Libertine Social — Restaurant in Paradise

Mixed Experience - Great Food Marred by Shocking Service Incident

My wife and I had dinner and drinks here before a show. Let's start with the positive: the food was genuinely good. Both our entrees and the appetizer were well-prepared and tasty. Our primary bartender/server was also attentive and professional throughout the meal.

However, the service took a deeply unprofessional and uncomfortable turn at the end, completely overshadowing the good food.

Understanding we had a showtime to make, we requested and paid our bill (credit card) while finishing our last bites and drinks. Like many do in Vegas, we had cash set aside specifically for the tip. The second bartender (who only handled running our paid check) returned the receipt. What happened next was unacceptable:

He immediately confronted us loudly: "So you're not gonna tip?" We explained: My wife clearly stated, "Yeah, we have cash." He doubled down defensively: Despite our explanation, he proceeded to make comments like "I wasn't that bad, right?", "This is my career," "This is how I make a living," and "You guys don't understand." This was unprompted, aggressive, and incredibly awkward.

This behavior was beyond unprofessional; it was confrontational, accusatory, and frankly, tasteless. My wife, having worked in the service industry for 13 years, was particularly appalled, noting she understood the pressures perfectly and that his conduct was completely out of line.

To be clear: We did leave the cash tip we planned (approximately 25%) on the bar as we left. We did this despite the second bartender's behavior because: -Our original bartender deserved it. -We assumed (hoped) tips were pooled.

Regretfully, our tight schedule meant we couldn't speak to management on the spot, which we truly wish we had done.

While the food is good enough to return for, this service experience at the bar was shocking and unacceptable. Being publicly confronted and lectured about tipping before you've even had a chance to leave the tip is not something any customer should endure, especially when you are planning to tip generously in cash. It created a very negative final impression. Proceed with caution, especially at the bar – be prepared for potential service hiccups that go far beyond mere slowness.

Management: Please address this incident that occurred on Monday, August 4 around 8:00pm. Training on handling the end-of-service interaction, particularly regarding cash tips and basic professionalism, is clearly needed...

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