We drove approximately 2.5 hours from Houston to Lake Charles specifically to dine at Drago’s. Once we got there, I called the restaurant around 7:30 p.m. to confirm their closing time and was told they closed at 9:00 p.m.
We arrived at approximately 8:00 p.m., giving us a full hour before closing. However, we were told by the hostess that if we were not already on the waiting list, they would not be able to accommodate us, even though we were only a party of two. There were also many empty seats at the bar.
We asked if we could simply sit at the bar, which would have eliminated the need for a server. We were told no because they were understaffed. What was confusing, however, was that we were then offered the option to order our food to go.
This left us wondering: if the restaurant was too understaffed to seat two guests at the bar, how was the kitchen able to accommodate a to-go order? The situation simply did not make sense, especially since we had called ahead to confirm the closing time and arrived a full hour before closing.
While we understand that restaurants can become busy and staffing challenges happen, the way this situation was handled was disappointing—particularly saying you are understaffed but offering food to go.
Thankfully, we decided to go to Pat’s of Henderson, which closes at 9:30 p.m. They welcomed us and seated us at 8:45 p.m. The food was excellent, and their customer service was exactly what we had hoped for.
Thank you, Pat’s of Henderson, for being accommodating and providing great customer service!
Unfortunately, after this experience, I will not be making the drive from Houston to Lake Charles specifically for Drago’s again. I’ll wait until I have an opportunity to visit their Bossier City or New Orleans location instead, which I’ve had good experiences.
I hope Drago’s Lake Charles will take this feedback into consideration, because a restaurant’s customer service and willingness to accommodate guests can make just as much of an impression as the food itself.