The Red Zone — Restaurant in Diamondhead

It’s most distressing that this negative review about The Red Zone must be written in order to redeem my good name. The Red Zone was a beacon of hope for the community after the devastating horrors, damages and wreckage of Katrina. In January 2006, my family and I drove down 3 days after I gave birth to my youngest daughter to attend my beloved grandmother’s internment at Lakelawn. My parents had retired and moved down to Diamondhead in 1994 and became outstanding members of the community and St. Thomas Episcopal Church. I visited them frequently and my father passed in 2004. In the past 18 months, I’ve driven down 8 times to visit my mother and wind down her affairs including her Diamondhead house. My goal is to move my mother to reside near my daughters and me, so that she receives proper care and love.

In September, I returned to check-in with my mother and was in The Red Zone numerous times. My mother’s favorite dessert is the chocolate one, which I always ordered for her to go and have a glass of wine, maybe 2. All of the waitresses are lovely, except 1, who for some inexplicable reason dislikes me. When being presented with the bill, I would be given the bill on a tray, which I would pay in cash with a very generous tip. However, with this waitress, no tray, just the slip. When I requested one from her, she feigned ignorance and then said that there were very few of them and that she would have to look. She found one and returned with the bill on it. I paid in cash with a tip well in excess of 20% and left to see my mother. The following day I returned to do the same. The hostess was a very lovely older lady, who is probably 10-15 years younger than I. The same waitress was assigned to my table, thus took my order. When time came to settle my bill, the disagreeable waitress again presented me with just the piece of paper and in her other hand she held 3 trays, as if to taunt me. I requested for my bill to be in a tray and her reply was that those trays were for another table. I said that I would wait for a tray. When she complied, I made sure that the tip was just around 20%, maybe a bit more or less and I commented to her that I would have left more if she was more pleasant. Her reply was that she didn’t want the tip and I responded that she could just go outside and throw it into the wind. I left with my mother’s dessert.

Flash forward to last Tuesday evening. I was to meet with the future buyer of my mother’s house at The Red Zone, who recently sold his Diamondhead business and had even built my mother’s kitchen back in 1994. The hostess showed me to the patio, which was quiet and perfect for a casual business meeting. On the way there, I noted that the disagreeable waitress was on duty. I sat at a table and texted the potential future owner. Suddenly, the manager came over and crouched next to me and said “you were told a couple of weeks ago that I was BANNED from The Red Zone and must leave.” I replied that never happened and that I was last in Diamondhead in September, 2 months prior. The manager just shrugged her shoulders about the time discrepancy and insisted that I was told both by the manager and owner that I was BANNED and must leave. Obviously, the disagreeable waitress chose to resort to using utter FALSEHOODS. Most importantly, I don’t lie and don’t need to make drama or make trouble. I drive down for 2 days to see and help my mother.

I left without having the meeting and purchasing my mother’s favorite dessert. If The Red Zone owner decides to speak with me, he may contact the office at St. Thomas Episcopal Church for my telephone number. In September, I met with the office manager/secretary and the new Rector had called me. I returned to my maiden name, so my surname attached to this negative review needs updating. Any other communication by the owner to me is unacceptable. Very...

horrible service, mediocre food. Busy Saturday night, understaffed. We understand, didn't mind the wait. Minded very much getting drinks brought over after 20 min, then food comes out and no silverware to eat with. The manager was adjusting the tv to a different football game, and we asked politely, if we could get utensils. He says, I'll get that for you and proceeds to spend 10 minutes trying to find whatever game. Husband asks again, and manager says to a waiter passing by, not our waitress, get them some utensils, and CONTINUES to play with the tv. ??? Who does that? I couldn't eat my meal and it's now been sitting 10 minutes getting cold. The waitress finally comes back to check on our table, we tell her no utensils, she says so sorry and leaves to get them. The other waiter, who looked absolutely like he did NOT want to be there on such a busy night, comes to our table and slams the silverware down. We all looked at him, he makes no comment no words at all, glares at the manager, who is still looking for whatever game and walks off. Our waitress returns with only one set of silverware, says, 'Oh, you got some' and walks off. No sorry, no I'm really busy and forgot, nothing. People were having fun, it's a sports bar, but we get it. Staffing is an issue now, if your business is booming, great but as a MANAGER you jump in and help. This guy walked around, never served any food and just laughed with customers. Your staff was struggling. Our waitress was running around and couldn't keep up. The male waiter had an attitude and he messes up 3 tables around us. We heard them complaining. The third and only other waitress was running around between the bar and her tables, and the girl at the door was a very pleasant, happy girl but they honestly had way more people than they could handle. We would never bother to go back for mediocre food and a manager that does NOT know how to manage. There are TONS of other places. Save yourself the...

This place SUCKS. I reviewed it on Facebook and the manager came back to me," come in and we can discuss your complaint."

Think about this. It's a nice Sunday out with the wife and we are coming home to Diamondhead. So, we decide to go to SUBWAY-- next door to RED ZONE--but, there is a line at SUBWAY, going out the door. This is what brought us to what would be a terrible experience. Go into Red Zone, sit at the BAR, who would later learn is the SORRY ASS MANAGER. Ordered two Caesars Salads with Shrimp. We were there a while which gave us an opportunity to check out the staff "SHUFFLING" about. The majority of these people looked like EXTRAS ON WALKING DEAR. They, as a whole were dirty and tatted up.

The guy at the bar, THE GD MANAGER, started SMOKING, so, I asked the waitress to ask the guy to MOVE. This ass, slams the ash tray on the bar. And, moves.

So now the salads come. The lettuce WAS NOT WASHED, which means, for those of us who "ENJOY," Caesar Salads, for every bite you get a MOUTHFUL OF SAND. There is no getting around that. Here I am in a terrible eatery surrounded by TROLLS shuffling about, sucking down SAND. All the while, SUBWAY IS JUST NEXT DOOR--where I know what I am going to get, and, I am WATCHING THE FOOD BEING PREPARED. Cost of the dirty Caesar's Salad at Red Zone, I kinda remember $11-$13 range. Salad at SUBWAY--about $8. So, while we are "DINING,"--sic. A nice lady from church came to talk to us. She shared with us the SERVICE AND FOOD SUCKS. Here is what is good about this place. Lots of RED NECKS, milling about, watching...