The Chart Room Restaurant — Restaurant in Homer

When you eat in restaurants very often, sometimes you come across a very bad experience. And it could have been a very good experience if the staff and chef in the kitchen did their basic job.

I ordered as a starter 4 shrimps. This was an excellent dish. BUT when I started to eat the first half of my first shrimp they came already to bring my main course. Which idiot does not allow a customer to enjoy his starter without the main course, placed on the table, getting cold?

I told the lady that I had just started my starter. She said she would take it back and although I clearly said that it did not want my fish main course to be destroyed by their magnetron of course they did!!!. The fish was now very dry and destroyed. Uneatable.

How can you do this if you are in the fine eating restaurant business? If I want to eat quickly I go to a fast food chain. What an Amateurs.

BUT IT GOT WORSE.

When paying the bill with my credit card I still gave a 20% tip. The original waiter, the kitchen and the female manager were responsible for killing my main course, had been good and helpful.

I paid, but after my payment was approved on the separate credit card terminal the transaction was not finished on their software program on their computer. It showed in the software that the payment was not completed. There had been an internet disturbance and they were off-line.

The waiter noticed this and asked me to pay again. On the spot I checked my credit card expenditure on my credit card on my Dutch bank account. This showed that the payment had been deducted from my credit card. So, I had paid!

But their software could not provide proof that the transaction was completed. Internet was disconnected. I showed the waiter my credit card details and that the payment had been made on my side. I was not going to pay a second time.

THEN IT STARTED

The female manager, the one that brought the magnetron re-heated and destroyed halibut main course, told me that I had to pay again, because according to her I had not paid. After I explained and showed that I had paid and was not going to pay again I was told by her that they were not letting go without paying again. Because although I had paid they did not receive the payment and therefore, according to her, I had therefore not paid. I had to pay again.

I explained to her that the money had left my bank account and that money was either in her bank account or at the credit card company suspense account waiting to be paid to the restaurant when internet is back up. Call the credit card company.

Perhaps it was even completed normally, but their software, because of losing internet connection, was not updated accordingly.

In the end they called the the police. “We have a customer who refuses to pay his bill”. The police arrived and I was questioned and all my personal information was taken and photographed. My Phone number and email address was also provided to the restaurant in case I needed to pay again if the transaction was reversed on my credit card. Which was fine by me. I want to pay my bills. But of course only once. After one hour waiting and discussions I could leave the restaurant and go to my restaurant.

Of course the transaction is still shown as an expense on my credit card and the restaurant must have received the money, because they never contacted me for their money. In other words the amount was paid into their bank account.

After such a scene in the restaurant (various restaurant visitors approached me in the parking lot to ask what the problem was), including the police involvement and having to stay for an hour you would expect a follow up mail and an apology. But……..

Strong negative advice, if only for the habit of preparing fine dinners as if it...

In Homer for two days, went to three meals at our once-favorite restaurant. Not anymore.

Meal 1. We requested an outdoor table. The hostess said, come over here, seating us in the hot sunshine in the bar. We were told to wait and that the outdoor seating was being prepared and that “it takes an effort to get ready.” No one was out there and it was already 30 minutes into lunch service time. Twenty minutes later, a group was seated out there. The very nice bartender Lisa offered to take our order while we waited. Now, forty minutes later, we were being served our meal, in the hot sunny bar. “Oh, did you want to sit outside?” The hostess knew, the waitress knew, and the bartender knew.

Meal 2: “Halibut Illiamna” (supposedly stuffed with king crab — one bite had what I’d call only a smear of crab). Halibut was dry, overcooked and salty. Husband’s elk meatloaf was also dry, overcooked, and salty. Both overpriced at $35 and $25. We were seated outdoors this time, but as the sun receded as we waited a half hour for our meals, we asked about moving to the empty table in the sun since I had no sweater. This was not accommodated with the reason being a party was being seated there already. Near the end of our meal, finally a single person was seated there — apparently the waitress’s boyfriend or close relative per the intimate hugs. So, we sat there cold, finishing our dry meals.

Meal 3: Stood waiting for the oblivious, chatty hostess who finally appeared after the manager prompted her out after asking us if we had been helped, this, after 7+ minutes of standing there waiting. She apparently had no clue that everyone, anywhere in the entire dining room could hear her and other staff loudly chatting on and on behind the partition.

We were there for breakfast in this once-nice restaurant. First thing, our waitress at this supposed high-quality establishment rushed over and with no greetings, announced, “We’re out of fruit. We only have one of ...whatever she quickly said.... and out of ...something else. You want water?” The hostess brought water and the waitress brought waters, confused that we already had some.

Since there was no fruit, I asked for soy milk to moisten my oatmeal and was told, “that will have an additional charge. “

In the photo, check out husband’s “potatoes” with the Basic Breakfast. Old grease? Fried for too long? Both?

Someone owns a lovely property in a spectacular location. We have been patrons at this restaurant and resort for years. Something is going wrong.

The host on the evening before, wore his mask only ‘sometimes’, randomly taking it on and off. Sadly, someone needed to inform him that there was a big wet spot on one nostril side of his mask. Not attractive in a restaurant host.

They’re trying to play “Restaurant“ with...

Very disappointing meal at the one place we usually can count on for a decent meal. Not many places in our home town of Homer, Alaska this time of year left open to go to on October 25th.

Leaving for our several month winter vacation we chose to have our last dinner in town at the Land's End Chart House. Not only do we love sitting with one of the most beautiful views during our meal, normally the food is very good.

My husband ordered a pan seared Halibut dinner. Homer being the Halibut Capital, we do quite often. His Halibut was cooked to beyond shoe leather. This was so unusual and there were only three tables of customers, so they weren't so busy that it would be an excuse for such a terrible meal. Not only that his baked potato was barely luke warm, that the butter did not even melt.

We brought this to the attention of our waitress. She could clearly see the fish was over cooked and the potatoes butter did not melt. She said she'd bring it to the attention of the cook after we explained they needed to know. We are locals we told her and understand some nights can be off, but wouldn't want tourists or our visiting friends or family from out of town to experience this bad of a meal.

Normally we would have been approached by a manager and offered not to pay for the meal, or a discount. We were so shocked that our waitress after we told her and she took my husband's meal, came by with our bill, dropped it on the table and walked away. No manager, no mention of the terrible meal. We left payment and left the restaurant. I then was sorry we hadn't waited to speak with someone in charge. Jeannie our favorite bartender at the Chart House was working, although taking care of other diners in the lounge, because the dining room was closed. Wish we'd said something then, I hope it's better...