Yeah, that place sucks. Same thing happened when I went there years ago. Terrible service. Reeks of Old Town shittiness.

- AP
http://www.proctorformayor.com

P.S. What a bitch. You should e-mail this link to their corporate website – I did that one time when I bitched about bad service at Wendy’s.

I agree, what a bitch. I had that happen at a five star resturant, complained about the server and the hostess said “We’ve never heard that about him before” and “We’ll make sure you dont get him the next time”. Blogging is a good way to expose poor service.

I thought about it, but attitude that bad comes from somewhere higher up and I doubt anything would change if I did.

I’ve been there a few times for work-related happy hours and see that they rely on that kind of revenue over traditional restaurant goers. I bet if you were a group of 20 or more, they would have royally kissed your A88es. How lame.

You may wanna Yelp it too; or google appearances of the restaurant on local blogs & review sites like citysearch, and…give your review.

Agreed. I went during the music festival a few weeks ago and found the service slow and the entire staff had attitudes that were less than stellar.

Did you give her your Metblogs card or your regular business card? Either way, that was a Dark Knight power move!

I *completely* back up this post based on 2 consecutive, recent visits there myself.

The first time, the two of us got seated RIGHT NEXT to a HUGE rowdy table even though the place was empty. Then we had to get up and walk to the bar to get our drinks. The bartender got our orders wrong, insisting that a dark, thick, creamy beer was a “lager.” We paid for the drinks in cash but they somehow got added to our meal tab. It took 1/2 an hour to straighten it out and I had to BEG to speak to a manager.

The second time, it was the same story as in the post. We sat and sat and sat, waiting for service. I was as smiling and friendly as could be as I “flagged” someone – but I was ignored. The place was about half full and a busboy and hostess were joshing around by the front door the whole time. After 20 minutes we left in disgust.

A disproportionate number of the staff seem to be of a median age of about 18 or 20, perhaps high school dropouts. They act it and look it.

Matt it was my metblogs card, the same one I drop when I give someone an in person compliment when I get extraordinary service.

I like the direct approach, I have little time for passive/agressive. Its a testosterone thing my wife tries to help keep in check with.

bbxx…wow you went back a SECOND time and it was still shitty? Wow and think I thought maybe it was just us.

I thought about it, but attitude that bad comes from somewhere higher up and I doubt anything would change if I did.

Well, if you’re not up to it I am. I just emailed them to tell them they should read this thread because it sounds like they’ve got some bad apples in Padadena.

Spencer, commenter sarbal suggested I do the same in a phone call earlier today she if anything a “free 6 pack” could be in order. I only get burned once is my theory, if it is really bad I share with as many as I can and never go back.

[...] Gordon Biersch Has Bad Service: Complete with argumentative hostess! (Metblogs) [...]

[...] now you might have read about my experience with Gordon Biersch Saturday night as well as all the comments.  Those comments were more enlightening as it is pretty [...]

can i just say, i was unlucky enough to find myself working at this restaurant when i first moved to california. o. man. the problem with this place is that the management sucks. i don’t know what’s wrong with the corporate office that they hire morons to run their businesses. there were several times when i needed management help, but the door to the office was locked, and they wouldn’t open up for various reasons, including jerking off, doing drugs, and hiding in there because they had cut the floor too early and couldn’t deal with the unhappy guests that this caused. (btw, the manager is the only one who can discount food, etc…if your discount is taking forever, it’s management’s fault!)

please do not patron gordon biersch.

although i haven’t worked there for 2 years, i still occasionally think about suing the place. they never paid me for all my hours from training, we were forced to work long work days with no break – not even for food, most girls were sexually harassed daily by the general manager, etc, etc….it was just an all around terrible experience, and i can’t believe i stayed there for so long! the final straw was when i was seriously sexually accosted by one of the cooks, and nothing was done. that is, until i threatened my GMs job by telling him that i would go to corporate unless the guy was gone for good! i mean, honestly!

the reason you get terrible service there, is because the employees are never rewarded for working hard. after a few months of being put down for every little thing you do wrong, and never thanked for going out of your way…you stop caring. i would bust my ass for that place, and they couldn’t even buy me dinner, or even a free beer at the end of the night! (which costs them less than a quarter)

although i believe the pasadena GB is under new management, you’re correct in thinking that the problem comes from much higher. gordon biersch is a money hungry corporation, using tricks like the “passport” to bring in clients, with stringent “points of service” that serve themselves better than their patrons.

bleh…they make me sick.

You did say it all laurgar. Nicely put. I think there is a statute of limitations on salary disputes, not certain if it falls under the newer 2 year statute or not though. I’d check with an attorney to be sure if you are disserious about some justice in getting your back wages.

You sound like a complete asshole. I’m sure you did have a shitty experience, but you dealt with it like a total dick. I have a lot of acquaintances and friends in the biz (I cook, formerly at Mozza and now and a 3 star which shall not be named) and I know that at many classier restaurants that GB, the response would probably be, “Oh really? Our service sucks? Sorry you feel that way, don’t come back.”

I’m sure this restaurant is a POS, I don’t know and I don’t care. But the comments on this post are pathetic. What? A cook harassed you!? OH NOES. You don’t work in restaurants for the money or the career builder. You work in restaurants because it’s fun. It’s fun to be able to yell “FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK” over and over and it doesn’t mean a damn thing. I’ve had my ass and cock grabbed like 20 times already, and this is at a restaurant where the average ticket is 100+ per person.

I’ve had shitty experiences at some of the highest rated restaurants in this city, and you know what? I kindly let them know, and usually don’t go back. Restaurants are hard, and they should know their mistakes. But this trend I see with bloggers thinking that they shit gold, that they deserve management and staff to bow before their puny cock in fear and apprehension that, Fuck! This loser might post a bad review on their blog! is all bullshit.

And can the power trip. Divert your energy elsewhere. Like not being a dick.

actually, i’ve worked in restaurants for a long time and, like everyone else, contribute to the grab ass that goes on. you’re right. that’s part of what makes working in the food industry fun!

this was different. i was seriously sexually harassed. like, pinned so i couldn’t move, under my shirt up my bra while he kissed all up and down my neck slobbering all over me until the dishwasher had to intervene. sorry if i think he should’ve been fired on the spot rather than “talked to” and continued staring at me and cornering me in a threatening manner for 2 weeks!! something is definitely wrong in a place where this can happen.

they didn’t want the hassle of hiring a new cook, and TOLD ME SO!! i was like…so…you’d rather me be afraid at work than look for a cook in los angeles???? o man….that place….

OK I feel this man is
1: stretching the truth far to much
2: Never worked in a restaurant
3: Doesn’t know how to fix a wrong.

I worked in this establishment a while back as a matter of fact with the girl who wrote the comment above me. I unlike her strongly back gordon biersch and understand that any restaurant has its good days and bad days. I did a little researching as I still know a few people in this restaurant..
I guess gordon biersch has a video camera behind there host stand and decided to review due to this blog. To indeed see if any action needed to be done against this hostess and server. Upon further review they found a rude person talking down to someone who was trying her best to work with the situation.. The video will be posted up on u tube or somewhere shortly..
Frazgo I watched the video..You are a liar. Yes i called you out on it. Sorry. why didnt you handle this in a mature manner? Even though I don’t work there anymore I apologize for your bad service. But things happen. Restaurants are allowed to have bad days. A rush of 150 people within 15 minutes at 10 oclock at night will through most restaurants off. And according to the GB manager that is what happened. And frazgo why didn’t you harass the manager like u harrassed the hostess. that would have been the more direct thing to do.. the hostess should not have been belittled and of course they struck up an attitude you were talking down to them.

People Gordon Biersch is not this horrible place like some of you make it out to be.. lauren come on you were to busy sleeping with one of the bartenders and coping attitude with the guests to have the right to say such horrible things about this place. It wasn’t all bad. and to clear up I know you weren’ talking about gordon biersh with the sexual harassment claims right?

I still go to Gordon Biersch almost every weekend for their late night happy hour. Where else can you get 5 dollar patron margaritas 4 dollar sixteen ounce beers and 5 dollar appetizers on a saturday night. Ya never know frazgo second time around might be better.

Interesting comment. If such a tape exists I would love to see it.
I tried dropping you a note in person but sadly the email address you used isn’t legit.
I stand by what I said happened.
I would suspect everyone else who commented regarding poor service or working conditions would do the same.

you say “sleeping with one of the bartenders” like he’s not my boyfriend.

and yeah. most of the girls working there were seriously creeped out by the gm. and the whole incident with lorenzo was ridiculous

Jesus it seems that there is so much anti-gordon biersch propoganda on this site. I work there. And I worked with Lauren, or “Laurgar”. As far as I can tell, humping the bartender doesn’t constitute as sexual harassment, and somehow I doubt that you were felt up by a cook.
Seeing as how that restaurant paid your bills for a couple of years, it absolutely boggles my mind that you could go on this crybaby website and bastardize the place. This blog is full of squealing losers, who have nothing better to do than bust a restaurants chops for trying the best they can. Here’s my favorite quote from Laurgar: ” gordon biersch is a money hungry corporation, using tricks like the “passport” to bring in clients, with stringent “points of service” that serve themselves better than their patrons.”

Uh, yeah. It’s a business. That’s what business’ do. Jesus, grow up. Better yet, start thinking.

Oh yeah, and Frazgo: If you don’t like a place, don’t go there. Christ Almighty. You must have like 30 cats, cause you sound like an old lady. Maybe you should start using your brain just like that 14 year old girl I’m writing this in response to.

Just a thought, is the whole restaurant business full of pigs and abusers? Just like any business, sexual harassment and hostile work environment is, let’s say, illegal. Justifying it by saying that she slept with someone is plain chicken shit. Grow up you wanking pansies. Frazgo is well respected in Monrovia due to his selfless work with the youth in this city and professionalism with we residents. You restaurant workers who only work as waiters and waitresses only because you are waiting for your break in the business are bitter and feel that the world owes you something. Whether your restaurant is busy or not, you have a job to do. Your job is to wit on people and be professional. If a customer is unsatisfied with your service he/she has a right to complain. Get some thick skin you whining pussies.