The Lakeside — Restaurant in Hamilton Township

I really liked this place and would eat and drink there a lot. The manager, Shawn, is awesome (really in tune with his customers). I would often feel bad for the wait staff because they seemed short-staffed by at least one person on a regular basis. Tonight I decided I needed a break from cooking and headed down for taco Tuesday, I drummed up 8 friends and family to join me (not the first time our large group went). In this account I’m crediting them for a half hour when we were dilly-dallying at first. We seriously were there for 1.5 hours and had still not received our really simple order of almost exclusively tacos. We were served nacho appetizers (with no individual plates even though we asked) and a couple rounds of drinks, really waiting too long for each. The waitress spun on a dime delivering a beer, not even asking if anyone else at the table needed anything. . . . Two tables which arrived after us had already eaten and left, and this was the last straw. We loudly announced to anyone who could hear that we wanted our bill so we could finally go home already. Another table (which also arrived after us and were about done eating) were pretty quick to vocalize their support and share that the food they had received was cold and not how they ordered. It really should have been no surprise that it also took a long time to receive our bill; several among our mutiny were pushing that we just leave without paying in exchange for the time they stole from us now that we were 2 hours away from bed time and facing the prospect of cooking or getting takeout. Finally a bill is presented to “us” (not really us, by this point the owner refused to even address the most irritated among us . . . Because you know how ignoring an insulted customer makes things better) and there are tacos that were not even served on the bill. Being among the disgruntled and shunned, I finally got his attention and was told I could leave by the OWNER of this establishment. I explained to him that I have a financial responsibility for this bill and $70 of what was on the table was from my pocket. So if I was going to leave I was taking that with me. He said that this was fine. I said as I granted his wish, but still not more than a couple of steps away, that he’d better not take $70 of the final tab from my friend. Wouldn’t you know that low-life took the full $105 balance from him, anyway? I wasn’t causing a scene as I told this man how disappointed I was with his service, when he told me to take my money and leave. Sure I was hostile and clearly mad, any person who was pushed to the point that they left without getting their dinner would be. But that weasel then took the money he told me to take with me when I left from another...

The first impression I got upon arrival was “Where is everyone?” The staff outnumbered the guests at the time two to one. We were sitting in a room with a view of the lake which was nice. The view and overall look of the restaurant was nice but that is where the positives seemed to end. Upon viewing the menu (apparently condensed due to COVID) several of us found things we thought we would enjoy. The waitress then informed us that they were out of a number of things. While there was a general consensus on how the meal went, I will only speak to my own experience.

I selected a bowl of soup off the specials menu which claimed to have Maryland Blue Crab. There was approximately a tablespoon of shredded crab in the center of what looked and tasted very much like Campbell’s Vegetable Soup. For my main course I selected the Rack of Lamb Chips with Mediterranean couscous. The couscous was inundated with lemon and coriander. Very tart and almost inedible. The lamb portion was small and one half was over cooked (med-well to well) the other was cooked quite nicely (Med-Rare).

The mediocre food, apathetic staff, and high cost had us leaving with the impressions that this is a two-star restaurant with five star prices. We will not be...

It is such a shame that we are no longer recommending the place. We are locals and my daughter chose it for her birthday. We wanted a table outside so we sat at a table near the bar to wait. We decided we should get a couple of beers while we wait. So I went to the bar, now every bar I have been to, the bartender comes over even if they are busy lays out the napkin or coaster and says I will be right with you. Well I stood there and stood there, I watched her serve another couple at the end of the bar their beers and still ignored me and another couple that had walked in. There was only 6 people there. I gave up so husband waited, the female bartender even walked by husband and the other couple and never once acknowledged them. We even asked the hostess what was the deal, she told the bartender we where waiting and once again she never acknowledged us. My husband finally asked , are you even serving? She instead of politely apologizing, she started to make an excuse that there was broken glass. Look i would of completely understood the broken glass IF she had acknowledged us and I hadn’t seen her serve the other couple which I think she knew. So poorly ran. And not good for business. Especially not good when it...