Did you miss us?

Of course we get back to full posts and then life gets in the way and we were off the grid for a few weeks. Sorry about that.

In what may be one of the last in our series of patio nights, we decided on Jerzees.

This photo would’ve had more light on it had we received our drinks closer to when we were seated. But we’ll get to that.

So yeah pro tip, if you want to sit on the patio, there’s a separate hostess for those tables inside the bar area that connects to the patio. If you come in the main door they will direct you over there to get seated. I feel like we’ve made this mistake every time we’ve come here. And will probably make it again the next time.

Anywho.

So yeah, we lucked out on getting a patio table. Yay us!

And then we enjoyed said table and each other’s company as we watched the sun set over the parking lot behind us while we waited on a server to acknowledge us.

Any server.

Anyone really.

This went on for a good 15-20 minutes. And it’s not like they were packed busy. In fact, one server went up to several tables around us and checked on them, all while making an art form out of avoiding eye contact with us at all costs.

Normally we would cut our losses and try another place. But we were set on patio dining this evening – even if we were quickly doing so by cell phone light – and didn’t have the energy to search out another place in the near vicinity.

Finally we were approached by someone who wasn’t really clearly identified as someone employed by Jerzees – maybe a manager? maybe a random other patron taking pity on us? – and asked if anyone had talked to us. Hmm, I think it’s obvious that’s a no. But she at least acknowledged that we had been ignored, apologized, grabbed us some drink menus and just like that we were back in business.

I mean we still watched a table of two sit down behind us, get approached by the server that avoided us rather quickly and get their drinks before we did – but whatever.

I swear we showered today. Really.

So as we established the last time we were out a few weeks ago, it’s pumpkin beer season. I went with the Ellicotville pumpkin latte beer that I discovered during our night out at On Tap last week, Ted went with Spooky Tooth and Shane strayed away from his typical Bud Light to get a tequila and soda with limes.

Because when we’ve already waited 20 minutes just to get menus, it always makes the most sense to order a mixed drink. That will surely be delivered quickly.

We also ordered waters when we finally got acknowledged – just bring us any liquid, really – and another server brought them but forgot straws. She goes to get them, and then a few moments after she leaves our table someone different showed up with three more straws. Wait 25 minutes with no one coming near you and then suddenly you’re the richest straw table in the joint. OK. Lesson learned.

The manager then came over when she delivered our drinks and told us the first round from the bar was on them because of our wait. That was a nice gesture. And also, great customer service. Our exteriors are softening.

OK, so we have drinks and now it’s time to eat while we still have enough light to know whose meal is whose. Shane got six of the boneless Erie Island dry rub wings.

As well as a double smash burger. Just for fun.

I got 10 of the regular Erie island dry rub

And a side salad. Not quite as glamorous as Shane’s addition to his meal, but perhaps less artery hardening. Details.

You’ll notice I didn’t say “healthier,” since all those croutons and cheese kind of negate that concept.

Ted got the cod sandwich and six of the candied pepper wings.

And no, they didn’t place the wings on the plate with the sandwich like his side order. That was Ted’s doing in order to conserve table space. Food > plates.

The side order for both sandwiches was the house made chips, which came out last since they made them fresh as we ordered them. Which means for Shane they were the last items he could eat, because they were about as hot as the inside of a pizza oven then they came to our table.

The food was all very good. We’ve eaten at Jerzees before, and I can’t say anything about this meal really stands out as spectacular – but likewise nothing hit us as being terrible either.

The biggest takeaway from our evening out this week was definitely the service, and the extreme effort that was made to rectify the not so stellar beginning of our visit. This was a prime example of how this review would’ve had a totally different tone had that manager not come over and acknowledged the mistake, then made so many efforts to befriend us and make things right throughout the remainder of our stay. She was chatty, funny, friendly – all the while making no qualms about how she realized they weren’t perfect and that she knew they should’ve done better to start out.

Thanks Jerzees. If this is our last patio night of 2022, at least you made it memorable.