Dining Category: Bar and Grill
Price:$$
Address: 619 Pine Street, Seattle (Downtown)
Phone Number: 206-621-8667
Website: none
Overview:
Von’s is a bar and grill with an emphasis on rotisserie meats and poultry. The bar area is self-seating, with tables in the rear and limited outside seating. Located near the hustle and bustle of major shopping areas downtown, it’s a popular spot for pedestrians and the after-work crowd.
B: To be fair, we had been to Von’s twice before; the first time was fantastic, the second time not so much. In the case of this particular meal, the third time was definitely not the charm.
G: I should have known when we read the menu and the dish I was hoping for (the battered fish sandwich) was nowhere on the list, but we were already seated and decided to cross our fingers and place an order.
Main Course: Open faced turkey sandwich with gravy on the side (requested), green beans, mashed potatoes, purple cabbage slaw; side order of french fries
B: I’m a big fan of open-faced sandwiches, but this one was both overpriced and under-tasty. The turkey itself reminded me of warmed-up lunch meat, and the gravy was so salty that I could only dip my fork lightly into it. I was quite glad we ordered it on the side because if it had been slathered on top, the meal would have been inedible.
G: There is nothing more disappointing than comfort food done horribly, horribly wrong, which is exactly what we got at Von’s. What’s worse is that we have had the exact same meal at Shari’s restaurant for half the price and three times the flavor. I agree with everything Brad said and would add that the green beans served with the dish had almost no taste and the mashed potatoes (although having nice bits of skin mashed in) were too heavy on the cream and far lumpier than I like my “mashed” potatoes.
B: Honestly, the meal would have been a complete disaster if not for the crispy french fries and the creamy, spiced dipping sauce they came with. On the other hand, if the best thing to say about your restaurant is that the fries were good, then you’ve got some problems.
Service:
G: It sucked! Ok fine, I’ll elaborate. As soon as we sat down we kept having to try and make eye contact with any server we could so we could get a menu. When our server finally came over he didn’t bring menus with him! (Hello, we are in a restaurant aren’t we?). After placing our drink order it took way too long for our waiter to come back, I had to ask multiple times for a glass of water, and he never bothered to check on us the entire time we were eating. Look, I realize all of these may sound like little things, but it is his job. I mean, if I went to work and decided I was only going to do half of what was expected of me and that half will only be done when I feel like doing it...well, let’s just say I would be looking for a new job.
B: I totally agree. Granted, the restaurant was fairly busy, but I saw three different servers taking care of ten or twelve tables, and it wasn’t slammed to the point where I could forgive all of the mistakes and oversights that were happening. Our server was friendly enough, but he wasn’t even meeting the bare minimum of what I would expect for a place charging so much for mediocre food. $15 for a weak turkey sandwich? Come on.
The Miscellaneous junk on the ceiling had more flavor than the food
Closing Comments:
G: Like I said before, there was an awesome fish sandwich that I had at this same joint at some point last year. Unless I see that one on the menu, I can’t say I’ll be visiting this establishment again. I was really disappointed with the experience overall and even moreso in the bill, especially considering that we both felt completely unsatisfied afterward.
B: By the time we paid the bill, I was ready to go and find a hotdog. If I have the choice, I’ll never be back to this place on my own dime--there’s no need to drop so much cash and put up with subpar service with a ton of cheaper, better places in town.
Rating:
2 out of 5 - We’ll go back if someone else is buying.
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