Mister C's Beach Bistro - Aboite

This restaurant continues to be one of the most overrated places I've ever visited. There are plenty of better dining options available. If you plan to eat here, I recommend having a few drinks first; it's the only way to make the experience of the mediocre food somewhat bearable.

On the day of the party, I had sent out 45 invitations, but only 25 guests were able to attend. I reached out via email and phone a couple of times for clarification and assistance. After I threatened to take my business elsewhere, I finally received a return call. Madelyn was unhelpful and told me that a buffet was not an option given the low number of attendees. She insisted that I contact each guest to get their food orders. Seriously? To make things worse, while I was trying to reason with Madelyn, another staff member was berating me in the background, calling me an idiot and claiming she had already explained everything. Fortunately, on the day of the event, Madelyn was absent. Our party attendant, Vicki, and our server (whose name I regrettably forgot) were wonderful! They were the only bright spots, along with the view. Unfortunately, the windows were dirty. When I asked a busser for a towel, the one he gave me was covered in grime. I ended up cleaning the entrance doors myself, which were filthy with food and fingerprints — definitely not the kind of welcome we expected. The restroom had a large fake tree that was coated in dust. My guests rightfully found it disgusting. Despite bringing these issues to their attention, no one seemed to care. The shower itself went smoothly thanks to the professionalism and attentiveness of the staff. However, the trouble began when it came time to settle the bill. During my initial meeting with Madelyn, we discussed the surcharge for credit card payments, which I opted to avoid by using my debit card. I paid, packed up the leftovers, and even gave away the centerpieces and desserts to the staff as a thank you. Then, on Monday, I received a call from Madelyn. She claimed I had used a credit card and that since the server hadn’t charged me the fee, I owed her $60.22. I clarified that I had used my debit card, and nowhere in our contract was it specified that debit and credit cards had different terms. I would have preferred to pay cash if I'd known. Her response was, "Debit and credit card transactions are the same!" and "The fees for debit transactions are actually higher." I was taken aback. When I questioned the outrageousness of $40 for chicken fingers, she insisted that it was just standard practice. I firmly told her that these charges were not my responsibility. It turned out the restaurant simply processed my debit card as a credit transaction. By the way, in New Jersey, charging fees on debit transactions is illegal. Madelyn accused me of being defensive, claiming she had discussed fees thoroughly and encouraged payment by cash or check — all of which was untrue. The contract only mentioned credit cards. At that point, I just wanted to forget the entire experience and never return to that restaurant. She requested that I email her to authorize the charge, and if paying the extra $60 would make her go away, I reluctantly agreed. Then, I received an email suggesting that I could drive to the restaurant, pay by check, and they would waive the fee. Why not just avoid the hassle altogether and not charge me in the first place? Madelyn clearly lacks basic customer service skills and should have stepped down long ago. This restaurant could be better managed by anyone else. They seriously need to revise their contract — it's important and binding, and it's unfortunate that I don't want to escalate this issue legally. I should be receiving an apology and a refund instead. And if you're reading this, Madelyn, shame on you.

This experience brought to mind Tad's, and not in a positive way. The only bright spot of the meal was the mussels, which were quite tasty. It's genuinely disappointing to see Mister C's decline to this level.

I dined at this restaurant for the first time over the weekend and was delighted by the extremely friendly staff and excellent customer service. Unfortunately, the food was merely average. While the location is fantastic, I think they need to enhance their menu options. The experience reminded me of dining at Applebee's, which didn't leave a strong impression.

**Food:** 5/5 **Service:** 5/5 **Atmosphere:** 5/5 **Recommended Dishes:** Beet Salad, Calamari **Parking:** Ample, with free parking lot options available. This restaurant provides an outstanding lunch experience. The food is exceptional, with highlights like the beet salad and calamari that are absolutely worth a taste. The service is equally impressive, thanks to the attentive and friendly staff. The atmosphere is fantastic, making it a wonderful place to enjoy a meal. Additionally, the availability of ample free parking is a great perk!