Hale’s Alehouse
July 31st, 2011 by kitsapdiningI’ve been wanting to try Hale’s Alehouse for quite some time now – I was living in Silverdale during construction, but it was not complete when I moved to Minnesota so was anxious to get a taste of what I was missing.
I found the atmosphere to be quite what I prefer, catering to adults in that it is basically an alehouse with dining seating on the perimeter. I am always surprised to see young children in what I feel is in essence a bar with menu items – placement in the mall does not make it family fare in this writer’s opinion. But that is for another discussion.
As I sat down with my friends at our reserved table, we waited quite some time just to get service for our beverages and when they arrived, the orders were not correct. The wait staff assigned to our table was clearly not having the best day and chose to take her aggression out on her clientele as she most angrily placed every item on the table each time – I was very much hoping she would cool off each time she went to the kitchen. I’ve worked many different types of jobs and known people in the food service industry and all would say that you should always leave your troubles in the kitchen or at home for as in this case, it definitely had an impact on the pleasure of our lunch.
As we ordered, that went fine although again the waitstaff was again a bit brisk. When our food arrived mine was ‘to order’ but I had made no special requests but my friends weren’t so lucky – anyone who had requested anything special or different from the written menu didn’t get it and had to have their order corrected.
As for the food – I had a plain caesar salad which was very good and I must say the bread served was worth the long wait we had. My friends each had burgers and they both enjoyed theirs as well once their orders were corrected. I do like that Hale’s tries to use local ingredients wherever possible.
I like to think it was just a bad day for the kitchen and the wait staff, but two strikes and you’re out for me. I’d be interested to know if anyone else has had this problem with Hale’s before.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
July 31st, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I have patronised Hale’s Alehouse at least a dozen times since it opened, and have never had a problem with service or the food. I also like that Mike and Kathleen had the forethought to create a nicely-designed and furnished establishment which offers an adults-only bar, a meeting room for the business community, and a family-friendly patio and dining area. A welcome Kitsap addition with win-win-win vision.
July 31st, 2011 at 9:05 pm
That’s good to know, I’ll have to give it a another try. Like I said, it may have just been a ‘bad day’.
July 31st, 2011 at 9:33 pm
I patronized Hale’s several times when it first opened, and had problems every time. Waitstaff unfamiliar with the beers and menu items. Waitstaff who couldn’t get orders straight. Cooks who couldn’t prepare orders properly. Waitstaff in slow lane. Waitstaff with attitude problems…
You didn’t get a bad day, you got what I (and many people I know) encountered routinely there. I’ve never been back.
August 1st, 2011 at 12:56 pm
I have been twice now. First time the service was not that great, but it was not long after they opened and bugs need to be worked out with anything new. Food was good. Beer was good.
Second time the service was very poor and they brought my Son someone elses food that belonged at the table two down from us. We never did get the side of ranch we asked for.
I will give them a few more months and give it one more try. There is something about it being in the Mall that is a slight turn off for me though.
August 6th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Hale’s advertises it’s family friendly experience as does Silver City and other great establishments in Kitsap. The bar areas often feature dining tables for those patrons attempting to enjoy a kid free environment. I’m all for kid free areas but when it comes to banning them from restaurants I think that’s a little over oars and your comment seems to support that. Although the food was not very good the beer seems to make up for it. I think in time they will take the negative comments and get better. As for the no children thing, just eat at home or form over some more cash for a fine dining establishment.
August 6th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
I believe my comment was mis-construed. I don’t object to a kid friendly atmosphere, I was stating that I thought the dining area where children would be was in very near proximity to the bar. As a parent, when my child was younger, I would not have been comfortable with this. As for your remark that the beer makes up for the food – what about the patrons who aren’t having beer such as myself?
August 8th, 2011 at 6:53 am
Okay, I misunderstood your comment I guess. Thanks for clarifying. Only if you drink beer will it be enough to dine there!! Your review of the establishment was dead on. Every one else we talk to has had a very similar experience. Thanks again for the clarification to your comment.
August 8th, 2011 at 9:41 am
Though it is a brew pub, the food and brew should both be appealing. Quite interesting to see the positive experiences had by us and our friends/colleagues/clients versus those described above.
August 11th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
We’ve been twice. Unimpressed both times. We really like the large bar (as opposed to Silver City’s very small bar) but the menu didn’t entice me and the food was sub-par. The beer and wine selection is decent but most days, I’d rather just go to Silver City and get rewards points for being a VIP member.
August 13th, 2011 at 11:46 am
We were there again this past Wednesday. The biggest tragedy was having my coffee and a spoon (to stir my cream an sugar) brought by two separate people. Other than that, our 7-person party got what we wanted, when we wanted it, and how we wanted it.