Búho — Restaurant in Washington

My partner and I ordered food from this place, to go, last weekend. I quite enjoyed the pork burrito. The meat was not at all dry and very well seasoned. My partner ordered the potato burrito and I loved it. The potatoes had a texture that was soft on the inside, yet slightly crunchy on the outside. The salsa was not very good, though. We ended up using our own salsa, which complemented the food, nicely. Other than the salsa, the food was delicious.

That being said, we had plans to eat at this restaurant (physically) this weekend but just noticed the owner's responses to some of the reviews. Oh my god... I have never seen a business owner behave this way in response to customer reviews! Based on the owners unprofessional and passive aggressive responses, we will not be visiting this place anytime in the near future. (I suspect the owner probably doesn't care, either. For now.) It seems that any kind of criticism is taken personally by the owner and they reply with offensive, passive-aggressive responses that only make them come across as pompous and defensive. Based on this alone, I lowered my rating. If anyone mentions this place to me, I will tell them to read the owner's responses to the Google reviews and then make their decision of eating there based on that. I think it will be enough for people to realize that the owner cares very little for customers. Those responses are not good for business. How can anyone enjoy eating at a place where the owner will only turn on you and blame you if you are not satisfied with something and need to speak with management regarding anything you found unsatisfactory? I don't think the owner realizes that their defensive responses only make their business look bad and may end up affecting their business, negatively...

EDIT: As suspected by their response to my review, the owner seems to take things personally and seems to feel the need to respond defensively to any comments they feel are an attack.

Their unnecessarily long response, explaining why it is necessary to stoop down to a level that not only makes their business look bad, but also makes them look very unprofessional, is indicative of a personality that doesn't allow criticism of the way they handle complaints, whether they are serious complaints or not, but also says that they are no different than the people that post the reviews to which the owner is replying with such ire. Many businesses respond to bad Google reviews in a very professional manner and ignore the ones they think are fake or made up. Customers are very good at weeding those out and just ignore them. There is no need for an owner to take time out of their "busy(?)" day to lash out.

As a small business owner, myself, I know that publicly displaying certain behaviors towards complaints, is not only bad for business but also advertises your lack of professionalism and communication skills. Stooping down to an argumentative level because you felt offended not only lets people know that if you take the time to respond to "fake" reviews with long, angry replies, you are not a responsible business owner that is to be taken seriously. I find it puzzling that someone who has received “literal death threats” for responding splenetically to some reviews, continues to do so, making their allegations seem spurious at best. This is what makes the argumentative replies so strange.

Based on the owner’s response to my original review and their need to “explain” themselves with splenetic responses, I am confidently certain I will receive another response. I’m hoping this time it reads more professional and...

We've been here twice and my boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised! I didn't know this place was new until I asked our fabulous waitress, Mic, about the history. It's fairly new and I am just so impressed with how well established the place is for being so new!!

Food: I absolutely LOVE and ADMIRE the potato burrito!! It takes me back to how my family cooks back home. It's made with the crispiest potatoes I ever had. Definitely sharable, especially if you want to try other things with a date or friend. The falafel tacos are my second favorite. I highly suggest savoring the flavor of the tahini sauce they add on to them. Truly delicious!

Service: Down to earth people. That's all it should take because it feels genuine and authentic. Such admirable personalities, I feel like I'm at a best friend's house, not a restaurant. Definitely the experience I enjoy.

Environment: Awesome décor and clever design work and placement. Check out the wallpaper in the bathroom and sit with it for a moment. I was very captivated by that. The darker theme brings a sense of romance and warmth.

Summary: If you are looking for some creative Mexican inspired dishes with vegetarian options in White Center, this place won't let you down. I see the beauty and quality in everything here. I added to my favorites and at the top of my list for places to eat out when my boyfriend and I feel indecisive. 5/5 would recommend. I am bringing my mom here first thing when she...

My partner and I went here on a whim for date night, looking to try something new in White Center. The vibe inside is nice. It's dark, but colorful, with interesting enough decor. On the early Saturday evening all of the booths were full, so we sat at the bar.

The digital menu started out strong with a long, somewhat diverse cocktail menu. I ordered the Paloma out of haste. Maybe it just wasn't for me, but it was somewhat flat and reminded me of a college dorm room. The Bloody Maria was good, smokey and salty. It was great to see Yonder cider on tap for the 2nd round.

Looking through the food menu, a common theme began to emerge... The majority of dish descriptions contained the same small list of ingredients, but I guess that's not too unexpected for the style.

We got chips and salsa to start. I ordered a pork quesadilla and my partner got a chicken burrito. The wait time was normal.

The first major disappointment were the chips and salsa. The chips were the cheap bulk stuff, and the mild salsa was something poured out of a gallon jug from Costco.

The other food arrived, with greasy cafeteria meat, iceberg lettuce, and more Pace salsa. It cemented my understanding that this is not a restaurant with a bar, it's a bar with bar food.

Maybe my expectations were off. If you're looking for a good tequila and mezcal bar, this could...