Ben Michaels — Restaurant in Albuquerque

TLDR: The owner caused a demoralizing scene, attempted to kick me out, and chased one friend outside over 6 dollars that he was never in danger of NOT receiving. He apologized to a different band member friend that was still there after I left because he knew he was wrong.

I've been to Ben Michael's several times to support fellow musicians. I was there for one of my closest friends playing during a CD release party. I invited another friend. The main performance ended and the band was doing an extended jam session. At this time I got on my phone to sort out our next steps. Ben Michael stood over my friend's back and told us to get off our phones. My friend playing in the band said LOTS of people were on their phones THROUGHOUT the performance. There is no sign posted about devices. He chastised us like kids, calling us "girls" and implying we were being disrespectful. This was after he painfully ran into my bad knee twice while serving others, without as much as an acknowledgment, nevertheless an apology. I originally chalked it up to being a very small space, but I felt extra annoyed after giving him grace for his slight that he felt the need to admonish me in front of others for something multiple people were doing. I decided we'd leave as soon as I paid for my friend's margarita and spoke to my friend playing. The friend sitting with me decided to walk outside to wait. This is where Ben Michael truly lost his mind. He interrogated me about where my friend went before he chased her outside! He harassed her, yelling that she owed him 6 dollars. He walked back in furious, talking loudly about how she owed him 6 bucks. The band was still having a jam session at this point so who was being more disruptive/disrespectful? I asked him repeatedly what his issue was and he ignored me and proceeded to huff around. Another patron sheepishly walked over to me and said, "Is he mad because your friend walked out? My husband had to go to the ATM..." (The place is cash only). Did he run after and/or yell at the man? Of course not. The waitress came over and apologized. The musician/artist that should have been the center of the release party came over and apologized. I felt bad that attention was being taking from the performers. By the way, we hadn't been handed a bill yet and my friend had a $20 bill sitting on the table for at least 30 minutes before he started his antics. More evidence no one was a thief in this scenario or trying to catch a case OVER 6 DOLLARS. Ben Michael approached as I talked to band members, attempting to explain himself. I no longer wanted to talk; the damage was done. I handed him 6 dollars and said there was nothing more to discuss. This set him off further and he started pointing to his "Right To Refuse Service." sign. "You see that sign? Get out. I want you out!" I told him to call the police if he had such an issue. He said he wasn't going to call the police, knowing he'd look like a fool if he did. Realizing the optics of the situation, he adjusted, but actually insulted me more by turning to my band friend to verify I was with her. She told him not only was I there with and for her, that I had been there multiple times. Why did I need her to vouch for and validate me though? He told her I was being disrespectful on my phone. I explained to her why I was on my phone and asked her if in our 28-ish years of friendship have I ever treated her with anything other than the utmost respect. She said no, and he huffed off. I left, not because he told me to, but because I wanted the focus to return to the artists. Ben Michael apologized to this friend repeatedly after I left. He eventually conceded to her that he owed me a margarita. LOL. Sorry Ben Michael, but I won't be returning. You made it very clear what you think of me. My character and reputation in this community and state is above any such treatment from you. The lack of dignity and disrespect you showed me won't be assuaged by...

Do you like over-priced food, poorly made drinks, and getting an attitude from your server before you’ve even sat down at your table? If so, then Ben Michael's Restaurant is right for you!

Last night, I went to Ben Michael’s with the intention of eating some food there, having a drink, and listening to some nice jazz. I walked in the door and was greeted by the man of the house, Ben Michael himself. Instead of a nice warm greeting, he immediately said to me, “How many?” I told him three people. He then said, “Are you going to order food?” I said yes, we would all be ordering food. Then he said, “Everyone has to order something, you can’t just hang out here.” Mind you, I just told him I and everyone else in my party would be ordering! I even told him, “Ok, I just said we would be ordering food.” And he then gave me the classic boomer stare. I’ve never experienced such rude treatment from a restaurant that I came to with the explicitly expressed intention of spending money there!

I understand that you wouldn’t want to seat people at the tables there if they weren’t going to get food or drinks. But when I come into your restaurant and tell you that my party is going to be ordering food and drinks, and you still give me lip, that’s unacceptable.

This is not the first time this has happened either! Last time I went with a group of people, we all intended to buy drinks and food. We sat down at our table and Ben again came up to us and said, “The tables are for people who are ordering food.” When I said “Yes, I would like to order food,” he simply walked away.

On the subject of the food at this “restaurant”, it sucks! The food comes out on a very hot plate, and yet the innards of the enchiladas are cold, a tell-tale sign they rely on their Chef Microwave a little too much. If you want to charge $13 for cheese enchiladas, they better be damn good. If you like cheap tourist trap food, Ben Michael’s is the place to be!

The vibes are off at Ben Michael’s. I felt like I entered an alternate dimension where I go to restaurants, tell them I want to eat there, and get reprimanded for it. Ridiculous. This place is literally only worth it for the jazz music. Much love to the jazz players, but I recommend you all take your...

First of all, make sure you bring cash. If you don't, they will turn you away to the Bank of America ATM, and fail to mention the $4.50 inconvenience fee. The lady, who was the only server in the establishment, was rude and adamant that we had to order something to be able to sit in the restaurant. We let it go, and we sat down at the big table (two small tables bunched together) we sat for a little while and she brought our chips and salsa and waters in Dixie cups? As she approached the table, she brought the items, one in each hand, but with her thumb partially in the salsa. I watched her as she was aware of what was going on. She left the salsa and didn't attemp to replace it. Use a tray! It was packed, but we didn't get our drink order for quite some time.

Toward the end of our first round, we asked for a chip refill. She never returned. Keep in mind, the place isn't very big. Now here is the kicker...we were about to order some entrees. A man who was running food outside, came to our table after he ran his order. He came up to our table and tells us that we will have to split/give up one of our two little tables (By the window/entrance), because people were waiting to sit. "Well are you going to order anything??!", he said. Had we done that, there would be 6 people to a small table. I told him to repeat himself, because out of all the years of working in the food industry and being a patron of many establishments, I couldn't believe my ears. I told him, "We have an order coming up." And he walked away. As he was telling me this, he was looking at me and tapping his finger on my friend's shoulder. The waitress never returned with our chips. We were about to place our order. At that point, I was appalled and we lost our appetite and desire to be there. People, it's nothing special. Just a small building with Adobe walls. There are plenty of other establishments in Old town/Albuquerque that will treat you much better than how these people treated us. You've...