Virgil's Gullah Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in College Park

Review is from visit on 2/6/24. Family visited from our hometown and was eager to go here! Honestly, I’ve been anticipating supporting this restaurant since the viral TikTok video. I’m not sure if it’s because we decided to go on a Tuesday or if it was lack of concern from kitchen staff. We had a party of (4). Not one of us was satisfied with our meals but because of timing it took from our delivery from kitchen, we really tried to make the best of our meal. First, I will say the kitchen initially sent me the end tale of salmon that was very unpleasant. I was shocked but decided not to take a picture of it assuming it was a mishap from kitchen. We do have several videos but reviews only accept pictures. Our waitress quickly corrected it by bringing a preferred center cut but seriously it went from bad to worse. The salmon felt and tasted as if it was a recooked piece. Again, my family was full of excitement visiting from DC to try Virgil’s so I refused to make a fuss about it…again. Moving forward, everything from our fried shrimp to the wings and fries. EVERYTHING seemed to be cooked in old cooking oil. The mac and cheese seemed like stouffers frozen brand overheated in the microwave (hence the cup of oil). The crab rice was absolutely not what we expected. Now, after getting through most of our meal, my daughter finds a long black hair strand in their mac & cheese. The way the hair was tangled inside the food, you can tell it was carelessly cooked with it. TALK ABOUT LIVID! I will say the waitress didn’t seem surprised when we brought it to her attention. Both the waitress and my daughter have braids and my hair is brownish with light brown highlights. If the owner’s review the camera footage, they will see exactly how everything happened. We could see the waitress have a few choice words with kitchen staff as if she knew exactly who hair it was. Nonetheless, we were prepared to still cover the cost of our entire $200+ bill but the waitress comped my daughter’s meal. Camera footage will prove the accuracy of this review. Especially how most of our food was left on the table barely eaten. As strange as it may sound, I will probably give them another visit because the bar and atmosphere was quite a charm! Maybe the next visit will be on a busy day of week when kitchen staff are...

I initially had a fantastic experience at this restaurant thanks to our outstanding waiter, Chris. Her service was truly above and beyond, and I was thoroughly impressed. However, my dining experience took a sharp turn for the worse when Chris was abruptly relieved of her duties for the day.

I wanted to ensure that Chris received the gratuity she deserved, so I requested to speak with the manager, Bella. I emphasized that the tab should be closed in Chris's name to ensure she received her well-earned tip. This is where the situation went downhill rapidly. Manager Bella's behavior was utterly unprofessional. She spoke to Chris in a condescending and disrespectful manner that shocked everyone on the patio.

Later in our conversation, we learned that Chris was being sent home because she was wearing a cardigan over her work shirt, a decision coming from the general manager. Let me be clear: Chris's outstanding service was in no way diminished by her choice to wear a cardigan on a cold day. It seemed absurd that the general manager would focus on such minor details when the entire staff was understandably dressed warmly due to the cold weather.

My intention is not to call for anyone's job termination, but it's evident that Manager Bella needs training in how to handle situations and employees with respect and professionalism. The general manager should also consider trusting their employees more and not micromanaging to such an extent. If such close attention to attire is required, Manager Bella should have also gone home as she was similarly dressed in a jacket and a cap.

The interactions with both the manager and general manager left a sour taste in my mouth. When Manager Bella continued to be rude to Chris, I requested a box and left. I want to be honest in my review, and I believe the actions of the management, particularly the general manager, were entirely unwarranted.

Chris, you provided exceptional service, and you deserve better treatment than what you received that day. Sadly, due to this experience, I won't be returning to this location...

Last weekend ,I visited this establishment for the first time after seeing them noted in Essence magazine.....I was so excited based upon the review in the magazine but visiting I was quickly deflated.....I made reservations for a party of 4 and we were initially seated by the door directly in the line of fire for cold wind and we were only moved when a drunk gentleman caused a disturbance and I stood up out of fear because he was so close to our table and I asked initially to be the moved but only moved after the disturbance...now let's get to the food....this is my personal review of the food: -Sweet Potato Corn muffins were sweet but dry needed butter , cinnamon drizzle and moisture -Sammen Balls were great -Spinach was amazing -The Crab rice was salty so, salty that I couldn't eat it sent it back -The shrimp and grits was so salty that my friend sent it back We alerted the server but she only took the shrimp and grits off the ticket and not the Crab rice Additionally, it is awful that you cannot substitute anything on your entree which limits your choices if you have dietary restrictions. They strictly adhere to this policy which is totally ridiculous.

Our server was kind but she nor the manager could do much to accommodate us and our sub-par dining experience . On top of the many policies they have that don't support a positive customer experience there is yet another policy that will not allow guests to pay for their meals individually on their cards at least 2 people minimum on a ticket....why? What if it is a business meeting and this is your first meeting ....checking out for our party of 4 was a nightmare...to make it worse they don't accept cash which makes paying even more difficult.

Finally they don't follow their own policy which expresses gratuity will be charged on parties of 5 or more but gratuity was charged on our party of 4 ... so ,they selectively follow their own policies .... I was truly disappointed after all of the...