Bonefish Grill — Restaurant in Saint Petersburg

EDIT… Since this happened, Bloomin’ Brands tried once, lamely, to contact me about my “loss”. No call back. Unprofessional voicemail. I’d encourage all to avoid Tyrone Mall and this Bonefish, They overserve intoxicated patrons. This makes for a very dangerous situation.

Went on Thursday March 6 to enjoy a special occasion. Have not been to Bonefish in a while. Can tell you, WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS STORE AGAIN.

We were sorry to interrupt the blue and orange haired, nose ring wearing hostesses conversation (yes one dyed blue, the other bright orange) and burden them with the exhausting task of seating my wife and myself. With great sighs of labor, our hostess offered us a table prominently located right next to the bussing station.

I noticed there were at least 4 empty booths. I inquired if we could be seated in one. My response, a very impolite, no, they are all reserved.

OK. I said thank you and goodbye. No issue for the sub par service, manners and appearance of staff.

Upon leaving I noticed 2 seats at the bar, I walked up and started pulling out a stool, my wife behind me.

At this point, an obviously intoxicated patron jumped up and put himself between me and the other seat. He announced the seat was taken.

OK, which one. He rudely told me both. I turned and saw that he and his male friend were already seated at a bar table.

He was a small man. Maybe 5'6" and 150 lbs. I am 6'2" and weigh 240. I also boxed and still practice martial arts and do not drink.

He was obviously overserved. So was his friend. Looking around the bar, I could see many overserved patrons drinking very large martinis. Maybe a brush up on responsible vendor would help.

Mr rude, drunk and obnoxious patron decided make a few vulgar comments to my wife and put his hands on me to, I guess, try and move me. He had the same effect as a toddler trying to move a refrigerator.

At that point, we just left. Extremely disappointed.

Takeaways:

The restaurant has extremely poor trained employees. Between the hostess's bad service, to obviously overserving patrons ALCOHOL and creating a public safety hazard (THEY'RE NOT ALL USING RIDESHARE), to lack of any management skills, bad experience.

Frankly, I'm glad it happened this way. All of this was in public view. God only knows the sanitary condition of the kitchen, the handling of food and proper cleaning of dishes and utensils. Chances are, we probably would have gotten sick.

So no. Never going back. Id advise my friends family and neighbors skip it too. And if you read this review, just drive on by this atrocity they dare call a restaurant. My only pleasure is I did not spend a penny in there. Now I never...

I just love this place. Great food. Never go won't except with the wulfe fish and that was in Daytona Beach. But as the guy at the next table said his dad had always told him if you never heard of it, don't get it and I thought that an interesting thought. Don't get it lol. This place is always on point. If you go for happy hour they have specials on food items also. I love the Ahi full app, cream cakes, fried fish, bang bang shrimp, lobster would grilled (ask specifically) and the Tilapia with Crab. Scalloped potatoes. Wish the salad was included as it's expensive just for a side salad. But it's good just the same. Personally I'd rather get an app. The no floor desert mmm. Excellent. Never had anything I don't like other than the Wolfe/Wulfe fish (Daytona). Drink specials. You must eat on the bar though in order to get the happy hour specials if that's what you are going for. Try the Sunday brunch Holy Toledo yummy!! Servers are nice. Much better than Bellair. (Their help needs improvement especially with the hostesses). This place, all of them that work there from hostesses to servers to MNGMT go over and beyond to make you feel comfortable and help you to enjoy your dining experience. Bar tender included if you ask for something they don't have He will come to you and ask you personally how to make it and then bring it to you, to see if you like it; or what he can do to make it better. Excellent people, place, food. Classy dining at a reasonable price and you don't have to dress class if you don't want to. They don't treat you any different, no matter how I've entertained this place, they have always treated me with prestige. It's in the mall at the front. Hard to find. Until someone asks why do you drive all the way to Bellair just go to Tyrone mall. If only they would've told me this 15 years ago (4years ago) lol. As I've been to the mall and never ever noticed it. So enter the mall go to the left and drive up along the front of it and it will be right there before you make a right to head around back They need a better sign, then again, it's always busy so guess it's our hidden...

For starters (I'm so clever 🙄), there's literally nothing you could tell me that would convince me iceberg lettuce belongs on a Poke bowl. That was pretty weird.

Service also wasn't very good. She had no knowledge of how fish was supposed to be safely cooked. Also, she wasn't just slow, she was slow specifically from prioritizing tasks poorly and chit chatting with co-workers and other guests. She said she'd bring me another drink before my meal arrived, and didn't bring it until well after the meal was gone. And when she finally did bring it, I watched her stop to chat with the hostess for a couple minutes before bringing it to me. She wiped down a table no one sat at, with several other clean tables available, before bringing me my drink or check.

The first drink had her hair wrapped around the glass because she reached over and dragged her sleeve across it when she brought the disappointing appetizer.

It's not all bad, the salmon was cooked very well and it was very tasty. True for the broccoli, but not so much for the rice.

*Soap Box Neglecting the simple fact literally no one should be tipping since all that does is encourage the continued exploitation of food service workers...

... much like large companies destroying the environment with plastic who try to make it seem like your fault for not recycling...

... I find it incredibly rude to circle the suggested tip amounts on the receipt, even if you performed reasonably, let alone very well. I don't know if this is normalized somewhere, but it's literally never happened before this visit... ever. Anywhere.

Despite the rampant entitlement of food service workers attempting (surprisingly successfully) to shame and guilt-trip guests into believing they're @$$holes if they don't tip, food service workers are not entitled to a tip. Especially in this area, where workers seem to do the bare minimum, if competent at all, and still act entitled to a 20% gratuity.

Customers ARE NOT @$$holes for not tipping, your employer (like most of them) is an @$$hole for not paying you a fair wage. Badger your boss, not...