Kinda Tropical — Restaurant in Austin

Kinda Tropical was kinda weird.

The bartender took the drink order from the couple in front of me, then asked what I wanted. I said that I didn't know yet, wasn't with them, and would be paying separately. He slammed his fist on the counter and said that he wasn't going to make drinks twice, then told the couple he'd get their drinks after I decided. I eventually tried to order three separate beers from the menu, but they didn't have any of them. When I was ready to order food, he informed me many items weren't available. The menu was already small, and looked like it was designed by someone with no hands. I ordered the chicken plate for twelve dollars and went outside. The same guy came out a few minutes later and told me they didn't have the chicken plate either. I had already paid, so he just told me to order twelve dollars worth of other food. I ordered shishito peppers, beef skewers, and mushrooms skewers. The flavoring on the beef was passable, but the texture was gnarly. It looked like it had already been chewed, likely by the bartender. The shishitos were ludicrously large, as big as jalapeños, and drenched in oil. The mushrooms were unpalatably salty, like they had been marinated in the Dead Sea then doused in soy sauce for good measure. During our meal the same bartender came outside in a frenzy and tried to hop the fence surrounding the back patio. He failed and caught his leg on the fence as he jumped, crumpling to the ground on the other side. He was wearing a skull graphic T, a camo bucket hat, and had long curly hair like post-war Lieutenant Dan.

Kinda Tropical is supposed to be a mini grocery as well, but the shelves were half empty and the inventory they did have had been only partially unpacked. There were cardboard boxes everywhere. It looked like it had been raided by fleeing Austinites trying to stock up during a zombie apocalypse.

They were playing death metal. At one point one of the other patron's Shitzu literally jumped on our table.

Everything I have said is true.

This place should be burned to the ground and the bartender should be incarcerated in the name...

The food and drinks here are ok at best. The review I'm leaving is entirely based on the extremely rude that staff that works here. If you want any bit friendly service don’t even bother with this place. I met up with a friend here, walked up to the bar, made eye contact with the bartender and was about to order and he gave me a dirty look like he didn’t want me there or that it was a chore to even serve me. He ignores me right after I've waved and made direct eye contact. He chats with another customer on the other end of the bar instead of helping me. Weird and confusing but okay. He comes back over to the side of the bar I was on, didn’t want to acknowledge that I was ready to order until I asked again that I wanted to order a drink. Asked for a Paloma, bartender reluctantly wants to make it for me and rolls his eyes. He's clearly agitated about something that has nothing to do with me but I’ve never been so confused and fed up so quickly that I just said never mind, forget it, and we went somewhere else. It was such a strange interaction and experience. I can understand if someone is having a bad day at work but I did absolutely nothing to provoke an attitude that would give me treatment like this. If you’re so miserable at your job that anyone showing up is ruining your day, get it together and find another job. Kinda Tropical is a little pricey for how awful and rude the staff here are. There’s plenty other places, with much friendlier service and staff, that I will gladly spend my money at on the East side. The list is long. I don’t see myself coming back here ever again nor would I bother to recommend this place to...

** Update

I received a call from Amy who sincerely apologized and was incredibly understanding. I really appreciate her taking time out of her day to call me. The issue has been rectified and id like to give a huge shoutout to small businesses like this who take ownership of their mistakes and who use them as teaching moments.

Original review:

If I could zero stars I would. Here is my 3rd time reaching out to them about an order I paid for via an online order placed on their site. They never accepted the order nor have they contacted me to fix the issue.

My email to them:

Good evening. I’m hoping that someone can help me with an issue I had ordering last night. I placed an online order, on your website. The money was drafted from my account immediately. I received an email that Kinda Tropical had not accepted the order and my money was never refunded.

When I called Kinda Tropical, the person who answered, who’s name was India, was incredibly standoffish, rude, and quite honestly, belligerent. Bottom line, she was unhelpful. There was no offer to make what I had ordered, no apology, no offer to get a manager. In fact she stated she was the only one working, even though I heard her ask a coworker a question.

I need someone to contact me as soon as possible please to rectify the situation. Here’s evidence of what occurred on my end.

Proof of my order

Receipt from my bank

Email saying problem with order and that nobody...