Ethyl's Smokehouse & Saloon — Restaurant in O’Fallon

I have been to this location before and had a great time normally the staff is welcoming. Today however was a very different story. I had called at 10:30 to reserve a small table for me and my 5 friends as a small business lunch get together for the hockey game. I was first told that they do not take reservations but they would hold a table in front of a TV under my name. I thought everything was fine but I was wrong. I arrived at 12:00 and we waited to be seated for 15 mins then we moved to the back expecting to have our table ready. We tried to ask the wait staff and were told they did not have our table and had not idea who we talked to. We then moved to an open table in-front of the TV in the corner that was an unmarked clean space. "The waitress came by and told us you can't sit here" I explained to the waitress that we had a table reserved and she told us she had no idea what we were talking about and that we had to move. I think asked to speak to her manager so I could better understand how is it I was told that there is no way to reserve a space but this space was now somehow reserved. I walked and spoke to a manager and was informed that you can actually reserve a table and or space but only ..."if you got 300 dollars bro".. was his actual words. I'm a small business here in O'fallon and I could have reserved this space if at least there was a way to book the space or the instructions were clear. Also it doesn't help that the wait staff was apathetic at best and down right rude and unwelcoming at best. I only give it two stars because the BBQ was good and also the male bartender was cool. I would highly recommend that upper management train these employees on proper customer service. Until service is improved I cannot recommend this location and would suggest you avoid it for "field Box" or other establisments with better...

We went on a Sunday late afternoon. They were busy but still had space and some tables available. We requested to dine outside and were told there was an hour wait (even though there was only one family ahead of us on the outside dining waitlist). We were ok with waiting until we walked out to the bar to get our family drinks and saw there were plenty of empty tables that were cleared off, clean and ready, yet we were told there would be an hour wait. I asked the server why no one is being seated? She said that they weren't allowed to seat anyone because a bunch of people just sat down at the bar and all ordered food and the kitchen was overwhelmed. We were still understanding, and patient. Then, tired of standing and wanting a bit of shade, also knowing we were second on the list to eventually get seated, I sat down at one of the empty tables and looked over the menu. I wasn't there five minutes and the hostess walks up to me and says everyone is wondering what your doing sitting at this table? I was like excuse me but I'm second on the list to be seated and there are plenty of seats and tables available but if im causing a problem I will move. So I got up went inside for a few mins and when I return my family is seated at the tabel that I was told I couldn't sit at!! So needless to say I sat back down at the label I was just told I had to leave. The food was not nearly as good as it has been in the past. They do have a small play area for kids and sand volleyball courts and sand yltoys for the kids though. Bottom line: food wasn't good, employees were rude but atmosphere was good, especially...

We got right in and we were seated quickly. Our waitress was pleasant and took our drink order. She came back and took our food order. Our food took awhile to come out... Our waitress came back to our table and said she was sorry for the delay, but that our food would be out soon. It was served about 15 minutes later. The food was okay, I ordered rib eye, side salad, broccoli and baked potato. The baked potato was very small, about twice the size of the butter ball that came with it. The salad was served as chunks of lettuce with cheese, cucumbers and croutons on top with three cherry tomatoes on the side. We were seated at a small 4 person table that had four adults sitting at it. The salads were served with our dinners which reduced the table surface to a negative and made it almost impossible to cut up the chunks of lettuce in the salad which was put on a tiny little plate. So some of the salad was on the table. We had to ask for napkins for our table and to have drinks refilled. Our waitress brought our check to our table halfway thru our meal while we were all still eating. Not sure if she was rushing us or if she didn't know better or if she just didn't want to forget giving us our bill. At the end of our meal she did come back and ask if anyone needed anything to drink and if we wanted those drinks to go. And she asked if we needed any boxes. Truthfully...I felt rushed... The meal was okay. We have been been to the restaurant before and the food was great and the waitress was awesome. I think this was just a bit of...