Prelude Breakfast Bar — Restaurant in Fayetteville

Before I get in to how bad my personal experience was, let me set the stage. As an out of state students, my friends and I were looking to discuses several details pertaining to our coming move-in date. The entire week was filled with excitement: taking about the menu, the amount of fun options there were and really, just anticipating this brunch as a whole; in fact, over the two week period prior to the brunch, we all looked into several options before deciding on this one and thought this would be the one. Unfortunately, for me, it was not.

Once we got to Prelude, we signed are names and promptly waited 35 minutes before receiving a text, notifying us, the table was soon to be ready. Another 10 minutes passes and we get a follow up text, "your table is ready". Now, up to this point, the hostess had been calling names, greeting customers and letting them know their table had been prepared; however, for us, that was not the case. In fact, I'm positive our table would have been skipped if we didn't stop her for seating other people first.

After being pointed to our table, directing ourselves to the back of this hole in the wall restaurant, we were greeted by a server. This is were things went from "ehh" to worse. She takes our orders, and just minutes after she returns to make us aware two separate dishes were unable to be made because of insufficient ingredients. At this point, already waiting 45 minutes to be sat and only 2 hours from the restaurant opening, they can't prepare the dish I had been so looking forward to all week. Because of this, I changed my dish and waited about 40 minutes for food - reasonable right? Maybe if my dish came out with all the ingredients.

Two bites in, I'm thinking to myself, the dish is small for having to spend almost $20 dollars for it. Right there, I notice it; it's missing the eggs. A scrambler, without any eggs... really. Now, as all my friends have already gotten the opportunity to dive into their beautiful looking meals, I get to wait for the server, who is no where to be found fix my food. Finally 5-10 minutes later- after my meal had cooled, she comes back to the table, and I'm able to get eggs.

Now overall, the experience was O.K., but to have been waiting two weeks and be excited to enjoy a nice meals with friends, then be totally disappointed with this service; it just wasn't cool. Other people seemed to have been enjoying their time, and I bet its a great place to eat, when everything is stocked and servers are trained with knowledge of the whole menu, but this time was...

We went here for breakfast while passing through the area, choosing it based off the reviews and images of the food. The vibe and location was great, and the layout created a relaxing, laid-back atmosphere. However, right out of the gate, we had a lengthy wait for a server to bring us a menu and our drinks. There seemed to be one waitress who was taking care of everyone's tables as well as playing the role of hostess at the front of the house. She seemed to have a lot going on.

One of the first things we noticed was the number of plates with food still remaining on them after the people left---particularly the breakfast potatoes. When we received our orders, we found out why: The breakfast potatoes were very starchy and dry. They mostly consisted of golden fingerlings and were cut in big chunks which probably contributed to their dryness. They were flavorful on the surface but none of that flavor penetrated into the meat of the potato. We were offered ketchup or their in-house salsa so we chose the salsa but later wished we chose the ketchup as whoever made the salsa was very heavy-handed with the cumin.

As for the remainder of the entrees, they were okay. One dish was an omelet with bacon, sweet potatoes, and goat cheese. We requested country sausage instead of bacon and it was made as requested. I was hoping for large bites of sausage but there wasn't much there and it was a struggle to find the goat cheese. It was eventually tasted near the end of the dish.

Price-wise, the place is a bit pretentious and not worth what the prices you pay. True, their fresh-squeezed orange juice is sublime but $4 for a small glass is a bit much---especially for a place that is on a college campus. We ended up paying just over $30 for our breakfast (not including gratuity). It was overpriced.

In sum... Pros: Cool atmosphere and vibe; laid-back environment Use of locally grown ingredients Presentation of food

Cons: Overpriced Underwhelming...

Amazing food, great atmosphere, great service. We will definitely be back.

9/10/23 - Update: Disappointed

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

My recent visit to Prelude left me quite disappointed, which is a far cry from the delightful experiences I've had in the past. I've been a loyal patron of this establishment for some time, but today was an exception that left a sour taste in my mouth.

One of the significant changes Prelude has recently implemented is the introduction of a 22% service charge in lieu of tipping. While I understand the rationale behind this decision, it seems to have had unintended consequences. With no direct incentive for providing excellent service, the wait staff's attitude and performance have suffered significantly, as I experienced firsthand during my most recent visit.

The wait staff appeared cold and disinterested, which is a stark departure from the warm and engaging service I had grown accustomed to at Prelude. It's evident that the absence of tipping has resulted in a lack of motivation to deliver the high level of service that once defined this establishment. The service during my visit was subpar, to say the least, and it left me quite disappointed.

Prelude has always been a charming local establishment in my eyes, but this recent experience has cast a shadow on its reputation. I sincerely hope that the management takes note of these concerns and works to address them promptly. While the change in the tipping system may have its merits, it should not come at the cost of the overall dining experience.

In conclusion, my recent visit to Prelude was marred by lackluster service and a noticeable decline in the warm, welcoming atmosphere that I have come to associate with this establishment. I hope Prelude can regain its former charm and provide the exceptional service that its patrons have...