Boomers Classic Rock Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Spokane Valley

One of the worst experiences with a manager we’ve ever had. Yes we had to wait almost an hour for our food while others that ordered after us were served. Yes we had a new server that wasn’t yet fully versed on the alcohol list or food menu. But those things happen and you just roll with the punches when they do. No, what made this such a terrible experience was the manager that chose to ridicule us and condescend us instead of trying to make things right.

We walked into Boomers at 6:10 pm on a Friday night, pretty excited to find a small diner and bar so close to home. Being a new place and new menu, it took us a good 10-15 minutes to decide what we wanted. We were brought the wrong burgers at 7:00 which we had handled before realizing it. We told our server which apologized for the accident as it was a very similar order to one of his other tables. He took the plates straight over to another table, which we thought was odd since we’d handled them but figured that was their call.

Then at 7:15 still didn’t have our burgers even though 3 other tables that had arrived after us had received theirs. We informed the manager who just blamed it on the new server not putting the orders into the system in the correct sequence but said he’d go make sure we were next. We started getting a little nervous as we had to leave by 7:40 to go pick up my daughter from an after school event.

By 7:25 we realized there was no way we would have time to eat and we were pretty disappointed. We flagged the manager down and asked him to cancel the order. He seemed pretty disheartened by our request and said they were almost done and shouldn’t be more than another few minutes. We pressed and asked to just cancel as we truly didn’t have time eat them at this point. He said well he’d take care of it and walked off pretty upset. He opened the back doors and sternly said to whoever was working on our order, “They just want to cancel them, stop making them”. They argued for a bit and then he came over again and said they were 60 seconds out. We again told him no, please just cancel them, we don’t want to pay for burgers we can’t even eat. He said it wasn’t a problem he’d take care of it, and offered to put them in a to-go container. We finally agreed just so we could get our check and get out of there as it was 7:35 by now. He brings the burgers over on plates, with the check and says he can only comp one of the burgers (and what do you know, he comped the less expensive of the two).

He then puffs his chest up and says “Just to be clear, you guys only waited 40 minutes according to the ticket. Also you guys asked for your burgers well done, and we slow cook everything so that added time too.” We told him that even if that was accurate, 40 minutes is still a long time and that well done burgers is not an uncommon thing. He then got really defensive and started talking down to us saying “then I guess you’ve never been to a small café before? Because this is a normal amount of time for quality food. And well done burgers is not a normal request as over 80% of my customers order their burgers with pink”

I told him he was being rude and condescending and asked for his manager which he then said “he was the manager”. At this point we realize there is no winning this pointless argument. We tipped the server who was new and trying hard $20 and paid the $49.73 tab with a $50 bill (which was fortunate we had cash as by this time we were out of time and didn’t have time to run a card). We were in a rush to leave and didn’t feel excited about eating cold burgers later anyways, so we didn’t take the time to put them in the to-go boxes and left them on the plates. Then to top it off, he yells to the WHOLE bar as we’re reaching the door to leave and says “Well they apparently love to waste food, does anyone want a free burger?”

We couldn’t be more disappointed; we truly thought we found such a nice gem, especially being so close to...

What are people called who deflect the slightest criticism? Defensive – This is the most common and neutral term. It means they react emotionally or with resistance to criticism, even when it's constructive. Thin-skinned – Suggests they take offense easily and cannot handle even mild criticism. Insecure – Often used when the defensiveness is rooted in self-doubt or low self-esteem. Egotistical or narcissistic – These apply when the person sees themselves as above reproach and deflects criticism to protect their inflated self-image. Unaccountable – If they consistently avoid responsibility or blame others when criticized. Blunt or verbally harsh – Uses direct, sometimes cutting language when giving feedback or expressing dissatisfaction. Owner’s Response Analysis Tone: Hostile, combative, personal, and defensive. Crosses the line from defending the business to attacking the reviewers personally. Displays emotional volatility—starts with a minor apology but spirals quickly. Red Flags in Communication: Mocking tone: “If you're his appointed lawyer...” This comes off as sarcastic and belittling—completely unprofessional. Deflection & Whataboutism: Shames the customer for drinking and driving. Points out the vaping to justify behavior instead of focusing on hospitality. Ego-driven boasting: Goes into an unnecessary rant about Pacifico history and his credentials. Mentions name-dropping (e.g., Norm Thompson) as validation, which feels forced and petty. Hostile escalation: “You bit off more than you could chew...” Ends with a veiled physical threat regarding a shove: “he better hope it's not just he and I around.” Damage Done: Instead of de-escalating, the owner validated the customer's main complaint: poor hospitality. The response confirms a pattern the reviewer pointed out—aggressive handling of negative feedback. The tone is unprofessional and likely to alienate potential customer. **Responding to Owner's Response- This response is a prime example of poor communication, particularly in a business setting. Tone: Hostile & Defensive: The response is clearly defensive, immediately dismissing the review as “false” without any consideration for what the reviewer said. The tone is combative, with phrases like “people who have no life” and “nothing better to do,” which come off as personal attacks rather than addressing the issue constructively. Sarcastic: “Try looking up the word review” implies that the reviewer doesn’t understand the purpose of leaving a review, adding an element of condescension. Aggressive: There's an undertone of aggression, which isn't suitable for diffusing a complaint. It’s a far cry from the professionalism that customers expect when interacting with a business. Red Flags in Communication: Deflection: The response doesn’t address the actual concern of poor hospitality, but instead attacks the character of the reviewer. It avoids discussing any specifics about the reviewer's complaint and instead deflects the criticism by questioning the reviewer’s motives and legitimacy. Victim Blaming: The response implies that the reviewer is just out to harm a small business with no real purpose, which not only dismisses the feedback but also makes the reviewer feel like they're the one in the wrong. Failure to Acknowledge the Issue: There is no attempt to apologize, explain, or offer solutions. This neglects an opportunity to show empathy or take responsibility for the situation. Damage Done: Reinforces Negative Perception: Rather than calming the situation, the owner’s response amplifies the issue by adding to the hostility. It’s more likely to leave a bad impression on other potential customers who read the review. How...

If there was such thing as no stars this place would be the only place I've ever been that'd deserve it. I went on a date with my significant other. We were thrilled at how close this place was and we saw all the great reviews. Sadly I can not stand behind what anyone else has said. We ordered our food probably 15 to 20 minutes in as it took us a bit. This being a new place for us we wanted to try some fun burgers and an appetizer while we both have a couple drinks. We did have a limit on time so we came early enough to be sure we would have time to eat. We got the appetizer super quick and our drinks weren't too quick but it was busy and our waiter was new! But hey everyone starts somewhere so we weren't upset. We were handed a couple of random burgers and we did touch both of them and realized they weren't ours. The waiter took them back and said ours will be ready soon. However it was not soon at all. We waited a total of 45 minutes for cheeseburgers and the manager claiming that the disclaimer says to be patient as good food takes longer. May be the case however, I have never waited that long and not to mention the people that came after us got their food way before us. They were regulars so I'm not sure if this is why they were served first. We told the manager to cancel the orders as at this point we had to pick up our daughter. He insisted we take them or eat them. I hate warmed up burgers so I kept saying no. He still brought them out and only took care of one of the burgers off the bill. He was very rude to both of us as all I did was explain we were sorry and that we just waited too long and had to go.. I then explained that I've never waited for food this long before. He comes back with a snide remark asking if I'd never been to a small restaurant before... Of course I have. And I've even been to ones that are busy and short staffed and yet 15 min wait. He yelled at us and gave both of the burgers including the ones earlier we had both touched to other people. I'm sorry but if that's how you treat people I'll gladly...