The Coyote Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Carlsbad

We came to Coyote on Saturday night, July 19th, to celebrate my dad’s 60th birthday. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a special night was nearly ruined by a manager named Jessica, whose behavior was shockingly rude and unprofessional.

While waiting for my dad and his girlfriend, who were about 10 minutes away, I had placed his birthday gift on the seat next to me to save it for him. My brother’s girlfriend had also set her jacket down on a nearby seat. A woman approached us and, in a very hostile tone, told us we couldn’t save seats. When I asked who she was, she said she was the manager. I calmly moved the gift and jacket to the fire pit area, although part of the jacket was still touching the seat. Jessica then came over, grabbed the jacket, tossed it onto the fire pit area, and said, “Don’t make me kick you out.”

We were completely taken aback by her aggression. Even strangers sitting around the fire pit were stunned and expressed disbelief at how we were being treated.

Soon after, we noticed another fire pit open up nearby with three women already seated. We asked if we could join them and brought over an extra chair. Moments later, the manager came storming over again, shouting at us to move a purse that didn’t even belong to us. The women had to clarify that the purse was theirs. My brother confronted Jessica about her aggressive tone and for clearly singling us out, at which point she awkwardly apologized—though the damage had already been done.

We were ready to leave after that interaction, as the mood had been completely ruined. However, my dad had just arrived and really wanted to stay to celebrate his birthday, so we stayed for his sake.

To make matters worse, another guest came over to tell us they had also been treated rudely by Jessica earlier in the night. Several others chimed in, saying they had experienced similarly poor treatment in the past and had even submitted complaints. It’s disappointing to hear this kind of behavior has been tolerated.

As Carlsbad locals, we were hoping to make Coyote a go-to spot, but after this experience, we won’t be returning. I stayed that night only because it was my dad’s birthday, but I sincerely hope Coyote management takes this feedback seriously and addresses the ongoing issues with their staff,...

A Deeply Disappointing and Discriminatory Experience

Our recent visit to this establishment was tainted by a deeply upsetting encounter that I feel compelled to share, in hopes that it prompts meaningful change.

Our party was served by Alyssa (or Allison—her name wasn't clearly given), and what followed was a shameful display of intolerance and discrimination. One of our friends, who is autistic, began to engage in a friendly and enthusiastic conversation after complimenting her tattoo. He shared some fascinating historical insights—an expression of his incredible intellect and personality. Unfortunately, this appeared to trigger discomfort in our server, who made no attempt to address it directly. Instead, she escalated the situation by complaining to the manager.

She returned only to inform us that she would no longer be serving our table, and that we’d need to go to the bar for any further service. Believing her shift was ending, I still thanked her and tipped 25%—a gesture of good faith that now feels undeserved.

However, she remained on duty, pointedly avoiding our group while continuing to serve other patrons. At one point, I saw her glaring at our table while our friend—ever the social magnet—was joyfully chatting with a dozen or so new acquaintances at the bar, receiving hugs, photo requests, and contact exchanges by the end of the night.

We spoke with the manager, hoping for understanding or resolution. Instead, we were told, verbatim, that “autism has a time and a place” and that “a server’s feelings are more important than patrons” at this business.

I am appalled. Autism is a federally recognized disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which explicitly prohibits discrimination in public accommodations. The behavior of both the server and the manager was not just inappropriate—it was discriminatory.

I urge the owner to take immediate action. This situation demands a serious and swift response. Until that happens, I cannot and will not support or recommend this establishment. Those responsible should reflect deeply on their actions and the lasting harm they’ve caused—not only to a valued guest, but to a broader community that deserves respect...

As a Carlsbad local for over 50 years, I have been going to Coyote Bar and Grill since before I can even remember. I am so disappointed at how the owner is handling the restaurant and staff. The food is always good and the atmosphere is fine, but the staff, starting with management and trickling down to the servers, is horrendous. Ariel is great and is their best server by far. She has been there for a long time and we always love seeing her. We always tip 20% and have never complained about anything, but the obnoxious surcharge. They tack on a 5% surcharge to every bill and refuse to remove it. When they first started attaching the surcharge, the manager would remove it or buy us a drink, in lieu of paying for the surcharge. Now they are forcing people to pay for it. The service was horrible and we were ignored today. The manager came over and told us to leave because we "always complain"-a joke! WE HAVE NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STAFF OR FOOD-WE JUST WANTED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE HAD RECEIVED POOR SERVICE TODAY AND FOR IT TO BE MADE RIGHT. WE DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THE SURCHARGE! IT WAS ABOUT THE POOR SERVICE TODAY FROM MA-LI! I handed the money to the server, minus the BS sub-charge. A server named Jose then asked me if I was "still hungry" and asked why I still come in. Two servers, the owner and a manager chased my 84-year-old mother and I out of the restaurant to collect their $3.69 surcharge. After going here for all these years, I will not be back due to the disgusting service and the extra fees they force customers to pay. The absolute worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life, and I was a server for several years. It is disgusting that they treat customers so poorly. I would not recommend going here unless you want to pay the extra fee for absolutely nothing....