Applebee's Grill + Bar — Restaurant in Cutler Bay

I wish I could leave a review with more stars. As a server I expect a certain amount of communication and professionalism from service staff. Our server Genesis was absolutely magnificent. She was attentive, kind, and overall an absolute pleasure to be served by. Genesis made the entire experience worth while.

Now, unfortunately, I do need to express that upon arriving at the restaurant my expectations for service were set to be practically non existent. Ashley, the host, made no effort to communicate. Upon arriving we were not greeted just stared at and so I proceed to express that we will be a party of six. She asks if we would like a kids menu for our daughter, upon saying yes we are told they have no crayons. No problem, I ask if we can get a pen so she can do the activities. I’m told she has to see? Genesis did not hesitate to give me a pen out of her pocket for our daughter to do the activity sheet she was provided. Ashley takes the menus to the table and we follow. She then proceeds to tell us she needs to clean the table. So we stand there a moment. She stops again and stares. “Is this not a good place to wait?” I ask. “No.” She replies dryly. She could’ve simply asked us to wait in the front while she prepares the table. In the end the table she was cleaning was only for four people when we clearly stated six upon arrival and are now told we must wait. Waiting is not a problem. The lack of communication, dirty looks, and upon asking if she was having a bad day the response of “I’m just on a double” seems ridiculous. I work in the service industry and this kind of service upon arriving in an establishment drives away potential clientele. Definitely makes me wish I had brought cash for my server so she didn’t have to tip out the one person who made our experience less than enjoyable.

Thank you so SO much Genesis for your amazing service. I hope that the managers here will touch base with their front of house staff in regards to this. You don’t need to be cheery and all smiles to be professional and communicate.

Ashley needs to do better. Was also the only person I saw didn’t...

Father's Day. We decided to go back to our local Applebee's after a while during the pandemic. I have a mobility issue and I'm fairly big. When we entered the restaurant asked the hostess if she could give me a table because I don't find in one of those booths. She looked around and she said that the only tables were the high ones by the bar. I told her that I can't use those tall chairs because of my bad leg and she said that she couldn't do anything about that. I looked around and I told her that there were 4 groups in the entire place and there were over 20 regular tables she could open for us and she refused because "we would be in violation" (sic).

Counting us it would have been less than 30 people in a place with capacity for over 400.

I asked to speak with the manager and after waiting for more than 5 minutes I took my family somewhere else.

If you can't accommodate a person with a disability, you don't deserve my money. And by the way, I parked on the handicap spot right in front of the door. The hostess saw me walking. I guess the waiters don't share their tips with her? African American, young, skinny, short hair. The manager? Never came to talk to me.

UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE - 10/25/2020

Sunday, family day. I decided to give the place another chance. I do support local business and they all have been hit really hard.

Same situation. Parked on one of the handicap spots in front of the door, walked in. Was greeted by a kid that didn't even look up to make eye contact. Asked how many people (again, he didn't look up to us) and I say "We are five. Can you please give us a table? I can't seat on a booth" He finally looked up and asked "how many people?" I repeated "we are 5" and then he said "I am sorry. Tables are for up to 4 people". I couldn't believe this. I looked at him and I asked him if he would like for me to seat my 4 years old alone in a different table. He repeated that tables are for up to 4 people. At this point, arguing was not even an option and asking for the manager is obviously pointless. I just turned around and walked out. Not going back to that...

The African American lady with a head scarf who “welcomed” us was the rudest woman my family or I have ever come in contact with. We waited about 25 minutes while she proceeded to sit behind a counter, hide, and eat her food while my family and others were yet to be seated in an empty restaurant. After we repeatedly smiled and waived only to be waived back (not even joking) we began to ask others for assistance but to no avail. When I finally had a chance to speak to her she told us that she was in her booth “the whole time”. This part was especially frustrating and after I asked her name so as to file a complaint, she proceeded to let us know that we weren’t “fit” to eat there. What she meant I still do not know but this could not possibly have been her first incident. We will be filing a formal complaint with this location and will do what’s in our power to make sure that nobody that we associate with will ever eat at this hole of a restaurant ever again. Correction: that was before the manager (Diamond) apologized as opposed to belittle us. We even told her that no apologies were necessary and that any human demands respect, to which she adamantly agreed. That African American lady with the head bandana should not only be fired but should never be allowed to work at any business in the state of Florida. An absolute disaster, and one catalystic of losing a business; this place should close down if not for the manager Diamond who was kind, composed, and compassionate while her colleague was distasteful running on hateful. Any business especially in Florida should have a Diamond for a manager. This post is 2 stars as opposed to one only because of Diamond, and not that unnamed African...