Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern — Restaurant in Chicago

When we got there they were probably changing shifts that's what it seem. 1 young lady came and introduced herself and said she was our server and would be back with water. Then another girl came LAKEYA introduced herself and gave us water... meantime my husband and i was confused because the other girl went to get water. We did inform her of that. She was snappy well i got the wall and you in my section so im your server unless you wanna move... i immediately said ooh no it doesn't matter i just think there's been a misunderstanding i don't care who waits or table. Now here comes the other girl with the water... LAKEYA looked at her and said this my section... other girl responded, ooh it's my section.. LAKEYA took the water off our table placed it on the bar and walked off... the other young lady day the water down and said let me go get this straight.... 20 mind pass each of them walked past our table several times.. until finally the other girl said she got y'all pretty right, we said naw.... she went and said something to the LAKEYA and her attitude was that of im not at work.... i couldn't hear her but her gestures and head bobbing, neck popping was like naw i don't want her to wait on me... LAKEYA was NASTY from the time she introduced her self until the time she left.... not to mention the clothes she had on with her chest exposed was totally unprofessional for somebody bringing food... like if i were the Manager i would have made her put on a wilma shirt... FINALLY my husband and i got up and moved u didn't want to deal with LAKEYA and her attitude... we went to the bar where DANIELLE B. Have us exactly what we needed good service, i did tell her so far my rating is zero and was telling her how we'd been sitting for so long..... and LAKEYA at the top of the bar saw me talking to DANIELLE B and began to call her name and flipping her hand as to shoo me off hollaring don't worry about that she aint talking about nothing whatever whatever... im like dang i never mentioned her name..... how insulted i felt now... let me explain had it been somebody else LAKEYA would have probably been fighting... but i held my composure... I express my concern to the General Manager and he apologized on her behalf and explained that they were still working thru some kinks..... after a few conversations with general Manager, asst. General Manger... Floor Manger(dude with locs) and our Bartender Danielle i had become comfortable they each had a part at turning my whole experience around...The R&B music was a whole vibe the Food was Tasty but the drinks a little pricey but i guess i was DT...I will give them another try but i will be sitting...

As a fellow business owner, I understand the challenges of trying to please everyone — but I also understand the importance of delivering a solid first impression. Unfortunately, my first (and likely last) experience with this establishment was deeply disappointing.and I’m writing this because they wouldn’t listen inside the store.

placed a $150 delivery order to feed the door staff at my building. I’m plant-based and didn’t order the food for myself, but when the order arrived, the main BBQ items were completely missing. All that was delivered were sides — mac and cheese and beans.

When I contacted the restaurant, I was told there was nothing they could do and that I would need to come pick up the missing items. That defeats the purpose of ordering delivery in the first place — I chose that option because I’m busy, and again, this meal wasn’t even for me.

Still, I offered to come pick it up anyway. I simply asked if they could include a small dessert or something as a gesture — not just because the people waiting had now been delayed by nearly an hour, but because it’s standard business etiquette to show appreciation when you drop the ball, especially with a first-time customer.

The response? “Our security made a mistake, and we can’t give out anything for free.” No accountability. No empathy. Just a refusal to see that small gestures go a long way toward keeping customers. If a cookie or drink is too much to offer to retain someone who just spent $150 on their first order, that’s a bigger issue within the business model and culture.

To make things worse, when I explained my disappointment, the manager gaslit me and said, “Wow, you mad and having a bad day,” as if my frustration wasn’t valid. It wasn’t about being “mad” — it was about a simple opportunity to do the right thing and turn a mistake into a moment of care.

This review isn’t about trying to tear the business down. It’s a call to reflect. If mistakes like this happen regularly, that’s not a customer problem — it’s a team and systems problem. And those problems don’t get fixed without accountability and leadership that values long-term relationships over short-term cost-cutting.

I hope this is taken as a teaching moment — because if the goal is to grow, retain customers, and build loyalty, the response I received is the exact opposite of what gets you there. The frustration was not even for me it was for my door guys who work hard for us and was looking forward to their meal. Instead of showing u care u lost a customer whole may have spent...

DONT GO ON WEEKENDS! I don’t where to start.second dine in visit was the absolute worst.first how do you make people pay an automatic 15%gratuity when there may Be times where that service isn’t being given how it’s so ridiculous my son drove over an hr on his bday to have dinner with me also I’m sick I’m limited in things I can eat in the beginning of my treatment I had Wilma in the summer so he went for me. To wait HOUR n 1/2 For food that when it finally came we had to hurry put in to go containers because our SECOND paid parking was about to be up in our hour and half wait we had to ask for our drinks which as we were ordering was told they ran out of lemonade and the server was just like sprite or coke very short quick no other offerings nothing he never bought em til finally we had to ask tables constantly people coming well after us being served food we were ignored at least the first 30-45 mins then we got I checked it should be out in a min the table next to us was there when we arrived they got up left after we were 40min in . So again I ask how do you have the nerve to take automatic %15gratuity for this service . We wasn’t offer a appetizer while we continued to wait nothing but excuse the kitchen feel behind. wow in the wait we witnessed a server continue to bring food out with no idea where it went. I also witnessed workers walking around looking I saw them acknowledge tables across from me get them things but went past my empty no acknowledgement. I try to be supportive but if you know your establishment get extremely busy there should be things in place even when unforeseen things happen running out of anything is absolutely ridiculous! Eventually I ask for charge person she came again offered the excuse what happen said something was taken off the bill which want much I had $100 plus order on the receipt it shows $30 bucks was taken off but the gratuity wasn’t taken off I still paid over $100 the food wasn’t even that great it was decent but this is def a insta creator hype bbq fish Mac n cheese decent and yes I felt that way the first time the greens a big no person in charge was like come back anther chance but no I good especially since my son I ended up going to Chicago chicken waffles and they were closing so had to do a to go with them but that food was sooooo good and you tell some of the items we got the last bit I just think Wilma’s could’ve offered better than that $30 off my bill for that ridiculous wait...