Noble Roots — Restaurant in Pooler

I went with five other friends for a birthday celebration. They do not offer reservations. However, we were informed prior to arrival to expect a wait. The hostess kept us informed, so that was appreciated. Once inside the place is beautiful, the atmosphere was a nice vibe, yet very, very busy. The waitress was polite and tried to stay composed however, she appeared very overwhelmed. We sat directly under the serving window, therefore we had to catch her as she passed by for whatever we needed, water, condiments, etc...The drinks were pretty good, we ordered some appetizers and that was good. NOW THE ENTRE...one friend ordered the pasta, which presented horrible, a small glump of pasta as in stuck together mixed in. The waitress apologized and suggested stirring it some more or having the chef make another. We suggested a side bowl of plain pasta to doctor it up so it won't take too long and we can all eat together, The pasta arrived at the end. Therefore my friend never ate dinner. Next, another friend ordered the fries that came in a cereal size bowl enough to share and the crispy shrimp. The shrimp could've cooked a little longer..per my friend. Next, my order. I ordered the crispy shrimp, mashed potatoes and asparagus... SOUNDS GOOD? ..well, my shrimp came alone. 30 minutes later, my potatoes arrived, luke warm and thickkkk. I learned minutes later that my asparagus went to someone else at the table, which the waitress apologized and offered to order me another. So as i sat patiently waiting, the food was getting colder, another host came over to now take away any dishes, I encouraged her to take my whole dish away and cancel the asparagus. I was done. The birthday girl enjoyed her food, which was good. We bought our own cake and asked to eat out of the "to go" bowl because the dishes were either wet with a film from the dishwasher or something. I'd probably return during a less busy time and maybe just meet for a drink...

Our experience at Noble Roots Restaurant was extremely disappointing. The service was disorganized, and the food quality was inconsistent at best. They ran out of mashed potatoes but instead of informing us, they smeared a small amount on the plate and covered it with spinach in an attempt to make the meal look complete. Some dishes were overcooked, others undercooked, and overall, it seemed like the kitchen was inexperienced or in training.

The she-crab soup was inconsistently served—some plates had it spread all over the crab cakes while others had no sauce at all. When we questioned the presentation, which did not match the menu description, we were told to refer to pictures on their website—only to find that no such pictures existed. If they expect customers to rely on images, the menu should be accessible via a QR code linking to accurate representations.

To make matters worse, we were told by the waitress that our food was served in such a disorganized way because the kitchen had already closed 30 minutes prior. When we asked for the manager, he approached us defensively, dismissing our concerns by saying, “We had a wonderful Tuesday where everyone enjoyed the food, and then there was you.” This response was unprofessional and unacceptable.

Additionally, our party of 16 was clearly too large for the one overwhelmed and inexperienced waitress assigned to us. She made multiple billing errors, including double charges and claims that certain items weren’t paid for—despite us having itemized receipts proving otherwise. To make matters worse, she stated that whether we wanted the food or not, we would be charged for it. We ultimately paid, not because of the cost (which was reasonable), but because the situation became more about principle than price.

If you value good customer service and a well-managed dining experience, Noble Roots is not the place to go. If negative stars were an option, that would...

I recently invited a friend from out of state to celebrate their birthday at Noble Roots. Based on a recommendation from "Chef" about their slower hours and no reservation policy, We arrived around 6:45 PM, only to be told by the host that there was a one-hour wait. We agreed to be added to the wait-list and informed the host that we would be at a nearby bar until we received a call. No problem.

When we got the call that our table was ready, we headed back to the restaurant immediately. To our surprise and dismay, upon arrival, the host informed us that our table had already been given to another couple. Given that it had been less than 10 minutes since the call, I inquired if there was anything that could be done. The host responded with sarcasm, assuring me that we were "next" but offering no real solution.

Frustrated by the situation and the host’s unprofessional demeanor, I requested to speak with a manager or the owner. The host responded sarcastically, indicating that they were in the kitchen. We decided to leave the establishment due to the unprofessional behavior and lack of resolution.

As a restaurant owner and HR leader myself, I was particularly disappointed by how this situation was handled. I’ve attempted to reach out to a manager or the owner multiple times since our visit, but each call either goes unanswered or is disconnected.

We ended up celebrating at Coastal 15 downtown, where we had a much more welcoming experience without an extensive wait. Afterwards we were able to spend time downtown which was rewarded with a great evening. While it’s unfortunate that Noble Roots didn’t meet our expectations, I appreciate the opportunity it gave us to explore other dining options. I hope Noble Roots takes this feedback seriously and improves their operations and...