The Hamlet, what would you have done?

This is the emil I just sent to The Hamlet which used to be called Hamburger Hamlet:

My mother and I walked in to The Hamlet on Sepulveda at 3:45PM today. There were a couple people sitting at one table and all of the others were empty.

A few people were sitting at the bar.

We finally seated ourselves when no one came up to us.

A few minutes later the host, a young man brought us menus.

At 4PM I walked up to the host and told him it had been 10 minutes (really 15) and no one had helped us.

There was one waitress walking around, but she wasn't helping anyone.

The host apologized and took our order. I asked him if the chicken wings were whole wings or pieces. He told me they were whole wings so I only ordered the 8 piece appetizer with the intent of taking some of them home.

Our order was:

1 Tureen of French Onion Soup
1 cup of lobster bisque
the 8 piece chicken wing appetizer.

Then the wait. After 15 minutes we gave the host "a look".

He apologized and said our order would be coming right up.

4:25 My mother's soup and the chicken wing "pieces" were brought to our table, carried by the host and this person I now assume is our waitress. It took 25 minutes!

They were NOT whole wings.

The host apologized again and said that he was covering too many jobs. The waitress disappeared. I waited a little bit before I asked where my soup was.

They brought it right out.

The should have brought it out right after I ordered it! Soup, you do not wait for unless the cheese has to be melted and then it doesn't take 25 minutes. Remember, there were only 2 other people in the entire restaurant area!

We ate at that location about 6 months ago and I swore I wouldn't go back.

My mother likes the French Onion Soup (which was missing the piece of bread/toast this time) so when she asked if we could go there again, I agreed.

On the way out my mother who never says anything negative about anything or to anyone told the host that we wouldn't be returning.

Forgot to mention that the batter on the wings was burned while the chicken skin wasn't cooked enough.

Not a pleasant experience. You won't stay in business if this kind of service continues.

You won't get us back, but maybe this email will save your business.
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We also didn't leave a tip because there wasn't a waitress.

We won't be going back... ever.

Would you have stayed?

Would you have accepted the wings?

The lobster bisque which is usually pretty good wasn't edible.

What would you have done?

I probably would not have given the place a second try. There are far too many good experiences within a reasonable distance anywhere in the L A Community to put up with unsatisfactory food or service. Just MHO.

Hi Mar52,
Sorry to hear about your bad experience, and the way that former Hamburger Hamlet apparently has gone way downhill.
I used to eat at that one, in West L.A.(just north of the Hamburger Habit restaurant, right? and I'd been to the one in Van Nuys. I was lucky to have been there during better times... (about 7 years ago)
My bf at the time remarked to me that these were the perfect burgers and I agreed.

In your case, I would've most likely sent those chicken wings back the moment you noticed they were burned. You could've either said "Please just take these off the check. The batter came out burned"
or else "Can I just have a burger instead?"
And french onion soup missing that crouton thing-ie?!? What's up with THAT?!? That crouton is half the fun!

That is caring of you to hope that your e-mail may save their business. Who knows, it might prove to be a real eye-opener to them! I've gotten a few replies from restaurant owners due to my Roadfood.com Trip Reports. Boyd's BBQ (Wildwood, NJ) said they were very grateful that I took the time to point all this out to them, that most people would'nt have taken the time. (dried brisket that was like shoe leather) I had also e-mailed him, besides doing my trip report.

The one thing that I was actually a little bit RELIEVED to read in your report was the fact that nobody was hostile in there towards you. (it was hard for the waiter to be hostile, as they were non existent, anyway!) But I was afraid I'd be reading about the host getting defensive and arguing, etc. HOWEVER, I like the fact that he kept apologizing. That's a good way to help a situation from escalating even worse. He was helping to diffuse, whether he knew it or not. I get sucked in by apologies. (have you ever eaten at a place where they just keep getting things wrong and they just keep apologizing???)

Why "yes" you have eaten at a place like that!! It's called the Hamlet!

Let us know if you hear a reply from company headquarters!

Hey, Mar52, I'll be in L.A. for a week in October. Perhaps we can "meat up" and try that new BBQ joint that opened. It's called Joey's Smokin' Ribs", and it's in Manhattan Beach, right in front of the mall on Sepulveda. They've got beef ribs there, so I'm excited!

I hope your next restaurant meal experience will be a lot better!
Probably my worst experience ever was right in L.A. about 15 years ago at the Taylor Prime Steakhouse.
(where they were known for prime steaks, somehow served up cheap $)
I ordered a steak medium rare, and it came out medium well; no pink at all. I told this to the food server. Before I knew it, a very defensive chef came over to my table, insisting it was medium rare!!
He had me almost in tears. He was so tough with me, I felt like I was getting bullied...
Never again did I set foot in that overrated Taylors again...
Luckily this type of experience has been very rare for me...but you never forget it when it happens

The service at the Hamburger Hamlet in Crystal City, VA has always been excellent.
Crystal City is an unincorporated town in Arlington County, VA, adjacent to National Airport. Crystal City is a community made up of high rise office buildings, condominiums and apartments, shopping, restaurants and entertainment, all connected through underground passageways. There are many good restaurants there, so a poorly operated one would not last long.

Ellen, I would love to "meat" you for dinner! That would be fun.

We'll talk more later!

No news from the Hamlet, but I really don't expect to hear from them.

One of the problems yesterday was that they had a big clock hanging on the wall right next to where we were seated. We just sat there and watched it!

Mar52,

The experience which you described happens from time to time in restaurants all over the country. If I go into a known variable quality restaurant, I will leave if it appears the restaurant is not firing on all cylinders that night. Concern over food not being safely prepared is the number one reason for me leaving.

I believe I have posted before that many more firms are not returning emails or messages left on web site contact firms. I have gone back to calling the "consumer relations" person of the company on the phone.