The Mineshaft — Restaurant in Hartford

I'm the type of person that never leaves reviews, but I was very disappointed with my experience today. It was roughly 7pm on Sunday night (12/03/2023) and the place was far from busy. I walked in and sat at the bar and one bartender provided me a menu. That part they got right. After setting my menu down it was probably 15 minutes later before a bartender other than the person that provided me the menu actually took my order. To start, I ordered the beef and mushroom soup, and was provided with the andoullie sausage soup instead. It was a decent soup so I didn't complain. Next a third staff member came over and started clearing away my silverware and dishes without bothering to ask if I was done yet. Another 15 minutes go by and it was a fourth staff member that came over to ask if I needed anything while the two girls working behind the bar ignored me. The fourth staff member went to the kitchen and brought me my main course (Chicken Chimichanga). It had apparently been sitting and waiting while the two girls ignored me because it was only warm and not hot and fresh. I took my time eating, and was determined to eat everything I paid for, which was difficult because it lacked flavor and was pretty bland. At no point during the 30 minutes I spent eating did it occur to anyone to ask if I wanted a refill on my water. After finishing my meal and having the dishes taken away, I must have waited over 20 minutes longer before I had to yell out for my bill. I had originally planned on ordering a desert as well, but I was so offended already that I decided it was time to just leave. Despite this terrible service I still left a 30% tip since I know what it's like to work for tips and figured that the tips may be pooled since 4 different people interacted with me and I didn't want anyone that actually did their job to be affected because of the lack of work from the other staff. When I worked as a chef (and as an expediter) I would have first questioned why the food that was prepared was sitting so long before being sent out to the customer. Second, I would never allow the meal to go out after sitting so long knowing that it would be substandard. Finally, to make up for the problems we would have provided the customer at the very least a discount on the next meal, if not an entirely new meal for free. I'm not looking for either since I have no interest in having a repeat experience as bad as this one was. This experience was a failure on multiple levels by multiple staff. It's apparent now why there was a sign outside looking for cooks, servers, bartenders, etc. since it appears the ones that were working tonight aren't doing a very good job. Since I just finished reading similar negative reviews, it's apparent that the management isn't working to correct these problems like they claim to be in response to the negative reviews. I'm wondering what happened since the days I used to do computer work for one of the owners and regularly interacted with his son Owen when the food and service was...

Ordered AYCE shrimp, poor man's lobster, and perch. Food tasted fine, the perch were great, baked haddock a lil plain but still good and they originally only brought out 2 pieces of fish instead of typical 3, shrimp were decent pile but overcooked, so we reordered another round straight away, another 2 pieces fish each and more overcooked shrimp... so put in for another round of fish no more shrimp and we expected to be enough. Had 1 piece of fish each and fries left over so we ate 5 of 6. My mother ate half the over-crispy shrimp & I had some too, but instead of allowing us to box up our leftovers we were told by the waitress who gave great service btw & was very apologetic but said management wouldn't allow take home boxes of any ayce fish or shrimp. Im talking 1 singular piece of fish each and some unfinished fries. So instead she took the fish and shrimp to be tossed in the garbage rather than allow us to take home. She brought boxes for the potato & fry sides but It's not like we ordered a whole plate of food to not eat & just take home... it was a family of 4 dinner 3 adults 1 kid and I haven't seen my mom in years and it was her birthday. The bill was 100 bux with tip and a drink each with my daughter having kids meal. It was just the whole vibe felt cheapened by that wasted fish & overdone shrimp, although the service was excellent their 'rule' of not allowing us to box up our humble leftovers just put a bad taste in our mouths not to mention no credit for the overcooked shrimp, and we didn't bother asking to see a manager about it either, we were just ready to leave & try not let the treatment at the end dampen our vibes although it wasn't that big if a deal, it still kinda was cuz it changed the whole vibe and atmosphere at the dinner table. Used to drive from milwaukee to take my kids there once pr twice a month, took a break for almost a year, and now instead of returning once a month, it might turn back into months or year again. Usually a good time for the kids in the arcade, decent food and prices overall but when you put it all together it adds up quick, so after my last experience I'm not in a rush to go back at this...

Went on Friday for the fish fry at 6pm. Waited an hour as usual and expected to be seated since they are busy. Played games upstairs in the meantime. Games were ok, but nothing really for a 5yo to do, more 7+ age oriented. Got seated and ordered drinks and food right away as not to waste even more time. Drinks came, then food came awhile later. When waitress brought our food I asked for a second plate of fish (all you can eat) right away so I wouldn't have to wait since they only give you 3 SMALL pieces to begin with and I knew this. So we are eating and everything is going fine and a few minutes later the waitress brings out my second plate of 3 small pieces of fish. After that second plate the waitress never came back to our table. She went to the one next to us, and around us but never us. I finished my 2 plates of fish and the tater tots, and my wife and 5yo kid their pizza. Still no waitress. Would have loved to get 1 more plate of fish but she seemed to do the disappearing act and was nowhere to be found. After me, my wife and 5yo child were done eating, we sat a good 15 minutes before the waitress finally appeared again for me to just ask for the bill and be done with it all. My dad was going to take me earlier that day for the fish fry but I was busy at that time but he was supposed to stop over after he got done with lunch (2pm) he called me saying he was so upset and pissed off from his lunch experience that he was no longer going to stop over and he was just going to go home. He said he was seated and ordered his all you can eat fish, then another couple was seated at a table next to him 5 minutes after he was seated. The table next to him ordered 5 minutes after my dad did. Well the table next to my dad got their food brought out and my dad still had none. A few minutes later my dad asked a waitress where his food was as he has been waiting and got their before other tables. He was dining by himself... and he ordered the all you can eat battered cod... well he was not happy from that experience and just went home upset. place has decent food but...