Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom — Restaurant in Garden City

This is not the first time I've had a bad experience at this restaurant. I came here with my family some years ago and it was packed full of people, so I could excuse the lack of quick service. It was pretty awful anyway, and overpriced.

I came here again recently because it was convenient and close to where we were shopping. It was pretty empty, with maybe 4 or 5 tables seated. This is a pretty big establishment, so I think it's safe to assume that they could accommodate a larger crowd than they had.

Unfortunately, service was slow anyway. The waitperson was kind enough and I can't really complain about them, aside from one thing. My wife ordered a beer and waited a good 15 minutes before we asked where it was. They then told us that they were changing the keg, so it will be a while. Information that would have been helpful in choosing a beer to begin with.

I wanted to have pizza, but I need the gluten-free crust for dietary reasons. They were out of them. Not a big deal, because there were gluten-free buns for burgers. But, this is a pizza place no? Why would you be out of crust, even if it is gluten-free.

I get it, maybe there aren't many GF patrons or there are many, making it hard to keep them in stock. But, why put it on the menu if you can't keep up.

We ordered our meals and waited. It was about 30 minutes before we even heard from another waitperson. We were sitting next to the kitchen and I could hear them talking. I could have used another drink, and I'm sure they should have asked anyway, as is common in restaurants. Not only to please the customer, but to sell more booze or soda or whatever.

We ended up asking for boxes to go with our order because we were coming up on time to leave, which was ridiculous because we set aside an hour and a half to eat. We got our food in the last 20 minutes.

I scarfed my food because I was very hungry by that point and the rest of my family pretty much packed theirs away to eat on the car ride home.

Another annoying thing about this particular establishment is the atmosphere. I get it, if you come here during the day for a beer to watch sports commentary and listen to country music; this is your place. If you're literally anyone else, I hope you can learn to enjoy a TV on mute with subtitles for sports commentary when there is no game on. I hope you also like to boot scoot and boogie, no judgement if you do.

And as it is common and dramatic to say, I'll never come here again!

TL;DR:

Food Expensive, Service Slow, Wait Staff Lacking, Atmosphere...

I had the pleasure of dining at the Boise Town Square Mall Old Chicago location today with my family, a party of five. Our experience was made truly exceptional by the outstanding service provided by Megan, our server. From start to finish, Megan's professionalism, friendliness, and attentiveness stood out, making our meal not only delicious but also memorable for all the right reasons.

Megan's warm demeanor and genuine hospitality set the tone for our entire dining experience. She greeted us with a smile, took our orders promptly, and ensured that everything ran smoothly throughout our meal. Her knowledge of the menu was impressive, and she was more than willing to offer recommendations and answer any questions we had about the dishes.

What truly set Megan apart was her remarkable act of kindness and attentiveness when I inadvertently left my phone and leftovers on the table when I left. As my family and I were leaving, Megan went above and beyond to track me down before I reached my car, returning my belongings to me. Her proactive effort and willingness to go out of her way to ensure I didn't leave without my belongings were truly touching and greatly appreciated. Considering we live an hour away, Megan's kind gesture saved me a lot of time and frustration that it would have taken to drive all the way back to retrieve the phone.

Megan's dedication to providing exceptional service exemplifies the standard of excellence at Old Chicago. Her genuine care for her customers and willingness to exceed expectations showcase her as a true asset to your team. I cannot thank her enough for her kindness and exemplary service.

In conclusion, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Megan for making our dining experience at Old Chicago truly outstanding. Her professionalism, friendliness, and above-and-beyond attitude are a testament to the exceptional service that sets Old Chicago apart. Megan is undoubtedly a great employee, and her commitment to excellence deserves recognition. Thank you...

My 4 co-workers and I always go out on Thursday after work to hang out, have dinner and drinks and we LOVE the Old Chicago menu and happy hour. So this last Thursday we went to Old Chicago in the mall to unwind from a busy work week. First of all, we are all World Beer Tour members now, it did take 4 visits before a server even mentioned this to us avid beer drinkers, and were excited to add more beers to our tour. My last visit, I was not given credit for the beer the server in the bar suggested as my first to add to my tour :( We all ordered dinner and 2 beers to add to our tour and upon us all getting our dinner, MY dinner was not served...ever. As I asked our server, who never even gave us water, she simply shrugged her shoulders and said "I'm sorry you didn't get your dinner, do you want me to take it off your check?" Basically in a what do you want me to do about it? sort of demeanor. I could not believe that she did not even care that everyone else got to have dinner but me; at a restaurant where I am paying to dine at. I then asked her to speak to her manager, she didn't tell him, I asked another server to get her manager. Once he came over, he basically did not do a thing about it but say I'm sorry and let me know she didn't charge me for the forgotten meal. Once I got my check for the 2 beers I drank, I was not given credit for them either on my tour. The server was so inconvenienced by our group at this point that I did not bother asking her about it and we just left. This was a joke. Like as a server, you have one job; to serve. We work at a very busy office in the downtown Boise area and bad service even with a good happy hour MUST be talked about to warn others. This server and manager are a dis-service to the Old Chicago brand and we and many others will...