Anatolia Cafe & Hookah Lounge — Restaurant in Atlanta

Every two weeks, my office gathers after work at a local spot. On August 26, 2022, we chose this restaurant as it was within walking distance. A co-worker and I arrived about 5:30, and there were already about 14 of us there. In total, there was at least 25 that came. My co-worker and I sat at the end of a table upstairs and did not change seat the entire time. I ordered from Clayton, a young man who said he was overwhelmed when I asked how he was.

I received my beer right away. More people came and placed their orders. Shortly, a young curly haired gentleman came to tell us that Clayton would soon be leaving and another server would be attending to us. Clayton returned to tell us he was clocking out and we would need to combine out checks, so he began dividing our tabs into groups of four. At this point, we had been there for about 30 minutes. Others who arrived after us were receiving their food and drinks, but three of us, who had not moved, were still waiting.

Clayton then asked us whom he grouped on one tab what did we order. We all thought it, but didn't say it, but he had just taken our orders moments before? We hadn't moved. He should know? We repeated our orders and Clayton departed. 45 minutes had passed and we were without food, drinks, or hookahs as ordered. More coworkers arrived and received their food before us. I asked Clayton about my food and he reminded me he was about to clock out and it was on its way.

Clayton returned with the checks, but no food. I asked Clayton again about the food and he responded that he is about to clock out and he's not responsible for the kitchen. I told Clayton that I understand he's about to clock out, but bringing a check to pay for food and drinks not received and his work schedule wasn't bringing me any solace or food. An hour had passed.

I go downstairs to ask for a manager. The manager was upstairs. I go back upstairs and explain my situation and that I wanted to ensure that by coming to him to place my order that a duplicate order would not be placed. The manager attempts to blame me for why I haven't received my food by stating that it was difficult as people were moving around. 1) I hadn't moved, and 2) even if I had, the food could have found me if it was made. My dish never came upstairs whether I had relocated or not. I told him I had been in the same spot the entire time, that I would like my food now, and at this point it needs to be free or discounted. He immediately said it would not be either. Right then I should have not ordered at all. He asked if I wanted it to go. I said I want it now. Here. He showed no interest or expediency in resolving my complaint. Clayton returned with the tabs. My order wasn't even on the check. Other tabs were incorrect. Clayton just couldn't get it together and management was feckless in providing aid to Clayton or customer service.

Clayton comes back upstairs with a single tab telling me they've put in my order. Then Mishka comes upstairs to curtly tell us, she will now be our server and everything will now be on one tab: mine. Ha! It didn't matter because we had already paid, but the sheer audacity. I really shouldn't even have a tab after this fiasco of customer service. We all got up and left vowing never to return. Does this restaurant care? Likely not, but every pay day Friday, our office gathers to find our own "Cheers" likely spending $75-100ea every two weeks. This restaurant won't be it for us and I would have given it a zero rating if I could.

And the response is indicative of the service received. If you can't accommodate your customers, perhaps you should consider hiring more staff or aiding the staff that is overwhelmed. If it takes an hour to bring out a customer's food after they asked about several times while everyone else has received theirs, and they never moved, that's not the customer. That's your wait staff and management's inability to rectify the problem timely. I see management blaming customers in the poor reviews and it's the lack of accountability here...

Be aware read the page long rules on the menu. I've been to this establishment lots of times. But yesterday was the last time I will visit this place. Whether it's busy or not the servers take along time to come to the table and even when the drinks have been serve and your ready for something else from my experience I have to flag the server down to get waited on again. But the one server we get he is the only reason why I came back. But what happen this time I am was very upset. I believe in great services especially when it comes to food. My mother ordered lamb chops when she bit into the chop she had to pull the bone while using her neck to take a bite. I said that looks very tough and you need to take that back. We flagged down the waiter and we told her the lamb was tough and dry. The server said she can have them fix it by putting the lamb chops back in the grill. My mom said she rather have something else because it will get drier than it was. The server stated that there are NO REFUNDS on food. She took the food and bought her manager back to the table. The manager was unfriendly, no smile and very unprofessional. I'm a very observant person and like I've mentioned I've been here lots of times and he is always standing around with this unplesant disposition. He stated the same thing she said No Refunds but we will fix it. It's sad we had no choice but to accept what they gave us even when it was the cook that prepared the lamb tough that only a dog could chew it. The manager took the plate back to the cook in which I can see everything because the kitchen is open to the dining area. I seen three guys hovering over my mothers food and pulling apart the meat. The one guys ate a piece of the lamb and start talking over the food to the other guys. I got up and approach the cooks. I asked them what is going on and explained to them that the lamb is tough and dry. He said yes it is I just tasted it. I will make you a new order. The food came back out tender and juicy in which this is how it should have been presented and served at a Turkish Restaurant( lamb being the staple food). I gave the chef/cook a thumbs up from the table because he was looking my way for approval. But what makes matters worst not the server but the manager never came back to the table to ask how was the food or apologize. I flagged him down and expressed to him that as a manager he was very unprofessional and rude in which l told him he should have came back to the table to see if the food was at my mother's satisfaction. When the server gave us the bill....She added the gratuity on three people eating. Yes, she was good about the situation and she has to follow the rules as far as refunds but a table of three should not have gratuity added to the bill. We didn't mind giving her what she added in and we didn't have to do it but we did tip her great! As far as this restaurant and the management, I don't feel like they care about services and customer satisfaction. They know they are going to get paid whether you like it or not because they placed on the menu a page long of rules they want you to follow. It's literally a page long! No refunds and gratuity will be added no matter the number of guess. Poor service or unsatisfied food you don't have a choice but they do because they have rules they you have to follow and you have to pay no matter the situation....

Horrible service ! I visited this establishment last night March 30,2019 to bring in my birthday. My sister and I sat upstairs , waited forever as servers walked by , and we were NEVER helped . As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry I know how busy it can be so my patience level is more than most when it comes to dining out. For me to say an experience was horrible , it truly had to be . Servers kept walking right past us and not one ever stopped to asked if we had been helped . We asked the guy who was serving the table next to us ( mind you after 30 mins) if we could receive some service . He says let me go check and see who your server is . 30 more minutes go by of us appearing as if we don’t exist , my sister has to ask him AGAIN if he was able to find out who was suppose to serve us , he says left me check and left again. 15 more minutes go by and he says I’ll take care of you all, the complete opposite was done . Mr “ wild bill crazy” did not want to be bothered with us and that should have been said . My sister tells him it’s my birthday and he says I will take care of you all that never happened . I had to ask 3X for a water , he brought our hookah out and never even tested it in front of us to make sure it worked , he pretty much threw it down and left , never asked if we needed refills on our drinks , or even checked on me after I got my food . It took my sister going downstairs to the bar to get us what we needed , he never came to check on us after he threw everything down on the table , or even moved our coals . Now get this , he moved the guys coals next to us on his hookah, he was right BY our table , didn’t bother to move ours , ask us if we needed anything , just left . He disappears for 35 more mins , I’m now over it and ready to go. I ask him for the check , waited 30 mins to get it , have my card ready to cash out and had to wait 40 mins before he would get my card to cash us out , yet again my sister gets up and goes downstairs and looks for our server . Then of course he adds gratuity on the check. I understand on the menu it says they have the right to add it however where was “ wild bill crazy’s “ moral compass at this point . He didn’t try and compensate for anything after he knows the experience we had been having, then he knows he gave horrible service and adds gratuity !? I’m not arguing with them having them right to add it , again I was a server most of my life so I understand , but he KNEW it was wrong for him to add it because he had given out HORRIBLE service why would you give yourself something you knew you didn’t deserve ? Especially when you added the gratuity because you knew you would have gotten stiffed for the horrible service, let’s be real you wouldn’t even tip yourself at that point . He just didn’t care and I hate this because I know this is a great establishment because of the proir reviews and we just had a bad experience . The food was great , ambiance was great , just piss poor service . I could have sent this is an email but for some reason I can’t find an email for this establishment online . I hope that someone from the restaurant reads this so they can be aware of what happened . I hate for someone else to be mislead from the internet reviews and have the same...