Efes Mediterranean Gril — Restaurant in New Brunswick

After trying the Efes location in Princeton, we decided to try this location. Having had a really late lunch, we came here around 10:45 PM on 03/04/2020. We were directed to sit upstairs, which was spacious, nicely decorated, and dimly lit.

We ordered the Shepherd Salad, Mixed Grill, Grilled Sea Bass (Branzino), and Ayran. The salad came soon after we ordered it, but we waited really long for our entrees. We didn’t receive it until 11:35 PM (timestamp from food pic). The waitress came by around 11:45 PM to ask us if we wanted dessert because they’re closing the kitchen. We asked for the Kunefe, which she went back to the kitchen to confirm if the chef can make. She came back after a few minutes and confirmed that they can prepare it if we’d like. In the mean time, we asked for containers to pack our food to go, because we felt rushed and didn’t want to keep them waiting as they were vacuuming.

After we finished packing our leftovers, the Kunefe came around 11:55 PM—a couple of minutes after she confirmed with the kitchen that the dessert could be prepared. While we were trying to quickly eat the Kunefe, whose bottom was was soft, soggy and tasted uncooked rather than crunchy, the lady with the short hair, tattoo on her arm, and black glasses (whom we met downstairs at the register) came upstairs to us.

Initially, we thought she was merely checking up on us. She rudely asked if there was a problem as we left a low tip, emphasizing that customers often leave 15-20%. Since we didn’t do the same, she assumed we thought that the food or service was bad. She also commented about how we’re staying there so late. It wasn’t 12 AM yet, let alone “late” for her to point out that we were still there.

To summarize, we had less than 10 mins to eat before the waitress brought our bill, and we had to pack our food to go. I was shocked/embarrassed that an employee would become so confrontational over a tip.

The reason I mentioned all the times above is to put everything into perspective. There’s a couple of points I want to make, some of which I didn’t tell her:

-The waitress took some time after seating us to take our order, and didn’t check up on us.

-The cups were filthy. One even had a lipstick stain on it, but we didn’t say anything out of courtesy. Perhaps people would be more likely to tip if they weren’t disgusted by the lack of hygiene on premises. If that woman focused on cleanliness as much as she did on the customers for the amount they tipped, there would be much higher tips!

-I’m not the one who came up to her complaining that the food took long and that I packed most of it to go. On the contrary, I happily packed my food and was cleaning up after myself so as to leave them with the least amount of work after we leave. I wasn’t complaining for her to teach me to “ask how long it takes next time.” She’s the one who made a fuss over the tip then pretended she was only asking so that she could correct any problems we may have had. If she really cared about the experience, she would’ve asked how everything is going—without the other parts.

-The definition of a gratuity tip as per Merriam-Webster is: “something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service.” In other words, it isn’t required—the customer is merely obligated to pay for the food. Sure, it’s a social norm to tip 15-20%, but it isn’t a must. Many places incorporate those fees into the cost of the food already, or state that a certain percentage gratuity will be charged. If the woman has such an issue with tips, she can bring it up with the owner and implement a policy where gratuity is always charged, and is clearly stated as so on the menu.

Nobody deserves to be belittled for the amount they choose to tip—or not tip. What if someone was struggling and could barely afford the bill? This was not the case with us, but you should really train your employees (or that lady, specifically), on basic human decency...

Food is fine. But when you hire trashy wait staff, you're bound to sabotage the quality of your guests' experience. We had a waitress who had a horrible attitude not only with us, but with other patrons and even her coworkers. She was all over the place, scatter brained, and forgot to bring out portions of our order and the order of another group sitting upstairs near us as well. Several of us even took note of how she was treating the other waiter and waitress with such a poor attitude.

Anyway...there was an automatic 18% tip added which usually I don't mind since wait staff deserve the best for all they go through, but this woman in particular was unprofessional and I definitely was not paying her a near $20 for her garbage "service". I don't believe tips should be pre added which is another issue I have with this place because a tip is reflective of SERVICE and should be determined by the GUEST--- not the restaurant.

Instead of embarrassing her for the lack of attention and focus, we thanked her for the meal. On the way out she had the audacity to literally RUN after us moments later when she realized I adjusted her tip to a number more in line with her service (and based on our experience with her, that was very generous of us).

Since she insisted on making a fuss in front of everyone, I explained to her exactly how inattentive she was during our meal, how she admitted to forgetting a portion of our meal in the back, how she served us that same item cold instead of having the chefs at least reheat it, and how inappropriate she was for arguing the amount I left her for service she didn't even provide. She went back and forth with me and then accused me of skipping out on the bill for food as well!!!! So then we had to take out our handy dandy calculator since clearly math was not her best subject in school. She was proven wrong and STILL was arguing. At that point I had enough of her bs.

I'm sorry, but if you want a $20 tip at least do your job. Really sad how the most attention we got out of her was when she felt entitled to more money. I will not be dining here again. Plenty of other options nearby. Do yourself a favor.

The owner of this place should sit her down and chat for the sake of his establishment.

Kudos to the chefs and other wait staff who actually did their jobs with a smile...

1700 nurses are on strike in New Brunswick, NJ for the fight for safe patient ratios. We want safe staffing for our community. Efes, around the corner from our hospital AND a favorite amongst many nurses, does not support the 1700 nurses who have made sacrifices on August 4 and walked out of the hospital in hopes of creating a safe environment for patients AND nurses. We will no longer be supporting this establishment.

EDIT TO RESPOND - on August 4, three nurses who were striking for HOURS attempted to order from your restaurant. While in line, they asked if they could use the bathroom. They were told they could not use the bathroom, even though they were paying customers. They canceled their orders and took their business elsewhere.

Additionally, your delivery men have repeatedly told the nurses on the line that Efes does not support us. The nurses do not feel welcome into your restaurant as they did prior to august 4th. Many other establishments have embraced the nurses and showed support towards us, even as we just walk past.

But not Efes. We are treated different because of the business you have with our hospital administration. Others came in and were ignored when trying to make an order.

But you’re saying you DO support us. Make us feel that way.

If you in fact, you do support the 1700 nurses on strike, many of who are Rutgers Alumni, put our solidarity sign in your window. Then we will retract our belief that you do...