Tory Oak - Wilkesboro

My husband and I ordered a rum and coke during dinner, and it was quite enjoyable, especially since it was a Friday night. When I ordered my next drink, the waitress suggested a double for a cheaper price. I agreed. However, when it arrived, it was in a lowball glass and tasted overwhelmingly like soda with barely any rum. I asked my husband to try it, and he confirmed he could hardly taste the rum either. I didn't want to complain since I'm not a heavy drinker, and I assumed it might just be a poorly made drink or a mix-up by the new waitress. When the bill came, I noticed I was charged for a double. I explained the situation to the waitress, who went to check on it. A woman came out who I assumed was a manager, but it turned out to be the bartender. I tried to explain the mix-up, but she argued with me, and none of her reasoning made sense. She claimed she was “surprised I got a double” and assumed I didn’t like the taste of alcohol, so she put in less ice. What? This was completely illogical. She was overly defensive about a $4 difference. While I wasn't concerned about the money, her dismissive attitude towards customer service was infuriating. The waitress was new and very apologetic, but the experience overall was disappointing. I worked in the service industry for years to support myself through school, and I would never have treated a customer the way she did. I sincerely hope the owner addresses the attitudes of their staff and emphasizes proper customer service. I will never return to this restaurant again.

This was our second visit to the restaurant. We started with chips and guacamole for an appetizer, which cost $11.95. We received about half a cup of guacamole—roughly the amount you'd get from one avocado. I had to add salt and pepper at the table because it was rather bland. For my main course, I ordered a salad, which was priced at $12.95, and it was served in a takeout box! Honestly, who wants to eat off a takeout box when dining out? It’s unlikely that we’ll return.

The issue I faced was that my food arrived late, soggy, and cold. I sent it back, and it was regrilled before being served to me when the rest of my party was nearly done eating. They initially intended to charge me full price, and I had to argue for a discount. Overall, it was poorly managed.

The food was excellent, although they were short-staffed that day. Despite this, the waitress who was present worked exceptionally hard to serve as many customers as possible, all while maintaining a pleasant demeanor. If we find ourselves in that area again, we will definitely return!

The sandwiches are huge, even the small size! The food is fresh and excellent, all at very reasonable prices. The turkey sandwich was fantastic!