Blue Frog Cantina = NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN!!!!

[the lew]

I just got back from what was quite possibly the most horrible dining experience I've ever had.

The evening started with us having to seat ourselves even though there was a sign posted upfront that said "please wait to be seated."

I ordered tacos, and my wife ordered ceviche. 

When the ceviche came out, my wife took one bite and almost threw up.  The seafood was warm as if it had been sitting outside (supposed to be served cold), and a nasty-ass "fishy" smell was wofting up from her plate.

Meanwhile, my tacos left much to be desired.

Once we FINALLY flagged our waitress down, we ordered the vegetarian quesadillas as a replacement to the ceviche.

When the quesadillas arrived, they were DRENCHED in brown oil and also absolutely disgusting. 

All the while, we had ordered waters back when we had placed the original ceviche order and still had not gotten anything to drink.

Long story short, we were charged full price for our meal after complaining to both the server and management.

I hate to turn my back on any business in the village-but I can say with certainly that we will NEVER return to Blue Frog again!

[SB]

I never even go there but find myself trying to defend them...    I might just even eat there tomorrow.

[vigodas-pants]

Not that it's an excuse for poor food, but you do realize tonight was Taste of East Atlanta, right? We got there around 8pm and it was absolutely slammed. Might explain the poor service.

[Shamamama]

We've kind of reached the same point with them - which is sad because I had high hopes.  We've waited a half an hour in an empty dining room to be seated - only to not get a single smile, hello, nothing.  The food's been going downhill.  If you sit in the "non-smoking" side you get the added thrill of hearing the blaring music from the bar, from the patio AND from the dining room.  All of it different.  It's disconcerting and not pleasant.

I really would like to have someplace to eat with the kids in the village but our options are shrinking.  (and before everyone goes all HOLY TACO on me - try feeding a family of four who want chips, salsa, a quesadilla and beans and rice.  It's ridiculously expensive if you have a more than toddler-sized child to feed).

[angryuser]

We've kind of reached the same point with them - which is sad because I had high hopes.  We've waited a half an hour in an empty dining room to be seated - only to not get a single smile, hello, nothing.  The food's been going downhill.  If you sit in the "non-smoking" side you get the added thrill of hearing the blaring music from the bar, from the patio AND from the dining room.  All of it different.  It's disconcerting and not pleasant.

I really would like to have someplace to eat with the kids in the village but our options are shrinking.  (and before everyone goes all HOLY TACO on me - try feeding a family of four who want chips, salsa, a quesadilla and beans and rice.  It's ridiculously expensive if you have a more than toddler-sized child to feed).

I wouldn't peg Blue Frog as a place to take the kids.
I love the place, but I usually stick to cheese dip (with chips that don't suck because they're not thick and swimming in greese; I'm looking at you, Holy Taco) fajitas or meat soup (mmmm, the nachos), and margarita pitchers.

Also, as for the ceviche... know your environment. Theirs does suck, but why would you expect it not to? Look around.

[the lew]

Not that it's an excuse for poor food, but you do realize tonight was Taste of East Atlanta, right? We got there around 8pm and it was absolutely slammed. Might explain the poor service.

Funny-are you the manager of Blue Frog?  Because he gave us the same excuse!

You'd think you'd bring your "A" game ESPECIALLY because something like Taste of East Atlanta is going on!  Couldn't have been farther from the truth.   

[the lew]

Also, as for the ceviche... know your environment. Theirs does suck, but why would you expect it not to? Look around.
[/quote]

Actually, we've order their ceviche many times before last night-and it's been quite good. 

[T@Nk]

Funny-are you the manager of Blue Frog?  Because he gave us the same excuse!

Well, funny, because I was thinking the same thing the manager & Vigoda's Pants said.   Think just maybe it actually Remwas more of a valid reason than an excuse?

Trying to have a nice sit-down meal during a big event like ToEA is like trying to do a Georgia Dome tour during a Falcon's game. 

[Cap'n Ken]

Funny-are you the manager of Blue Frog?  Because he gave us the same excuse!

Well, funny, because I was thinking the same thing the manager & Vigoda's Pants said.   Think just maybe it actually Remwas more of a valid reason than an excuse?

Trying to have a nice sit-down meal during a big event like ToEA is like trying to do a Georgia Dome tour during a Falcon's game. 

So the premise of ToEA is "come check out the great food our restaurants make, but please don't try to actually eat at them tonight"? I'm not sure I buy that. Were similar experiences had at other participating EAV restaurants?

[vigodas-pants]

i think the difference is the format.  restaurants are doing $1 or $2 bites so you have a ton of people coming in and out and maybe only staying for a few mins.  some people sitting may be there for full on dinner, some may be just sitting a spell and only there for ToEA.  we hit every place last night and almost all were a clusterfuck. 
i'm pretty sure it all goes back to businesses running off the traffic they received last year and not being prepared.
some businesses had good set-ups that separated the lines for ToEA from the rest of the business (Holy Taco, Graveyard, Flatiron, etc.).  The ones that had the most problems were businesses that went along with normal operations but would give you their ToEA options if you asked and were not staffed to support the number of people.
again, shitty food isn't acceptable but if they didn't have the staff to support the traffic, i can see quality going down.

[Cap'n Ken]

i think the difference is the format.  restaurants are doing $1 or $2 bites so you have a ton of people coming in and out and maybe only staying for a few mins.  some people sitting may be there for full on dinner, some may be just sitting a spell and only there for ToEA.  we hit every place last night and almost all were a clusterfuck. 
i'm pretty sure it all goes back to businesses running off the traffic they received last year and not being prepared.
some businesses had good set-ups that separated the lines for ToEA from the rest of the business (Holy Taco, Graveyard, Flatiron, etc.).  The ones that had the most problems were businesses that went along with normal operations but would give you their ToEA options if you asked and were not staffed to support the number of people.
again, shitty food isn't acceptable but if they didn't have the staff to support the traffic, i can see quality going down.

... which gets back to the question of how ToEA is set up. I didn't pick up a map because I bought my tickets at Bound To Be Read (and when I was up at Urban Cannibals I directed a few people there as the closest spot for tickets because they weren't sure how it all worked), so I wasn't even aware that Blue Frog was participating until I happened to see that mentioned on a small sign near their door. Some places made it obvious with signage or stations set up outside; others didn't.

If the event was set up where the food was done away from the restaurants and every place had an obvious tent or whatever, then you wouldn't have the issues of trying to accommodate tasters and diners in the same space. Of course, you'd have other issues like cooking in one place and serving in another.

But it doesn't seem like smart business to participate in something like this and let it reflect badly on your regular operations.

[madshak]

I think the quality of their food has going downhill anyway.  I don't think it has anything to do with ToEA.  We used to go for trivia all the time but I saw roaches crawling on the walls the last two times I went and I can't eat in a place where they can't keep their roaches contained.

[Amanda]

On the point about taking your kids there, my kids used to love going there for dinner. Of course, that may be because of a certain bartender  that my son had a crush on an the fact that the bartender spoiled them like rotten. Sure, we had an occasional bad server incident when they had a new server but usually service was great.