Dulan's On Crenshaw — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I ordered online at 6:39pm and ordered it under the As Soon As Possible (asap) time frame. I recieved an email stating that my food would be ready around 7:00pm. I arrived at the restaurant and there was no parking. There was only valet parking. I went inside the resturant around 7:01pm. They told me that they were going to prepare my food at that moment and it would take around ten minutes. I went back into the restaurant around 7:15pm. At that time the restaurant was crowded and there was nobody to help customers with pickup orders. However, there was the occasional staff member who brought orders from the back when they were ready. I asked a staff member about my food as he was going to the back to check on another customers order. That staff member came out with the order for that customer and walked to the back without an update on my order. The restaurant was still crowded and the staff was tending to a large crowd. I went back to my car as there was nobody to help me. I did not get my order until around 7:45pm. Forty-five minutes after the original estimated time.

I ordered the Fried Fish dinner with Cabbage, Candied Yams, and Macaroni and Cheese. The fish was not cooked well, it was soggy and the coating was falling off. In addition the Macaroni and Cheese and Candied Yams did not taste or look like it does at the other Dulan's locations. It seems they changed the recipe. I have purchased dinners from the Manchester location and the Century location multiple times. I purchased from the Crenshaw location once prior to renovation.

The food today was ok, but it did not have the quality and taste of the food that Dulan's usually serves. The Crenshaw restaurant was nice and had a good atmosphere. Also there may be better street parking availability on less busy days. However, due to today's overall experience, I will not be a customer at this location in the future. In addition, if the other locations have the same changes in food taste and quality I will not go to those...

I called to see if I could order on the phone, Chris/Micheal directed me to order online. On the website I did not see oxtails, which led me to call back (to see if it was available). The gentleman (Chris) told me they only had few pieces. I reiterated that I was told to order online instead of by phone. Chris tells me that I would have to come in and order the food. I tell him that I just got out of surgery the day before and am immobile; hence the reason someone is picking the food up for me. He asks, "well who is picking the food up for you"? I relay the person's name. Chris then asks if he can put me on a brief hold. I held for about 7 -10 minutes. The general manager retrieves my call and then asks "how can I help you". (First strike, I shouldn't have had to reiterate the whole ordeal, secondly I should have been told that I was waiting on the phone for the general manager). I tell the General manager my requests, and am now told there are no oxtails. The General Manager also sounded a bit a annoyed with my phone call. I said to him, "Okay, I was feeling as though once someone retrieved my call I would be told there wasn't any more...Gen Manager stated extremely nonchalant and as though he was annoyed by the whole call "yeah, that's why they are not available online (didn't Chris tell me they had a few?). I then said: well sorry to disturb you I will just order online. He said okay!!! Based on this conversation that I had with the General Manager, I DID NOT, AND WONT, order from Dulans. I know that this establishment is a staple in the community but what General Management has to be mindful of is that there STILL NEEDS TO BE GREAT CUSTOMER service. On this call and possible order, he FORGOT. A staple in the community still means you are serving the community....consumers don't have to spend our money where we are underappreciated and where the staff lacks good...

NOTHING WORSE THAN WASTING TIME AND MONEY ! As a daughter of Mississippi parents and ancestors the bar is already set whennit cones to soythern cuisine. ANY restaurant calling themselves "soul food" and serving canned greens or ANYTHING else from a can is insulting the art of authentic soul food cooking. Against my first mind ,I traveled all the way from Garden Grove Sunday to get food from Manchester location. A month ago I had already had a not so great experience with their baked. Turkey dinner and vowed to never go back again but I wanted to give them a second chance. Just in case that experience was just a bad day for them, it does happen. However, I went yesterday, ordered 2 baked Turkey wing dinners with dressing Mac and cheese and collar greens. To the tune of $60. It started when I was told that" we ran out of cranberry sauce." My first thought was : then sent somebody to the store ! I'm spending $27 a plate. How do you sell dressing without cranberry sauce?That's like saying we have hot dogs and but no buns. After getting off of the freeway's long drive, I had to stop at the grocery store and get a can of cranberry sauce. Then to add insult to injury. when I got home almost an half hour later the food was horrible !!!! mac and cheese over cooked to MUSH and too salty to eat,collard greens straight out of a Glory can an full of stems.Turkey wings NOTHING HUT FAT SKIN falling from the bones. The dressing texture was like dough and had sugar in it ...YUCK ! My last experience ,same meal the dressing was dry and crumbly. I come from a long line of legendary southern cooking people and as much as I like to keep my business in our community this is NOT acceptable. Dulans please stop with the shortcuts and canned food.I spoke with the manager (Adarius)and he agreed to replace both meals whenever I get back...