Gates Restaurant + Bar — Restaurant in New Canaan

TODAY IS JUNE 24th, 2025.

I had called in an order for pickup and I was ordering a rigatoni alla vodka and a Korean bbq bowl and a side of tater tot’s. While I was ordering I was just asking the gentleman on the phone about what vegetables were on the Korean bbq dish and he told me broccoli, “other vegetables” and mushrooms… I asked he could put no mushrooms and just replace them with vegetables and I told him if it was extra that would be okay. And he proceeded to answer me back with a sarcastic tone saying “anything else”. After I asked him to put no mushrooms in the dish and replace them with vegetables I asked if he could make the dish gluten free because I have celiac disease (I shouldn’t have to explain that) after that he proceeded to have that same sarcastic tone saying “anything else” and then I just asked to put an order for tater tots, and he laughed. Let me be clear. EXTREMELY CLEAR. If anyone is laughing at you or laughing about what you’re ordering especially when you are the customer that is extremely inappropriate and disrespectful. As the customer coming to any restaurant, and store, or chain for that matter should not be laughed at… After I gave him my name for the pickup order he said should be ready in half an hour. So I go to Gates half an hour after and the order is not there on the entrance tables and I had to ask for a lady working there and she said give me a second. So I waited. And waited. And waited. For 1 HOUR. My time was waisted and guess what that’s not even the worst part yet, it gets better. After me and my significant other pay for the food pay for the food we head back home in frustration and heat. We open the pickup bag and notice not 10 not 8 but 5 strips of Korean bbq steak on the dish they gave me… And they gave me MUSHROOMS ON THE PLATE. And the tater tots had cheese, jalapeño and bacon on them. Yes I understand that may sound good to you but not when you have both celiac disease and are lactose intolerant… I just wanted tater tots, and I hate to be like this but did I say “loaded tots” NO!😭. I WAS DISGUSTED, BECAUSE WE PAYED SO MUCH MONEY FOR HORRIBLE QUALITY OF SERVICE AND FOOD! I DIDN‘T EVEN EAT ANYTHING EITHER BECAUSE I WAS SCARED IT MIGHT HAVE DAIRY OR GLUTEN AND WAS UNSURE BECAUSE OF HOW THE GENTLEMAN HANDLED MY ORDER AND DIDN’T BOTHER GOING BACK TO GATES IN NEW CANAAN BECAUSE I WAS EXTREMELY DISSAPOINTED. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU...

As a new parent I have been nervous about eating out with my 5 week old. In my experience New Canaan dining has always been very family friendly, so I thought I would go to lunch at Gates as it was an enjoyable restaurant I frequented prior to their renovation. The food and service was fine at first, and my friends and I were enjoying our lunch. At one point I needed to change my child, and found out they had no changing table in their restroom, which came as a surprise to me given the size of the establishment. Since the area I was seated in wasn't crowded (only 1-2 other tables in the entire restaurant,) I quickly changed my baby on the seat of the booth I was sitting in, and took the diaper to an outdoor trash can as to not offend any patrons or staff. Anyone who has been to the new gates will probably agree that sounds carries like a high school cafeteria. Because of this I got to enjoy hearing the hostess complaining to another staff member about how disgusting it is that I changed my baby in the booth, and that "people sit there." This is a valid thought, but if she had investigated her concern at all she would have found a fully stocked diaper bag and the clean pad I had arranged to protect the seating area. In addition to this, she later complained to her coworkers that we were taking too long to finish lunch. When we approached her about this she denied having said anything, and we left, feeling that the dining experience was soured by this hostess. I understand that you cannot expect a lot in regards to integrity or understanding from teenage employees, but I was very surprised to see such a bad attitude about such a harmless act. Needless to say her actions were very detrimental to my otherwise satisfactory lunch experience, and I would probably never recommend Gates for family...

If I can give a zero I would have for terrible service. We were in town for a weekend getaway and decided to stop in. As soon as we walked in we received a cold welcome from the manager, Shila, Sheila, however her name is spelled, we ignored it. As we were being seated she was more rude to my husband than to me, with the small space that the patio, she did not step aside to allow my husband to sit down, and rudely said "Excuse me", once again we ignored it. When she returned to ask for our order, we placed it and my husband said "thank you hun" (I know that many might think or take that comment differently) I know my husband and he is a kind gentle man. She replied very rudely "My name is shila (however it is spelled)" as soon as my husband heard her, he wanted to apologize and she ignored him completely. By this time we were done, and felt discriminated and treated poorly, we asked to speak to the manager by the gentleman that was refilling our water, he expressed to us that she is the manager. When I approached her to talk to her and explain to her that we will pay for the food we order, but wanted to tell her about the rude interaction we received, especially my husband she dismissed me completely. If I want to say that is discrimination it was, my husband was very upset and spoke his mind explaining to everyone how rude, and how we felt discriminated for no reason. She saw this as a threat and called the police on us. All that could have been avoided if she took the time to hear us out and just at least show some kind of empathy. I hope that one day she looks back and understands a smile and a listening ear...