content: After many trips to Hickory Tavern over a few years, I will say I love the oysters for 69 cents on Thursdays, as well as the salads, and the veggie burger. And, we have had good service on numerous occasions. But, we have also had terrible service several times. I rarely see a manager, and at this point, I am pretty fed up.\n\nOut here in Steele Creek, there are not many dining or pub choices, and I and my circle enjoy cold beer and oysters, so, yes, we have been to Hickory Tavern many times.\n\nOnce,  were charged 50 cents for barbecue sauce (as a substitute for mayo/ketchup/mustard on a burger), and they refused to budge when we questioned it. A small thing, but annoyingly petty, in my opinion. Another time, they suddenly changed their Thursday beer special, and although someone in our party had asked the price, and the waitress misquoted it, we were all charged a higher price for our beers. I asked the waitress about it and she said that the price had JUST changed in the computer, and asked if I wanted her to take the difference out  of her tips. No, really, she actually asked me that. On a separate trip -- we decided to go back, but just make sure we were not in that particular waitresses' section -- a friend ordered the new flat bread with kalamata olives. It arrived with no olives, and the sliced tomato on top was pink (like salmon). My friend barely tasted it, and said it was inedible. The waitress never checked on us, and so I shared my sandwich with my friend. So she could eat! When the young waitress finally came back by the table, she asked if my friend needed a box for her pizza. My friend said no, and asked her to just take it off the bill, and they did. Which I guess was one of the classier things they have done, in my experience. The final straw was when we went ANOTHER TIME (unbelievable, I know) and ordered beers at a table in the bar area, and then waited, and waited, and waited. No drinks. Finally, we just left. It was not busy.\n\nThese days, it's hard to justify spending money to drink average, domestic beer and eat bar food out. If we're going to be treated poorly, I would rather save my money, drink better beer at home, and cook. I miss the decent,, independent restaurants and sweet little dive bars in the area in which I used to live, closer to uptown. Unfortunately, I guess these kind of places are often what you get out in the burbs. It's too bad.