead we had to call her over to refill the milk since the bowl was empty from attempting to drink the coffee. I definetly will not be returning to this place nor would I ever recommend eating here. The bathrooms are located upstairs, so it's not wheel chair accessible. Dickens looked nice from the outside so that initially got our attention, but from the odd musty and foul odour, to the horrible customer service and stale salad, this had to be the worst experience I have ever had eating out. Perhaps it is good for a night out drinking from the previous reviews, (if the place doesn't smell like that all the time) but that will be my first and last time ever going to Dickens. Perhaps the server should work on her manners if she plans on working in this sort of buissness, I've worked in customer service and if I ever treated any of my customers with the ounce of disrespect she gave us I would have been terminated immediately. I'm not one to complain, but I felt like this...

The four stars is not reflection on the food or the service by bartender Kylie (spelling?). We came to look at the space last Friday for an event in the New Year. Kylie was very apparently serving everyone sitting at the bar and everyone in the dining room. She was kind, friendly, personable and tried to answer as many questions as she could about booking the space. She also provided us with the event planner, Erica's number so we could connect with her. We had already been in contact with Erica, however, that was above and beyond on Kylie's part. Kylie was pouring drinks, running food and taking orders. By herself. In a very efficient manner I might add. Review for Kylie is FIVE STARS ALL AROUND. However, there was a man standing around for most of the time we were there. He appeared to be the owner or more possibly the Manager? He stood around leaning on the bar counter or standing and just watching Kylie run around the pub on her own. At one point, we saw Kylie request that he run food for one of her tables, which he obliged. This is the only task he appeared to perform to assist his staff. He approached our table while I was mid-bite and my colleague had finished and asked how our food was. She answered him and he walked away without clearing her empty plate. I have never seen a manager operate like this after working as a server in the hospitality industry for 15 years. Serving 101, full hands out and full hands in. How is a manager ok with standing around and watching an employee bust her behind to make sure the customers are served and happy? And then leaving an empty plate on the table and walking away. Deplorable. I'm assuming it was a manager and not the Owner, as every Owner I have worked with is in the trenches with the servers, expo and hostesses to ensure a great experience for guests. Please pass our kudos along to Kylie. She was absolutely phenomenal and we will request her for our...

Staff does not cut people off, the pub was filthy, and music was way too loud. This pub reminds me of an overly drunk college kid who can’t hold his liquor, throws up on your floor and leaves so he/she doesn’t clean it up. I definitely will not be returning. Would only recommend to people who want to feel like they're at a college party.

Pros: • If you like drinking alcohol, overly loud music and feeling like you’re in college this is the place for you • Location • The drink I had tasted good

Cons: • Not enough staff (waited at a table for a long time then decided it wasn’t worth it to stay) • Staff does not cut people off (stop serving overly drunk people alcohol) • the pub was filthy (feet kept sticking to the floor like it has a layer of glue on it) • music was way too loud (even if you yelled your friend standing next to you wouldn’t be able to hear you, if you wanted to talk you had to go outside) • Alcohol is way over priced • Atmosphere in general

My Experience: My friends and I wanted to celebrate my graduation by taking me to a pub. One friend recommended this place. We walked in to a band playing overly loud music, my feet kept on sticking to the floor, and the bar area was overly crowded. We went to the back to sit down and order drinks. We waited at the table for a long time (no server came our way or paid us any attention), we could barely hear one another of the music (you had to yell at the top of your lungs to be heard), after 10 minutes of waiting my friend squeezed his way to the bar to grab me an alcoholic drink to celebrate, after receiving this drink everyone at the table wanted to leave.

When I went up to pay for the drink it was way over priced double of what it should have been. While getting up to leave the pub an overly drunk gentleman’s beer happened to slip from his fingers and crash to the floor, spilling all over the dress I wore out. Worst experience at a pub I have ever had. I will not...