ALEX Frankfurt The Squaire — Restaurant in Frankfurt

Wow. This was just so bad. To be clear, the food is decent which is why I give one star. The service is SO bad that I'm writing this across the square at Paulaner, where the service is much better. I've been to the Alex a number of times over the last year and it's gotten worse each time. I won't be back. I literally just sat at the bar for a half hour or more, with two bartenders -- more on them in a minute -- five to ten feet from me the entire time and neither ever offered to either a) refill my beer or b) see if I wanted anything to eat (despite my obvious study of the menu).

As for the bartenders, they stood around toying with their sanitary gloves, they looked out the window at the sunset, they cuddled a lot (sadly, I'm not joking), they prepared drinks for the waiters , he made a Deal about showing her the ropes (she seemed new), they chatted, etc., etc. They did not address the few people, including myself, at the bar.

Perhaps that is not their role. I am willing to consider that. Maybe they only engage and serve the waiters. It begs the question why they HAVE seats at the bar. But, in case that is the model, let's move to the wait staff. The reason I was at the bar in the first instance is because the last time I was here, the waiter disappeared, for perhaps forty minutes. I eventually had to chase someone else down for a refill, the check, etc. This time, I figured sitting at the bar just five feet from the bartender(s) couldn't help but improve my odds.

I was mistaken. And the nuzzling, fawning, back rubbing etc between the two bartenders really belonged in another room.

I eventually cornered the waiter, who had initially offered to supply my first beer and was, I believe, the guy who disappeared last time, and got my check. Needless to say, I had to go find him.

The other guy who was waiting on customers is both a bit taller and much better from a service standpoint. Had him on some of the earlier visits. But not worth the risk. And, to be clear, I've traveled to Germany several times per year over the last four years for work. I have some sense of the average level of service in-country. This is not the perspective of a one...

Gosh what a horrible experience. I ordered a small lemonade 0.3 as I was about to go on a coach trip and didn't want to need the loo when travelling ... it was 4 euros. When I went to pay and gave the waiter 5 euros he said thanks. I said where is my change and he said tip. Then when I contested the cost he told me I'd ordered something else that cost 4.40 which was 0.5 in size (which I knew I would never have ordered- my German is limited but null comma 3 is clear). I said fine keep the change and he said he didn't want it. But he didn't just say he didn't want it, he was really deeply nasty towards me and acted like a mean older man towards a solo female traveller. Having travelled for 6 hours with another 4 hours to go that's really not the restful experience anyone deserves. In fact I normally always tip naturally, but 1 euro tip for a 4 euro drink seemed excessive even for me. The waiter was mean bullying and nasty. Sadly I won't be back as I usually love to stop by here during business travels and use frankfurt Airport all the time... female solo travellers definitely avoid this...

Sad. This place was good once. Well, at least it was the one time we went, late Covid. It's now awful in basic food (Schnitzel classic, I've had a lot better from the Imbissbude at any train station; or the Nachos, a joke of burnt, salted Doritos with cheese wiz and a few jalapeno slices). I remember the Schnitzel being great, the curry was good, the burger... didn't try those this time, so maybe there's file. But the service was a joke too, like most places now; theee folks have never received even basic training, they seem surprised to see international guests, surprised that you want food, surprised that you have questions about the menu. Oh, the G&Ts were fantastic, in a big tallboy! Though they ran out of Tanqueray. Not the lack of it but the fact itself: you have multiple premium gins on the menu, you charge a hefty price for the drink, and you can't keep your liquor stocked?? Tells me all I need to know about how incompetently this place is managed, and why it's gone downhill. Next time, I'm going to try the Paulaner across which is likely...