Update 8.20.22: One of the managers from Malones called me after reading my two-star review. He was courteous and apologized for our recent visit (read below). I wanted to update my review with FIVE stars. An establishment that cares for their customers deserves a pass now and then. We will be back. I’ve added some photos of some of our visits over the years along with the letter from corporate. Good job, Malones!
Original review:
First, let me start by saying we’ve been fans of Malone’s for over twenty years, and with four children, we’ve always counted it as a splurge, but Malone’s is their favorite restaurant to celebrate birthdays. We are always pleased with their exceptional service, every table having several waiters to help, and even the manager stopping by your table to check if you had a great experience.
Last night, (8.13.22) our daughter was turning 21 and like usual, Malone’s was her choice, talking about it for weeks and planning what she would order.
When our dinners arrived I was immediately surprised at how poorly plated my daughters twin filets looked. They were slapped on a plate, not cleaned up — gravy spread all over — making it look like it came straight from a frozen food box.
Normally, we take photos of our choices but I didn’t even bother since her plate looked so unappetizing. Also, she ordered a baked potato that arrived on a separate plate, making it very awkward, switching from one large plate to another and so on. I was so sad for her.
I’m not sure exactly what happened last night but it wasn’t what we expected AT ALL.
Other issues — my husbands beer arrived midway through his meal, the birthday cookie dessert was melted (since the waiter set it on the hostess desk while he served water and bread to another table). We told him NUMEROUS times that we were NOT in a hurry so there was little need for him to bring the dessert with another tables drinks… it made no sense). Speaking of the waiter—despite the several snafus, we tipped correctly (20%), because we know hospitality is a difficult job, especially on a busy Friday evening. Having said that, he wore a larger mask, making it difficult to hear him in the loud dining area. He also wore kitchen food-grade gloves (the noisy, uncomfortable ones), and honestly, neither of those things bothered us. The issue was watching him fumble while wearing the gloves, pulling an open soy sauce bottle straight from his apron pocket — really? I declined the sauce. If he was so worried about germs, having the open bottle in his pocket is a red flag that being sanitary was not his main goal. The whole thing was just odd. If you’re going to wear a mask and gloves—fine—but choose a job in the restaurant where you aren’t expected to be heard or understood.
The best part tho, I’m kidding, was going to the ladies room to find NO toilet paper —NONE—in either stall, and having to use the only two remaining seat covers as a waste paper. C’mon? The floors were wet and I’ve already broken a hip in my life so that was frustrating getting out of there.
Was the food good, aside from the steak, yes, it was. Will we be back? I don’t think we will for a celebration. Which is sad.
I hope this location can give us a better experience if we return. We were all just disappointed, and the manager would have known had they simply stopped by our table and asked. You know, like they usually do.
