Last night I went to The Lutz and had the worst, most aggressive and embarrassing customer service of my life. I was there just to eat, no alcohol and noticed all the tables were taken when I first came in. So I sat at the bar and let one of the 2 servers know that I am waiting for a table. She said "Okay." A large group was cashing out so I asked if they were leaving a table and with a really nasty face and tone she replied "I don't know." So because I didn't want to interact with her anymore I told the other server/bartender and she literally didn't even acknowledge me so I figured she didn't hear me so I told her again. At that point they both simultaneously verbally attacked me aggressively telling me I just have to find a table myself. I simply said that I wish I was simply told that the first time I asked. If you've never been there before, it does kind of look like a diner and there are other places in the Southeast area like My Father's Place or even Space Room and a couple others where they do seat you. Even if they don't, a bartender is still facing the direction and knows what's going on in their own bar. I'm not going to keep walking around and looking around and facing the other direction in a weird awkward way. Plus, if I would have been told that I just have to wait and it's first come first serve it would have gave me an opportunity to leave and go somewhere else. Once I was saying I wish she would have told me that the first time I asked their aggressive, rude behavior hit a next level. They went off about "this is a dive bar." Not sure what that has to do with anything and if I owned that business, I would want to know they are calling it a crappy dive bar and saying things like "welcome to Portland" as though that's some reason to be rude or as though they don't feel the need to be friendly whatsoever. I've lived in Portland my entire life. We are considered a very friendly place. I've helped raise literally millions of dollars (2.8 to date) to help fix black owned homes in Portland so I actually have made an impact on this city and know it's history very well. Not sure what they think is so cool or important about their job or maybe they don't and hate it and is why they are so grumpy. My girlfriend is also a witness to all of this because I called her to see if she wanted to go somewhere else explaining to her what was happening and the server (dressed in all black, goth style) yells at me "I CAN HEAR YOU!" it's none of her business what I'm doing on my phone and yes I needed to see if my girl wanted to go somewhere else. The first server I let know I needed a table as soon as I got there, then started telling me that I needed to leave and that I was "harassing" them just by simply saying I wish you would have told me that when I first asked you for a table. To use the word "harassing" to a man about two women, is far too aggressive and way, way over the top. If other men overheard her saying that I was harassing them, there's a possibility that I could have been harmed by another patron or that the situation could have escalated much more than it did. Having a customer service complaint is in no way harassment. Giving advice on how they could better serve their clientele is in no way harassment. Especially if it's only once. This was all very overwhelming for me as an autistic person and I even cried. If there are cameras in there, you will be able to see the entire interaction and you will be able to see that I kept my cool and as soon as I was even asked to leave, I just grabbed my stuff and my girlfriend and I left. It doesn't seem that taking my business somewhere else will hurt them because, like I said, they were packed but I certainly will not be going back there unless it's literally to meet the owner and have a conversation. There are so many other bars in that area and the ones that I regularly frequent with my crew and my company (who are millionaires) the service is always very friendly and fantastic and we tip well. For dive bars I recommend Lion's Eye. Their bartenders are so rad!
