Let me first say that the Chef and server are not solely to blame. I don’t usually write negative reviews (or valet park), but at 7:00pm on Saturday I took a chance and went to the TRIO happy hour at the Four Seasons.
Amidst the gilded kid glove service of the hotel staff, TRIO’s Trio of Sliders were rendered singular, the guacamole was mostly queso and we might have been peed on. What started out as a delightful nosh on a lovely deck overlooking Town Lake quickly went South.
There seemed to be a disconnect between the hostess, server and kitchen. Was it still happy hour? Yes. Was it happy hour on the deck? No. As the bar area was packed, we decided to sit outside and try appetizers from the full menu. Upon being seated, all the dinner place settings were taken off our table and we were given the happy hour menu.
Everybody calm down! This is the Four Seasons hotel! Relax, luxury will soon arrive. Time passed and hope wained. Not a problem, I’ll just wave down someone to help: wandering bride, downed waiter, loose frat boy draining daddy’s Amex? Then it comes, like a Cabbage Patch kid on lithium, our appetizers (full price on the deck, because we demand the best). Stunted somewhere between the kitchen and our table, the Beef, Lamb and Turkey sliders ($15) became Lamb, Lamb and Lamb (with sweet jelly?). The second Slider order was the same way. The Steak Fries ($7) were a soggy mess, topped with a dripping, oily onion bulb. Bon Appetit.
For dessert? Liquid from the sky (and possibly sesame seeds). Am I saying it was urine? No. Am I sure? Not in the least. The manager immediately came to our service to help pin-point the offending guest room. “Check, please!” The manager was on it now, “Let me take care of this for you.” Moments later our check arrives. Full charge!? Really? Then, our server, swooped in and took off one of the overly sweet, jammie-lamb trios. Like a gift-with-purchase promo at Dillard’s, our table was rifled with Caramel Corn Gift Bags. Kudos my man, problem solved. Get me out of here.
“That will be seven dollars,” says the valet from behind the glass window. They were unaware of any complimentary happy hour parking, though it has been advertised as such. May we pay you in soggy Steak Fries? Nope. I tossed him my Gift Bag, $7 and a couple bucks tip. It wasn’t his fault, but who’s was it? How could so many things go wrong in a place that usually is so great?
TRIO at the Four Seasons : 98 San Jacinto Blvd Austin, TX : (512) 685-8300
I’m SO sad to read this. I’ve had several incredible dinners at TRIO and were treated like visiting royalty. Too bad Happy Hour doesn’t meet the same standard!
In general, I have had great experiences staying at Four Seasons’ properties. I hope this was just an anomaly. But, it wasn’t just one thing, the whole machine broke down. It was so bad, I felt I needed to share. Two other people can back me up.
I was at HH on Thursday last week. Note that we were in the bar and not on the deck, but we certainly did have a great experience with both the food and the service. Every course was excellent, well seasoned and produced and delivered correctly. We actually got there at 5 and sat until 8. Almost every server that walked by checked on us continually removing old plates, checking our drinks, filling our water glasses. Overall great food and service and 6 glasses of wine and 4 apps for $45. First person by validated our parking and the person who took our check also asked if we were validated. Sorry about your bad experience, but ours was [delightfully] the opposite.
I will go back to TRIO again. Because, I am sure my next experience can’t be as bad as it was for us on Saturday. My problem is this: how could that many things gone wrong, all at once, at such a successful business? It was easily the worst fine dining experience i have had in Austin. Our party had six drinks, three apps, bad food, garbage fell on us and it cost $90 just to get out of there to go someplace else.
I too have only had wonderful experiences at the Four Seasons Austin and the TRIO. I would encourage you to write a letter to the hotel as the experience you had is NOT a Four Seasons experience and I am sure they would like to know about what happened.
Geez, I had forgotten about the carmel corn gift bag. That was the strangest happy hour ever. I too, will return, because that can’t possibly ever happen again, right?
Just wondering if anyone at the Four Seasons ever read this review or reached out to fix the situation? I was there for a birthday happy hour a few weeks ago on the lawn and while my experience was not nearly as bad as yours, it wasn’t pleasant. I hope it was a fluke, I really want to love that place!
Doubt they read the review unless Christian forwarded it to them.
Actually, TRIO contacted me yesterday, wanting to make things right. I am looking forward to chatting with the GM to see what was where with what happened to us. I’ll post as soon as I know.