Village Pub — Restaurant in Asheville

I have been in food and beverage for 50 years. So I understand how difficult it is to manage and run a restaurant. I am not a hard person to please, pub food is pub food. But I will tell you that the Village Pub is one of the worst experiences I have ever had. I only live a few blocks away so very convenient for me. I have had other experiences here that weren't that great but nothing serious, but nothing to keep me coming back. But this time is different. The manager greeted me, was even kind enough to move a small table for me to watch a particular game. I chose another spot close to some younger gentleman. I sat there for a few minutes and waited for some service and literally three servers walked past me and look straight into my face and did not even acknowledge me. There are a few Cardinal rules in food and beverage and that is one of them. So I proceeded to the bar to get a beer, left my phone on the table, when I get back to my table there is a newborn baby and a carrier almost sitting on my phone. Of course the parents were focused on the child and didn't see my phone, no big deal. So I moved down to another table, a four top, the manager sees me and looks me straight in the face and says you cannot sit here. Doesn't say I'm sorry excuse me I need this for a four top which I would have been fine with because I have been in that situation before. He tells me a second time very rudely I can't sit here. I tell him I couldn't get service, he says well you already have a beer. Yes I have a beer because I had to go to the bar because your service won't wait on me. Secondly I was going to order food, but the last three times I've eaten there the food has been so terribly bad. Again pub food is pub food but these guys can't even get that right. If you want to run a food and beverage establishment please at least have a little better way of communicating with people and train your servers to some basics,...

I really wanted to like this bar. Saw the open at last sign and was super excited to check it out. Unfortunately, this was such a strange and disappointing experience. We asked a bartender if we were ordering food should we order at the bar and the bartender said take a seat wherever and someone will be over to help us. Waited 10 minutes and no one ever came. There was maybe 15 customers total in the whole place and multiple servers walking around, but no one ever came over. I thought that’s fine, I’ll just go to the bar and order. I used to work in a restaurant, stuff happens. Ordered a Non-Alcoholic ginger beer and a burger and fries. The bartender asked for my ID. I said sure, but it’s a non alcoholic ginger beer right? She said yes. After asking some other lady sitting at the bar the bartender told me my ID wasn’t accepted because of it being a temporary. I still have no idea what that lady had to do with my ID. I confirmed for the second time that I ordered a non alcoholic ginger beer. Then provided 2 other forms of ID. Finally got the ginger beer.

Anyway, food made it to us in a decent time. The burger was average and the fries seemed like frozen fair fries. Kind of pricey for what it was. The guy counting the register cash drawers at the tables in the dining area while we were eating was super weird. This place seems to be confused on what type of place it is. Decor outside seems beachy, but inside is a different feel. Usually don’t care about looks but service was so awful I ended up focusing on all the things that didn’t make sense. Wishing this first impression didn’t...

We’ve frequented the Village Pub since it’s opening since it’s so close to our home. The menu IMO is great. Lots of variety for a ‘pub’ and reasonably priced for the area. We typically sit at the bar and as mentioned in many other reviews there are like 3 seats that allow you to have a good view of a tv. It is marketed as a ‘sports bar’ in the village but that’s a far stretch. We’ve showed up to watch games on sundays and most of the tvs are tuned into television shows and never once have we heard the game audio. It’s ALWAYS 60s music. This def impacts the experience if you are marketing to ‘come watch the game’ with us. While most of the time the manager will change the televisions, it’s a pain to have to ask every time you enter the place. Sundays are sundays, turn on the NFL… Lol

The bartending staff is fantastic. They are always helpful and energetic. It’s still new so we understand there will be things to work out and I’m glad to see the responses on the reviews. Here’s hoping to continuous improvements or at least more...