86 Forks Bar + Table — Restaurant in Pensacola

I was not impressed at all with our meal. First, I want to say my wife and I have worked at a restaurant for over a decade. I teach now, but at one point was a floor manager who has worked in every position imaginable for a relatively high-end establishment, so I know a thing or two about the business. The service was highly lackluster last night. We had made a reservation for two, and when we arrived, there was no one to greet us. We found a sign that said, please seat yourselves, okay, no big deal, except all the tables, had reserved signs on them. So I finally found someone, and they got us seated at one of the reserved tables. None of these were things to be upset about, but this is where it gets crazy. We sit for over ten minutes before we are told that Ryan, our server, will be with us in a few more minutes. So while we continued to wait, we were brought water by another server which sadly was dirty. After another five minutes, Ryan appears, and his whole demeanor is disinterested. No apology for taking over fifteen minutes to greet the table, nothing. So we ordered drinks, and before we could finish, he started walking away. Luckily I got his attention before he was gone and ordered some apps, a lobster rangoon, and fries cooked in duck fat. While we waited for drinks, our discussion primarily focused on the staff, as no one was smiling or seemed to work together. One server had what looked like a group at the bar and several tables and was taking great care of them while we sat and sat and sat as Ryan was outside talking to another table. Eventually, after another ten minutes, our apps arrived okay, fantastic, except we were still waiting on our drinks. The drinks still hadn't even been made yet. The food was hot but was not what we expected. The fries just tasted like fries. There was nothing taste-wise that indicated they were prepared in duck fat. Maybe they were precooked in it and refrigerated, then reheated in standard cooking oil, but nothing stood out for the price, and the only flavor came from the two sauces. My wife's rangoon was okay though there wasn't much lobster in them, and I suspect maybe prepared with lobster butter instead, as the filling was pink. The texture didn't indicate any meat in them as it was extraordinarily creamy, but I don't care how much you blend something; you will never break a protein down to where the texture is none observant. After giving each other a look, we ended our meal and, after nearly 30 minutes, finally had our bar drinks arrive. To which we asked for our check and left. My wife felt the service did not warrant a tip, but I still left one though not the usual 20%. We chugged our drinks, left the fries, and walked across the street to Cactus Cantina, which was super busy, but everybody did what you would think a restaurant would do. They greeted us everyone was smiling and laughing. We sat at the bar, and though the bartender was swamped, she immediately greeted us and said she would be right with us. Though it did take her some time to get back to us, she apologized for the wait and took care of us for the night, constantly checking up on us. For example, this was a bartender making drinks for the entire restaurant taking care of 16 people at the bar and a table close to the bar. She was running around like a mad woman, but she was sweet, charming, and attentive. She always apologized for any wait and constantly told us she hadn't forgotten about us. Honestly, you have to talk to the table, let them know you're coming, and make them feel like they matter versus being "great another table." Maybe it was an off night for him as it was a full moon, but damn, you can do better, dude. I give 1/5 stars the place has potential, but the...

I don’t typically leave negative reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience in hopes that the restaurant can improve its quality. To be blunt, I was genuinely offended by the ramen. It felt like the owner or menu creator is taking advantage of diners' lack of knowledge about authentic ramen, serving something far below standard and passing it off as a legitimate dish.

I understand that you didn’t claim to be an “authentic” ramen spot, but the bowl I received didn’t even resemble anything close to what ramen should be. The miso-based broth tasted like a few miso soup cubes dumped into water, with no depth or complexity. The chashu…oh boy...It was disappointing, to say the least. And to charge nearly $20 for a tiny bowl of watery fat is just unacceptable. To be frank, your “ramen” menu comes off less like a menu and more like a SCAM.

That said, I want to highlight the things I did enjoy: your bao was fantastic. It was an appropriate and creative fusion dish, and I appreciated how well-executed it was. The servers were also attentive and kind, which made the experience more pleasant than it otherwise might’ve been.

You chili oil is also great! It would taste even better in a legitimate broth with rich umami flavor!

If you’re genuinely asking for feedback with each review left, maybe you should listen to the last few customers who’ve suggested you bring in someone with real expertise in Asian cuisine. There’s a difference between “fusion” and just getting it wrong.

I’m hoping you’ll take this feedback seriously and make some changes, because right now, it feels like a missed...

I really wanted to like this place. I’d heard great things about 86 Forks and had been looking forward to finally trying it. Unfortunately, my experience fell short ... and not just a little.

I ordered the duck bao buns, which should’ve been a highlight. Instead, the first one came out over-steamed and tough... hard enough that it was obvious before anyone even bit into it. So those buns had been sitting a while because they fell apart when touching them. The waitress was kind and brought a replacement quickly, but the second one wasn’t even duck. At that point, I just wanted to eat something and move on.

What really killed the mood, though, was watching a sous chef come out of the kitchen. His appearance was… not reassuring. Dirty towel, gloves still on, touching doors, chatting with the next table, then heading outside to vape ... still with the same gloves and chef coat, which is relly not cool... and then walking right back into the kitchen. Same gloves, same small tear on one finger. My dinner companion, a longtime chef herself, whispered, “Say a prayer over your food.” Not exactly the vibe you want while eating.

To top it off, I ordered a Coke and was handed a tiny bottle of Mexican Coke for $3.50 .. no glass, no ice, nothing. A place with a full bar couldn’t manage a simple fountain drink?

Our waitress was polite and attentive, but the overall experience just didn’t match the reputation. Between the food missteps and the kitchen hygiene issue, it’s not somewhere I’d feel comfortable eating again... which is a shame, because I really...