The Black Door Tavern — Restaurant in Saybrook

I highly recommend choosing another location for your dinner reservations, because the policies at this restaurant are questionable at best. I'm also very disappointed with the front desk. I should've asked for a manager, but I was so shocked at how our group was treated. I stopped in before running next door to Red Eagle with our group of 8 and put our name down for either bar seating or two tables of four. I was told we would receive a phone call when tables were available. I was also told they would have room at 6pm for our group.

We didn't receive any phone calls, even though I had my phone out and received other notifications. So our group went back at 6pm and were told we were out of luck because they never got a hold of us. I asked if they left a voice mail and was told no. I do not believe they ever called me. One member of our group pulled out his phone and called, mine rang immediately.

On our way back to the parking lot, another group said they had the same issue with the hostess'. No call, returned at the appointed time to be told no tables were available. Two other groups that overheard us talking that were planning to eat here turned around and went elsewhere as well. It's a shame, as I've heard they have good food, but I won't be returning here after service like this and we generally make a trip to Geneva several...

We were very disappointed with the way we were treated. We had a large party & apparently you can not stand upstairs behind the bar stools even next to your own family member not in the servers way & the manager was VERY RUDE to our party the entire time we were there. The bartender was trying very hard to wait on us but knew we were all frustrated & not sure where we were supposed to be seated. There were VERY LARGE ANTS on the bar & when we brought it to the attention of someone they blew it off & said yea we have ants in here sometimes. Which we found very unclean. We were in the upstairs bar area not outside on the porch where you may expect some bugs. Since there are not Covid restrictions any longer I find it strange to be so militant about seating & handling so abrupt & rude. We go to many restaurants in CLE area & out of town & really enjoy supporting local business. We were a party of 14 and all of us said we would never return or recommend this place to anyone. These were Restrictions that were not clearly explained & it is also in the mild of wine country where everyone dances & has a great time all day. It made you feel like you were in a library & in trouble if you moved around. We will never return to...

We went with a group of 12 friends and were really looking forward since most of us had never been there. They were expecting us, there was no "surprise" when we got there. It was VERY apparent that the staff (except the female bartender) seemed agitated that they had to take care of us. We had the left hand side of the bar and a table directly behind us but were told we all had to find seats even though we were in no one's way or server's path. Most places would be thrilled to have a mature group of adults on a rainy, cold, windy day come in to spend money on food and drinks but not at Black Door Tavern, we all tipped very well regardless of how terrible we were all treated...we just won't ever go back. We also killed 2 large black ants on the bar and when I quietly told the manager " just a head's up, there are ants crawling on the bar", she said "yeah I know, they get inside." Uh ok???? Usually ants and fruit flies go were it's not very clean. If you enjoy spending your hard earned money on terrible service and sharing your space with ants and fruit flies...this...