My kids love going to Dave & Busters so naturally we tend to bring them there just so that they can have the arcade experience. Pre-COVID, Dave & Buster's was a more frequent destination for us. We decided to go back for the first time this past Monday to see how the experience has changed.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Upon entering the West Nyack location, we noticed that it had a quite and slow vibe to it. Sure there were a few guests off to the left at the welcome desk. Please not that this is not a host stand, it is more of a customer service desk. There was no welcome from the employees behind this desk, just blank stares.
We decided that we wanted to have lunch before we went into the arcade. Once we reached the dining area, we approached a host stand that had a young woman standing there with her back to us. She was watching the large television display on the wall. My wife said "excuse me" and did not receive a response. The host was in her own world it seemed. She finally turned around once I let out a loud cough to get her attention. She apologized and seemed nice as she set us. There was only one other table taken in the restaurant and she seemed bored.
Once we reached our table, we noticed that the booth was dirty with remnants of food left throughout the cushion. Needles to say, t was not a great first impression.
THE SERVICE
Again it was not busy by any means in this area of the restaurant/arcade. Although he did not offer his name, he did seem welcoming. We asked for waters to start in addition to our drinks which never came. I also asked for buffalo sauce with my entree that also never came. The server is who brought our drinks and food out to us. I did have to ask the manager later on for the things that were missed because the server never came back to check on us. He only resurfaced when it was time for the check. Again, it was not busy and I have no idea where he could have went.
THE FOOD
I ordered the IPA Fish and Chips. As you can see by the photo above, it was gigantic. The fish itself was not overly greasy and was wonderfully flaky. This was by far the best part of the experience. The fish was cooked perfectly and I would recommend it. It is made with a Lagunitas IPA tempura batter served with tarter sauce and fries.
THE ARCADE
The arcade was a little busier and had a decent amount of people in it. I chose not to take pictures while there because I did not want to get random people in my shot. Dave & Buster's usually has a pretty good arcade as long as the games work. I would suggest putting signs on the games that do not work. There was also no one really working the gaming floor which meant we could not get any help with questions when we needed it.
LASTING IMPRESSIONS
I have always said that you cannot expect fast service when it came to food at Dave & Buster's. Frankly they have always been known for sluggish service. I had always figured that was by design. I interviewed with them in the past and learned that it was actually not by design at all. I never received the honest answer about the why. I was surprised with how fast our food came out this time. Overall, the experience was what was expected from past outings. The Fish and Chips were good and my kids had a good time in the arcade.
I give Dave & Buster's a 5.5 out of 10 for the reasons listed above. As long as you know what to expect when going, you will be fine. If you are looking for more out of this experience, you will leave very disappointed. In this case I knew what to expect and I know that this rating may seem harsh but I feel it is justified.
LOCATION INFORMATION
DAVE & BUSTER'S
4661 Palisades Center Dr.
West Nyack, NY 10994
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