Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I’ve never had to leave a restaurant review before, ever! but the customer service here was so disappointing, I couldn’t stay silent.

I’ve worked in the service industry myself, so I know the difference between good and bad service. Unfortunately, this experience was so poor that I felt compelled to speak up.

From the moment I walked in, the red flags started. The host didn’t greet me with a simple “hello” instead, I was met with a blunt “Are you picking up?” Not the warmest welcome.

I’ve ordered from this restaurant before on Uber Eats and found the food to be mediocre, but I decided to give it another shot. I came in solo about a week ago and actually the food was better. I even tipped the bartender almost 50%.

Today, I returned again on my cheat day, and I honestly regret it. The server, Jenny M, was incredibly rude and cold. No greeting, just came over and bluntly asked what I wanted to order. When she brought my seafood boil, she didn’t say a word or even offer to open the bag (which was extremely HOT, by the way). I had to struggle with it myself.

What hurt the most was watching her be friendly and engaged with other tables. laughing, chatting none of which “looked like me.” The energy and service were clearly different. When we finally made eye contact, she walked over and asked if my drink was okay. I said it was, but by then, the damage was done.

I left feeling completely unwelcome and upset that I spent my cheat day in such a heavy and uncomfortable atmosphere.

I have a large following, nearly 100k across my platforms and could’ve easily made a public post. But instead, I chose to leave a review here so others know what to expect.

If you do decide to dine here, I’d recommend avoiding Jenny M’s section altogether or better yet, reconsider your visit. I didn’t leave a tip, and that’s a first for me. I’m even upset that auto-gratuity was included given how poor the service was.

Overall: HORRIBLE customer...

Saw an ad on a Septa bus for Hook & Reel a few weeks ago. The family was in town and I remembered I wanted to go (I LOVE SEAFOOD!) We went for dinner on a Sunday after roller skating at Penn's Landing. Expected it to be busy but, surprisingly, and fortunately, it wasn't. We were seated immediately. The pricing was good. I had a feeling I couldn't eat a whole dinner and wanted to try crawfish so my sister and I split a small catch - 1/2 pound of crawfish and 1/2 pound of shrimp (heads off), in garlic butter. It came with corn on the cob and potatoes. Neither me nor my sister had ever had a seafood boil. When it came out, I was glad I shared. The presentation is cool and the food did not disappoint. It was delicious! EVERYTHING was cooked perfectly and fresh! The garlic butter was not oily and there was enough for dipping the corn, shrimp, etc into it but not too much. We ordered extra corn. We didn't need it! Lol My brother-in-law ordered a chicken wing basket and those came out freshly cooked. My nephew ordered a shrimp basket and loved it (he is a picky eater, too). Our server was friendly and attentive. He kept checking on us and kept the drinks coming. It wasn't until we finished eating that we realized there were bibs and gloves. Lol But, honestly, licking my fingers was acceptable to me! The only thing I would ask is that they provide wet wipes for washing your hands (I know - that's why they have gloves!) Our small catch was about $20-$25 which I think is a pretty good price. I don't think my brother-in-law's or nephew's meals were more than $15 each. Add drinks and tips. I wasn't paying but from what I saw on the menu, I think there prices are pretty good. We will definitely be returning to Hook & Reel when the...

I normally visit with another Hook & Reel location but tried the one closer to my house and am regretting it. Today, I went to the South Christopher Columbus Blvd. location and the had the worst experience I've ever had at Hook & Reel. I ordered the coconut shrimp and it came severely over cooked. I tried one to confirm that it was burnt and not just dark and it was burnt. I asked my waitress to have it removed from my check and to put in an order of hush puppies. She came back and said her manager, Bill, said that because I ate one, she could only give me a 10% discount. She then said she'd have him come to the table when I looked dumbfounded. Bill comes to the table and says the shrimp weren’t burnt because they cook the shrimp on a timer. I explained the shrimp not only looked burnt but also tasted burnt. He said, “do you mind if I taste one?” and I said, “go ahead.” He ripped it 2 times then bit into a piece close to the tail and he said, "well, okay. But they're not burnt." I said, “they are, please just remove them from my check.” He kept arguing with me saying that his cooks have been working for a year and he's confident with what they put out. I retorted stating it was burnt. He kept arguing with me and I said this is making me really uncomfortable and that he was being unprofessional. I literally had to ask him to take the shrimp off of my check and to leave. I will never visit with this location ever again. Update: I'm waiting for the rest of my food and Bill came back with an order of shrimp and asks me three times to eat it and I asked him each time to leave. This is the most bizarre experience...