The owner of an Austin restaurant addresses a complaint video posted by an unhappy customer on Facebook. Not only are his complaints invalid, she said, but she has the receipts to prove it.
TikTok creator Gabriela Bucio (@gabriela.atx) is a restaurateur based in Austin, Texas. In a video posted on Nov. 17, she addressed an incident at her restaurant Gabriela’s South.
First, Bucio said that the customer, who she refers to as “Mr. Roger,” and his party arrived at the restaurant an hour past their 7:15 p.m. reservation. Still, the staff recognized that this was a party of regulars and they accommodated them anyway.
Why Did This Gabriela’s South Customer Post to Facebook?
Apparently, the courtesy wasn’t appreciated by Roger, who is known as Roger El Versache on Facebook, because Bucio said he repaid the kindness by complaining about the menu, the size of the cocktails, and how the food was prepared, even though Bucio said the menu clearly labeled everything.
The story didn’t end there. Bucio also accuses the customer of mistreating her bartending staff. And then he posted a video detailing his complaints to Facebook.
“Unfortunately, he was rude to our female staff, behavior we do not tolerate and even in his video he made inappropriate and disrespectful comments about them,” she wrote in the video’s caption. “We wish him well and hope he finds a place that better suits his preferences.”
Additionally, Bucio posted screenshots of Facebook messages she said she received from other people in the party who saw the video and wanted to clarify that the entire party didn’t share Roger’s opinion.
In another Facebook post, Roger addressed the screenshots by saying there was obviously a “Judas” at the dinner table. In comments, he also claimed that no one in the party told him directly that he’d crossed a line or asked him to take the video down.
Viewers React to the Gabriela’s South Facebook Dust-Up
In the comments section, viewers discussed the man’s complaint video and Bucio’s response.
“Some people don’t have better things to do with their time,” wrote one person. “Gabriela’s South is my go-to spot as soon as I’m in Austin.”
A second viewer said, “I like how calmly you addressed this issue. It goes to show how professional and well-educated you are, Gaby. God bless you and your businesses always.”
Bucio replied, “We tried leaving him a comment and reaching out to him, but something I’ve learned is to never argue with people on their territory.”
However, some commenters validated at least part of Roger’s complaints. “I don’t know, girl,” wrote one person. “I’ve been to Gabriela’s South and the staff be catching attitude all the time. And they be taking a while to greet us at our table. One time I had the waiter say she forgot and we waited 30 minutes to get water. I do love y’alls drinks though.”
Bucio responded, “And a serious complaint is valid. My video was a reply to his complaints about us not having a reservation and the menu not pointing out the prices of the happy hour. I always take complaints seriously and there are always managers [on-site].”
A Reddit post to r/AustinFood four years ago features customers discussing the pros and cons of Gabriela’s South. One person wrote, “The food is good, the service is hit or miss, and the music is MUCH too loud during normal eating hours.” A second person said, “Gabriela (the owner) is great. My family loves her style.”
All Hip Hop contacted Roger El Versache via Instagram direct message for comment. We also reached out to Bucio via TikTok direct messages for comment.
@gabriela.atx Mr. Roger did not have a reservation at Gabriela’s South because the party’s reservation was at 7:15 PM and they arrived more than an hour late. Even then, we gladly accommodated the entire group because they always dine with us, and everyone enjoyed their time except for him. Unfortunately, he was rude to our female staff, behavior we do not tolerate and even in his video he made inappropriate and disrespectful comments about them. We wish him well and hope he finds a place that better suits his preferences.
♬ original sound – Gabriela Bucio