NextDoor — Restaurant in Dayton

Don’t ever come here. My friends and I used to come here every other Thursday for karaoke. I love the DJ and most of the bartenders. Last night, I had a rude awakening. One of the bartenders, (who I won’t name,) Said she wouldn’t serve my boyfriend because he was being rude. So he came up to me and told me that. Then, as he’s telling me what happened, at the corner of my eye, I see the bartender waving me down, (which in all fairness, it’s like come on, I come in here pretty often and I have a name so it’s kind of weird that I’m being waved down and called by “hey”.) so she said she wasn’t serving him for the night. I asked her why of course. I have 6 people at the end of the bar who I came here with and we would like to drink all together. Well, she said she doesn’t have a problem with me, just my boyfriend. I looked at her and I said that’s my boyfriend, if you have a problem with him then you have a problem with me and all 8 of us that are here together. Well, apparently, the last time she was there, my boyfriend asked her to break a 100, and she said no. Not sure what the reasoning was. So I paid with my cash and I had like 60$ on me. So I figured after spending the $60, she’d be able to break it. Then when we asked her again, hey can we break that 100 now. she yelled really loud and made a scene that she didn’t feel comfortable breaking a 100 and that we can go down the street to break the 100 and come back if we want too, then she just kept rambling on about where we could go to break it, in a really loud and unwelcoming voice.. It wasn’t really what she said, but it was the way she said it. So I just smiled nicely and said ok and took her tip in front of her. Because I’ve never been spoken to that way as a customer and I didn’t appreciate the way I felt when she said it in that tone. So I went up to the DJ and said does she have a problem with us or not like us for some reason, trying to clear whatever bad air was there. She said no, that’s just the way she is so I said okay. Then, as she confronted me last night about the situation as to why we took her tip, I was trying to explain to her the situation, but she kept talking over me, so I was unable too. Then, when she finally let me say, it wasn’t what she said, it was the way she said it. Well, sure enough she said, “it must be the way you interpreted it because you’re always drunk when you come up in here.” I looked her, nodded, looked at my boyfriend said, let’s go.” Clearly I am never going in there again. The way she called me a drunk was just enough for me to walk out. If you’re gonna complain and call people drunk, then why are you a bartender? What if a 100$ bill is our only form of payment? And apparently another bartender told me that these encounters have not happened to just us but several people. So sad. Management refuses to do anything about it. All 8 of us got up and left. Is bar rescue...

Note: I rewrote this review.

I had the pleasure of visiting this bar for the first time and it definitely earned a well-deserved 5-star rating. Our bartender, Willie or Willy (apologies for the name confusion), truly made our experience memorable. His fantastic craftmanship, friendly personality, and skillful knowledge left us with a great impression, which is why we decided to return to NextDoor.

However, on our recent visit this past Saturday, April 4, 2023, our intention was to enjoy NextDoor's Old Fashioned Cocktails. We were served by Nicole, who prepared the regular Old Fashioned Cocktail, while another female bartender made the Smoky Old Fashioned Cocktail. Unfortunately, Nicole's regular Old Fashioned had an overwhelming amount of alcohol. It tasted extremely bitter, almost like sipping gasoline. On the other hand, the Smoky Old Fashioned was decent, but it seemed inconsistent compared to how other bartenders prepare it.

One noticeable issue we encountered is the inconsistency in the cocktails among the bartenders at NextDoor. Nicole's bartending skills, in particular, seemed somewhat inexperienced. She could benefit from more training and learning how to better communicate with customers. In my opinion, Nicole didn't engage or connect with us during our visit. This upset my wife when I requested a replacement beer for the Old Fashioned that I couldn't drink, and Nicole refused to accommodate the request. Despite my wife's frustration, I managed to calm her down, paid our bill, and we left.

What disappointed me the most was Nicole's lack of maturity in taking responsibility for her actions or even acknowledging the issue. It's essential for a bartender to have a good understanding of the company's know-how and how to interact with customers. Unfortunately, Nicole seemed to be lacking in these areas. Hopefully, if she decides to continue her career in bartending, she will mature and improve.

It's worth noting that a cocktail should never taste overwhelmingly of alcohol. As The Spruce states, the accepted definition of a cocktail includes various ingredients, such as spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. It's essential for bartenders to strike the right balance and create a stimulating and enjoyable drink for...

Simply put, one of the most welcoming, casual, and service oriented places in Dayton. Every employee I've seen goes out of their way and always keeps the atmosphere friendly and fun. That's reflected by the diverse and engaging crowd...great to see someplace where everyone gets along...a reflection of the great service! They have great events and even just for an every day place, stop in....you won't be disappointed.

I want to add to my original review. As I've become a regular, my appreciation for the attentive staff is even greater.

When people complain they were refused service, regardless of the reason, it's forgotten that by making sure there are no issues in the bar, staff makes it an enjoyable place for the rest of us. The very few times I've seen someone refused or told to leave, the rest of the customers are usually glad. Absolutely a safe, friendly, and welcoming bar with great service and great drinks, and I'm thankful the staff makes sure to keep the standards up, so it remains a quality place...