I got Dogged

Last night my sister and I went to the Uptown Bulldog, and since I have a blog, I'm going to complain about the lousy service because I'm still mad about it.

We arrived at 6:30pm, which was a little late to enjoy the happy hour since it ends at 7:00, but hey... a half hour is better than nothing. I figured I could get in at least a couple beers at the discount before the regular pricing kicked in. That was the plan, anyway, which was made mostly impossible due to the slow, lackluster service.

At first, out waitress was a fine if not all together wonderful server. She was polite and arrived only a few minutes after we sat down, answering whatever questions we had and then went off to get our drinks. She came back with the drinks after a few more minutes and then took our dinner order. And then we never saw her again until around 7:00pm. I was hoping to get a last call or at least flag her down so I could get my empty beer replaced before happy hour ended, but that didn't happen. When she finally came over, I asked her very politely if I could still get a beer at the happy hour price.

"Happy hour was over a while ago," she said, which was odd, because that was an extreme exaggeration. I said I knew that, but was hoping I could still get one at the happy hour price since we never got a last call.

"I don't do last call," she said coldly. "We don't do that here."

I just stared at her, actually shocked not only by what she was saying, but that I could tell that my simple question would generate that kind of attitude. How about something like, "I'm sorry, but I'm not able to do that"? That would have been a satisfactory answer. But to act as though I was a jerk simply for asking pissed me off.

"I have 7:01," I said, showing her my watch, which meant that when she actually came over to our table, it was no more than a minute after happy hour, but possibly not even that long.

She just looked at me and then said something along the lines of, "Look, if you really need it, I''ll give you a dollar if you order another beer, ok?!"

I said I'd take it, and she walked away in a huff. It was just... strange, and while I'll admit that my request was kind of bold (even though I was right, and I actually went out of my way to be polite and not rag on her for being a poor server), her response was ridiculous, and made all the worse by the fact that she made an effort to ignore me for the rest of the night, only looking at and talking to my sister when she'd come back over. At one point we were both done with our meals, with our empty baskets pushed away from us toward the center of the table, and then she came over and took only my sister's tray, asked her how it was, and then left without looking at me or taking my tray as well.

And then when the bill came, there was no dollar included nor any kind of discount. She did come over as we were looking at the bill and said, in the same cold tone she had used on my all evnenign, "I know I said I'd give you a dollar, and you can have it if you want. I don't want to be some kind of jerk."

Too late, I thought, but what I said aloud was to keep her dollar. So... that's the Bulldog. Good burgers, lots of beers on tap, awful service. I don't think I need to go back there.

The Bulldog

My girlfriend lives right around the corner from The Bulldog, so I always suggest it when we're thinking about what to do for dinner. I suggest it not only because it's so close, but because their bar food is fantastic and they have a ridiculously large selection of beers on tap and in bottles. Shannon usually shoots it down because the service is pretty bad, the space is dark and dingy, and the entire atmosphere is generally unappealing and uncomfortable.

And... we're both right.

Sure, Bulldog isn't going to win any rave reviews for their atmosphere, which most definitely is very dingy (her word for the place, not mine, but there's really no better adjective to describe it). If you wanted to be charitable, you could say the Bulldog is "charming" and and leave it at that, but we all know what that means. It's just a dark, dingy, windowless room with a bunch of high tables lining the walls around the bar. The enclosed patio is a little better, but it's where the smokers go so having actual light is the trade-0ff for the disgusting smell of cigarettes while you eat and drink.

The service is occasionally friendly but usually very slow, but that's ok because at least it's never been rude.

But enough about the atmosphere. Nobody goes to a bar for atmosphere. If you want atmosphere, go to a "restaurant," your royal highness. I go to a bar to drink and eat, and the Bulldog more than delivers. To begin with, their menu is longer and more varied than any bar menu has to be. If you can't find something on their that makes your mouth water, then you don't deserve to eat. Standouts include the amazing Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich, the Fish & Chips (you know they're good because there's already malt vinegar on the table), or the extensive selection of hot dogs. But you'll probably just end up getting a hamburger, which is fine because they're awesome. The Bulldog is the kind of restaurant that when you order a burger medium rare, it will actually come medium rare, not well done. (*cough* Herkimer *cough*)

And how can you not love any restaurant that has deviled eggs on their appetizer menu? I've never ordered them, but only because I don't want to risk getting drunk after deviled eggs were the last thing I've eaten. But I'm sure they're very good.

The beer menu is just as long as their food menu, and has a mixture of stuff that sounds fancy and expensive with, you know, stuff I actually order. Happy hour is every day from 3-7 and gets you $1 off taps and bottles. It's not the best happy hour in town, but it's better than nothing and it's long enough to make it worth coming here during dinner time.

At the end of the day, the Bulldog would be just another dingy dive, but they've managed to make themselves standout as something special because of their extensive menu and outstanding food. And to be fair, whenever I do convince Shannon to eat there, she admits that the food is good and the atmosphere isn't that bad. But it would be nice if they, you know, had a window.

4 out of 5