Frog Hollow Tavern — Restaurant in Augusta

This is my third time coming to Frog Hollow Tavern. Each time I have been with different people, and really enjoyed the food. Each time coming into the restaurant has not been a good experience.

We had Ben as our server tonight, and he was a delight! Thank goodness, because we certainly didn’t feel welcome when we arrived. 😔 All three times, I have been to FHT, I have had a reservation. Tonight, I arrived at exactly the time of our reservation. (8:15) My daughter and I came in while my husband and son-in-law parked the car. We were told we wouldn’t be seated until they came into the restaurant, even though I told the hostess, they were just parking the car. So we stood in the lobby until they came inside. What a sad way to treat your customers who have come into your establishment. Especially, when you had our table ready from the get go! Why?!? Just so unpleasant and not welcoming. This was the second time this has happened to me when I had a reservation at this restaurant. When I said something to the hostess this time, she said it was their policy. No apology, just that she couldn’t help it….it was the policy of the restaurant. Okay…I certainly don’t blame her, but I feel it is no way to start off a good review for a restaurant. No matter what the reasoning from the management is, as to why they have this rule, it doesn’t send a warming welcome to your customer who has come to visit your establishment. Bad start!

My family all enjoyed our meal, and our excellent service from Ben! He certainly helped us feel more welcome and we enjoyed that he knew the menu and any questions we asked about the food or drinks. Thank you, Ben! You were so attentive to our needs, and had knowledge of the menu along with a wonderful personality. YOU made our meal enjoyable. YOU were the highlight to our dining experience! 😊

Then we come to the check and the 3% added fee for using our credit card. Anyone out there hate that as much as we do?!? Why not just add the fee to the food price, and not make the customer feel like they have to pay for something YOU should accommodate for? This is YOUR restaurant! We are coming to YOUR establishment to give YOU our business! It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, to pay for the charge fees! Bad finish!!

Notice that I haven’t said a lot about the food we ordered?!? It was definitely good but, I honestly don’t know that I would ever come back. I can’t stress enough the importance of welcoming a customer when they make the time to enter your restaurant. Also, let them know you appreciate their business, without charging them another 3% to their bill for the food they ordered from your establishment. You should do better Frog Hollow Tavern. There are many, many good restaurants in the CSRA. Make your community feel welcome when they come thru your doors and when they leave. Again, we thank you Ben! I would promote you as...

This post is for those looking for a vegetarian option:

Let me begin by saying the staff and service is spectacular (three of the four times I have been). I am posting regarding last visit where we brought friends who had never eaten there before.

This was my fourth visit and the reason I will most likely not return unless I am attending a group event and have no choice. When I made the reservation, I specifically mentioned that two vegetarians will be at dinner that night.

I have had one good meal out of the four visits. Vegetarian dishes do not exist unless you order sides. I am not a true vegetarian, but my friend is. (I do not eat meat often and would much prefer everything else compared to meat.)

The vegetables served with the specials are exceptional; however, to try to order them as a meal is not allowed due to the limited number of servings.

The server even approached the table and said, "I hear we have two vegetarians tonight". And then informed us we can just order sides. When I asked about the root vegetables with pecans like I had last time, she said they could not do that. (The one good meal I had on the last visit, I ordered the pork chop and said "without the pork chop" just so I could get the root vegetable "hash". So, I paid the pork chop price just for a plate of vegetables. But, I also felt as an important patron since they tried to accommodate me.) This last visit was not the case.

On this particular evening, I had the risotto, mac and cheese, and broccoli. The mac and cheese is "famous". It had a beautiful smoked gouda flavor but so incredibly dry. The broccoli was steamed to a perfect fork-tender; however, there was so much cayenne or red pepper flakes on it that the two of us who had the broccoli could not even enjoy it or finish it because the pepper was overpowering.

The presentation was lacking. Great effort seems to be made on the meat entrées while my sides were haphazardly dropped on a plate.

My husband enjoyed his pork shoulder. His mac and cheese was overly dry. As far as our dinner guests that night; the gentleman enjoyed his steak but could not eat the broccoli. His wife, who is vegetarian and allergic to dairy, did not. Her only option was some arugula on some apples.

So, we ordered another bottle of wine and laughed about it all, but I am so embarrassed at the experience.

When I made the reservations, I shared the allergy and the vegetarian requests thinking they would plan for the two extra people wanting...

I’m here in Augusta for the first, not much to do on Broadway Street. It is quiet. I decide since I had NOT EATEN since yesterday (2-13-2020), I would try next door to Hyatt (where I am a quest). I stopped in earlier in the day to ask a few questions, as this restaurant is RESERVATION ONLY unless you want to sit at the bar. I did NOT mine that at all; so I returned to Frog & Hollow after walking around for a while. Well, the entire time that I was there, the young behind the bar (waitress) talked to the REGULARS, and showed the great service; however, EVERY TIME I requested a re-fill, it was delayed while she waited on people from one end of the bar to the other end, while I STILL WAITED. It wasn’t until she looked in my direction, that she would seem to remember that I had requested more tea (over 10+ minutes ago). I would sit with this look OF “I’m paying as well, so why can’t I receive the SAME level of service as the others around me. She even took time to explain the things that Frog & Holly are known for to another couple whom she asked had they ever been there before. I wasn’t asked. She knew that I WASN’T a regular, I DO NOT LIVE IN GEORGIA, but she never offered this commentary to me about Frog & Hollow; she ALSO MESSED UP MY ORDER BIG TIME. I told her that I wanted my STEAK (medium well), I want very little red showing in it. Well, when I received my Steak, it was VERY RED inside. (I know normally people would say, you want it well done. NO, because then it is almost burnt); so I take the time to explain how I want my steak. This is habitual with me every where I go. I ate it with a feeling of wanting to throw up. My family can tell u, mom does NOT like her steaks “still bleeding” as I call it. So, I was disappointed, already a little irritated at the things I was seeing, so I DECIDED NOT TO SAY ANYTHING, and FORCE MYSELF TO EAT THE “UNDESIRED” meal. I had NOT EATEN SINCE YESTERDAY. She even poured the lady on the end another glass of wine while she was gone to the restroom, and at that time, I was STILL WAITING for another tea. I STARTED TO LEAVE A PENNY, for I’m determined NOT TO ALLOW ANYTHING TO MESS UP MY VACATION!

ONE DAY PEOPLE WILL REALIZE THAT THE GOAL IS AN “ON-GOING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, NOT A ONE-TIME VISIT! AND YES, it may look like much repeat business now, but there are a lot of stores up and down BROADWAY ST....