Makers Union — Restaurant in Washington

I have been here twice, and like many of the other 1 star reviews my visits were less than satisfactory. Both times I was here my servers were poorly trained (and frankly just odd). They were not well versed on the menu, not particularly helpful, and lacked urgency. Considering how long we sat unattended to I expect you to get moving when you do finally arrive. The hosts are a joke. You can stand for 10 minutes and watch them flit about, ignoring potential patrons for seemingly no reason. They very much act as though you are an inconvenience to them.

I love pets as much as the next person however I do not wish to dine with them. I watched servers literally hop, skip, and jump over the outrageous amount of dogs that were seated everywhere. Pets were far too distant from their owners and sprawled out all over the floor making it challenging for others to maneuver to and from their tables. There were more dogs than people during my last visit. A large husky crawled under my feet during my visit. I felt like I was at an animal hospital that served food rather than a restaurant that allowed pets. Pet dander is not something I wish to ingest while dining. I also watched several servers handle and pet several dogs then proceed to handle food... disgusting and unsanitary. The health department would agree.

I certainly will not be returning. As other reviewers pointed out there are many other great spots on either side of this restaurant with good food, service, and environments. Save yourself time and money on this place. And if you're looking for a good drink do not waste your time here. The...

Stupidly loud and stupid beer pricing. If you are Gen X or older you will not hear a thing the people at your table (or the servers) say unless everyone yells, which everyone in the entire echoic reverb joint does at all times (see video). To make it more challenging, they keep the music playing relatively loud to create a noise arms race escalation. And heaven forbid you bring anyone neurospicy here, the cacophony will burn them down. This was on a boring Tuesday at 6pm, not like party party Friday night. The food was fine (hence the second star) - not the Frickin Best fried chicken sandwich I've ever had but worth its price, and the Thai crab soup was a delicious bargain. But let's talk about these beer economics! I ordered a beer after I made short work of my short (and unremarkable) maple old fashioned, and the server asked "16 or 20 ounce?" I said 20, please, hoping it would help me tolerate the audio assault, but I should've realized that's what the "make it a people's pour $3.50” on the menu meant. Yes, for $8 you can have a pint of IPA, or for just 44% more you can get...25% more beer. What?! In the cornerstone of Amazon HQ2 what kind of reverse Subscribe & Save pricing malarkey is this?! Does "people's pour" mean "subsidize another billionaire's yacht you working class idiot?" The server was kind enough to ask if we had a birthday at the table (noticing the gifts) and offer a free dessert, but we declined so we could escape the din before our eardrums exploded. Nope, never returning, as thankfully Founding Farmers is...

Had dinner here with friends. Food was excellent! I had fish and chips. Our table ordered the nachos appetizer….and it puts tio Pepe to shame. The nachos appetizer was so delicious and plenty. I suspect the chef is using very fresh ingredients and my stomach appreciates it. The chef and cook staff have it together and the focus on quality prepared food is evident I did not walk away disappointed. The hostess was great and really working the tables and clients. She gets extra stars for keeping the tables moving. My rating for atmosphere is only 4 stars because of the noise level. I know don’t be hatin, atmosphere can mean different qualities…soooo because the restaurant was lively is good but acoustics weren’t in the design even with the side windows opened. A few other annoyances that need to be considered 1) Open Table: Doesn’t work and they need to scrap it. It’s mostly business crowd and some neighborhood locals. So why piss them off? You have a skilled hostess that does better than Open Table. 2) work with Google to improve their search algos. It’s a no show when I search restaurants. I had to search pub. It’s part of the identity crisis it is likely going through as a newish restaurant. Is it a pub or is it a restaurant? I’ll go with a restaurant because there aren’t many evening restaurants in the 7 or 8 surrounding blocks and it’s more credit to the excellent chef and cook staff...