Post #737486 by TheDrunkenTiki on Mon, Feb 16, 2015 11:22 AM

Went last night for the first time and was severely disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the drinks are great and we will definitely be back but our experience last night left much to be desired.

When Three Dot & a Dash opened we quickly learned to avoid Fri./Sat. nights and that going early made for a less busy, more laid back feel. Once we figured that out we've gone to Three Dots regularly and always had a good time.

We figured that because Lost Lake was new and in a somewhat busier neighborhood in Chicago that we would apply the same practices put into use for Three Dots. It didn't work out so well.

We decided to go on Sunday just after 4pm when they open. When we arrived at about a quarter after the place was already 75 percent full. We decided to sit at the bar as we've always had fun talking with the bartenders at Three Dots. I was happy to see that we were seated near a bartender I recognized from Three Dots that had given us great service in the past. We were greeted and given a drink menu. We ordered our cocktails and the bartender took our menu. Around that time it became clear the bartender was friends with the people seated next to us. After getting our drinks that was about the last bit of service we received.

After a while the place really filled up. All the seats and tables were taken and people started to stand around the bar. It wasn't even 5pm at that point. By the time we finished our drinks people had began to hover around us, ordering drinks over our shoulders, making it less than comfortable. We sat and waited for our bartender to offer us the menu again. It never happened. The people ordering above our heads got their drinks. The bartender's friends seated next to us had finished their first cocktails and were on their third round and we still hadn't even been offered a second drink. The only reason we even got a second look at the menu was because my wife snapped one up after somebody set one down on the bar next to us. At that point we decided to leave come back and try again some other time.

Overall, the vibe of the place seemed mellow (before it was wall to wall people), the music was good and Paul's drinks are great. We'll have to wait see about the service on future visits (hopefully after the place has died down a bit).

Also, I know they're going for a 30's tiki vibe, but come on, there isn't a single tiki in the place.