Stone City Saloon — Restaurant in Romeoville

Dang it. I so wanted to have a good experience here. It came well recommended. Unfortunately that was not my fate. Came in to a mostly empty bar. Two regulars at the rail. The bartender was engaged in conversation with them, which is great. A little convo goes a long way. He walked to and from the register a couple times, right by me. After several_minutes of listening, the thought literally actually came to mind "I wonder if I'm finally invisible!?" After the bartender commented on how he turned off two of the TVs because people were just watching and not drinking, he asked both of the regulars individually if they needed anything else. Proceeded to the register again, not even looking at me. As I was physically getting off the stool to walk out, a nice woman bartender approached me and asked what she could get me. I said, "Oh thank you, I thought I was invisible there for a minute! Lemme start with an ice water. Thanks." Regular 1 says to her, "I thought you were going to Coyote Ugly him." She looks back in confusion. Continuing, "You know, 'we don't serve water here' ha!" To her professionalism, she does not respond. I accidentally let out a mumbled, "what in the actual (firetruck) is going on here?!" which goes unnoticed. I ordered my scotch neat and a french dip. Maybe tainted by the experience, but the food was nothing better than an obvious reheated food service items delivered by semi truck sometime earlier that month. I was told there has been a new menu for a couple months, but it hasn't been approved yet. Turns out that original bartender was the on duty manager. Just because you have worked there longer than the current staff, does NOT make you qualified to be a leader. Your attitude affects not only your business but your employees as well. Ya know, he could have at least said, "Hi, someone will be right with you." But to not even acknowledge my existence in a service industry is totally unacceptable. My hats off to Steph (I hope I remembering correctly) who tried to turn my experience around. To Jay or Jason (again not sure) please register for a qualified restaurant management training...

I sent this directly to the restaurant but never got a response. Maybe they will respond to this review 🤷🏻‍♀️

My name is Corrin and I am reaching out regarding a situation that occurred at your restaurant today. Just a little backstory we have visited your restaurant for YEARS!!!!!! Before you remodeled… during covid… when you were charging double for the price of wings… we’ve been visiting for a while… I have NEVER in all those years had to either pre pay for my food or start a tab and have a waitress hold my card while sitting at a table. So when Jacquelyn said we either needed to pay or start a tab I was blown away. When I questioned her she said she had someone try to skip out on their bill yesterday. Please explain what that has to do with me. I have never in my life left a restaurant without paying. But she insisted so we provided our card to her. I must say this completely rubbed me the wrong way and after seeing people at the bar paying for food after they were finished with their meal really pissed me off. I feel like we were discriminated against and that is not ok! So when it was time to pay I decided to question her because this just wasn’t sitting right with me. So I asked if this was a restaurant policy or a “her” policy. She said a restaurant policy.. So I asked what her managers name is and she said Milton I said well if I call Milton and ask him is he going to tell me that?? She said wellllll I would hope so.. then proceeded to say how she almost had someone leave without paying. Well how did they leave and skip out on their bill if you make every one start a tab or prepay…. This policy just start today?? My concern is… is everyone in here giving a card or “pre paying” for their food??? Which I know for a fact that was not the case. I am not satisfied with her explanation. I have no problem giving my card but I do have a problem with being discriminated against. So I would like an explanation!!!! It should be all or none! Mind you we were just here on 8/25 and no one asked for a card until after we...

The owner of this establishment made it clear that he doesn't want BLACKS at his business but wants their money.

From the time my family friends and co workers came into the establishment all eyes where on us. We were having a nice time at 1st. I got food with hair in it a long stand of blonde hair. They did replace my order. But however the night went down hill from there from a waitress lying to our waitress about never being paid for drinks that she served people in our party to us asking to speak with the owner from them lying stating that Milton the owner wasn't there to the dj saying he could no longer play and urban music only country and rock. When we finally spoke to Milton if thats his name but I really think it is.... He said that the customers complained that there was too much urban music being played which made them feel uncomfortable and i explained to him that a mixture of music has been playing and from what we was told he wasn't here anyways so how was he getting complaints. He couldn't answer that. I asked him if the problem is urban music then he should tell people that he only wants african american business only for them to come in and eat their fried chicken because the music is rock and country. We are not good enough to listen to anything else or request while there. He said thats not true but the more he spoke he said that I'm right he don't want BLACKS there just as long as they ate the food it was good enough for him. This place is not for African Americans to go to and enjoy karaoke only to eat.

I never went back and will never go back. Its only for African Americans who feel that they like to be belittled and walked on by people who don't want...