You can’t win them all, can you? It’s a little bit funny but before this trip, I don’t think I quite realized what a huge difference service can make in a restaurant experience. Perhaps it is because the majority of service is relatively neutral and not memorable, or perhaps it is because I had experiences to such opposite extremes during my time in Austin. Whatever the case may be, the service at Clark’s is a stellar example of how NOT to provide hospitality.
The place is cute as can be and the food was good overall, but all of that was eclipsed by the sullen disinterested waitstaff. From the moment we sat down, I had the impression that we were somehow imposing on them by being there. Honestly, the service was so bad that now in hindsight, it makes me laugh every single time I think of it. When Mike Pence introduced RFRA legislation here in Indiana to help legalize discrimination, businesses in Indy countered with signs saying, “We like you here.” I keep thinking Clark’s needs the opposite sign: “We do not like you here.”
While I don’t aim to provide negative reviews, I do want to be honest. I think I’m a reasonable customer who is relatively easy to please. That said, Clark’s Oyster Bar doesn’t deserve a dime of your money or a second of your time if they can’t provide even decent hospitality to their clientele. Spend your money elsewhere.
