Lola's Opens in King Street District. Photo Tour

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Pizza I'll give you. Beer? Puh-lease

It was 'and' not 'and/or', sheesh....   

[PeeJayEss]

Pizza I'll give you. Beer? Puh-lease

It was 'and' not 'and/or', sheesh....   

My apologies

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

My apologies

No need. 

Anyone:  what's the status of Dahlia's?  Thier FB page says they're close, but I haven't been by lately.  Do they 'look' like they're ready to open?

[tufsu1]

^ they have started hiring and have installed the setup for the taps

[moosebumps]

We went for lunch last Friday and were terribly underwhelmed.

-4 house margaritas, hold the tequila?   I swear it was just mix over ice.  A decent buzz might have eased the...
-45 minute wait for food
-$3 for stiff, cold, empty tacos, worked out to about $1 per bite 
-corn side was bleh at best
-when expressing concern over the delay, there were more excuses about everything being 'made to order' than apologies.

Given the wait we suffered, another round of chips and salsa would have been the least they could have done.  We might have even ordered another round of margaritas, but why bother.

I'm all about giving new places a second or third attempt, but at this point, I'm going to need to start hearing some amazing things before I venture back.  Oh and get that pathetic racist drivel off of the menu.   

[Gonzo]

Anyone:  what's the status of Dahlia's?  Thier FB page says they're close, but I haven't been by lately.  Do they 'look' like they're ready to open?

Dahli's is very close to opening. Watch for an announcement in the next few days. I'll have somehting up on my blog and Facebook pages as soon as they open as well.

[PeeJayEss]

Anyone:  what's the status of Dahlia's?  Thier FB page says they're close, but I haven't been by lately.  Do they 'look' like they're ready to open?

Dahli's is very close to opening. Watch for an announcement in the next few days. I'll have somehting up on my blog and Facebook pages as soon as they open as well.

For the sake of beer lovers everywhere, I pray it has better service than Northstar.

[Purplebike]

I had a couple fish tacos and a beer there the other night. I was very pleased with the taste, filling, and service.

In comparison to the night before, when my friend and I were at Burrito Gallery. It was mid day. Totally hot outside. We had walked purposefully, from the Landing, to go to Burrito Gallery. Wanted to sit at the bar. Went it, asked for a water each, and some menus: "How can you just walk in here and ask for water?! I don't go to your house and treat you like this."

Stunned, we responded that we planned on getting a drink after we had a little water and something to eat first, since we had just walked a bit in the nearly 100 degree heat, and felt, literally, faint.

The sarcasm and taunting did not stop. It wasn't lighthearted fun banter either. It was sneering, hateful vitriol. It was horrible. Never in my life have I been treated that way, at a place I regularly patronize, bring people to, send people to. All because we did not order beer, first, on a nearly 100 degree afternoon. Get this: including us, there were 7 people total in the back bar there. It was midday.

I'll still try it again--I just won't stay if that person is there. Anyway, I will always give a place the benefit of the doubt. Especially a new place. Jeepers, think about when you move to a new city, or start a new job. It / you don't get good for at LEAST several months. IF that.

Give them (Lola's) a chance or two, for goodness sakes.

[exnewsman]

I had a couple fish tacos and a beer there the other night. I was very pleased with the taste, filling, and service.

In comparison to the night before, when my friend and I were at Burrito Gallery. It was mid day. Totally hot outside. We had walked purposefully, from the Landing, to go to Burrito Gallery. Wanted to sit at the bar. Went it, asked for a water each, and some menus: "How can you just walk in here and ask for water?! I don't go to your house and treat you like this."

Stunned, we responded that we planned on getting a drink after we had a little water and something to eat first, since we had just walked a bit in the nearly 100 degree heat, and felt, literally, faint.

The sarcasm and taunting did not stop. It wasn't lighthearted fun banter either. It was sneering, hateful vitriol. It was horrible. Never in my life have I been treated that way, at a place I regularly patronize, bring people to, send people to. All because we did not order beer, first, on a nearly 100 degree afternoon. Get this: including us, there were 7 people total in the back bar there. It was midday.

In comparison to the night before, when my friend and I were at Burrito Gallery. It was mid day. Totally hot outside. We had walked purposefully, from the Landing, to go to Burrito Gallery. Wanted to sit at the bar. Went it, asked for a water each, and some menus: "How can you just walk in here and ask for water?! I don't go to your house and treat you like this."

Stunned, we responded that we planned on getting a drink after we had a little water and something to eat first, since we had just walked a bit in the nearly 100 degree heat, and felt, literally, faint.

The sarcasm and taunting did not stop. It wasn't lighthearted fun banter either. It was sneering, hateful vitriol. It was horrible. Never in my life have I been treated that way, at a place I regularly patronize, bring people to, send people to. All because we did not order beer, first, on a nearly 100 degree afternoon. Get this: including us, there were 7 people total in the back bar there. It was midday.

I wish I was surprised by that story. Had a similar experience at BG about a year ago when I lived Downtown. Very snarky server at the bar. Still went back - but the attitudes there were certainly not my vibe. BG moved very far down on my restaurant list after that. Overall I have found the CS there very poor. I'm sure others have had better experiences. The food is good at BG - but not good enough to overcome crappy CS.
Looking forward to trying Lola's though.

[Purplebike]

Someone sent the piece I wrote above to Burrito Gallery; I received a really nice message from Tony Allegretti.

Like I said, I will go back again--though I don't know that I will feel comfortable doing so, knowing that the person who was so resentful that day knows I've been contacted. Do you think Tony just doesn't know? He seems like the kind of person who would care about those kinds of things going on at his place... and would take action to make sure it's not repeated. I have a feeling he just doesn't know how bad it can be though.

I was in the restaurant industry for about 10, 15 years before I started teaching. I really loved those days, so much freedom, flexibility, fun--I met so many great people, still some of my best friends to this day. Yet I encountered many who hated working in hospitality, who felt demeaned by it, who couldn't wait to get out. They took their frustrations out on customers. So why don't / didn't they leave, if they feel / felt no joy in it anymore? I could tell after about ten years or so that I was ready to try something else, so I made steps to move on. And then I did. Still, I miss those days. Some day I want to run a little corner pub.

Anyway, they--Burrito Gallery--are a very involved and generous player in the downtown community, from what I can tell. So I will continue supporting them. I just don't know that I will ever sit at the bar again, lol.

[goldy21]

Had a much better experience at Lola's the second time around.  Service and food was much improved.  Ate a Mexican street corn, a taco, and an empanada.  Great value at around $10.

[johnny_simpatico]

I'd love to try it, but I will avoid this place until I hear they have removed the racist names from its menu.  WTF were they thinking when they developed their menu?  Did they think this would be appealing to Latino customers and employees?  This is tantamount to a white entrepreneur opening and soul food place featuring the "Stepin Fetchit" rib plate along with the "Sho nuff boss" turnip greens. I know Jacksonville isn't a particularly hip or progressive place, but the last time I looked, we are more than half way through 2012.

[vince]

Yes, I was also surprised about the dirty sanchez. Weird.

They should actually call it Boo Boo's (and use an apostrophe to denote possession - note the logo has none). The food was decent, but the spelling and punctuation: horrible. Same mistakes and issues with grammar that was present on the menu at Carmine's (check out the wait staff shirts for examples of lax editing).

Overall, I enjoyed the crab burrito, I would go again and eat...and laugh at the menu.

[ben says]

I think they may be trying a bit too hard on the creativity front.

[thekillingwax]

I think it's especially rude because if you look at Carmines, most, if not all of the kitchen staff are latino.