The Grackle — Restaurant in Austin

Apparently "no ableism" is asking too much from their list of "nos" at the front, since the abled staff can do the same level of work as the newbie if not less and can keep their jobs while the newbie gets fired. And no, this isn't some rant by a disgruntled employee. I've only been living in Austin since August, and have only been using a bus for transportation since that time. I was unfortunately tardy for one day of work and that was simply because the bus times and stops kept switching to accommodate tourists for the great revenue machine that is ACL. Granted I should have prepared more accordingly for the festival's toll on us regulars, but that's a bit difficult when no one actually informs you of these things, including a staff that are sticklers for their policies (which, let's be honest, they don't enforce on older members of the employee body, other staff have told me this with confidence). But business decisions are business decisions. The same abled staff can even say to the newbie they were going to handle things, not handle them, and then get the newbie fired because of that. For example, I was told by a fellow employee who I was closing with that she was going to pick up the glasses that were left on the table. Speaking of closing, one of the managers or owners or whatever Lizz said I would eventually get better at it. One of the reasons I'm writing this review is because I felt misled and insulted by that change of direction in her confidence in me simply after two nights of closing. I know ethical consumption feels like the tooth fairy in this day and age, but how they hire and fire should also be an indicator of how they serve. I simply was not given the grace of a neurodivergent person who was coming to Austin to flee an abusive family. But I'm actually just looking at these 1 star reviews (including one that addresses the ableism of management) and I'm starting to think I may have dodged a very hypocritical...

WARNING: THIS BAR IS A NIGHTMARE

I've visited this establishment three times, hoping each time that my previous experiences were flukes. Sadly, they were not. Twice out of those three visits, I encountered the same doorman, easily identifiable by his face tattoo (Im assuming his name is James just based on all of the Google AND Yelp reviews), whose behavior was nothing short of appalling.

This individual, reeking of alcohol and clearly intoxicated, made me and my friends feel incredibly uncomfortable. His actions were inappropriate and unprofessional, and it's clear that he should not be in a position of authority where he interacts with the public.

If you scroll through the one and two-star reviews for this restaurant, you'll see that nearly every single one complains about this specific doorman. This is not a coincidence, but a clear pattern of behavior. This individual is bringing chaos, drama, and negativity to your establishment.

To the owner: if you value your customers and your business's reputation, you must address this situation immediately. This doorman is hurting your business. His actions are unacceptable and have created a hostile environment for your patrons. Please take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of your customers. Someone is going to get seriously hurt if you continue to allow this man to work at your establishment.

Until this matter is resolved, I strongly advise avoiding this restaurant. Don't risk subjecting yourself to the harassment and discomfort that this employee...

Last Saturday I and my friend tried to get in Grackle and I was denied entry for no reason. I approached the entrance with a glass of water that was given to me in the vintage clothing store down the street. The bouncer said he couldn’t let me in with a drink. I told him it was water and that I could throw it away. I asked him if it’s just the patio or there’s a bar inside. He said it was just the patio. I told him it looked a bit slow and we were going to skip. Then I saw that there was a bar inside and wanted to check it out. I was surprised the bouncer would lie about it. I threw my glass with water away and when I presented my ID to the bouncer, he said that he couldn’t let me in. When I asked why, he responded it was because I came with a drink form another bar. First of all it was water. No bar would let me walk out with a drink. Secondly, I threw it away. The bouncer was very rude. I asked to speak to the manager and he wouldn’t call the manager. I was left with a feeling that I was being discriminated based on my ethnicity. The bouncer didn’t have any compelling or reasonable excuse not to let me in. I have never ever been denied entry anywhere. I’m a former model and have always had promoters pull me out of the line to walk me into the clubs in Vegas/New York City/Los Angeles. I was left very distressed by this incident. Tried to call this place and no one is picking up. Sent a message on Facebook messenger- nobody responded....