Lemongrass Thai Restaurant

Fine food; racist treatment. I've never had to write a review about this subject before, but it was so overt that my experience can be explained in no other way. This is honestly quite surprising, as most other reviews are so glowing (though most are 5-7 years old, I now realize). The food was good, yes, but not "ragingly spectacular," as other reviews may lead one to believe. I've had better in Raleigh. My concern is not with the food, however, but with the overtly discriminatory treatment I received here.

As a person of color, I was treated differently than EVERYONE else at surrounding tables. I was asked if I was ready to order every 60 seconds (literally) for the first several minutes after arriving. After ordering my beverage, I went immediately to the restroom to wash my hands. Upon returning, the waitress was asking again for my order when she clearly saw I'd just returned. (I was literally sitting and picking up the menu.) After about three short minutes of perusal, once I did state that I was "ready to order, please," she emitted a deep, shoulder-heaving sigh, flashed an "I don't want to do this" smile to a Caucasian couple, abruptly dropped the smile before turning to me, then dismissively took my order.

Things got worse as the evening continued. My waitress told me they'd "run out" of the exact things I saw another table (a Caucasian couple) receive. Following this, she hid inside for the duration. The waitresses preferred to shout from the door to my outside table instead of coming tableside as for everyone else. My drink was never refilled once. Not one time was I asked if I needed ANYTHING once my meal arrived ... except a box. I was obviously still eating and stated that I did not need one, thank you. Even still, a few moments later, I was given it anyway -- along with the check -- while I was still clearly fork-to-mouth eating. (They didn't close for an hour and a half yet, so it was not that I was lagging.) I did request things, but never received them because the waitstaff all conveniently disappeared, or hurried away after checking on other tables while I sat unattended the entire time. One waitress only finally returned once she saw that I'd readied the bill.

I was dressed with class, clean and neat, and am very mild-mannered/low-key by nature. I was courteous the entire time, even after realizing what was occurring. My point in saying this is that it was not my demeanor or behavior that spawned this treatment. If you're a Black american, I strongly recommend avoiding this restaurant. The racist treatment I received was amazingly disheartening, sad, and ignorant.…