My family and I went to Red Clay on Memorial Day weekend. One would think that being the start of the summer season, restaurants would really be at the top of their game trying to lure the summer crowds.

Well, it took 20 minutes to get a server once we sat down (we made reservations). Then as we tried to order our server turned down three of our meal selections because the kitchen was out of crab, and two types of fish. This is a seafood restaurant and it is a holiday weekend – how is a third of the menu unavailable?

It then took 2… long… hours… to get our food. Fortunately, with good company, we had a wonderful time talking. When we finally got our food, the ribs were dry, half of the fries were still cold inside, and my chicken was undercooked. I wouldn’t eat the chicken because I honestly thought I would get sick. I told the server about the chicken, he looked at it and disappointedly said “Want to try the burger instead?” At this point I just want to eat something, anything; we’ve been there for two and a half hours! So sure, I’ll take a burger.

The manager comes out fifteen minutes later and ungraciously says “You’re the one who had a problem with the chicken? Here try this.” He plops down a piece of meat on a bun. No lettuce, no onion, no tomato – nothing but sad looking meat on bread that is going to cost me $9. First bite – I spit it out on my plate because it is room temperature and uncooked inside. It was truly revolting. How the hell do you screw up a hamburger so bad?!

Then the rest of my family finishes eating and we are sitting so long that I have to get up and go to the hostess and ask for the bill. The manager sees me up there and darts away towards the other side of the restaurant to avoid eye contact. I tell the hostess I would like to talk to the manager before we leave. I tell him how disappointed we are and how our experience at the Red Clay really has spoiled a night out with the entire family. He says “well it is the holiday weekend so we’re really busy” as if that is a valid excuse for our service/food/time wasted. I look around the restaurant and point out that less than half of the tables are full. They are clearly not too busy, they just don’t care. This was an absolutely horrid experience and on top of that, the food that was cooked was mediocre at best.

I have never written a restaurant review on a travel website until now, but I felt compelled to tell people to STAY AWAY FROM RED CLAY. Looking at the other ratings, it would appear that I am not the only one who has had a terrible experience there. I wish I would have found this site earlier. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.