H.T. Grill — Restaurant in Redondo Beach

H.T. Grill has never been the end-all, be-all dining experience but it’s been convenient to me and my family as we live three blocks away. But how our reservation was handled Sunday for Mother’s Day was inexcusable and I’ll never again support the restaurant, and I think as an extension Hennessey’s. I made a reservation three weeks in advance for Mother’s Day at 10:15 a.m. When making it, there was a note that there was a 10-minute grace period. Fast-forward to morning of, it took us a few minutes longer to get out the door with our 8 year old and 2 year old, but nonetheless we walked in the front door and greeted the host stand at 10:19. My wife told one of the woman behind the desk that we were checking in, and the woman directed our attention to the man standing next to her, who was on the phone. He was conversing with someone asking if they could walk-in, and he told them they were booked but could get them in at 6 p.m. He added that there is a 10-minute grace period, after which point he would have to put them on the standby list. He hung up, at which point it is now 10:22 and turned to me. I told him my name, and a woman standing next to him was looking at the screen and mouthed, “Oh no.” The man proceeded to respond that we are late and will need to wait as our table was given away. I reminded him of the time and what he just told the person on the phone about the grace period. Already this was unacceptable. I also asked for a booth and that we’d wait longer if necessary. He told us to move aside and they would see what they could do. So we did as he asked, and I tried to entertain our 2 year old while my wife told the staff that it was unfair to already lose our table when we were well within the grace period. If we walked in four minutes late yet our was already gone, that means they violated the grace period plainly stated on Open Table, where I reserved, and what they were telling people. Ten minutes go by and they say they have a table for us. It’s not a booth. Understandable, but my wife saw an empty booth and asked why we couldn’t have that one. She was told it’s because someone has a reservation but it didn’t specify a booth either. So why, my wife asked, did they get the booth but we didn’t, especially when the party size was similar? The host then asks if we want to go down the street to Hennessy’s instead. We responded that it’s a bar and with our two kids we didn’t want to eat there. So he responded, well then you need to leave. We’re not serving you. Unbelievable. I understand Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year but our treatment is inexcusably rude. I can only assume in looking around the dining room that the fact we also had two kids with us they saw an opportunity to open up a table where they could make more of a profit. Hope it was worth it to them because I’m never spending a cent there again, and I’ve lived in the area for over 25 years. And you better believe I’m telling everyone I know. It’s a small world, especially in...

We had Mother's Day reservations at 10:15 am and we walked in at 10:19 am. The host was there on the phone literally telling a customer that there was a 10 minute grace period. We were within the grace period and they gave away our table to someone else without reservations. They then proceeded to try and sit us outside or in the basement where there was no one. We requested to be seated inside. They proceeded to sit more people before us and many of them were white.

I'm a person of color and finally after waiting they seated us. We had seen a booth wide open. I pointed at it and said why aren't we being seated at that booth. They claimed it was reserved for people that had been waiting 30 minutes. We said that we should be seated there since we had reservations.

When I looked up, the people that were seated in the wide open booth was yet more white people.

Then they had the guts to gaslight us. We complained about it, that we were not seated on time and they gave away our seats several times. We were then being seated at this crammed table and we needed a booth because we have an 8-year-old and a 2-year-old and needed the space the booth would require. But they gave it away to a group of white people that had no reservations.

They then said that they couldn't serve us because I had complained and they kicked out myself, my husband, and two young children on Mother's Day! When we did nothing wrong. When they were the ones that had messed up. Even the other hostess had a look like she knew they messed up. They had given away our tables when we had reservations and arrived within their allotted grace period.

We are locals. We have always considered HT Grill to be mediocre at best. But had figured since it was close to where we live, that it would be a good place to have Mother's Day breakfast.

They used gaslighting to make this our fault. How can you kick out a family with kids that are people of color and refuse to seat them but give away their table to white people?!

They didn't just sit one or two people down. They sat several people down ahead of us that had no reservations and we had booked this a week in advance!

We will never ever go here again. The worst part is the white owner was there and let this all happen. If you're a person of color, expect to be treated with racism at this establishment.

There are many other better restaurants out there that will serve people of color instead of kick them out and keep only serving their white clients.

It was by far the worst experience at a...

Used to be a loyal customer to this establishment; however, their customer service has clearly gone down hill. To be clear - it's the service from the management team, NOT the wait staff (they have always been great). I tried to book a large reservation there, went in person to make the reservation. I was told to email their events email address and I was told I'd hear back within 48 hours. I did not hear back by then so I called to inquire about the reservation, to which a rude and condescending manager got on the line to explain the one person who handles these requests is on vacation. While I can understand that, no one mentioned a possible delay when I initially inquired and the condescending way I was spoken to was disheartening. However, because I have always enjoyed this establishment I figured I would give it a chance. Three days after the person got back from vacation, I still hadn't heard anything so I called. I got the run around on the phone, excuses of construction, maybe they weren't taking reservations for that week - but maybe they were (first I was hearing about this possibility) - and all leading to the room was booked, which I feel like good have been identified from the get go when I inquired about this reservation. The person I spoke to, also a manager, was also unprofessional. I'm seriously disappointed in this establishment as I've not only given a bunch of my business but also referred several friends there. Sadly I will no longer be a loyal customer here... I can't support customer service like this, not when there are so many other options for good food with...