The Cotter Pin — Restaurant in Town of Leon

If you’re looking for good craft beers and a huge selection and an atmosphere that’s not divey, it’s a truly fantastic place. If you’re looking for food or good service, skip it. The last 3 times I went and had food I was so disappointed. The paninis and quesadillas were soggy and getting it hot was 50/50. Burger special was overdone yet the bun felt like it’d just come out of the fridge. Nachos were the worst I’d ever had — burnt chips and stuck to the paper, yet they were cold, nacho cheese in a cup had a film on top like it’d sat under a heat lamp too long (and when we asked for a new cup I’m pretty sure they just stuck that one in the microwave and gave it back to us). Service wasn’t great either. The app came out with the food so clearly the kitchen doesn’t know how to time appetizers. It wasn’t even really busy — there were still empty tables — yet the waiter acted like it was a zoo and gave us our ticket halfway through the meal, saying we shouldn’t rush off if we didn’t want to but of course that implies they wanted us gone so we didn’t get another drink like we’d planned. Watched the wait staff fight with the kitchen staff at one point. Waitress wasn’t familiar with many of the beers, which seems like it should be a requirement to learn when your bar’s best feature is the selection. It was just a weird experience. I think they’re just trying too much with the food. They need to stick with a few items and do them really well and focus on the excellent beer selections, which is so hard to find in this area, so that part is appreciated. So as I said, if you want food, steer clear; but if you want to just have a few great...

My husband and I hadn't been to the establishment for over a year and we stopped in for a "quick" bite Thursday night after work. The waitress was not very welcoming when we arrived and we thought she may have been just really busy or had a bad night. However, we noticed she would smile and laugh with the other customers she interacted with. We waited over 15 minutes for a glass of wine and for her to come back and tell my husband they didnt have the beer he ordered. Mind you, they were not very busy. She dropped off his beer and didnt return to take our order for another 10-15 minutes(usually they ask if we are ready to order prior to walking away). We ordered nachos as an app, quesadilla and a chicken wrap....easy bar food. It took over 30 minutes for us to get our food and she hadnt brought out our nachos, so we asked if we were still getting them. She went back to the kitchen and it was apparent that they had forgotten. Another lady brought us the nachos within 5 minutes and our waitress just kept waiting on other tables. We sat with empty plates and glasses for about 10 minutes for her to come back and ask if we needed anything. We asked for a box which she brought, but she walked away and it was another 10 min before she asked if we wanted the check....no "quick" about any of the experience. The food was good, but as for small town, nice people and good service...big time no-go. We will not plan to go back unless we are only...

I visited The Cotter Pin in Leon with high hopes—the space is charming and the menu looked promising. But from the moment I walked in, the experience felt off.

No one greeted me when I entered—just a few awkward stares—so I made my way to the bar on my own. Not long after, other guests walked in and were immediately greeted and seated, which made the lack of welcome I received even more noticeable.

I asked for Knob Creek bourbon (a pretty standard choice), and when they didn’t have it, I went with Elijah Craig. A man sitting at the bar chimed in with, “You must be having a bad day,” just from my drink order—then doubled down when I mentioned I’m from Kentucky. It felt unnecessary and weirdly judgmental.

I ordered a pizza, which was served straight on the tray with no plate, silverware, or napkins. I ended up using the small drink napkins from the bar’s straw holder because nothing else was offered. Meanwhile, the couple next to me received full place settings with their pizza. The difference in treatment felt intentional or at least neglectful.

After I finished my drink, the bartender began preparing a to-go box and brought it over without asking, which I took as a subtle cue to leave.

Whether it was being solo, out-of-town, or something else, I didn’t feel welcome. Hospitality is about the small details—and in this case, they...