The Best

Jimmy John’s

In an establishment where bad customer service is probably well-deserved, Jimmy John’s seems to handle even the rowdiest customer with polite amusement.

In my experiences ordering from Jimmy John’s, they’ve gotten the order right every time. Whether it’s “hold the tomatoes” or “heavy on the avocado spread,” the sandwich makers craft each one to my liking.

The staff working here puts up with things that would rile the nerves of most people: pieces of bread being thrown toward the kitchen by a group of drunken diners who are shouting profanities or a homeless man locking himself in the bathroom and falling asleep.

The staff seems permanently un-phased — gracefully taking care of problems, and then diligently getting back to work.

There are not many places where I can get a gourmet sandwich for under $5 and be served by a staff that caters respectfully to every customer, no matter how obnoxious that customer may be.

Paddy’s Pub

When arriving at Paddy’s, I will most likely be greeted warmly by “Woody,” who owns the pub with his wife Patty. If Woody misses me, Patty will not.

She will be waiting behind the bar and smiling, ready to serve me bowls of Chex mix and peanut M&Ms (always free) to go along with my drink of choice.

A pint of Guinness always tastes best while sitting out in Paddy’s garden patio. My drink will never run dry, but my worries will as I take in the charm of Paddy’s.

You may not have heard of Paddy’s unless you are from the area because Paddy’s rarely advertises. They do not have to because by 10 p.m. the bar is packed. The full house is an attraction even for those who don’t like crowded bars, because Paddy’s makes a person feel relaxed and at home.

The Worst

Beans and Barley

Beans and Barley has great food and I go shopping there at least once a week.

However, I will not dine in their restaurant again unless I am ever in the mood for a server with a scowl who goes MIA for 20 minutes at a time, usually when I need something.

When I first moved to the East Side, I dined at Beans and Barley almost every week. One of the servers there was very polite, delivered everything in a timely manner and checked in often. I have not seen this server in months. He must have been fired for smiling too much.

On several visits, the servers forgot to bring something I ordered, like a side of dressing for salad or lemons for water. Trying to find the servers after the food was delivered was a joke. The food was cold or wilted by the time the servers emerged from the kitchen, a break or whatever they were doing.

My fiancé, the chef de cuisine at a resort, says that he has never seen servers who appear to hate their jobs as much as some of the waitstaff at Beans and Barley do. Not only do their mouths seem permanently fixed in frowns, but their voices are laced with annoyance when speaking to their customers.

They wander clumsily around the dining room, bumping into customer’s chairs without apologizing, seemingly having forgotten that they are at work.

Maybe things have improved since my last dining experience about a month ago. I would love to eat there again sometime, but I just can’t take it, and it seems the waitstaff cannot take it either.

Video Adventures

Have you ever rented or bought a DVD, and the movie played but there was no sound? Neither have I, until I discovered Video Adventures. I have rented a total of four DVDs from this establishment that played with no sound.

The first three times this happened, I reported the problem to the clerk at the counter. Every time, I was informed that my DVD player must be defective.

“Then why do all of my other DVDs play just fine?” I asked.

I would receive a blank stare, and then the clerk would say, “We will check it to see if it’s defective. If it is, we will credit your account.”

The clerk would place the DVD on top of a huge stack of other probably defective DVDs behind the counter. I never received a credit to my account.

The fourth time this happened, I went through the same exchange of words and then asked them to check the DVD with me standing there. The clerk refused, explaining he was too busy. I was the only customer in the store as far as I could see, so what he was so busy with, I do not know.

I never received a credit, which is just as well because I will never set foot in Video Adventures again.

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