523419 Wed May 28 13:16:31 -0700 2008 71 3 California 0 3728057 Clueless hostess, small portions, loud dining room, $4 for 8 oz of Dr. Pepper? and an owner who's attitude was basically, Go somewhere else! OK I get it, you want to offer, good quality locally grown and raised food. Would it kill you to put some more potatoes on the side of a dish you're charging $19.50? Why would you offer a soft drink that is only available from Texas and charge more for it than most places charge for a pint of beer? and when a paying customer raises some valid points why would you choose to ignore all of them and say that there are a lot of other restaurants out there, you should be able to find one that makes you happy? I wanted to like this neighborhood joint, but never again! As a neighbor, I was really excited to try the new location. I admit, I had never been to the original location although I had intended to many times, but never made it. As a newbie, I was not sure what to expect. When we arrived Friday evening, they looked pretty busy, but we were able to get a parking spot right in front of the door and we saw that there were at least two empty tables in the dining room. When we came in, we were told there would be a wait, and asked to give our name. After about 40 minutes a hostess came and told us there was a bar table available if we wanted to sit there or it should be just a few minutes for a regular height table. My partner had spinal surgery just over a year ago and still has some nerve damage so we opted to wait for the regular height table. The hostess moved on to the next name on the wait list and as she was taking them to the bar height table , they asked if they could have the open, regular height table that had been empty since we arrived and she said yes! We couldn't have had that table? Any other number of people waiting before us couldn't have had that table? Poor customer relations! I don't care how good your food is, if you treat people that poorly, it gets noticed. After about 20 more minutes we were lead to a table on the far side of the dining room, two small tables pushed together for a four topper. When the waitress finally came by, she informed us of all the things you had already run out of, namely three of the offered sausages and the fish. Since what I was most interested in was trying two of the missing sausages, it would have been nice to know this before waiting that long for a table. All you had to do was post it on the window where you were writing down names for seating--"Sorry, but we have run out of x, y, and z" Easy enough, I could then decide if I wanted to come back another day or try something different. I opted for the choucroute with two links and my partner ordered the pork chop. We appreciate good food and enjoy eating out often. The presentation of both these plates was lackluster at best. The sauerkraut was flattened out, and kind of camouflaged by the melted cheese and was not too appealing in appearance. My partner's pork chop was unrecognizable as a pork chop. It was explained to us that the meat had a lot of fat and one should expect to have each bite be half fat and half meat, but she did not explain what to do about all the gristle/connective tissue! The small portion of potatoes was good flavored but seemed a little skimpy for a $19.50 dish. Speaking of price, I can't let pass the cost of a soft drink--$4 for 8 oz of Dr. Pepper, that didn't even fill the glass?! Which came without ice, I might add. I almost never drink alcohol when out as I am the driver, so I usually get a soft drink. I have never been charged that much for a single soft drink, especially in a place that likes to characterize itself as a neighborhood restaurant. You make a big deal that all your meat and produce is locally grown, yet you buy your Dr. Pepper from a lone bottling plant in Texas?! Does that make sense? To add insult to injury, the second one also cost $4 for a grand total of $8 for 16 oz of soda-- nice mark up! Makes me wonder how little the pork chop cost you if you were charging that kind of mark up on soda! You have a bar, you have the system, get some tanks and have soda on tap and don't charge an arm and a leg and offer gratis refills. No one will think any less of you. Just before our food came, the hostess came by and took one of the tables we were sitting at to make a big table for a larger group, rather than take the empty table across the aisle from us!? Guess you didn't want to miss the opportunity to fill that table as well, even though it was close to 10pm and that table had sat empty for 10 minutes already. For whatever reason she thought it was better to make us uncomfortable rather than take that other table. The dining room is very loud as there are no soft surfaces to absorb the sound, so we had to listen to our next door table complain about how little meat there was on their $88 goat! Maybe some cloth baffles in the air, some art on the walls, perhaps some curtains, etc. would help to dampen the noise problem. Since I work as a retail consultant, I realize I have high expectations for service and atmosphere, but I also know how easy it is to get the details right and provide a satisfactory experience. Wed May 28 13:16:33 -0700 2008 195979 howstheservice 1 3728183 Sorry to hear that you had a disappointing experience. Since you mention that you work as a retail consultant, surely you must realize the degree of difficulty in operating with all engines running smoothly on opening day. That is precisely when you went to the Linkery, the very first night they had dinner service in their new location. They are still building the new space (seating booths, noise abatement) while they try to serve the community of loyal customers that they have built. I know that at the old place they had a handout and a posted letter "If you are new to the Linkery" explaining their seating policy. I'm sure things were more hectic than usual because of the mobs of people eagerly waiting to dine at the new locale, but perhaps things could have been facilitated a little more effeciently had you explained your partner's medical condition. Also, as explaination in the "new to Linkery" note, this is a non tipping restaurant. Everything is marked up accordingly so that the servers and entire staff can make a decent living, anything left in the way of gratuities is donated to charity on a monthly basis. The owner is one of the most dedicated entrepreneurs that I have ever run across - dedicated to service on every level...from service to quality of food, from the environment to charity. I'm sure that if indeed it was the owner that you spoke to, his demeanor may have had something to do with the frustration of opening night in a partially completed space, and quite possibly your misunderstanding of the concept and less-than-pleasant and demanding attitude. By the way, Dr. Pepper is not sold solely in Texas. There is such a thing as distributors in Californina. Wed May 28 13:43:45 -0700 2008 3728057 180283 foodiechick 2 3728432 What is their "seating policy"? It seems to be wait, wait offer a bad seat while a good seat is open then take a later customer to the good table. I think that one should not go to a restaurant for the within the first month of opening. That said $4 for a soda--not even a can's worth? I think you may pay less than that even at a Strip Restaurant. Of course the tip is included. Wed May 28 14:44:22 -0700 2008 3728183 168597 The Old Man 3 3728488 yeah I am going to give them a couple more weeks before I check out the new location. Wed May 28 15:00:51 -0700 2008 3728432 91897 MrKrispy 3 3728563 Seating Policy from the website: *** SEATING We seat on a first come basis, which means we don't take reservations. We've got a pretty small restaurant, and sometimes it fills up. If you’re happiest when you can surely sit right away, we encourage you to join us early in the evening (between 5 and 6:30 seems best). Otherwise come on in and if there’s a wait for a table, enjoy a drink or two at the bar. Also, we're open until 11pm every night, and we welcome guests who join us toward the end of the evening. Whenever you come to visit us, we'll take care of you the best we can. *** I'm a grumpy ol' turd so I've only been to the Linkey around 5:30 PM for a light meal and have never had a problem. ;-) I'll give the new spot a few more weeks before giving it a try. That said, I can see how someone who is not familiar with what The Linkery has to offer and stands for can feel it is overpriced. As a neighborhood place (and it is a neighborhood place for me) it is the most expensive of my selections and because of that it does not get frequented as much as it should by my wife and I. And that's just simple economics. But what they do is impressive and they should be applauded. Wed May 28 15:25:44 -0700 2008 3728432 141689 Ewilensky 2 3728554 I know that opening a new venture is not a smooth operation-- none of that explains why 2 tables sat empty for 45 minutes and then all someone else had to do was ask and they got it ahead of us. Nor does it explain why the owner, Jay, failed to apologize for any of the snafus when I wrote to him two days later, choosing instead to be condescending and suggest I could be happier at other restaurants. All I got was a classic "I'm sorry you feel that way" apology. No mention of 'that shouldn't have happened' or 'I'll ask why that happened' Just a terse 'sorry you didn't enjoy it.' Is there some sort of seating policy for The Linkery that is so vastly different it needs to be explained? First come first served is what their website says, I was kind of expecting that. We didn't need to explain a medical condition, she asked if we'd like that table, we declined and she said it would just be a few minutes until another table became available and then proceeded to seat the next party at the table that had sat empty the whole time we were all waiting. I also understand the no-tipping policy, it is added to the food price after wards and does not have anything to do with the cost versus perceived value of the food. I didn't complain about the no tipping policy so I'm not sure why you bring it up. I know there are Dr. Pepper distributors, but they choose to offer only Dublin Dr. Pepper which is bottled in one plant in Texas and then trucked to its destinations, hence my rant about offering fountain sodas. Technically it is not available any where else there is a Dr. Pepper distributorship, so they are probably violating the Dr. Pepper distribution agreement by re-selling it in California. You missed my whole point, I was disappointed, I really wanted to like this place. It's in my neighborhood, I appreciate what they say they are trying to do. I appreciate food, locally grown, prepared well, but I had a really bad experience at this place and the owner just made it worse by being flip and not taking any responsibility. Wed May 28 15:23:18 -0700 2008 3728183 195979 howstheservice 3 3728702 "I know that opening a new venture is not a smooth operation-- none of that explains why 2 tables sat empty for 45 minutes and then all someone else had to do was ask and they got it ahead of us." well that sounds to me like the definition of things not going smoothly! I think you are missing the whole philosophy of the Linkery. Their food isn't necessarily local, it is intended to be products that are from small artisan producers, not mass market / factory products. I won't go in to details here of what consequences that has (for more info google Slow Food). Pepsi, Twinkies, and Foster Farms chickens don't exactly fit in to that philosophy, hence why soft drinks are sort of limited. Secondly, if you were aware that the Dr. Pepper is a unique item that is shipped from Texas, why wouldn't you expect to pay significantly more? I am sure the Linkery isn't buying pallets of them, shipping isn't exactly cheap, and you have the tip included in it as well. I am not apologizing for how you were dealt with, but trying to offer a reason of why things may have happened that way. That being said, Wed May 28 16:07:30 -0700 2008 3728554 91897 MrKrispy 4 3728788 I wasn't told it was Dr. Pepper from Texas. I asked what soft drinks they had and she said Dr. Pepper, Mexican Coca Cola and a third I had never heard of. I don't believe they were on the menu, they might have been, either way I never expected a soda to cost me $4 for 8oz. I didn't know it was from Texas until I did a Google search on Dublin Dr.Pepper after the evening was over, to see why it might have cost so much. From their site-- We use mostly local and regional produce, because it tastes best and is real. How about offering Hansen's--local to Corona CA, all natural? I don't think of any soda as being artisanal, so I don't think anyone will think any less of them by offering fountain sodas. I don't drink, so cask beer holds no fascination for me. The tip was on top of the $4 for the soda. Wed May 28 16:33:42 -0700 2008 3728702 195979 howstheservice 5 3729723 I'm pretty sure the sodas are on the menu and also that it does spell out what exactly it is. Is it expensive? Yeah, but I guess them's the breaks. The beer and wine prices are pretty reasonable though. Opening night probably wasn't the greatest time to first visit a new restaurant because they were bound to have kinks. I know that they were training several new staff too and it looked like they had the veterans sitting back more (at least on Saturday). Hopefully you'll give them another chance once they have time to settle in; the Grand Opening is supposed to be sometime in July. Wed May 28 22:59:38 -0700 2008 3728788 72231 DougOLis 3 3729790 Hey, my bad on the Dr. Pepper issue. I didn't realize the special circumstance of their origin. But then again, somewhat shadowing what dining diva said - that is extra shipping (and in my opinion, effort, for a specialty item), $4 may seem high but I can understand a higher mark up. The reason that I brought up the no-tipping policy is because you were raising price point issues. The no tip policy is factored into the price points, so I believe it is a valid point if you are arguing those. No, the Linkery is not the cheapest straw in the stack, but all "neighborhood" restaurants are not necessarily wallet friendly - especially in these times (I was in a "neighborhood" restaurant tonight - no "destination status", believe me - who serves similarly sourced food and whose prices for smaller portions than the Linkery's were a good $3-$10 more per item). I believe, in most cases, this restaurant is paying more for it's products because of the nature of their origin. They are honest in their representation of what their product goals are. I would rather have an establishment charge honest prices to meet their bottom line (and in this economy I appreciate the honesty - better to raise the airfares by $15 than charge $15 for first checked bag). The reason I brought up mentioning the medical condition is that sometimes I find it necessary. We are not talking about a 5-star, fine-dining restaurant here with a tenured maitre'd. Hostesses are not always the greatest assest in the front of the house...but if there is a special need I find nothing wrong with a brief bit of info so they at least have the opportunity to try to accommodate, rather than wait for them to "get it". I have often been frustrated with seating and usually have luck with asking for a specific table directly with an explaination if warranted - it was in fact a special need. Obviously, nobody but the owner can address your issues with the food quality itself, but I think the fact that he personally responded to your letter sent a couple of days later is admirable. I'm sorry that he did not offer more of an answer to your complaints, but you did say he offered a general apology. I think that given the fact they are in the middle of this opening that is something...and something you might not receive in such a timely fashion from many other proprietors given the stressful circumstances. You have valid points to criticize, I just think that given you had never tried the restaurant before and chose to be quite this critical based on an opening night is a little unfair. Have I ever had uneven service there- sure. Have I been less than thrilled with a dish that didn't work for me - yes. But there is a reason that they have such a loyal following, and I only hope you take in mind all of the mitigating factors involved with your first visit and give them another chance...perhaps in the middle of the week...early - before they run out of two of the sausages. Wed May 28 23:57:06 -0700 2008 3728554 180283 foodiechick 2 3745433 Actually, the food prices aren't marked up to accommodate the non-tipping policy. An 18% table service charge is added to the bill. Anything over that is considered a "tip" and is collected for the month's charity organization. This has been quite an invigoration thread. I do like the poster who noted that sometimes you come across dishes that aren't great, and other times you have fabulous meals. We're more in line with Josh - we like The Linkery and understand why certain things are expensive, but we just can't afford to eat there as often as we'd like. Plus, it takes motivation for us to drive down to North Park for dinner. We're definitely going to check out the new space, but most likely after things have settled down. Tue Jun 03 10:55:25 -0700 2008 3728183 42944 leanneabe 1 3728828 They just moved, which probably caused some of the problems with the seating. The $4 Dr. Pepper is just the Linkery being the Linkery. It's the Whole Foods of the SD Restaurant scene and so some of the prices are pretty crazy. Still, the focus is on serving sustainable and artisan products. As far as the noise, and the reaction of the owner, remember that you attended the "soft" opening of the restaurant. He was swamped. . .and they're doing something about the noise, per the website. Wed May 28 16:46:10 -0700 2008 3728057 115590 jmtreg 2 3728954 I kind of have to agree with the OP about the $4 for 8 oz of soda, that is pretty steep even for a cane sugar product. BUT...I also agree with you prices are pretty crazy, but that's happening everywhere these days not just The Linkery. Food cost, trucking costs and local distribution costs are absolutely through the roof right now. Unfortunately, I suspect we're going to see a lot of "pretty crazy" pricing all over town by the end of the summer. And, unless we do see some of these pretty crazy prices and are willing to pay them, I wonder how many restaurants are going to go under because they couldn't - or wouldn't - price their products where they needed to be to cover cost/expenses, or we customers wouldn't - or couldn't - pay those prices. I think we're about to see the rubber hit the road this summer and a shake out in the local restaurant industry. But, wow, $4 for a small serving of Dr. Pepper and no ice? Even I'm scratching my head over that one. Pass the beer... Wed May 28 17:38:10 -0700 2008 3728828 10506 DiningDiva 3 3731028 Their cask beer prices are about double what other local Beer bars charge, but their draft prices are similar. I have never been able to figure out their pricing logic, so I guess the Dr. Pepper would fit that logic. Thu May 29 10:22:28 -0700 2008 3728954 91897 MrKrispy 1 3734332 I can't speak for the new location, but I can speak for the restaurant as a whole back when it was at its old location. Overrated. And unreasonably expensive. The beer, the food...I get it. It's high quality, it's organic where possible. But it's still gouging. Sure, the food was fine. But not good enough for those prices. Same goes for the cask and tap beer prices. Ridiculous. I drink regularly at O'Briens and get beer in growlers from the local breweries. So I know there is no justification for that kind of rip off. Cask or not. Especially since cask beer is not the rarity that restauranteurs are trying so hard to make it seem it is. San Diego is swimming in cask beer. But that's par for the course with the recent restaurant "renaissance" in SD over the past few years. Linkery, Zensei, Neighborhood....if we charge a ton then that makes us a nice restaurant, right? It's nightclub mentality. But the point is, if the food was incredible, then it might be justified. Yet, it never is. In my opinion, it's not a good thing when your restaurant is known more for being expensive than for having good food. Fri May 30 09:18:30 -0700 2008 3728057 189270 cookieshoes 2 3734423 Just curious why you include Neighborhood in that list. I find the prices there to be extremely reasonable. Fri May 30 09:42:23 -0700 2008 3734332 10809 Josh 2 3734505 None of the places you mention adhere to the "nightclub mentality" - and they don't "charge a ton." The Linkery's food is not "organic when possible" - it's made by small producers who have a personal investment in their product - as opposed to commodity producers. If that isn't important to you, then the place might just not be for you, as Jay told the original poster. The food prices are no higher than other bistro style restaurants in town, and compare very favorably with restaurants in other cities. Their tap beer prices are not out of line at all - particularly considering that they include service - at $5.50 for a 15 oz pour. If you tip a buck a drink or so anywhere else, you're paying about the same amount. The cask ales are more, but I assume that's because it's expensive and labor intensive - and there is probably some waste involved since it's more perishable. If you don't appreciate the unique local restaurants in your community and don't want to pay to keep them around, there are plenty of chains and fast food joints that will be happy to take your money. Just do me a favor please - don't come on here later and cry about how there's nothing good to eat in this town! Fri May 30 10:00:28 -0700 2008 3734332 11803 Alice Q 3 3734748 Well said. Fri May 30 11:01:29 -0700 2008 3734505 10809 Josh 3 3734879 Who said anything about not appreciating the unique local restaurants in my community? What, I don't like the Linkery therefore I don't have any taste in restaurants, and I'd rather eat fast food? Apparently, the Linkery is the finest restaurant ever created, and to not like it means that one doesn't have any taste at all. Obviously, I care about good food and places to get it. Otherwise I wouldn't be on this board. But I'm not one to like a restaurant because I have to, or because someone says so or writes so on their blog. And no, I don't mind spending plenty of money at a restaurant to get a nice meal. I'll eat at a hole in the wall or at a white cloth place if it means getting a good meal. And I'll keep going back to places I didn't like the first time just to make sure I wasn't missing something. So don't go getting all high and mighty or all sensitive because someone doesn't like the same joints you do. It's no secret that the Linkery gets serious fluffing on this board. Which is fine. It's the place to go for some, and not for others. I think the Linkery is overrated and expensive. You feel differently. But don't give me the "but this costs this much, and that's why this costs this much" rationale for why they charge what they do. I know very well how that works. And sure, you pay for ambiance, the food, the service, etc. So, fine, hike up the beer and charge more for a cask. But $4 for a soft drink is ridiculous. But that fits in nicely pricewise with the rest of the menu. So, no surprise there. Fri May 30 11:34:21 -0700 2008 3734505 189270 cookieshoes 4 3735048 Linkery is pretty much too expensive for me to eat at. I freely acknowledge this, and I do miss the days when dining there was within my budget. I think what rankles though, is this idea of "overpriced". Without knowing actual food and operating costs, it's kind of presumptuous to assume you know what a fair price for them to charge is. For me, I eat there very rarely because of the prices. It is an expensive place to eat, no doubt. Whether or not the prices are justifiable, I don't know their costs so wouldn't presume to say he should be charging less. I simply choose to spend my money at more affordable places. Fri May 30 12:19:08 -0700 2008 3734879 10809 Josh 5 3735707 The real issue here isn't really price, it's actually price per value. In reading a lot of these comments I'm seeing "it's expensive", but I'm also seeing, "what I'm getting really isn't worth what I'm paying". And there's the rub. As long as diners *perceive* that what they're getting is even remotely close to what they're paying for it, they'll generally be satisfied to some degree or another. Once they begin to think that what they're getting *isn't* worth what they're paying, the problems start because perception is subjective. It's a fine line and a difficult one for restaurants to balance given the intense pressure on food and labor costs these days. A lot of posters here don't perceive that what they're receiving from The Linkery is worth what they're being charged. Josh, you are one of the few exceptions, you do see that the value of your meal is more or less in line with the price, but your wallet just can't stand the hit. It's an honest response. Just as honest are the comments about the $4 for 8 oz of Dr. Pepper or the $18.50 for 3 links. These comments really speak to how the posters value these items and what they're willing to pay for them. It doesn't make them right, nor does it make them wrong. It simply reflects that in their value and belief structure about food, $4 for 8 oz of DP doesn't work for them (and, frankly, it probably doesn't work for a lot of us). Perception in the restaurant business is a tricky thing. Nearly everyone (myself included) is enamored with the Better Half and almost every comments that it's a good value for what you get. No one says it's too expensive, but I can't get out of there for less than $70-80! I always leave satisfied and feeling like I got my money's worth, or more, even if there were a few bobbles or glitches in the meal. Their very nice service and friendly wine policy help cushion the few rough edges that crop up occasionally with the food. It's all depends on what we value in a restaurant and how it fits into our perceptions of food, service, the intangibles and what we're willing to pay. Clearly, we've got some people here for whom The Linkery does not match up with their perceptions of a restaurant including price structures. It's also one of the reasons Jay's response that they may be happier somewhere else can be so frustrating. People came wanting to like The Linkery and it didn't happen. They wanted validation or recourse and didn't get it. It doesn't mean the restaurant is bad or that the people have terrible taste buds or didn't "get" it, just that things didn't add up on either side and perceptions and values were not met. Fri May 30 15:40:17 -0700 2008 3735048 10506 DiningDiva 6 3735867 That's a good point, too. I would have to say that their price/value ratio for me varies a lot. On a recent visit, the last night in their old location, I was relatively happy with the price/value ratio, though I did wind up needing to eat something else a couple of hours later. Something unsustainable in every way, and consequently much less expensive. Jay makes no apologies, nor should he, for sticking to his ideological guns. At the same time, there's no question that's going to result in people who are unhappy with their experience because not everybody is prepared to pay for ideology (and I would include myself in that group, with some exceptions (which is not to say I'm unhappy - I understand what they're trying to do - I just can't always afford to pay for ideology)). Fri May 30 16:46:03 -0700 2008 3735707 10809 Josh 4 3735053 I'm confused. I've never eaten there, I don't even like the descriptions I've heard of the place--but who cares what they charge? I think any non-monopoly business should charge as much as it can. The free market will force them to adjust their prices if the public thinks it's too high. And cookie--they keep asking you why you lump Neighborhood in there. I haven't been, but they're saying it's not expensive. In terms of quality--well who knows--as has been pointed out, people stand in line at Chipotle or for that godawful Coldstone, but that's a matter of taste, and that's something we're never going to agree on. That said, I appreciate a review that takes the time to make the food special--care of prep, the ingredients, etc. Fri May 30 12:20:03 -0700 2008 3734879 168597 The Old Man 4 3736607 I don't think anyone's getting "high and mighty". There's just absolutely no basis for you to assume that these restaurants are engaged in some sort of conspiracy to overcharge in an effort to boost their popularity. The idea strikes me as preposterous, knowing just a little bit about how hard it is to operate an independent restaurant in the SD market. The Linkery has its quirks, but there's more going on there than just what's on the plate and what it tastes like. Some people don't like and/or just don't get that. It can be a little frustrating when the question of where the food comes from appears to take precedence over how enjoyable it is to eat - I understand that, but that's one of the quirks of the Linkery. Personally, I think the no tipping policy is a bit of a problem here, because their prices are inflated because of it. For what it's worth, I also think if they're going to charge $4. for a Dr. Pepper, they need to make sure the servers tell people how much it's going to be when they order it, so they can make an informed decision as to whether they want to spend that kind of money on a soda. Sat May 31 00:32:34 -0700 2008 3734879 11803 Alice Q 2 3734647 The mention of Neighborhood had me scratching my head as well. I was there for the first time last weekend and couldn't believe how cheaply we got out of that place. Really good value downtown. Fri May 30 10:35:14 -0700 2008 3734332 180283 foodiechick 3 3735475 Neighborhood...the burger there is good. But it's in the same scenario as the others. Hip new place, heavy on the aesthetic, but the food and the overall menu doesn't match for what they charge. In Neighborhood's case, especially for a place that makes a gimmick out of deliberately not carrying ketchup. I don't know, maybe I'm just hungrier than most (or maybe it's that I don't have as much money). But have a burger with onion rings, and add on the incredibly small jalapeno mac n cheese cheese, add on a couple of beers, and it adds up surprisingly fast. There has been a trend over the past few years of smaller places popping up as food boutiques. Which is great. But it tends to start being disneyland out there. Instead of a place where the food is the reputation, it's more interesting for the gimmick or for the name of the joint. But believe me, I get it. If one doesn't like it, don't eat there. But that doesn't mean one can't comment on the place. I don't hate any of these places. I love the food we have in this town, and once in a while it's nice to go out and try a place again, whether you liked it the first time or not. And it's not about complaining that one isn't getting the most bang for the buck either. But if one finds that one restaurant is charging more for a beer or particular food than another place, then why shouldn't you be able to note that it's more expensive? Especially after you factor in how the food actually tastes. Really, 3 sausages for $18.50? Come on now. And the response shouldn't be "Well, they are homemade". There are a lot of places out there that make homemade food, and use fresh ingredients. Not all of them have such steep prices. Anyway, it's the balance in it all. The food, the price, the atmosphere. Some places are a bargain, and some really aren't charging as much as they should. If you like the Linkery, great. If you like Neighborhood, great. If you don't, that's fine too. Fri May 30 14:21:06 -0700 2008 3734647 189270 cookieshoes 4 3735566 "Really, 3 sausages for $18.50? Come on now. And the response shouldn't be "Well, they are homemade". There are a lot of places out there that make homemade food, and use fresh ingredients. Not all of them have such steep prices." This is neither a defense nor criticism of the above quote or The Linkery, what will follow is strictly a cost observation and comment. To simply classify the sausages at The Linkery as "homemade" isn't exactly accurate. The raw ingredients used and sourced by The Linkery go beyond merely being organic and local. While the concept of "sustainable" includes both organic and locally produced products it also involves the methods of producing or growing the products used. Many of those methods are designed to reduce the carbon footprint (talk about a trendy concept) or tend to be fairly labor intensive or time consuming. Any of these will escalate the price of the finished product(s), and sustainably produced foods are costlier than mass produced ones. My point? Since The almost 100% of the raw ingredients used at The Linkery are part of the sustainable food network, they're more expensive coming in the door than the identical product purchased from a distributor (even a big one), Restaurant Depot or grocery store. On the surface, $18.50 for 3 links *does* sound excessive. However, the cost of the ingredients going into those links is more expensive to start with since they are sustainable. It's not necessarily that the raw ingredients are "better", it's that they've been raised or grown using methods that are designed to do as little damage as possible to the Earth or in harmony with seasons, terrain, resources, water, etc. It doesn't make it any "better" (very subjective term here), but it does make it more expensive and until sustainable practices move more into the agricultural mainstream (i.e. via demand or necessity) sustainable products will carry a higher price tag. And, let us also not forget, those same links aren't exactly going to materialize all by themselves. No, you've got to have production staff in the kitchen mixing the sausage and stuffing the casings. The last time I checked, most kitchen staff in SD still expects to be paid for services rendered. (Unless, of course, the kitchen help are unpaid culinary arts interns who are just there for the food <i.e. experience>) Fri May 30 14:53:32 -0700 2008 3735475 10506 DiningDiva 5 3735632 DD, I agree with you on the part of restaurant owners putting their heart and sole into their chow, and I'm willing to pay a prem for it. However, IMHO,SD has a rep for estabs charging outrageous prices for their chow. I think that rep puts people over the edge in our little neck of the woods. Way too much gouging going on. I mean I've been to HI many times and the estabs there are more reasonable than SD, Why is SD like this? Fri May 30 15:16:59 -0700 2008 3735566 149836 cstr 6 3735774 cstr, I think it goes beyond restaurant owners putting their heart and souls into their places. A lot of them do that. My point was that part of what's driving The Linkery's pricing structure is always going to be the fact that the products they use are more expensive coming in the door than many other local establishments. Pork that has been raised and slaughtered sustainably and humanely is more expensive than mass produced pork. I chose this example specifically because hog farms are notorious for the pollution they produce and environmental damage they can do to the areas surrounding them. If a hog farmer chooses to raise his pigs in an agriculturally integrated environment/system where the by products of the hog farm can be recycles, reused or otherwise converted into something useful it will cost more. A hog farmer who chooses to raise his hogs humanely will have fewer animals and spend more time tending to them than the mass producers. More expensive agricultural practices coupled with fewer animals almost certainly means that the price received for that meat will be higher than pork produced in a hog-mill. So if The Linkery is using pork sustainably and humane raised and slaughtered in their sausages, they've paid far more for the raw ingredient coming in the back door than a comparable restaurant down the street getting similar cuts, but mass produced, pork from Sysco or USFoods. Now, it's entirely possible, and maybe even true, that restaurant down the street may be able to produce a better product than The Linkery and sell it at a lower price, in part because it cost them less to make. When I moved back to SD in 2001 from the Bay Area I was very pleasantly surprised at how reasonable food prices were. But as the housing market boomed, so did food costs. I purchase large quantities of food on weekly basis and can tell you food costs have been insane for the last year but have been through the roof since the beginning of this year. Many operators tried to hold prices and not raise them, but they can't do it and stay in business. I used to be able to cost our recipes here at work once a quarter and I wouldn't see much change. Last Fall I had to start costing them monthly, I'm now to the point where I have to cost them almost weekly because prices are changing so much and so rapidly. A case of tuna (6/5# cans) cost us $40 in September, by March it was costing us $67. We now cut our tuna with skipjack which is less than 1/2 the price of tuna. Do I like doing that, no, but it's one of the few ways that I have to control product costs. I am not alone. Not only has SD had very high housing costs, it also has some of the highest fuel costs in the U.S. and now it looks like food isn't that far behind. Fri May 30 16:06:18 -0700 2008 3735632 10506 DiningDiva 4 3735818 I'd say "hungrier than most", for sure. For me, a burger at Neighborhood is so filling I can't imagine eating anything alongside of it. It's 1/2 lb. of meat, with rich sauce, cheese, and sizeable amount of bread, and is around $10. Fri May 30 16:23:44 -0700 2008 3735475 10809 Josh 1 3735850 An addendum to my previous post . .yep, the Linkery is expensive. And sometimes, its inconsistent. I've had some things that I found to be blah (Mexican City Lasagna), and other things to be amazing (puerco pibil, pulled pork, sausages). But most importantly, the Linkery is about slow food, from sustainable resources and producers that act responsibly. So they're going to be more expensive, and they're going to be more inconsistent, and I accept that. And that is why I take every experience there as a special occasion. That said, I can understand the frustration from a first time visitor who has no idea what the restaurant is about. The old location worked because you had to be more than a casual diner to find the place. By the time I entered the Linkery, I knew what they served, why they served it, and how much they charged - all from the website. If I hadn't been so informed, I might have hated the place. Instead its one of my favorites. Now, as far as howtheservice goes, you may have high expectations, but those expectations come from a lifetime of Sysco-supplied restaurants. And you checked out a restaurant on its opening night -- what did you expect but chaos? Btw, if a Dr. Pepper costs $1.50 to get retail, a $2.50 markup isn't that crazy. Fri May 30 16:38:55 -0700 2008 3728057 115590 jmtreg 1 3735879 I’ll say right up front I’m new to Chowhound. I’ll make the assumption that the OP is also since this was the first post. However, I’m not new to eating out, nor do I think the OP is either. While I can’t be sure, I also don’t get the feeling the OP has an axe to grind (which I really look for, along with shills) and was just reporting on their experience. I also I don’t think the OP missed the philosophy of the place at all. I think they got it, but there was so much that was wrong when they ate there it just was a bad experience. By the way, I thought the review was excellent. Very detailed, commenting on the: Service Portion sizes Food preparation and/or presentation Out of items Loud dining room Price Exactly what I want in a review. Good or bad, I want the details. I hope this site welcomes opposing reviews to what generally may be conventional wisdom? Obviously there is some passion here with 28 posts in less than two days. I think there is little doubt from all I’ve read about this place that almost everyone thinks this place is expensive. [Regarding the no tipping policy] “Everything is marked up accordingly…” “…it is the most expensive of my selections and because of that it does not get frequented as much as it should by my wife and I.” “Is it expensive? Yeah, but I guess them's the breaks.” “It's the Whole Foods of the SD Restaurant scene and so some of the prices are pretty crazy.” “…unreasonably expensive.” That said, almost everyone offers their reasons (some valid, some not so much) for the additional expense. A very few think it’s a value restaurant. So will I give the Linkery a try?? Absolutely! With this much buzz, how could I say I love food and not? Isn’t this what the Chowhound website is all about? I take no review at face value. I like to hear the passion ensuing afterwards. I will wait a few months because I do believe most are correct in that the new place is likely to need to get the bugs out. Fri May 30 16:49:11 -0700 2008 3728057 194335 JackieChiles 2 3735975 A fair point. The Linkery is a love-it or hate-it kind of a place. Regardless of the price and some inconsistency, it's worth trying. Fri May 30 17:32:38 -0700 2008 3735879 115590 jmtreg 2 3735983 welcome to Chowhound! Let us know what you think of the Linkery..and if you get a Dr Pepper :) Fri May 30 17:36:24 -0700 2008 3735879 91897 MrKrispy 3 3736029 Thanks, and when I try it, I will post my review - as intimidating as that seems now! :-) Thanks for the welcome, can't wait to participate more. Fri May 30 17:59:55 -0700 2008 3735983 194335 JackieChiles 1 3735994 Obviously, this thread has highlighted the vast divide between those that value The Linkery and the non-believers. As Dining Diva pointed out, it is really about the individual's perception, and those with strong opinions (pro or con) based on their perceptions are unlikely to be swayed. I have nothing more to add to what I have already said. I just wanted to say how unfortunate it is that the original poster seems to be on a singular, personal mission destroy the reputation of this restaurant. After only ONE visit the orginal poster has given identical reviews to the U/T's website Signonsandiego.com, Chowhound and Yelp. This person has never posted anything before on C or Y and seems to have registered only to spread the negative comments after one visit. Sort of blows the mind. Fri May 30 17:40:59 -0700 2008 3728057 180283 foodiechick 2 3736032 Ah, I did not know of those other reviews. Ok, well, as I said I don't put stock in any one review, so I'll give it a try myself. Fri May 30 18:01:26 -0700 2008 3735994 194335 JackieChiles 1 3742464 I can only guess but have a feeling the OP spread the word about his/her awful experience because of the attitude of Jay's reply. No one should be that arrogant because remember the old saying, "Someone will tell 1 person of a good experience and 10 people about a bad experience." ? What Jay COULD have done, since he bothered to reply to the OP, is to graciously apologize and offer to make a reservation for them on a different (slower) night and make sure that he truly experienced what he is trying to make people "get" about his restaurant and how it is different. It seems to me that the OP tried to get resolution from the owner about his bad experience BEFORE he posted negative reviews to here and the other sites, right? If I'd received the "if you don't like it, go somewhere else" response - I'd be letting my fellow CH'ers know about it, too. Also, to the new CH Jackie, let me say I am looking forward to seeing your reviews. It can be tough on here if you don't agree with the "regulars" but be sure to give us your opinions so I can get what is sure to be some insightful reviews! Mon Jun 02 13:51:48 -0700 2008 3728057 133818 LisaSD 2 3742973 Thanks for the welcome Lisa. I will write a review. I have really reviewed the website, looked at the blog, and signed up for the newsletter so I can get a better sense of the place and its ideals before dining. He says the "grand re-opening" is sometime in early July, so I want to go after that. I'll be a bit nervous posting a review here, especially since it will be my first, and because the place seems to invoke such passion. My mind will be open and I'll take in all I can and give a report. I'm excited to be a part of this site. Mon Jun 02 16:27:12 -0700 2008 3742464 194335 JackieChiles 2 3776740 Since Jay has gone to the trouble to explain his reply to the OP, I think his efforts will make me patronize his restaurant and give it a shot. Don't think I'll be ordering Dr. Pepper, though... Fri Jun 13 02:57:39 -0700 2008 3742464 133818 LisaSD 1 3767895 An interesting article on 7x7sf that Sam (from Becks & Posh) linked to today that is particularly relevant to this thread: http://www.7x7sf.com/eat_drink/featured_restaurants/16866136.html Tue Jun 10 14:30:37 -0700 2008 3728057 72231 DougOLis 2 3768241 All the more reason any restaurant, or any business owner, for that matter should go out of its way to provide a pleasurable experience for its patrons. If you can't control the cost of ingredients, rent, etc. the one thing you can control is the experience and how the customer is treated. Both in the restaurant and after the fact. Tue Jun 10 16:22:15 -0700 2008 3767895 195979 howstheservice 3 3768351 Of course. But there's no law or wisdom in encouraging the unreasonable folks. Granted, all I know about this situation is what I've read here, but it sounds to me like the owner made the right call. You WOULD be better served by another establishment, and the Linkery WOULD be better off without your business. And, hurt feelings and disappointed assumptions of entitlement set aside, you'd probably agree. There ARE limits, and one of the joys of owning a business is telling some clients you will not tolerate their particular behavior, and encourage them all the way to the door. fn Tue Jun 10 17:08:35 -0700 2008 3768241 44523 Fake Name 4 3771059 And that type of pretentiousness is always good for business! Yes I have been better served by other establishments and I doubt the Linkery will be better off without me, they've made it pretty clear they don't care, but I will be probably better off without the Linkery. You're right you don't know anything other than what is posted here. I don't think anything here points to an assumption of entitlement. Unless it is entitlement to expect to be seated in order arrived, to be treated with grace and tact and to not be taken advantage of at the till. Wed Jun 11 12:43:37 -0700 2008 3768351 195979 howstheservice 5 3771387 I'm not sure if you realize this - but the more you say - the more apparent it becomes that FN is absolutely right. Wed Jun 11 13:54:05 -0700 2008 3771059 11803 Alice Q 5 3771497 You know I read this latest post and thought what's the point. Your experience is not the same experience that everybody else has or will have. You have stuck to your script and repeatedly made your point. We get it - you don't like the place or the owner, you will not recommend it and will never go back, and no reason or argument will change your mind. Strong opinions are good, but don't you even think that your relentless diatribe is getting a tad tired. Move on to the next place you want to trash...you're wearing me out Man! Wed Jun 11 14:24:08 -0700 2008 3771059 180283 foodiechick 6 3771683 "Your experience is not the same experience that everybody else has or WILL HAVE." Ah, a forture teller. Boy it's nice to see CH mods finally let a thread go forward with a little heat. FWIW, it seems that the OP got bad service at the restaurant and the owner couldn't just admit it. Wed Jun 11 15:17:57 -0700 2008 3771497 168597 The Old Man 7 3772273 I'm really not trying to add "heat". I'm just observing- the OP is best served by choosing another place to eat, and the establishment is better off allowing another paying customer to use that seat. This place has no trouble getting more customers, and there are plenty of other places from which the OP may choose. The problem comes when the OP is feeling disrespected- h/she feels as if the owner should have gotten on his knees and begged for a return visit, no doubt comped. The owner knows the possibility of pleasing the OP is unlikely, and that he'll always be unable to please some percentage of his customers. One cannot make everyone happy every time. As a business owner, I've fired my share of clients- it's frequently the smartest thing to do. And I usually wait too long to do so. The Linkery owner did not make that mistake. No heat, just an observation about the business. And that's it- It's just business, nothing personal. fn Wed Jun 11 18:53:53 -0700 2008 3771683 44523 Fake Name 8 3772828 Great points. Unfortunately, we live in a society that has come to accept the concept of "the customer is always right" unquestioningly. Wed Jun 11 22:08:58 -0700 2008 3772273 10809 Josh 9 3773243 Yup. That's the entitlement to which I referred earlier. I believe "the customer is always right" existed and worked in a much more polite society, where the *customer had a obligation* of ethical and moral conduct. Now, people don't think twice about wearing and returning expensive clothing, and we have to have signs to tell people to discontinue their phone conversations before approaching a cashier. And restaurant patrons have come to believe they always deserve to be treated like they are far more powerful than they really are. With the information provided by the OP about the experience at the restaurant, I'd have been disappointed as well, and would probably not return. But angry and revengeful? I'd hope not. fn Thu Jun 12 06:02:17 -0700 2008 3772828 44523 Fake Name 10 3773407 "I believe 'the customer is always right' existed and worked in a much more polite society, where the *customer had a obligation* of ethical and moral conduct." Are you sure you, and others, aren't attacking the OP? It sure sounds like you're saying that he didn't act in a ethical and moral way. Thu Jun 12 06:46:35 -0700 2008 3773243 168597 The Old Man 11 3773835 It's not my intent to attack the OP. However, it generally rubs me the wrong way when someone creates an account on here solely for the purpose of airing their gripes about a restaurant. Ostensibly, the purpose of this site is for people interested in good food and drink to share information about good places to find these things. If all you're going to do is register an account to try and exact vengeance for a bad experience, I take that with a big shaker of salt, as it tells me more about the poster than it does about the restaurant. Especially when they do the same thing on other local sites, reposting the same thing word for word. The people who are regular users have simply communicated to the OP that we get their point but don't necessarily agree. The OP could choose to stop beating the dead horse. Thu Jun 12 08:55:12 -0700 2008 3773407 10809 Josh 12 3773866 "It's not my intent to attack the OP. However, it generally rubs me the wrong way when someone creates an account on here solely for the purpose of airing their gripes about a restaurant." I agree with this. But we don't yet know if it was their sole purpose. Perhaps they will be posting further. We will have to see. But if it's also negative that should be perfectly valid. In fact it's valid if all their posts are negative. They are not required to post all good, or a mix of good and bad reviews. Thu Jun 12 09:01:46 -0700 2008 3773835 168597 The Old Man 13 3773986 No disagreement there. Thu Jun 12 09:32:12 -0700 2008 3773866 10809 Josh 14 3774290 howtheservice--we'll be watching. [; > ) Thu Jun 12 10:44:21 -0700 2008 3773986 168597 The Old Man 11 3774279 If it appeared that I was attacking, I apologize, I mistyped. I did not mean to call the OP's morals and ethics into question. I was trying to refer to the service/business environment in general terms. I apologize, especially to OP, if I was unclear. fn Thu Jun 12 10:42:04 -0700 2008 3773407 44523 Fake Name 7 3772923 If you read the entire thread, you'd see that Jay did actually respond to this person with at least the intention of being polite and understanding. Apparently it wasn't enough for him. Wed Jun 11 23:40:23 -0700 2008 3771683 11803 Alice Q 5 3771565 OK, so we get your point about Linkery. Perhaps you'd like to post something else about another topic related to San Diego dining? Maybe a restaurant you recently went to that you enjoyed? There's a lot of discussion on here about stuff in San Diego, but with your sole posting here being in this thread I have to wonder how interested in this subject you really are. Wed Jun 11 14:39:57 -0700 2008 3771059 10809 Josh 5 3773164 After Jay's comments, you should give it another try and get back to us about your 2nd experience. I bet that hostess is absent. OH, just skip the Dr. Pepper, that probably didn't change. Thu Jun 12 05:30:59 -0700 2008 3771059 149836 cstr 6 3775401 I'm sincerely flattered to be the subject of so many pixels on this thread. My lack of objectivity naturally precludes me from joining the discussion, but in the interest of promoting academic rigor -- particularly the use of primary sources -- on this topic which is literally near and dear to my heart, I'm pasting the oft-referenced email, typos and all, below, in this post. I wish my character were exceptional or interesting enough to sustain unlimited conversation about it, but I'm sad to predict that, in the end, it will prove far less interesting than food and such. *** From: jay@thelinkery.com Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 06:55:27 To:[EMAIL_REDACTED] Subject: Re: disappointing night at The Linkery Hi Bill, Thanks for writing abotu your experience, I appreciate it. I'm really sorry you didn't enjoy your time. Many of the things that went wrong that nite are things that came with the new space and we are working to fix. Being a small independent buiness we simply do not have the financial luxury to build a complete space, try everything out, and then open. We have to do our best to get it right on the fly, and correct things where we can. Over the course of the next few weeks we will continue to improve the space and our operations. I'm sorry they weren't better on Saturday, though I can promise they will conitnue to improve. As for our prices, they reflect the costs of serving nonprocessed, independently grown food. Rest assured that while we are always busy the business is still years from breaking even financially. I wish we could sell this food cheaper but we haven't figured out how to. There are lots of rerstaurants out there, and undoubtedly there are plenty that will make you happy, so ultimately it works out well for everybody. I wish you the best. Best, Jay Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T **** From: <EMAIL_REDACTED> Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 23:13:23 To:jay@thelinkery.com Subject: disappointing night at The Linkery Hello, As a neighbor, I was really excited to try the new location. I admit, I had never been to the original location although I had intended to many times, but never made it. As a newbie, I was not sure what to expect. When we arrived Friday evening, you looked pretty busy, but we were able to get a parking spot right in front of the door and we saw that there were at least two empty tables in the dining room. When we came in, we were told there would be a wait, and asked to give our name. Someone, I will assume was you, Jay, told us that this was only your second night in the new space and you were having to work around a few problems but welcome. OK, thanks. We waited. After about 40 minutes a hostess came and told us there was a bar table available if we wanted to sit there or it should be just a few minutes for a regular height table. My partner had spinal surgery just over a year ago and still has some nerve damage so we opted to wait for the regular height table. The hostess moved on to the next name on the wait list and as she was taking them to the bar height table , they asked if they could have the open, regular height table that had been empty since we arrived and she said yes! We couldn't have had that table? Any other number of people waiting before us couldn't have had that table? Poor customer relations! I don't care how good your food is, if you treat people that poorly, it gets noticed. After about 20 more minutes we were lead to a table on the far side of the dining room, two small tables pushed together for a four topper. When the waitress finally came by, she informed us of all the things you had already run out of, namely three of the offered sausages and the fish. Since what I was most interested in was trying two of the missing sausages, it would have been nice to know this before waiting that long for a table. All you had to do was post it on the window where you were writing down names for seating--"Sorry, but we have run out of x, y, and z" Easy enough, I could then decide if I wanted to come back another day or try something different. I opted for the choucroute with two links and my partner ordered the pork chop. We appreciate good food and enjoy eating out often. The presentation of both these plates was lackluster at best. The sauerkraut was flattened out, and kind of camouflaged by the melted cheese and was not too appealing in appearance. My partner's pork chop was unrecognizable as a pork chop. It was explained to us that the meat had a lot of fat and one should expect to have each bite be half fat and half meat, but she did not explain what to do about all the gristle/connective tissue! The small portion of potatoes was good flavored but seemed a little skimpy for a $19.50 dish. Speaking of price, I can't let pass the cost of a soft drink--$4 for 8 oz of Dr. Pepper, that didn't even fill the glass?! Which came without ice, I might add. I almost never drink alcohol when out as I am the driver, so I usually get a soft drink. I have never been charged that much for a single soft drink, especially in a place that likes to characterize itself as a neighborhood restaurant. You make a big deal that all your meat and produce is locally grown, yet you buy your Dr. Pepper from a lone bottling plant in Texas?! Does that make sense? To add insult to injury, the second one also cost $4 for a grand total of $8 for 16 oz of soda-- nice mark up! Makes me wonder how little the pork chop cost you if you were charging that kind of mark up on soda! You have a bar, you have the system, get some tanks and have soda on tap and don't charge an arm and a leg and offer gratis refills. No one will think any less of you. Just before our food came, the hostess came by and took one of the tables we were sitting at to make a big table for a larger group, rather than take the empty table across the aisle from us!? Guess you didn't want to miss the opportunity to fill that table as well, even though it was close to 10pm and that table had sat empty for 10 minutes already. For whatever reason she thought it was better to make us uncomfortable rather than take that other table. The dining room is very loud as there are no soft surfaces to absorb the sound, so we had to listen to our next door table complain about how little meat there was on their $88 goat! Maybe some cloth baffles in the air, some art on the walls, perhaps some curtains, etc. would help to dampen the noise problem. Since I work as a retail consultant, I realize I have high expectations for service and atmosphere, but I also know how easy it is to get the details right and provide a satisfactory experience. As it stands I don't think I will return to the Linkery and I'm sad that I can't recommend this local restaurant to my friends either. I had read good things about the restaurant and had high hopes that I'd find a new local gem. Should have noticed that no one I knew had ever said anything about going there. Not sure what I expect by writing this email but I thought you should know how one diner's experience went. Thank you, Bill Thu Jun 12 15:24:47 -0700 2008 3774700 10720 jayporter 7 3775506 Proof there's nothing worse than being in the restaurant business. Thu Jun 12 16:05:05 -0700 2008 3775401 168597 The Old Man 7 3775622 Jay I have never been to your place, I am up in No. county. I was leery of making the trek down to try it with what I consider the restaurant mortal sin, clueless hostesses. But I have never seen somebody go thru the effort that you did on this website. I really appreciate you openess. There are very few restaurant owners that would do this. Thanks for the insite and I will try your place. Thu Jun 12 16:36:18 -0700 2008 3775401 67683 littlestevie 7 3775735 I thought it was a great reply also. All the more reason for me to quickly get my butt in there. I'm going with an open mind, open heart and hungry stomach. Rarely, if ever, have I seen anything like this thread. I do believe the OP has some valid issues, and I believe the owner and others, have some valid responses. If it were me, I would give it a second chance after the "re-opening" in July, which is what I'm waiting for. Wow, what a passionate thread! Thu Jun 12 17:16:45 -0700 2008 3775401 194335 JackieChiles 8 3775821 after reading the thread for awhile, I have to mention a recent experience I had at another new restaurant in the same area. I also suffered from a bad service experience and "poor value". although on previous visits I was impressed, the one time I brought out of town guests, and they were paying, it was appalling. I also wrote the restaurant an email... but what happened next was totally opposite. I received personal phone call from the owner, leaving her personal cell phone number in the message. When we connected, she apologized profusely, explained that she circulated my email to the staff and that it will never happen again. She also sent me gift cards. This is a restauranteur who believes every neighbor makes a good customer, not just those who will suffer through BS or attitude. And trust me, this was a small operation, within 1 month of opening, and very busy. I know you can't send gift cards to everyone who complains, but a serious service error should have a customer friendly remedy. Thu Jun 12 17:50:49 -0700 2008 3775735 91943 smile81 9 3775941 Just my two cents, I think those are two different responses for sure. An email, a call – for me, I would be fine with either response. I don’t need an owner of an establishment calling me apologizing profusely, and I certainly would not expect gift cards. I don’t want that. Just address the issues and try to give some solutions in a neatly composed email. I think the real differences here are that you had eaten at this place multiple times and you were impressed. You got a bad night, it happens. You probably will give the place another shot right? Especially based on the response. You also got a response that was acceptable to you. For the OP, this was a first time visit, and they didn’t get the response they would have liked. After reading the Linkery response I would have chalked it up to a bad night, and gave it another shot in a few months. That’s just me tho. It seems everyone has their own expectations when such things happen. As well they should. Thu Jun 12 18:28:04 -0700 2008 3775821 194335 JackieChiles 1 4040972 I recently visited The Linkery for a Saturday lunch. We ordered the cheeseburger and the reuben off of the limited lunch menu and split them both. While we waited for our food we each had a beer. One was the cask conditioned ale and the other was the Belgian white style, both delicious. We were starving and eager when our food arrived, especially to try the hyped reuben! The burger was far from the best I've had, and actually was just kinda alright. It seemed dry and the bun wasn't very good. the reuben on the other hand, was amazing and I'm not a fan of the classic sandwich. Perfect sauerkraut. We each ordered another beer to help wash it all down. The service was awesome, very attentive and passionate and even warned us when we ordered a $13 beer (we changed our minds). With all of that said, I cannot justify going back. Our bill came to $70 and I just don't think the value is there. I appreciate the idea, but even of the bill was $40 I don't think it was memorable. Unfortunately, our meal was memorable for the wrong reason, $70 for 4 beers and 2 sandwiches Tue Sep 16 22:57:04 -0700 2008 3728057 193513 sabotage 2 4041400 Sigh. We went to The Linkery again. We've been fans since they opened in their old location. We wonder where the restaurant we loved went, seems to be replaced with a set of guiding principals. These principals are good and important and ones we believe in but I'm tired of manifesto and just want some good reasonably priced food with decent service. Sadly, I got none of that last time we went and only a $80 bill. This was our last visit. Hopefully Jay and crew will find their way again, because the entire experience was one big misfire. Slow and gruff service, forgotten dishes, flawed execution and frankly not very good (expensive) food. There is a restaurant somewhere in the mishmash of ideology but it was not showing itself the night we went by. Wed Sep 17 07:13:26 -0700 2008 4040972 141689 Ewilensky 3 4042229 I recently had my first trip to the linkery even bringing an out of town guest... food and drinks were enjoyed by all. But, the service was especially good. Good knowledge of beer and ingredients, courteous, and timely. Will definitely be back. Not cheap though, but in my opinion worth it. we had a salad with prosciutto, sausage plate, and some tongue terrine. Wed Sep 17 12:05:16 -0700 2008 4041400 91943 smile81 4 4042431 Had a nice lunch there on Saturday, hubby had the tongue terrine and loved it. Best service we have had. Not inexpensive, but love the vibe of the new location with the windows rolled up. Wed Sep 17 13:10:33 -0700 2008 4042229 180283 foodiechick 3 4043065 My SO and I had a wonderful dinner at the Linkery last month. A little too expensive to go into the regular rotation right now, but we are eager to return. I just wanted to pop in to say that, not only was the food wonderful, the service was great as well. Friendly, prompt, just the right amount of attention. It's a shame the service seems to be uneven, but we'd have never guessed it from our experience. Wed Sep 17 16:57:38 -0700 2008 4041400 10910 dustchick 4 4043348 And that's the problem for me -- they've been spot on for years, and then on our past 4 visits have been horrible. I gave them the benefit of the doubt twice -- growing pains, busy nights but I can't justify a trip back for the quality and price anymore -- especially with so many other wonderful places in the neighborhood. Like I said, I hope they find their way again because I think what the Linkery does is important and I really want to like them. Wed Sep 17 19:07:10 -0700 2008 4043065 141689 Ewilensky 1 4044722 Linkery is expensive but in the long run the type of food is better for us, the animals, and the planet. If you like the Food Revolution you are gonna have to help pay for it. Thu Sep 18 10:06:32 -0700 2008 3728057 91897 MrKrispy