Peddlers Bar and Bistro — Restaurant in Town of Clifton Park

I have been a patron and a fan of this establishment for many years and recently became a regular but last night my husband and I were treated with such disrespect on 01/27/2024. We come here about 3 times a month on Saturdays to enjoy the amazing DJ. We love going here until last night when we were treated as if we were teenagers. DMV takes your old ID and gives you an interim ID. I asked DMV will I have a problem using this they said no LOL why? Took an uber to Pedds being a responsible adult to not drink and drive now all a sudden they have someone checking IDs which is fine, just never saw this woman before. I mean they should have been checking id's all along but then was told my ID isn't a valid NYS ID. Also, showed my printed copy of my old ID as well. Never had a problem here before. So I speak with the bouncer and he says is there anyone here who can vouch for you? I said the bartenders should know us but then the DJ saw us hugged us and confirmed who we were...so they said ok come on in everything is all good. I went to the back patio to vape outside the bar area, then met my husband at the front bar. I personally ordered a vodka cranberry and my husbands drink handed them our credit card the bar tender knows we typically keep our card on hold so he did..and as soon as we were handed the drinks I get a tap on my shoulder by the bouncer "hey you need to leave my Manager (who's name is Anna) says so." I said very calm at first, ok why? Your ID is not valid, Manager said they would loose their liquor license if you stayed "...said ok then why did you let us in at all and order drinks if now all of a sudden its against the law?Again this conversation was still calm at this point but cause I don't want to have problems at one of my favorite places in the area I said ok whatever we will leave but I'm not paying for the drinks we just ordered that we're in our hands and only had 1 sip of. I guess since I already had a sip of the drink with liquor in it they are going to loose their license... right? lol...At first they weren't going to refund us but how can you say you will loose your liquor license and then charge us for liquor? Geez I wonder? Finally the Manager Anna said no problem, I'll refund your card. Bartender would not refund my card or give me the card back that was on hold with them. So, again was told by the bouncer I needed to leave and I said ok understood its no problem but not with out my credit card and a refund. So a big scene for absolutely no reason that was created by the staff. Was asked if we need to get the cops. I said please do, love for them to validate my ID and see that your holding my credit card hostage. Finally, got our card, my refund and left. No problem. No cops were called. We weren't being absurd or anything. Went outside waiting for an uber. Bouncer came out and was like you guys need to leave. We said ok listen this is getting out of hand...sorry your upset and want to take your anger out on us but we are just waiting for our uber. Bouncer replied "don't care..wait in the street". Really?After all this went to another bar we love too...had no problem with my valid NYS valid interim ID when i showed it to their bouncer, drank and spent 125$ there... sorry that the owners of Pedds lost that revenue from their incompetent, disrespectful Managers and bouncers. Guess I need to find a new regular place to go to. To the Staff at Peddlers, please don't quote NYS law if you don't know it you are not attorneys. Y ou may have been able to refuse service to me which is your right and just should have simple said in a nice mannor when we walked through the door you weren't going to accept my ID at all and said come back when I get my ID in the mail would love to have you. I would have accepted that. My ID was valid and I'm 40 years old but the staff made me feel like an underminded teenager trying to be sneaky...like half the underage drinkers they may probably have in their bar...

Oh boy I really wanted to like this restaurant. We were recommended it by the bartender at Dog Haus, specifically for their Rueben Sandwich. We called ahead to ensure they could fit a group of 8 (ended up being 7) and that was no problem.

Me and my partner were the first to arrive and after a moment sitting on the patio I had to go to the host stand as the ground at our feet was ultra sticky as if a drink was spilled there and not cleaned up properly. I asked for some wet wipes but instead the host, who was at this point was on his phone in the vestibule, grabbed a spray bottle and rag and half assed it for us. Should have just been mopped.

Then the fire alarm starting going off and goes off for legitimately 15 minutes. Thankfully it was slightly better on the patio than inside but not by much. We placed our drink orders, I got the Brooklyn Summer since Sam Seasonal is already somehow Oktoberfest not Sam Summer when it’s mid August.

Then we waited. A third came then three more and they placed their drink orders still without beers for us. Now I thought about this ‘meal’ many times since Sunday afternoon because IF the place was busy then a lot of these transgressions would be forgiven but it was a very slow Sunday afternoon. Our drinks arrived but the second order from the 3 didn’t and we waited. Then the drinks were delivered but to the wrong people. (Do restaurants not use seat and table numbers anymore?).

The server then informed us because of the smoke in the kitchen from something burning hence the fire alarm we could only order cold food: wraps, paninis, and salad. We decided to stay and 5 people ordered Reubens, 1 person a wrap, all got side salads since chips and fries weren’t available. I asked for dill dressing and got Caesar. The other 4 dressings came out together and the server sniffed each one to figure out what they were. Yes that’s right sniffed. Again the food was delivered to the wrong people. Inexplicably our Reuben’s were on ciabatta and not marble rye. The ciabatta soaked up more dressing (or it was light to begin with) which made for a mediocre sandwich. The person next to me said I could ask for more dressing but I responded that we won’t see the server for ten minutes and it’ll take her ten minutes to come back with the request.

We had a 7th guest arrive who sat at the table for ten minutes before going to get a drink at the bar because, again, our server was absent the majority of the time. Again I would not be nitpicking but we were literally the only people on the patio at this point. I’m not asking for constant checkins but just walk by and see if anyone grabs your attention or tries to make eye contact for godsakes. If it was busy then fine but the place was empty. I tried to order another beer, I think it was the Modelo on tap but they were out to I stick with the Brooklyn.

Kitchen fires happen, restaurants aren’t perfect, but the manager could have come by to apologize at minimum. They could have comped a drink or two. What’s hospitality nowadays? This is why less people eat out. The server only turned on the charm when she dropped the bill. The sandwich was mediocre. The service was poor. The sign on the front door as we left indicated limited menu due to maintenance and not user error which also irked me (see picture). Also it looked like it was written in crayon and signed management, management that was absence for the guests they inconvenienced. About the only thing we actually liked besides the patio was the music playlist. I would definitely not come back. Sadly I wouldn’t recommend this...

We went on a Wednesday and they did not seem very busy but we waited forever for a table and then once seated it took fifteen minutes for anyone to even come over and take our drink order. By that time we had all decided what we wanted so we were just going to order as well. She took our drink order and then immediately ran away without asking if we were ready to order of giving me the chance to say we were ready.

Took forever to order drinks, drinks were flat, had to have them replaced three times. Still pretty flat after three attempts. Steaks were overcooked. Waitress was inattentive, seemed like she did not want to be there.

Get bill and upon inspection we realize they are incorrect. Ask for manager, he comes over and takes the bill and says he will fix it and be right back. He comes back with the bill exactly the same. Tells us there are no free refills on sodas. This is not labeled anywhere on the menu. The sodas were flat too (probably watered down). If it is not labeled, it should be up to the wait staff to inform the customers prior to ordering. He also says that sides are not allowed to be swapped out, and that the order of my onion rings and my friends fries is why the price is $15.98 instead of $12.99. Again, this is not something that is customary and as such, we should have been informed. Yes, it is labeled on the menu after I looked again, but it is in small print that most people would overlook. It is the job of the wait staff to inform customers if things are unusual. My friends item was still listed wrong though; swapping out fries should have only been $1.99 and his meal should have been $14.98, they charged him the same $15.98 as me (onion rings swapped out are $2.99). Upon the manager telling us this my friend expressed his displeasure and told the manager "this is bullsh*t." Granted he should not have swore at the manager, but the manager's reaction was to yell at my friend and continue to tell him, "you no longer get to talk to me! Shut up! Shut your mouth." It was loud enough that others around us started looking. At this point I just want to pay and never come back. My friend is so stunned at this behavior that he just gets up and leaves as to not make a bad problem worse. I turned to the manager and try and tell him to just give us the bill so we can pay (he is still holding on to them). He then tells ME to shut up. I have been nothing but polite and respectful to this person this entire time. I cut him off and sternly tell him, "I have done nothing inappropriate while dining here, and for you treat me with such disrespect is deplorable. Give me my bill so I can pay and leave. We will not be coming back and will make sure to let others know of our dissatisfaction."

In conclusion, do not go to this place unless you want lousy food and...