Hillstone Restaurant — Restaurant in Phoenix

So people who come here often know that the secret to getting a great experience here is sitting at the bar. This was our third or fourth time coming where we went immediately to the bar because we, like many others, have learned this. We arrived just 15 minutes after they opened, and the bar was nearly full already. This should tell you something right off the bat. For example, last time we came here and sat at a table, we had just received our spinach and artichoke dip appetizer, which, by the way, never comes with enough chips and you’re sitting there with about half of your dip and no remaining chips., at which time the server came to pick it up. I had to say “we’re not finished with that. We need more chips please.” When you’re at a table you have a team of servers and I don’t know if it’s intentional, but I have to believe it is because they rush you through. As I was about 2/3 of the way through my entree salad, the server swooped in to pick it up as well, and I said “I was just taking a drink. I’m not finished with that.” So sitting at a table you get rushed through. Sitting at the bar is a completely different experience. The bartenders here are friendly and they don’t rush you through your service. My complaints about this recent visit here have nothing to do with what I ate or the service we received. I do also wish they would bring back the chicken, tender entrée they had. They weren’t just kids chicken tenders. They were delicious fresh cut, succulent, juicy chicken tenders and I love them. Aside from that. I always struggle with what to order here because the menu to me is a bit limited.

This is my partner’s favorite place for many reasons, and it was our 41st anniversary, so I wanted to do something special for him. He had the ribs which are seriously fall off the bone tender. He loves them every time. I had the coconut shrimp sushi roll, which was delicious and the Keylime pie because it was our anniversary, and the server comped it to us, which was delicious. When I went to pay I had more cash on hand than I did on my debit card and the bill was about $200 including tip. So I gave $200 cash to pay the bill and was told that they no longer accept American cash currency as a form of payment. I told the server that I thought that was a very unfortunate choice of policy, but I know it was not her fault. The problem is her tip was compromised because I had to work with my available debit card balance. It’s embarrassing to put in a public forum like this but that’s just the way it is. I would’ve been able to provide a $10 greater tip had they taken cash. As it was, I left about 20% but our server deserved more and the company policies cheated her out of that extra $10. So come here, but make sure you...

Hello,

My son (7 years old) and I were in this evening for our weekly dinner together. We arrived around 5pm as to beat the evening more mature crowd as I know certain establishments and patrons seem to take issue with my child being in their presence.

We were sitting and talking as we waiting for food, he was playing with chopsticks pretending to drum in the air quietly, when a woman named Amanda came up to him demanding his chopsticks. I stopped her asking who she was and why she was addressing my son and she stated people were complaining about the "noise" of his drumming. Keep in mind the music and talking were triple the volume of anything he was saying or doing, and he was sitting still in his seat and having fun at our dinner. Amanda continued to request his chopsticks from him directly and I stated to her how inappropriate she was for speaking to my child in that way and if she had an issue she can direct it to me not him. In no way EVER is it okay for a complete stranger to address a child, especially with their parent present.

Since that encounter our service went from mediocre to nonexistent. Servers would briskly drop and pick up items without so much as a hello. I finally got the attention of our server and asked who Amanda was. When she informed me she was the Executive General Manager I was stunned. I requested the contact information of whom to speak to about this incident and instead sent over a senior manager that did not give her name. She informed me to direct my comment to the Hillstone website and stated someone would "Would get to it when they get to it". That was the offered resolution to our completely horrible dining experience. Upon leaving the senior manager and another woman were at the front and didn't so much as look our way on the way out, but took the extra time to wish the couple behind us a wonderful evening and thanked them for coming in.

I am not sure why myself, my child and the $150 I spent on dinner there weren't enough to be treated like a human being. This was unacceptable and no one should be made to feel unwelcome as severely as we were...

Disappointing Decline at Hillstone

I’ve been a loyal customer of Hillstone for over a decade but my recent experiences have been nothing short of frustrating. The atmosphere and service that once made this place special have deteriorated, and it’s deeply disappointing.

Yesterday, I called a week in advance to make a reservation for a birthday dinner for six people. The person I spoke to on the phone told me that, unfortunately, they couldn’t accommodate a reservation for six but suggested we come in around 4 p.m. since it wouldn’t be busy. Given that our extended family lives an hour away, I agreed to this timing to accommodate everyone and ensure a smooth experience. However, when we arrived, we were told a completely different story. Not only could they not seat us at a booth, but the manager got loud and aggressive when we explained what we had been told on the phone. She rudely told us we could “LEAVE and eat elsewhere,” which was not only unprofessional but downright disrespectful.

On top of that, the service at Hillstone has gone downhill post-COVID. The staff is rude and unaccommodating. On one occasion, I was mid-bite of my dessert when a server came over and simply took my plate away without any communication. When I questioned them about it, I was met with indifference.

I will be providing a photo to this review that not only shows six people fitting perfectly fine at a booth, but also seven people with ample room. This is in direct contrast to the staff’s claims that they can’t accommodate groups of six at a booth.

It’s become clear that Hillstone no longer values its customers or upholds the standards it once had. The manager’s rude and aggressive behavior has added to the frustration, and it’s clear the restaurant has lost the level of service and respect it was once known for.

I used to love this place and I have worked in the service industry for YEARS. They need to get an attitude adjustment or send their manager to a management program/ learn to respect their patrons... this was the weirdest most bizarre behavior I have experienced in a place of...