The Stadium – South Boston, MA

The customer service in this place is awful.

I was here for Week 17 of the NFL season last year. 2008’s Week 17 was probably the most exciting Week 17 ever. There were five games with playoff implications and the Lions were fighting to stave off the possibility of a perfectly crappy season.

First, the waitresses flat out refused to change the television from a Colts game with no playoff implication to the Lions game. Then, she said she would, but didn’t. Then I asked to speak to the manager, the waitress said she was the manager (insert jerk-off hand motion here), and she said she’d do something about it but didn’t. Then I finally talked to the man in charge, and he changed it immediately, and apologetically.

I have been here a few other times in the past, and it’s pretty consistent that the staff just doesn’t seem to care. I guess it comes with the territory since their available talent pool (and ensuing customer base) comes from the projects across the street. Every time I am dragged in there by some Southie or South-of-Boston friend cluster, I cringe and wonder why we’re not going to Tom’s English Cottage a few blocks away for less pretense, more authenticity, pool, darts, Big Buck Hunter, colder beer, and more attentive service.

I can’t give this place one star because the physical establishment is well-maintained and well-designed. I would love for either A) the current owner to undergo trepanation or B) the place to be sold to someone who cares about how their customers feel.