Byram's Lobster House

06/02/2008 Posted by stacy1978

My family and I recently visited Byram's to celebrate my sister's graduation from VCU - no one had eaten there before, but we thought it would be a good idea since it was close to the Siegel Center...we were mistaken. Our group showed up for dinner at 4:30, so that we would have plenty of time for food before my sister had to leave to be at her graduation at 6:15. Although we were the only people dining at the time, we had one waiter serving us (15 people). While looking at the menu trying to pick an appetizer, we were "advised" by the waiter that he could get us a sampler platter. We agreed, and were served with two plates of food about 25 minutes later. Our meals took over an hour to arrive, causing my sister to leave without getting her meal! When our separate bills arrived, we were ASTONISHED to find that the restaurant had charged everyone $8.95 for the sampler platter - that's right, per person...to a total of $134.25!!! This was brought to the waiters attention, but he couldn't have cared less that he was gouging my family! The manager was asked to come out to speak with us, but the only compromise he lent us was that he would take $8 off of all of our bills...basically $40 off the entire check. Therefore, we were still charged $94.25 for an APPETIZER!!!! Never in my life have I ever felt so cheated when it came to eating a meal at a restaurant! The sampler platter was not listed on the menu, but the manager swore that his waiter had told us about the charge before we ordered it - and in his mind, the customer is not always right...we were also told that the owner would come and speak to us, but he never showed up. In my mind, if the owner was there, he should have come out to discuss the problem with his customers! If not, he should respond to my mother's email - she sent it to him 2 weeks ago! He should not be in business if he thinks cheating customers is how business should be run!!!!!

Pros: NONE

Cons: SLOW service, RIDICULOUS food prices, APATHETIC waitstaff and managers

04/07/2008 Posted by lathina27

My recent visit to Byrams was the worst experience that any one could have in a restaurant. I will begin by saying that the waitress was not polite or friendly at all, actually she had an attitude. I had order the broiled seafood platter for $19.95 and as soon as the waitress put the plate in front of me I told my husband " this food looks nasty and actually where is the food??? Those were the smallest portions I have ever seen, especially for that price. The fact that I was raised by a professional fisherman in the caribbean islands (who sells fresh seafood to the best restaurants in the area) trust me, I know how seafood is suppose to look, smell and taste. The fish was bland and with no flavor at all, the oysters looked dryed and old, I didn't even tasted the rest of the food fearing of getting sick. I told the waitress that I was not going to eat that food because it was Nasty, at that point she told me that she was going to tell the manager. Few minutes later she came back with an attitude and told me that the manager stated that the food was good and that nothing was wrong with it and that I had to pay the full price for it even if I didn't eat it. I told her that I was not going to pay him for that nasty food. Then once she went back and told him that he came by the table, not to ask me what was wrong but to tell me that what I had order was his very popular dish and that no one had ever complain about it. I told him that provably those customers didn't know how seafood was supposed to taste and that I was not going to pay for such a horrible dish and service. He then told me that he was going to take care of it so when the ticket came I notice that he was charging us $6.95 and I asked why the charge and the waitress told us that he had charged us for the salad and the hard baked potato that I only had about 3 pieces of it because it was uncooked. I had never been to a restaurant as filty and with such a poor service and horrible food quality.

Pros: NONE

Cons: NASTY FOOD, POOR SERVICE, FILTY, POOR QUALITY