My husband called earlier in the day to make a reservation and was offered two options by the hostess: 2:00 PM for brunch or 4:00 PM for dinner. He selected the 4:00 PM dinner reservation and was encouraged to also book it online, which he did.
We arrived at 3:55 PM for our confirmed reservation and were told we could not be seated due to a baby shower in the back room and a party in the main room. Despite giving his name multiple times, the hostess repeatedly called out other names and seemed unaware of the reservation. We were then told we would not be able to be seated until 5:15–5:30 PM.
The hostess also made a comment implying that if we had a reservation, the situation would be different — despite the fact that we did. During the holiday season, when many businesses are hosting events, we made sure to plan ahead and reserve properly. After the third time my husband gave his name, I clarified again and showed the confirmed reservation email. Only then did the hostess acknowledge her mistake, claiming she “forgot about the party” or “thought she could accommodate the back room.”
If that were truly the case, we should have received a call as soon as they realized the conflict, informing us that our reservation could not be honored and offering an alternative time. Instead, we were led in circles, essentially accused of not having a reservation, and only after presenting proof did the hostess recognize she had actually spoken to my husband earlier.
When I asked what could be done to resolve the situation, the hostess simply said, “Sorry.” “Sorry” is not enough. This is not a minor issue like a menu item being unavailable — this is a failure in basic scheduling, communication, and customer service. Mistakes happen, but once the error was recognized, there should have been an attempt to correct it.
Because of this experience, I will not return to this restaurant. If staff can make such significant errors and make no effort to resolve them, they do not deserve our business.
Reply from Revel Restaurant & Bar
2025.12.09
Hi Debbie, thank you for taking the time to explain what happened. We understand how frustrating this experience must have been, especially with a confirmed reservation and the extra effort you made to plan ahead. What you described falls short of the level of organization and communication we aim to provide, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention in such detail. While we regret that your visit unfolded this way, your feedback will be used to review internal processes so situations like this can be prevented moving forward.