fine dining server

line cook

restaurant manager

food runner

server

Eddie Merlots

 Its sad to see what this place has become. Business is not what it used to be. 90% of the people here are great but the other 10% (management, back of house staff) ruin the entire experience. Management is toxic to say the least. They’re extremely lazy and will constantly bad mouth each other. Management will also leave before hours before closing time, leaving the place to run freely most nights. Back of house staff will talk to you like you’re a child, specifically the executive chef. They’re constantly running out of menu items and basic restaurant supplies. The pay is laughable for the amount of work expected and is by far the lowest of any “fine dining” restaurant. Hard work is met with a bigger workload instead of advancements/promotions. They are also open 365 DAYS A YEAR and expect you to work every single holiday without holiday pay. If you don’t work a holiday, you lose your job. End of story. The worst restaurant I’ve worked in. Don’t apply here until management changes. I wouldn’t be surprised if this place doesn’t exist in a few years. 


Working at Eddie Merlot’s was one of the most stressful experiences I’ve had in the industry. The workload was heavy, and the compensation didn’t come close to matching the amount of pressure placed on staff especially when dealing with issues coming out of the kitchen. Getting a manager to handle even the simplest request felt like pulling teeth, which left the FOH  team carrying more weight than we should have.

The FOH crew itself was great and supportive, but favoritism was very clear certain servers were consistently given the better sections and tables. On top of that, one of the bartenders had major control issues, making it harder for the rest of the team to do their jobs smoothly. All of these things combined created a toxic work environment that wore people down quickly.

If you’re considering working here, just know the people are good, but the management and overall atmosphere make it extremely difficult to thrive. Also, working every holiday is a requirement. (Christmas, Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving, ETC.)

Shifts are 4-9:30 (plus or minus an hour at night depending on clients). Eddie Merlot's focuses on high quality ingredients, as they should for a steakhouse, but tends to fall short on innovative and fun recipes and plate design. From my experience the in house management do their jobs well and some even go the extra mile such as the head chef at my location. However they all seem limited in their capabilities by corporate management who tie their hands back. The hardest part of the job was being consistently understaffed/overbooked and the most enjoyable was the social atmosphere of your coworkers.

What is the best part of working at the company?
There was a lot of issues tab corporate levels that I was not being corrected. The concept is amazing. They just have some work to do with being able to retain skilled talent.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
No support . Just a bunch of emails and check lists without any true support 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
As I said, the concept is amazing, but implementation and execution are not good

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Too many to list. I am used to a clear vision, and clear leadership to accomplish the goals of the mission statement

As host in the evening I set up the for dinner. Menus set on large party tables, ipads(wine list) out from the office. Greet and seat customers, know as many regulars by name as possible. Establish for the customer that they are in for a special evening.
Managers and staff are top notch restaurant professionals. If a staff member or manager isn't the best, they are gone. I like that!
The hardest part of the job is keeping the wait staff happy, which is sometimes impossible. Keep the numbers even and time the seatings that customers get the optimum service.
I really enjoy being the first to greet customers and the last to see them as they leave. Usually they are very happy.

Management controlled and promoted a cutthroat atmosphere. It was toxic being there. The company went through 2 managers in 14 months. The restaurant also lost over 13 servers at that same time. And as a waiter, if and when you have a guest request, good luck with actually taking it. Management would give it their favorite friends, servers ( Aka Drinking buddies after work), and pretend that it was merely a seating error by the hostess. This was a sad place to be employed at. Couldn't wait to leave.

I really enjoyed working for Eddie Merlots! They seem to really care about their employees- providing team meals, Christmas cards, and a company wide news letter. Their mission statement is agreeable and the quality food and wines they offer makes it easy to get behind them! They provide great training and give you plenty of tools to make sure you’re comfortable and enjoy working there!

I worked for the Cincinnati location managers are rude when they speak to you even cuse at you  places had roaches when I started no team effort by any employees there it's just not managers that don't care about the employees it's the owner  why have a restaurant open from 4-930/10 and rush your customers in and out in such a short time  why not open 11-11 like other restaurants then employees can get hours instead of working 6-7 days a week and not even getting 40 hours

Company is very professional & great to work for. Great food and beverage product. Clientele is wonderful with awesome regulars. Management is questionable, they have an up and down that seems to lack proper communication between their team... Overall it was a great establishment to be a part of and I enjoyed my time there. A lot of opportunity to learn many things and a lot of people happy to teach you from the kitchen to the fellow coworkers. I would work for this company again pending certain circumstances.

Eddie Merlot's was a great place to work when I was employed with them. My chefs were very patient and willing to teach proper technique so that items were prepared correctly. Executive chef was very supportive and helpful not only when it came to work but also in an understanding way when it came to having bad days at work because of my own personal matters. Feels a lot more like a family then a job.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Fine dining server 1 salary reported	$16.50 per hour
Line cook 4 salaries reported	$18.25 per hour
Restaurant manager 1 salary reported	$110,000 per year
Food runner 1 salary reported	$25.00 per hour
Server 1 salary reported	$30.00 per hour

Working at Eddie Merlot's: Company Overview and Reviews

Eddie Merlot's

Eddie Merlot's Ratings

Popular jobs at Eddie Merlot's

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected