Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar — Restaurant in Greenbelt

Dear Hook and Reel Corporate Management,

I am writing to formally document and escalate a deeply concerning incident that occurred during my visit to your Greenbelt MD location on Thursday night, 10/30/25 around 8:30pm. What transpired was not only unacceptable from a customer service standpoint, but it also raised serious concerns about discriminatory practices within the staff at this location.

My party and I were seated promptly, but for more than 30 minutes afterward, we were not acknowledged, greeted, or offered any service. During this time, I observed multiple staff members walking past our table and immediately assisting other guests who had arrived well after we did—none of whom were of our race. The contrast in treatment was both unmistakable and alarming.

At one point, a server approached our table, made direct eye contact with us, then turned away without a word and proceeded to assist another group. After repeatedly checking with the hostess to confirm that our table had not been overlooked, we were eventually approached by a Caucasian server we had not seen at any point earlier in the evening. Only then, after more than half an hour of being ignored, were we able to place our order.

This experience was unsettling, humiliating, and entirely inconsistent with the standards any customer should expect let alone from an establishment operating under your brand. The pattern of behavior we witnessed suggests the possibility of discriminatory conduct, which is a serious matter requiring immediate investigation and corrective action.

I am requesting the following from corporate management: A formal written response acknowledging this complaint. Confirmation this will be investigated, including a review of staff conduct and any relevant footage or records. Information on steps your organization will take to ensure that no customer ever experiences similar treatment at this location.

I trust that your company values inclusivity, fairness, and professionalism, and I expect that this matter will be handled with the seriousness it warrants.

Thank you for your prompt attention. I look forward to receiving a response outlining your next steps.

Sincerely, Dr....

During the Christmas holidays I visited my daughter in GA. She took me to a tasty seafood place called "404" something and their crab boil was so good. In fact, it was my first time trying a crab boil. Anyway, I wanted to see if I could relive my delightful journey, so I tried Hook & Reel in Glendale Md. The service wasn't that great because I called ahead of time and the gentleman didn't tell me that there was a wait when I called to see if they were open. I informed him that I would be arriving about 20 mins after our call. Upon my arrival, they asked us to wait outside due to Covid restrictions, which is understandable. However, after being paged to be seated, there was miscommunication between the staff, so we had to return to our car until it was time to be served. Once served, I ordered the crab boil. It was very bland and the spicy heat was weak. I shared my concern with the waiter, who tried to redo the seasoning but it was still weak. After paying approx $40 for a sizeable portion for one, I refused to trash it. I figured that I'd humbled myself, pay the tab then bring it home and add more seasonings like garlic, Obay seasoning and habanero flakes then re-boil my bag the next day. Over the next few days, I was satisfied. Brining it home was the best solution. Then a few weeks later, my friend wanted to eat there but I immediately shut it down. Until yesterday, my son and I decided to go but the one in Greenbelt was closer. I was eager to go because it was closer to where we were at the time and I was starving. When we arrived, we walked in and were greeted with pleasure and seated immediately. Before placing my order, I explained my horrible experience with my waiter Manga. He was such a sweet young man. He was attentive and their staff pulled everything off, up to the manager. The manager checked in to confirm the experience was to my satisfaction and it was. We have to go to establishments where they know how to treat you. The management team cared enough; therefore, it showed within my whole experience. NEXT TIME YOU ARE CONSIDERING HOOK & REEL CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR, CONSIDER GREENBELT. The food is delicious and the service is CREAM...

I was invited to dine this evening while celebrating a birthday. The young man just turned 13 years old today.

It started out okay, we ordered drinks and our meal at the same time. The waitress didn’t come back to let us know how much longer our food would take to be brought out. I excused this action.

Our food came and everyone was satisfied with their meals. My Seafood spaghetti marinara didn’t have parmesan though. The menu stated it should have come with it.

Once we were finished our meals, the waitress brought the bill. She also said in a few minutes the staff would be coming back to sing “ Happy Birthday “. What happened to surprises? You only become a teenager once. I felt that she should have pulled one of the adults in my party to the side to tell us what was going to happen.

We paid the bill and then someone else in our party said they would order another round of drinks. He paid for it separately. After 20 minutes of waiting, I got up and asked for the manager in the bar area.

The manager asked if I wanted a refund or a credit toward a future dining experience. I explained that I probably would NOT be returning to this location as the service was extremely poor. And, it wasn’t busy for a Sunday around 4pm to begin with.

The waitress decided to deliver our drinks after 26 minutes. By this time, we decided to leave and told them we no longer wanted the wine and beer. The manager did refund the additional bill for alcoholic beverages.

Hook & Reel seems like an okay place for locals to have some seafood year round. However, they definitely need to brush up on their communication skills from a hospitality perspective.

I live in Montgomery County, Maryland. I feel that all locations should operate the same and treat people with a VIP experience. Same state, totally different experience.

Remember to make every plate Great!

Chef...