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Extremely disappointing - would not recommend to anyone. I booked a Baby Shower at Independence Beer Garden for Saturday, July 11, 2026, reserving the full Adirondack space at the Ranstead and 6th entrance of the venue for 60 guests. We paid a significant amount for what was supposed to be a professionally managed event, and IBG failed to deliver even the most basic contracted services. This was one of the most stressful experiences I’ve ever had, and I cannot recommend this venue for any event.
Despite booking two months in advance, the sales manager/coordinator, Lauren Andrews, never provided a point of contact, event rundown, or even show up on the day of the event. My husband and I called her multiple times the week prior with important questions, and none of our calls were returned. On the day of the shower, no one answered when we called ahead, and when we arrived, our reserved space was completely filled with regular (non-Baby Shower) guests.
Staff at the Main Bar had no idea an event was scheduled, requiring me to repeat multiple times the details of my confirmed reservation. I am 8 months pregnant and had to walk around the venue in 90 degree heat to track down a staff member only to find the on‑duty manager, Jacob, who was confused, unprepared, and whom seemed to be scared to do his job as a manager, leaving me for extended times waiting by a wall while he tried to "figure things out". He found my sister instead of going back to me to provide an update, leading to confusion on my end as I was still waiting to hear from him, and he offered 3 small tables instead of the full space we paid for, which would not accommodate my 60 guests, many of whom flew and drove in from out of state. He was also unwilling/seemingly scared to ask non‑event guests to relocate, leaving my family to notify them of the reserved event since there were no signs from the venue indicating an event was scheduled. My family and friends also had to clear dirty tables just to begin setup because of all the disorganization. My guests began arriving during all of this with nowhere to sit, and I had to triage them myself.
The event started nearly an hour late. Guests weren’t seated until 3:50 PM, first round of drinks arrived around 4:00 PM, and food didn’t come out until 4:15 PM—served all at once on a single table in the back by the bathroom area instead of family‑style (starters, then apps, followed mains & sides on each table) as promised. Drink service was so slow despite being told we would have a dedicated server for our paid event and guests would not have to worry about getting up to get drinks. Many guests were confused and ended up buying their own drinks at the main bar because it was faster.
The only helpful staff member was Lee, who stepped in at 3:15/3:30 to assist once he realized how disorganized things were.
Management insisted on immediate payment despite not fully acknowledging the issues that happened and promised a follow‑up regarding compensation from a director/corporate that never came. Overall, coordination was severely lacking, staff were unprepared, and the first half of my shower was chaotic. My Baby Shower felt entirely mismanaged, and their management failed to provide any accountability afterward. For the price we paid and the significance of the occasion, this level of service was unacceptable. I cannot recommend IBG for any event.