Embers Wood Fire Kitchen & Tap
🍽️ Restaurants · San Antonio
Absolutely not. I’d never go back, buy again, or use them again.total experiences
replied on google
Most reported issues
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Experiences
Server failed to take order after seating the customer outside.
Business reply on Google
Hi, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m glad to hear our hostess was welcoming and accommodating when seating you and your dog on the patio, but I’m very sorry to hear that no one returned to take your order. Being seated, handed menus, and then left without service is incredibly frustrating, especially when you could see other guests being attended to. That is not the experience we want for anyone visiting us, and I hate that this was part of your first night in San Antonio. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. We always want every guest to feel welcomed and taken care of from the moment they arrive, and we clearly fell short in your case. I hope you might consider giving us another opportunity to provide the Embers experience we’re known for.
Waitress used unprofessional language and failed to get orders correct.
Business reply on Google
Thank you, Jackie, for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m sorry to hear about your experience with service, especially your interaction with your server and the challenges with getting the order right. That’s not the kind of experience we want for anyone who walks through our doors. We always want our guests to feel comfortable, respected, and well taken care of, and I hate that this was not the case during your visit. I appreciate you bringing it to our attention, and I will be sharing this with our team so it can be addressed. We truly value your support and would love the chance to take better care of you next time you’re in.
Host provided incorrect closing time information to customers.
Business reply on Google
Hello, I sincerely apologize for your experience. Our closing time should never impact the quality of service you receive. If you arrive while we are still open, you should always feel welcome, unhurried, and able to enjoy your meal. Please consider reaching out to me at [email protected] with the date of your visit. I’d greatly appreciate the opportunity to address this directly, make things right for you and your wife, and follow up with the team involved. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I hope you’ll give us another chance to provide the experience you deserve. Sincerely, Adam
The restaurant floor and tables were dirty and poorly maintained.
Business reply on Google
Hi Wendell, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations, both in terms of the food and the cleanliness of the restaurant. Providing well-prepared dishes and maintaining a clean, comfortable environment are very important to us, and this is not the standard we strive to uphold. If you would please email me at [email protected] with the date and time of your visit, I would appreciate the opportunity to follow up with the team that was working. We value your feedback and hope you might consider giving us another opportunity to provide the experience we’re known for.
The salad was wilted and the steak was overcooked.
Business reply on Google
Hi Alex, I am sorry that you didn't enjoy your experience. I assure you the lettuce was fresh. The salad you ordered was the Santa fe salad. The description is Romaine hearts grilled over an oak fire. This causes the lettuce to wilt a bit but gives it the smoky flavor and charred taste from the grill. I understand that it may not have been your favorite, but it is a top seller for us. As for your steak I apologize and I assure you if you brought these issues to our attention we would have replaced the items with something more to your liking. I will follow up with our team to make sure these issues don't go unnoticed in the future. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and I hope that you will give us another try in the future.
The steak was overcooked and the side dishes were poorly prepared.
Business reply on Google
Thank you for sharing your experience, Fi Re. During the recent winter weather, we had an unusually high volume of takeout and delivery orders, as many guests chose to stay off the roads. Even under those conditions, our kitchen remained focused on preparing fresh sides and wood-fired steaks cooked to order; something Embers is known for. With third-party delivery services, the food leaves our care once it’s picked up, and factors like travel time and handling can impact the final temperature and doneness of items such as steaks. Once a third-party service picks up an order, we’re unable to control timing or handling, but we’re always happy to speak with guests directly about their order and expectations. As for the broccoli & potato, that's on us & we will certainly address this with our staff to ensure more care is taken when preparing to-go orders. We appreciate the feedback and hope to welcome you in person in the future.
Restaurant refused to honor gift card due to undisclosed weekend policy.
Business reply on Google
Hello, I sincerely apologize for the confusion and for not explaining the situation clearly during your visit. The San Antonio Restaurant Gift Card does not list Embers Wood Fire Kitchen and Tap as a participating restaurant. The participating business listed is Embers Wood Fire Grill & Bar, which is a different establishment. For reference, participating restaurants can be found at the website listed on the back of the card: https://synergygiftcard.com/participatingbusinesses/grid. I understand how frustrating this experience must have been, and I truly regret the inconvenience it caused. I have already spoken with our team and management, and we have taken corrective steps to ensure we do a better job explaining this to guests moving forward. I hope you can forgive this mishap and that we’ll have the opportunity to welcome you back. We truly appreciate your support of locally owned businesses and hope to serve you again soon. Warm regards, Adam
The steak was undercooked after being sent back to the kitchen.
Business reply on Google
Hi Yolanda, thank you for sharing your experience. Our goal is to address any issues immediately, and a manager should have checked in to ensure your meal met expectations. We appreciate your feedback and encourage you to reach out at [email protected] so we can continue improving our service.
Staff harassed customer regarding a clearly marked service dog
Business reply on Google
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I am truly sorry for what you and your husband went through during your visit. We did not meet the standard of respect and understanding that you deserved, and I sincerely apologize for the frustration and discomfort this caused—especially given the weather and the circumstances. There is no excuse for how the situation was handled. Your husband’s service animal should have been immediately recognized and accommodated without hesitation. While the 16 year old host was only on his third day working solo and had not yet experienced the proper service animal protocol, that does not lessen the impact of the experience on you. We also fell short at a management level. A manager should have stepped in right away to apologize, clearly explain the situation, and ensure you felt welcomed and respected. I will be speaking directly with management about this failure. Please know that this feedback is being taken seriously. We will be reinforcing training for all staff—especially around service animal policies—so that no guest is ever made to feel questioned, rushed, or unwelcome again. I am very sorry that your evening ended the way it d
The food was served slowly and was of poor quality.
Business reply on Google
Thank you for visiting Embers with your family. We’re glad to know you were seated quickly and taken care of at the start of your meal. Every dish we serve is cooked to order with fresh, quality ingredients and prepared from scratch, which sometimes takes a little extra time, but should always be worth the wait. If something ever doesn’t meet your expectations—whether it’s the doneness of a steak or the seasoning of a dish—we encourage guests to let a manager know right away. We would have been more than happy to prepare a new entrée to ensure your meal was exactly as you wanted. We hope you’ll join us again for the true Embers experience so many of our regulars enjoy.
Limited menu availability and poor service during restaurant week event.
Business reply on Google
Hi Roger, Thank you for your feedback and for visiting us during Restaurant Week. We’re truly sorry your experience fell short of expectations. Unfortunately, our grill was unavailable that evening due to a hood malfunction, and for safety reasons we weren’t able to use it. We understand how frustrating that must have been and apologize for the limited menu and the confusion around it. We’ll be addressing your concerns about communication, menu clarity, and service with our team so we can do better going forward. We appreciate you giving us another try in the past, and we’d love the chance to welcome you back under better circumstances.
The restaurant failed to honor a confirmed group reservation.
Business reply on Google
We’re sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate you bringing it to our attention. We’ve spoken with the manager who greeted your group that evening, and unfortunately, we found no record of a reservation in our system or with any of the managers who were present earlier in the day. We understand how frustrating that must have been, especially for a party of your size. That said, our manager did speak with your group upon arrival, explained the situation, apologized, and offered to seat you as quickly as possible with complimentary appetizers while we worked to make space. We regret that this wasn’t the solution you were looking for and that it led to your group leaving disappointed. We always strive to provide hospitality, accountability, and a great experience — even when things don’t go as planned. If you’d be open to discussing this further, we’d appreciate the opportunity to make it right. Please feel free to contact us directly at [email protected]. Sincerely, Adam Rasmussen Embers Wood Fired Restaurants
Poor food quality and non-functional customer service contact email
Business reply on Google
Hi R.H., *update* I do apologize it appears that you are missing the o in [email protected] if you would kindly resend I will be happy assist you further. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m very sorry to hear that your to-go order did not meet your expectations — especially when it comes to something as important as the quality and preparation of your meal. We understand how disappointing it can be when a steak isn’t cooked correctly and the flavors fall short. Your comments regarding the seasoning, texture, and sides have been taken seriously, and we’re actively reviewing this with our kitchen team to ensure better consistency and quality control, particularly with to-go orders. We never want a guest to feel their experience wasn’t worth the cost or calories, and we’d appreciate the opportunity to make things right. Please reach out to us directly at [email protected] so we can learn more and try to provide a better experience moving forward.
Customer found a cockroach in their salad and the restroom.
Business reply on Google
You are using the same photo from the review before yours that says you came for breakfast. It says hash browns. We don't serve breakfast and don't serve hash browns. The other reviews says the manager never came. You say the manager came over. We have contacted Orkin our pest control company to reinsert just incase. I am sorry and I want to make this right for you if it is a legite issue, but based on the conflicting reviews I am inclined to think this is a competitor trying to lower our rating. Or a company trying to sell me on having negative reviews removed. If this is legit please email me at [email protected] with details and I will make this right.
Poor service and low quality food served without utensils
Business reply on Google
Hey Dennis, I am very sorry to hear about your experience. I have already spoken to the managers and have them addressing the issues with the bartenders. I have directed them to refund the salmon as well as the two beers and tip. I hope that you will give us another opportunity in the future. If you have any questions or other comments you can reach me at [email protected]. Sincerely, Adam
Staff failed to accommodate a group despite prior assurances.
Business reply on Google
Thank you for sharing your feedback Brian. We sincerely apologize for the experience you had and the inconvenience it caused. We understand how frustrating it must have been to arrive with your large party only to find we couldn’t accommodate you as anticipated. We take your concerns seriously and will be reviewing this situation with our team to ensure better communication and flexibility in the future. While we understand your disappointment, we hope you’ll consider giving us another opportunity to provide the service and hospitality you deserve.
Poor service, dirty table, and mediocre food quality.
Business reply on Google
Alou, we are so sorry to hear that your experience was disappointing, especially on such a special occasion. First and foremost, thank you for sharing your feedback, as it helps us improve. We deeply regret that the service and ambiance didn’t meet your expectations, and we sincerely apologize for the issues you encountered with your table and the overall experience. This is certainly not the standard we strive for, and we’re working with our team to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. We value every guest and hope you’ll reconsider giving us another opportunity to provide a better experience in the future. Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts.
To-go orders are frequently delayed, forgotten, or difficult to place.
The food was overly salted and the table was sticky.
Business reply on Google
Hi Aliysha, I am not sure what prompted this review as the photos that you provided are of food from months ago. I know this because we switched our buns out more than 2 months ago. I hope this isn't one of those accounts that leaves bad reviews so that you can then send me emails stating that you can help remove the reviews for a fee.
Excessive volume of outdoor speakers ruins the patio dining experience.