Bin 707 Foodbar — Restaurant in Grand Junction

Tried Bin 707 last Saturday evening. Heard about how good Bin 707 was for two years and wanted to try it for my wife's 50th birthday. When I made the reservation three days before, they asked if it was a special occasion and I told them that it was my wife's 50th. We travelled over 100 miles to go to dinner in Grand Junction, specifically to eat at Bin 707.

Last weekend was the Rides & Vibes Festival. Although it was nice to enjoy the outdoor festivities and music, the main stage was set up next to the restaurant. This wasn't Bin 707's fault and we didn't mind initially. However, the host didn't bother to give us the option of sitting on the side of the restaurant that was furthest away from the live music. Also, it took ten minutes before the host even acknowledged us even though we had reservations. In addition, the tables for two are very close together and give no privacy or comfortable distance from other guests. The table and seats next to ours sat perpendicular and the gal sitting with her back to my wife was so close that her hair brushed my wife two different times. This was annoying on top of the loud music coming through the west wall.

As for the food, it was very good overall. I would say it fell short of excellent given the thickness of the Ribeye. The pork chop was delicious and the salad was amazing. The biggest issue was dessert. We were so looking forward to having one of their highly touted desserts but cancelled our order after learning that the restaurant doesn't offer coffee of any kind, either regular or decaf. Really?!?! Bin 707 is supposed to be a James Beard finalist and doesn't offer coffee? Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but we cannot enjoy dessert without a good cup of coffee to cut it. Just like wine with an entree. I don't get it.

Our meal with tax and tip came to $225 without dessert, coffee, or an after dinner drink (they didn't even have a dessert port wine). A pretty high price to pay, IMO, for an incomplete meal for a restaurant that likes to promote its James Beard semi-finalist credentials. Adding a little bit of insult to injury, no one ever acknowledged my wife's special birthday by offering either comp drink/dessert or simply by offering us a quiet, private table away from the outdoor concert noise and nearby guests. Very disappointing given the fact that when I booked the reservation I was asked if it was a special occasion. Why ask if you don't plan to follow up?

Overall, we enjoyed the food and drinks. Our server was nice and helpful, but did nothing special to win us over or change our perceptions or experience. I give Bin 707 2-stars overall because the atmosphere, attention to detail, and value was not up to a five-star restaurant, let alone a James Beard finalist. I hope management...

If you enjoy overpaying for average hipster food, poor service, and being forced to pay an additional 21% cost for "service fees"...and then enjoy the expectation to add a tip to your server on top of all this...then Bin 707 Foodbar is the restaurant for you.

The audacity of the management at this restaurant to force all of their customers to pay a 21% service charge on all meals (meant to be disbursed amongst all employees evenly) is absurd enough as it is. To then have the customer be prompted on the bill for even more gratuity on top of this service charge is just infuriating. Do you really expect a customer to pay for an overpriced meal, then pay a 21% service fee, and then pay 20%+ gratuity on top of that??? Overpriced food + 40% in fees and gratuity...really?!? Is this ticketmaster or bin 707 Foodbar...I cant recall. At least ticketmaster has a monopoly on their market....luckily I have many other options in Grand Junction for restaurants.

With the high cost of a meal at this restaurant, it is puzzling to me why management cannot afford to pay their staff enough, without having to force their customers into paying a 21% service fee. Surely charging $29 for a few pieces of cheese and deli meat (not even served on a proper charcuterie board, c'mon now) will yield enough profit to pay your employees a fair wage.

Management at this restaurant seems to be concerned about how much their employees are earning...so much so that they have decided a 21% service fee on every meal a reasonable business strategy. I think a more reasonable business strategy would be for the management to give them a cut of the profits from that $25 bowl of blue grits, strand of kale, and piece of mushroom that they call an entree...instead of forcing the customer to be responsible for the inadequate wages that apparently need to be supplemented by a 21% service fee.

It is true...this information is clearly shown to the customer (in the fine print, on the bottom of the menu)...but I have never in my life had to read through a menu for fine print the way I do for a legal contract. I have never been forced into provided gratuity for a meal, it is something that I have the option of giving if I am satisfied by the service/food.

Needless to say, I will not be returning to this establishment. Nor will I be dining at Taco Party, another restaurant in town owned by the...

My husband and I went to the food bar we were sat within 5 minutes our order was taken within 3 minutes and then 45 minutes later our appetizers came out. We were sat right next to the kitchen so we could see when the food was prepared. Our appetizers sat to the side for approximately 25 minutes. One of our appetizers was oysters. My husband ordered the elk tartare And he was not impressed with the texture or the flavor. Nor was I when it came to the oysters. They were warm and they tasted as if they had been sitting for too long. My stomach began to grumble so we didn't order entrees and left with only the appetizers that we had left over. Got back to our room I had a glass of wine and went to eat the rest of my oysters and within 45 minutes of eating four more oysters I vomited up the entire meal. I believe I got food poisoning due to my oyster sitting on the side for 20 plus minutes before being served. My husband never finished his meal. Without a tip on my small plate of oysters and my husband's small plate of elk appetizers cost $60. I understand the desire to prove one's chef to be outstanding, but when there is no option for salt or pepper on the table that says that you think so highly of your food it doesn't need to be doctored or altered. Even if that is the case I should be able to have the option to add salter pepper if I decide to. I do not recommend this restaurant. There was one lady in there who was very nice she surprised me and filled up my water cup regularly I didn't catch her name she was beautiful had tattoos and Auburn red hair. As well as the hostess who seated us was the one who reminded our server that our food was waiting. Our server was not rude she was nice and polite The service itself was polite but unbecoming of the restaurant...