Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar — Restaurant in Fayetteville

My first time eating here with my family and I am Highly Disappointed. The seafood boils came out first, then the kids chicken tenders basket and other food came later. Before my son started eating his food, he saw a piece of hair underneath one of the fries. We told the waitress, she took the basket and said she would let the manager know, she then came back a few minutes later, sat the basket back down on the corner of the table and said the manager will be coming to talk with us. The manager, Jermaine, came to the table, was examining the basket, did not speak, walked away with the basket to the kitchen, came back to our table to say that it was my hair that was in the fries. He held up a long black hair and showed my nephew. I was flabbergasted...I stopped eating, became instantly upset, I said first of all it wasn't my hair, the long piece of hair was black, I am wearing a honey blonde wig. I said how dare you, how rude and disrespectful of you to say it is my hair and to insult me. I should not be going back and forth with you about this and just remake his food. He was determined to argue with me that it was my hair, going back and forth. Even customers beside my table chimed in. How could my hair get underneath the fries?, how could it be seen as soon as the basket arrived to the table? I had to continue to raise my voice and argue with this manager about my son food. We all were eating and he didn't have his food. I yelled again, remake my son food. The sweet couple next to our table, apologized that we had to go through that before leaving. Then finally that brought my son food. The husband of the couple came back to our table, he brought the general manager over to speak with us. We told her about what happened, how the manager Jermaine acted towards me, accusing me of lying, insulting me, was refusing to just remake the order. Told her we drove an hour to come eat here and just wanted to have an enjoyable experience, especially being our first visit. She stated that she would speak with him. She took my son meal $6.99 off the bill and the receipt had hair written on it as the reason for the discount. The manager Jermaine never came back to apologize for his behavior. Out with my family, that I hadn't seen in 2 years, first time my niece had a seafood boils, just was not enjoyable. My blood pressure was boiling from my experience of having to argue with the manager Jermaine about remaking a child order was Ridiculous and Unprofessional. His Nonchalant attitude and argumentative behavior towards a customer was Unbelievable. As a business owner myself of 4 years, I would never treat a customer in that manner. It wasn't worth it to go back and forth and bring the hair back to the table and show us, especially since the piece of hair was black and not blonde. What was the point? Why did my son have to wait almost 30 minutes to receive his food, we all were done eating. He didn't get to eat with us as a family. Jermaine, I hope you learn from this experience, I hope you do not behave this way towards another customer. That is Not Customer Service! Another note, our waitress was sweet, and the seafood boils were good. But, we will not be back to...

We came in around 6 pm - not busy, but not dead. There was no one at the front to seat folks. Staff was putting orders on a table for delivery drivers. One delivery driver came up, waited, saw no one was coming, and approached the table. She then matched the receipt to her order and went to take a picture. At this time, someone from the back finally came out, only to reprimand her, then proceed to be rude with the dasher.

Honestly , that should have been my sign from above to turn around, but I wanted seafood, and I was already there. 😩

Seated at a table, hosted by Bria. She was the only decent aspect to this experience: excellent waitress. We ordered drinks - a short IPA and a tall lager. Typically, a short is 12-16 oz, and a tall is 22-24 oz. Not here! I included the picture of the beers. The left is the "tall," and the right is the "short." The restaurant claims that the tall is a 20 oz and the short is a 16 oz. 1. I'm not buying it. 2. That tall is $7 vs. the $5.25 short... which means the short is more cost effective (short is $0.328/oz; tall is $0.35/oz). That's not how that's supposed to work.... your math ain't mathing.

We ordered 1/2 lbs scallops, 1 lbs head off shrimp, 1 lbs crawfish in a seasoned garlic butter with mild spice and eggs.

Scallops were just undercooked, which was a surprise. Typically, you would hit the opposite problem. 1/2 scallops got us 4 (they could have been 2oz scallops, but likely not. Remember - 2 oz is larger than a golf ball, but smaller than a baseball). Shrimp and crawfish were cooked appropriately. Those eggs, though... grayed. Overcooked powder.

Now - ABOUT THAT SAUCE. 0/10.

It looks alright at first glance. It's red, and there are black bits in the bottom, a promising sign. However, when I order "seasoned garlic butter sauce," guess what I expect to get.

Garlic. Butter. Seasoning.

Guess what I didnt get.

Garlic, butter, or seasoning.

They added the mild spice - I could taste that. But that was it. Absolutely zero flavor. I asked the waitress to bring garlic butter and old bay on the side, along with salt and pepper. We doctored it there. Adding 4 oz of garlic butter and 1 oz of old bay and 1 oz of salt fixed a lot. But - here's the kicker. I shouldn't need to doctor food when I go to your restaurant. That's the restaurant's job.

The manager came over, and we had a chat - she was "surprised at our poor review" and pointed us to the Google Reviews. 🔺️🔺️🔺️ Google reviews can be disputed. I pointed to the review history in Fayetteville Foodies (which is abhorrently low for the restaurant in the last 2 months), and she dismissed them.

Translation: they were once good, but that is slipping.

The manager apologized and left, vowing to return before we left. A few minutes later, the host came and said, "The manager wanted to give you this." It was a 15% off coupon for the next visit. We declined. The manager never returned.

With 20% tip, it came out to $92. It's not worth the investment. Go elsewhere.

Oh - and side note: the bathroom sinks have no screens and no throttle, so when you turn it on, I hope you're ready for your wet...

Do yourself a favor. Hit lowest reviews because honestly just thought maybe they had a bad night but obviously this once loved gem is at horrible times and with a manager like last night I clearly see why! My daughter just became a seafood fan so when she came home from college I couldn’t wait to bring her to Hook and reel. When we walked in, what I thought was a older host that hated her job (turns out to be the manager) rudely without explaining it refused to sit 3 of us because 2 hadn’t arrived in a empty restaurant ( the bartender explained the policy) because we went to the bar to wait. We also had her explain the all you can eat as the manager Rudely asks regular or all you can eat menu…. So ok we get sat finally because 5 of us are finally there. The server didn’t bring any energy to the table and seemed annoyed but whatever I get it I have been in restaurants for 15 years. So basically our order is taken, rarely checked back on us, as I desperately wanted more eggs my sister hadn’t got her sausage but was almost done with her boil and two people went almost full meal no refills. Finally get my eggs and food was hot I enjoyed that part. But 2 of my app wings where still undercooked (didn’t want to complain)The bill comes and after only one check back after food hit the table and 345 dollars I mentioned “hey my sister didn’t get her sausage” I did not complain or ask for a manager or even want anything but the a simple 6 dollars for a item we didn’t receive. I was trying to give my college kid a night out to enjoy! And the atmosphere was tense how do I go to give yall my hard earned money and get treated so bad?????? Because first thing the server said well you didn’t say anything and she’s finished 💆🏻‍♀️ well what I wanted to say but I didn’t is that’s because you ghosted the table and we couldn’t even get added on eggs or sausage or a refill! So she says let me see what I can do and approaches the manager and the manager can be seen rolling her eyes and annoyed! Then 10 minutes later the bill comes back with 6 dollars off. I always recommends yall, I’ve come here before and always come to spend money and I am no longer a guest of yalls. Not really cause the server, I mean whatever she pre judged a table of bartenders and servers and she could of made a Tuesday night amazing money. (We did still tip) The reason not to return or recommend to my guests your place is because the manager, when you are having a bad experience or need something, what do you do ask for a manager but how when she was hateful, rude and did not smile once the whole time she was at the door! But I do want to say bartender 10/10 for the little interaction we had waiting on our party if I didn’t have my child I would have...