TAP 65 Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Baton Rouge

We’ve been here several times before and always enjoyed ourselves, so when Restaurant Week rolled around we decided to check out Tap 65. Half of our party (3 people) arrived a bit late for our 7 pm reservation so the food and drink orders weren’t put in until around 7:30. The restaurant was fairly busy so we weren’t expecting to get our stuff right away, and the past few times we’ve dined the service has always been a little slow. That’s usually not a big deal for me, because things happen and different venues have different vibes and we knew what to expect. However, tonight really pushed my patience to its limits. Our drinks didn’t hit the table until 7:55, and our appetizers didn’t come out until 8. Between apps and the main course one person went to order another round of drinks from the bar, thinking it would be faster, and she was gone for almost 20 minutes. We also ordered more drinks with the waitress right before our friend came back (remember this for later). There were several bartenders working and by then the restaurant had begun clearing out so I’m not sure what took so long. Our main entrees finally came out at 8:40. I’d ordered the salmon and was looking forward to a nice piece of fish, but the amount of food that was on my plate was hardly enough for a child, let alone a fully grown woman. Our waitress was working her butt off and I was starving at this point so I ate it, but for the money we paid and for how long we waited I was expecting much more than a thin, fist-sized portion of salmon and a few spoonfuls of rice. Dessert was also abysmally tiny- three dollops of pudding on a plate. We didn’t get out of there until 9:10, and I was still so hungry that I had to stop and get food at McDonald’s. Remember those drinks I mentioned ordering earlier? Those hit the table right as everyone was paying, 30 minutes after they were ordered.

I want to be clear that the food is delicious, but it is ridiculous to sit at a restaurant for over an hour and a half for three rounds of food that doesn’t fill you up and two rounds of drinks that require 30 minutes of waiting. I absolutely love their food but I shouldn’t have to wait that long and need a second dinner afterwards. Y’all need to do better with time management and making sure your guests are...

Edit: I went a second time and everything about my experience was okay. I ordered the same drink I had the last time and it was made completely different, but the change in color/flavor was blamed on lighting. The food seems to be oriented around aesthetic pictures and the flavoring is very plain.

The Desi Papas with Lamb was okay. It had a bunch of tiny cut up lamb bones in it that made me concerned about cracking my teeth. I asked the server about it and he said that it was normal and that he just forgot to warn me. The reasoning was that the bones add flavor to the dish.

The short rib sandwich had tons of cartilage in it that was not removed, so it completely took away from the experience.

Every potato dish was simple and one note in flavor though I expected more because of all the colors/sauce used.

The server was extremely pleasant overall and was the highlight of a very mediocre experience.

Original Brunch Review: I had a pleasant experience! The drinks were good and the environment is very bright and welcoming. Would definitely come again!

The brunch food was delicious! The naan was hidden under the toppings so it definitely was not finger food like I was expecting (what came first - brunch menu item). This did not take away from the meal in any way and it was understandable since you may not want to get your hands dirty while eating during brunch. The only thing I disliked is that the french toast did not come with any sides and it was not suggested that we add anything, so make sure to add a side when ordering since it's not particularly filling on its own.

The parking is terrible at this venue and people often go over the lines so be mindful that parking is not very accessible. That's common for government street restaurant/bar locations so it's not that much of a con.

The main entrance is located amongst the outdoor dining area. lt may be easy to miss since you may not be expecting the entrance to be in the middle of many...

My friend and I stopped by after work hoping to share a few cocktails and appetizers. The atmosphere was decent. The fresh flowers were a nice organic touch. We were however disappointed to find that the menu had been completely changed, and no longer offered an array of Indian food options. But the worst part of our visit was the SERVICE. It ruined the entire experience. The restaurant wasn’t busy at all when we arrived but our food took forever to come out (we only ordered wings and fries). The waitress was apologetic so we appreciated that, and enjoyed our water and cocktails until it was ready. When we received the check there was a discrepancy regarding the charges. We were charged for drinks that we did not order. When we brought this to the waitress’s and the manager’s attention they were very rude and proceeded to argue with us about the issue instead of correcting it. I even suggested that they check their camera footage and verify the number of drinks that were brought out. They refused. My friend and I eat out often and pay for tabs well over $200 almost daily so it was never about the money it was the principle. I find it offensive and demeaning when management makes you feel as though you’re being cheap and trying to skip out on the bill instead of putting great customer service first. After the incident my friend had to use the restroom and asked me to accompany her because of a medical condition that requires a small tube to run down her leg and it’s helpful to have someone hold it to prevent soiling. The manager followed us to the restroom and, again, very RUDELY told us “One at a time” as if we were kids playing in the restroom or trying to fool around. We are both working professionals in our thirties who don’t take kindly to being spoken to in that manner. Needless to say; we will...