The Rustic — Restaurant in Dallas

‼️This place did not feel like any love flowed through it. It showed in service and food. I would give no stars but it’s not an option. This is my corporate letter to management after a very unpleasant and unbelievable experience. Maaany details were left out.‼️

This space is not safe! And management does not care!

Dear Management,

I am writing to express my profound disappointment with the service my family and I received during our visit to The Rustic in Dallas on September 20, 2024. Unfortunately, our experience with Karla, our server, left us feeling disrespected, unwelcome, and ultimately unsafe due to a series of unsettling interactions.

From the very beginning, Karla’s demeanor appeared off. We ordered six Reposado shots, a frozen margarita, a lemonade, and a peach tea. Karla returned with the six shots, but instead of the non-alcoholic beverages we ordered, she brought us alcoholic drinks. One of these drinks was intended for my pregnant niece, which is not only concerning but unacceptable. Furthermore, the frozen margarita arrived several minutes later, and by then, it was no longer frozen except for a small layer at the top. Instead of replacing the drink, Karla continued as if this was acceptable.

Throughout the meal, her service was mediocre at best. She never asked if we needed refills we had to ask for them in her rare occasions of coming back to our table, and we had to request basic items like to-go containers and the check. After waiting for about 10 minutes for the check, and while watching her help her team close down the outside(where we were sitting) I approached her, only to be met with rudeness. When I mentioned her service was unsatisfactory, she responded aggressively, accusing me of cursing at her, which I did not do. She stood over me and advised me, “I suggest you to not curse at the waiter if you plan on eating at the restaurant.” NEVER have I ever been publicly threatened in front of my family. Her behavior was not only disrespectful but threatening as she hovered over me, continuing to antagonize me even after I asked her to walk away. She even implied that she “knew I wasn’t going to tip her”.

To make matters worse, when I reported this to the manager, Phil, Karla interrupted multiple times, attempting to make it impossible to address the situation privately. It showed she lacked respect to her management as well. Her actions seemed deliberate, and it felt as though she was attempting to provoke me further. As a black woman we see this happen a lot. And of course, I considered the young blacks that were with me, particularly the males. One being my son, the other my nephew. Ultimately, the manager comped one of the meals($17.95), but given the gravity of the situation, this resolution was unsatisfactory considering our bill totaled $345. It seems Phil approved the behavior. And once I got home, I saw an additional charge that was not due to our bill. Karla seemed to internet too alt put things on my bill.

What’s most distressing is that I believe Karla’s behavior was discriminatory. As a Black and queer woman, I felt that her treatment of me and my family was different from how she treated other patrons. I am a respected author, retreat creator, and community advocate, and it is incredibly disheartening to feel as though our race and identity made us targets of poor service and hostility in what should have been a welcoming environment.

I feel strongly that The Rustic is not a safe space for Black or LGBTQ+ patrons, and I will be filing a formal report with the appropriate authorities to ensure this does not happen to others. I also intend to share my experience with my community and urge them to avoid The Rustic until there is accountability for this kind of treatment.

I hope that this letter serves as an opportunity for your team to reflect on how such situations are handled and how to better serve all patrons, regardless of their...

I recommended going to Rustic because of a previous great experience only to be let down by the horrendous service we received by Alejandro and the dishonesty from the GM Eric Williams. First off , Alejandro was extremely rude and unwelcoming. I ordered a frose and he brought me a little over 1/3 of a small glass of the beverage, when I asked about it, he responded by saying that's the amount they serve. I saw two people at the bar with the same beverage with full glasses. When I ordered my food, it came out cold so I asked if it could be warmed and it took 24 minutes to come back out and it was brought out again COLD!! I decided to order soup since I didn't want to eat cold tamales and asked for a cup of tortilla soup .... What I received was a large bowl, when I mentioned I ordered a cup of soup Alejandro hastily grabbed the bowl , spilling soup on the table and stormed away to the kitchen. I stopped him after 15 minutes to ask if I would be getting my cup of soup and he said yes it should be out shortly. I asked if he could make sure it was hot, after 10 minutes another server brought me lukewarm soup. I didn't return it, needless to say... I did not eat it. Before leaving I ordered banana pudding as I remembered it was delicious on my first visit. I had already signed my initial receipt for the cold food and thought he could just charge me again for the dessert. Alejandro returns to the table stating they were out of Banana pudding After a while, he brings a different receipt where he added the dessert ALONG WITH MY FOOD ORDER AGAIN!! I asked him why he charged me again for the food and that I had already paid for the food. He rudely walked away and returned with the GM Eric. Eric took him to the register to " train" him on how to complete a return and comes back to the table to tell me the 2nd transaction was voided. I asked for the return receipt and he said they do not provide return receipt but assured me it was returned. He also provided me with a business card , just in case there is an issue. Fast forward 1 day. I check my bank account and as expected both charges cleared. Now I'm stuck filing a dispute over this matter. Throughout the entire ordeal neither Eric or Alejandro issues an apology. I was saddened to have taken my friend here only to be let down. I would not recommend Rustic to anyone moving forward. I will update once the dispute is completed!

UPDATE: I spoke with the GM and Eric Williams yesterday 10/28/2024 about the transaction and he remembered me being in the restaurant on Saturday. He said he would issue the refund first thing tomorrow morning which is today 10/29. I took the opportunity to let him know there were other issues that transpired during that visit and a simple apology from the waiter or himself would have gone a long way. To not offer an apology for horrible customer service and mistakes that were made by the establishment was very disconcerting and definitely off putting. Nonetheless, Eric ( GM) sent me a screenshot of the refund transaction ( which i requested the day of the incident and as told it couldnt be done.) He also offered an apology after I brought it to hi sattention about there not being an apology offered. In addition he offered to " take care of me" on my next visit, Im not sure what that entails but...

I met my bestie for lunch on a Friday afternoon - right before Christmas eve. She had one more dental patient to attend to, so it was a LATE lunch - 2:30. When I entered the Rustic, I was hesitating because I hadn't been there before. The hostess had just walked back up to her little counter after seating someone. I had done a quick check of the place and asked if she had a booth. No, she replied matter-of-factly. I asked her if she knew how long it would be before one opened up. No, she replied again. Why don't managers train front people that they can make a difference in whether I stay or go?? I ignored her indifference to me and told her I don't want to sit on a bench and laughed, to which she said, "I'm not going to sit you at a picnic table". Ugh, no personality. I love the windows here and the seating - casual but with options. There is a stage that opens to the inside but is facing outside, pretty cool. I remember another friend & I tried to come here on a Friday night once & there was a 2hr wait! We didn't... She sat me in the middle of the section and I was immediately greeted by a much different personality - a polite young man who asked if he could get me something to drink. I asked for 2 waters. He brought them promptly, then I was visited by Delaney, who asked if she could get me anything to start with. She was all smiles, but efficient and professional. I told her my friend is running a few minutes late and I'll just look at the menu for a sec. My friend arrived and Delaney was back so we decided on the cactus fries. They were served nice and fresh - hot greasy batter on sliced cactus - dip it in the great ranchy dip & it doesn't get any better, lol. We both ordered drinks - I was dying to try the Spicy Gold Rush made with Knob Creek Rye - one my faves - and they didn't disappoint! I had a 2nd and can't wait to return to try more from the bar area. My buddy ordered the Lynchburg sour - and great news, we got there in time for happy hour at 3pm!! You can't beat a great drink for $3.24! Since it was late for lunch, we both ordered a light lunch, a half-sandwich with salad. Boring.. I wanted the quail, although I know that can be tricky, but I didn't want to ruin dinner. I ordered a half club sandwich, it was really good. But I'm a girly-girl and had to eat it with a knife & fork - too messy for me, lol. The salad was amazing - it had little bits of freshly chopped jalapeno which really complimented my drink. But be aware in case you don't like spicy. I loved my salad but can't wait to go back for some real food. Our server knocked that hostess out of there in terms of attentiveness, professionalism and friendliness. She checked on us often, made suggestions, had a great sense of humor and made us feel welcome. We are world travelers and I can be pretty picky about my service. Delaney made this first timer feel comfortable and since I pass by here occasionally, I know I'll be back! Great...