Raines on Exchange Bar and Grill, LLC — Restaurant in Pendleton

Came into the restaurant on Friday at 7:15 and was told it would be a 40 -45 minute wait. An hour and 15 minutes later, I went up to the hostess stand to find out the status of our seat and was told that they would not be seating us, or anyone else, and that the kitchen was no longer going to be taking any orders. Nobody called our cell number that was left with the hostess to notify us. No text was sent, even though I received a text confirming that I was waiting for a table. Nobody announced this to the restaurant in the bar area where multiple groups of people were waiting for a table. No effort was made to notify anyone who had been waiting there for an hour to an hour and a half that they were not gonna get seated after waiting there that long. And when I asked the hostess why no one was notified she informed me that it was too many people to call everyone. I have never in my life experienced this at any restaurant. If your name is taken at a hostess stand you’re put in a queue to wait for a table, then you get seated. Otherwise, when we came in, they should’ve told us they were not seating anyone else at that time versus making us wait for over an hour. The bartender was very nice that was serving us while we were waiting for a seat, but it reflects horribly on whoever was in charge of these decisions and in charge of not communicating this to the patrons. We tried to find a manager, but to know avail so by 8:45 we left to go rush to find something to eat and luckily Brooklyn Style Pizza next-door, which was closing at 9 o’clock, gladly sat us down and served us with a smile.

Edit - You are referring to the wrong party. We came in in person - we did not call ahead. We put our name in with the hostess upon arrival. She took my phone number and I got an automated text saying I was on the list. We sat at the bar and waited for our table. The bartender served us drinks and asked if we were eating and we told her we were waiting on a table. Never met Justin, and no manager was around when I went back up to the hostess stand to check on our table, I went back to tell the group we would not be seated so we rushed to go find a back up place to eat since we were visiting from Greenville. Later that night I finally received a text at 10:22 PM that night informing us we would...

Went and visited tonight. We wernt aware of Pendleton graduation tonight. We were prepared to wait for a little for a table, but to our luck we didn't have to wait. Hostess told me to ahead and pick a table. We sat, ordered bar drinks and appetizer. When appetizer arrived we ordered our entrées, hoping to beat the two larger groups waiting for tables to come available. When we finished ordering the two larger groups of 15+ each began to sit. We waited 45min from ordering our entrées when we seen one of the larger groups entrées were being put on the tables in front of them. remind you they also already got their appetizers also and now getting their food before we have even heard anything about where our food was. I then proceeded to get up and tell what I thought was the manager (very unprofessional do I add) that I had been waiting and ordered before both these larger groups and they are already getting their entrées and if I didn't see my food in five minutes I was taking my family elsewhere. She went and checked and had the hostess come to table and tell us our food was coming right up....Those five minutes passed as now the other large group was also getting their entrées by the cart full. Still no communication from server or anyone about our food. I then proceeded to get our family ready to leave and I told the "manager" could I please have our check. As I was getting ready to go outside a women from one of the larger parties said to me "you never got your food?" shaking her head and I said nope and doesn't look like we are going to. I went to car with my childern and my wife waited to pay. She approached the women and our server which were standing together talking and asked for the bill. Woman told her "your gonna have to wait a minute I am busy and I am not your server" while proceeded to put her hand out like she was telling my wife sorry I'm to busy for you. she paid and left. Very unprofessional staff, and food was never to be seen or tasted. Do better Raines! Guess that was last visit to a...

Arrived as a party of 3 for lunch around 1:30 upstairs. It was not very busy, but took quite a while for a waitress to drop off menus and take a drink order. When asked about their rotating seasonal draft beers (as was printed on the beer menu), she had no idea and went to ask the bartender. 10 minutes later and after visiting each new arrival table before coming back, we were told there were none. We ordered drinks and an appetizer and sat back to wait. And wait. And wait some more. Finally, another staff member from downstairs came to deliver our drinks. We then waited to see our waitress to put in our food as other parties began to arrive and get seated (and served) before us. We finally placed our order and hungrily waited another 20-30 minutes for our appetizer while finishing our beers. The man from downstairs came to collect our empty glasses, then walked off without even asking if we would like another drink. The waiting game continued to the point of having been sitting for over an hour, if our food didn’t come in 5 minutes, we would pay for our drinks and leave. Our lunch finally arrived, but one sandwich was not made as ordered. We were too hungry to care. Our appetizer was never put in, and we overheard the table next to us had the same issue with their missing appetizer order. Upon finally walking downstairs to leave, we noticed now empty it was with multiple staff members standing around chatting rather than help serve the floundering waitress upstairs. Horrible...