Jay's Gourmet Seafood & Pizza — Restaurant in Carlsbad

Jay's was just being bashed on Nextdoor for adding a surcharge without letting guests know and rude management. .Funny this came up as I ate there last Sunday 3/10 for the first time in a few years due to poor service, I always loved their food, but the service was deplorable.

Walked in after church 11:45 a.m. only 1 table of 2 and me. I needed to use restroom, they told me outside and around the corner I waited for 10 min as it said, "in use". I finally knocked on the door and no one answered, went to back of kitchen and owner came out and says oops "forgot to unlock this morning".

Ok, no problem, I'm only ready to go on the floor, so I go back in and watched the waitress for next 10 min stocking straws at bar. I am clearly in her vision, and she just keeps stocking. Finally comes over, I ordered a Caesar salad with my meal which takes 10 minutes, (was swimming in dressing).

I had 3 bites, and out come my entree, ok so I'm paying an extra $6 for a side Caesar that I can't even eat if I want hot food. I then start to use the pepper and the shaker was disgustingly, filthy inside and out so I told waiter and asked for some fresh ground pepper, she brings me a bowl of pepper, this is a $65 lunch for 1 folks. I finish my meal and had already decided to pay in cash (didn't know about surcharge) I had to finally flag her down again to get my check.

I hand her my money and needed some change; she goes back to bar and says I don't have change for a $20. The other waitress who just came on says she'll run next door; this is getting ridiculous. She comes back and says they don't have change, so she has to run across the street to the liquor store, I am ready to just say here's the exact change and leave without a tip.

She finally gets back and hands me my change. I just want out of there at this point. Oh, and she never once even asked how my meal was. I do love their cioppino but not at 1-1/2 hr when no one in the darn restaurant. Jay needs some help! I put myself thru school as a waitress and this was completely unacceptable! Sorry for the book! Good, food horrible service and not the first time, note most all of the 1 and 2 star reviews have been in last 6-9 mos. Sounds like they just don't care, banking on tourists (1 time visit) ...

"AVOID JAY'S GOURMET Seafood" IN CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA AT ALL COSTS!

I've been a loyal customer for 40 YEARS, yes, you read that right, 40 years! I've seen this place go downhill, but my latest experience was the final straw.

The bait and switch on their wall sign outside is just the beginning. A tiny, dime-sized picture of a ribeye sandwich for $18 is overshadowed by a huge advertisement for a pizza and drink combo for $14. It's a clear case of false advertising, and when I brought it to the waitress's attention, she became NASTY and argumentative.

I'm still fuming after my latest experience at Jay's Gourmet Seafood, a place I've frequented for 40 YEARS! Yes, you read that right, 40 years of loyalty, and this is how they repay me?

The service was HORRIBLE, and the food quality has plummeted to ZERO. I've seen better-quality seafood at a fast food joint. The waitress's attitude was condescending and dismissive, and it seemed like she was doing me a favor by serving me.

When I tried to politely point out the discrepancy in the sign, she rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, that's just a mistake." A mistake? A mistake is when you get an order wrong, not when you deliberately mislead customers!

I asked to speak to a manager, and of course, none was available. The waitress offered a half-hearted apology and a weak excuse about "corporate" being responsible for the sign.

After 40 years of loyalty, I expect better. Jay's Gourmet Seafood has lost a customer forever. Don't waste your time or money on this place. The sign outside should read 'Jay's Gourmet Rip-Off'!

UPDATE: I've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but the consistent decline in quality and service has left me no choice but to warn others. Avoid this place...

I have been going to Jays for as long as they have been open and I would give them 5 stars across the board except for last night. I go to Jays at least once a month and always for my birthday and anniversary. We were a party of 5 and wanted eat at Anitas but they had a 45 minute wait so I called jays to see how busy they were and was told there was no wait. I specifically asked if they had room for inside dining for 4 adults, a high chair and a stroller. I was told no problem. When we got there I sat my granddaughter in her high chair and asked if we could put the stroller between the two tables (mind you the restaurant was very empty) then one of the wait staff came up to me and said that we could not bring the stroller in the restaurant, that I was a fire hazard. And when my daughter came in with the stroller, the wait person got very angry and said that we could not have the stroller in the restaurant (I don’t know how many restaurant we have been in over the last 2 years with strollers, never heard this argument before) the person we were with said she has been in the service industry for 8 years and has never heard a wait staff talk to a patron the way this lady did. As this point we didn’t feel wanted in the restaurant and left. Walk down the way to Gregorio’s and ate dinner, stroller and all!! But Gregorio got a phone call from Jays telling them to tell us that they were going to have our cars towed if we didn’t move them. Then when we came to move our cars, the waitstaff was laughing at us. So very unprofessional. I forgot to mention that people wheelchairs can only sit at one table the restaurant by the...