Dreadful at Damon's...

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Dining Out

I decided to take a run up to the Tea Party Convention in SC and found myself once again in Myrtle Beach.  I remembered when I was here early last spring that the options for food were few due to the off season.   

Apparently, it is just as bad in January.  

Let me explain.  When here the last time, several friends of mine and I visited Damon’s Grille which is within walking distance if it isn’t too cold; we didn’t walk but we could have.  Anyway, during that trip, the service left a lot to be desired, mostly due to the kitchen, and we almost left.  The manager, who was very cool, apologized profusely and before we even asked, cut us a 50% discount.  When the food finally arrived, it wasn’t bad.  So, no harm, no foul.

Fast forward to last evening.  Many of the same group with a whole lot more added decided to give it another try.  In total, there were about 100 of us gathered to hear a great speaker and watch a clip of a movie that is in the beginning stages of being produced.

The house did not have nearly enough staff for the gathering, so none of us blamed them.  However, the manager made an early decision not to stagger the orders, but instead to do them all at once.  Big mistake!  Outrageously long wait and almost everyone was getting rightfully irritated given we all wanted to get back to the convention center.

We were able to get a manager, (not the same guy from last year) to our table.  Just a very rude guy who shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes with an attitude that suggested it was too bad if we didn’t like it.

In the end, everyone at my table, including me, had waited well over an hour to get their food.  Except for me, (more on mine in a second) I don’t think any of them got what they ordered.  Fries were cold, there was cheese where there shouldn’t have been, etc.  I took one look at my order, a photo of which is at the top left, and tried one small piece; that was enough of that mess.  

What was supposed to basically be their answer to a “bloomin’ onion” closely resembled a brick made out of onion strips.  I was literally able to pick this monstrosity up in one piece.  In a word, it was NASTY! And don’t even get me started that they brought the wrong dipping sauce.

I asked my server, Krista, for my check and while she hadn’t had time to remove the brick, I mean the onion from it; she did not make me pay.

As we were leaving, there was some sort of massive leak pouring into the foyer from the bar area under the electric fireplace and the staff was in a real tizzy trying to douse that ‘fire.’

Suffice it to say, if I return for next year’s convention, and I likely will; I will opt for cold cuts or something microwavable from the nearby Piggly Wiggly, and I recommend others do the same. Whatever I decide, it won’t be Damon’s again.

That’s all I have to say about that.