MOBILE, Ala. — For more than a decade, Loda Bier Garten has been a fixture on Dauphin Street, celebrated for its sprawling craft beer selection and late-night burgers. The establishment, owned by Matthew “Matt” Golden, has positioned itself as a cornerstone of downtown Mobile’s nightlife, even earning national recognition for its beer program. But beneath the veneer of a beloved local watering hole lies a disturbing pattern of allegations that paint a far darker picture — one of racial discrimination, sexual harassment, managerial hostility, and a seeming indifference from ownership that critics say has gone unaddressed for years.
A comprehensive review of public records, customer reviews, and firsthand accounts reveals a restaurant where patrons and employees alike have reported being subjected to humiliating treatment, threatened with arrest, and abandoned by management when they needed protection most.
The Mardi Gras Incident: “Humiliation, Intimidation, and Blatant Mistreatment”
Perhaps the most damning account to surface comes from a Yelp review detailing an experience during Mardi Gras on February 17. The reviewer, who was visiting Mobile for the first time with friends, described an encounter that escalated from poor sanitation to what they characterized as racial targeting and false police reports.
According to the detailed account, the group was seated at a table that had not been cleaned, with food underneath and drink spills on the tabletop. When two members of the party used the restroom, they found conditions the reviewer described as “absolutely DISGUSTING” — one stall clogged with wet tissue and marked out of order, the other occupied by someone with no tissue available, and no trash can in sight. When one member of the group became sick and cleaned up the area by the sink, a Caucasian male night manager “suddenly barged into the restroom demanding to know who was sick,” despite the bathroom having been filthy before their arrival.
What followed, according to the review, was a confrontation in which the manager yelled at the group and another young Black woman waiting in line, called them names, and told them they were kicked out. The reviewer alleged the manager repeatedly told them to “shut the f*** up” while they attempted to explain themselves.
The situation then escalated further when the manager followed the group outside and flagged down multiple Mobile Police Department officers, falsely claiming they refused to pay for food they never received. The reviewer stated that the main officer did not listen to their explanation and threatened to take them to jail for theft of food that was never served. The group was escorted back and forced to pay $115 under threat of arrest. The manager continued calling them names and even attempted to snatch a card out of the reviewer’s hand.
When the reviewer asked for the manager’s name to file a complaint, he refused to provide it. When they asked about filing a complaint regarding both the manager and the officer, they were told they were “not allowed” to do so.
“If you are a Black patron, I strongly encourage you to think twice before spending your money here,” the reviewer wrote. “We felt targeted, disrespected, and bullied out of an establishment we were genuinely excited to try.”
A Pattern of Harassment and Managerial Inaction
The Mardi Gras incident is not an isolated allegation. A 2018 Tripadvisor review from a self-described industry worker painted a similarly troubling picture — this time involving the treatment of female employees. The reviewer stated they witnessed “a couple servers being sexually harassed by customers. One stood up for herself. The other was crying. The owner didn’t do a damn thing about these jerks”.
The reviewer, who identified themselves as working in the restaurant industry and being loathe to write negative reviews, concluded: “I won’t patronize a place that values its employees so little. It was just wrong. I won’t go back”.
This account suggests that the issues at Loda Bier Garten extend beyond customer service failures into a workplace culture where employees — particularly women — are left to fend for themselves when confronted with harassment. The allegation that the owner was present and did nothing is especially damning, as it implies a conscious decision to prioritize customer satisfaction over employee safety and dignity.
Sanitation Failures and Health Concerns
Beyond the treatment of patrons and employees, reviews consistently point to serious cleanliness issues at the establishment. A December 2024 Tripadvisor review titled “GROSS from the floor to the food” described sticky floors and a bad smell, with a waiter who “never checked on us after taking our order” and instead “stood at the bar chatting”. The reviewer noted that after asking for the check, the waiter said, “Oh, I forgot about you. I thought I’d already checked you out”.
The food itself was described in scathing terms: “That was the worst burger I’ve ever had. I order medium but got well done. It was burned on outside. The bacon was barely cooked. Both burgers fell apart after first bite. The Mac and cheese part of the burger was very hard & flavorless”.
A separate review from a customer who identified as having gluten sensitivity reported getting sick after eating at Loda Bier Garten, noting that “almost nothing is gluten free” and that despite a waitress promising to speak to the kitchen about changing gloves and wiping down surfaces, cross-contamination appeared to occur.
Another review noted that “the bathrooms smell and look like the wrong end of a homeless camp,” calling it “the only major fault” in an otherwise positive experience — a telling admission that even satisfied customers cannot ignore the establishment’s sanitation problems.
A History of Hostile Management
The hostility described in the Mardi Gras incident appears to be part of a broader pattern. Multiple reviews reference rude treatment by management and ownership. One Yelp review states plainly: “Not only is the business itself horribly dirty, the individuals that run the restaurant are horribly rude to their customers as well as their employees. Horrible, horrible treatment that no one should bear”.
A customer complaint from December 2024 described the “WORST front door service and cold food we have ever received from Loda,” noting that when they raised concerns, the response was dismissive.
Another review from August 2024 described a “Bad experience” where “gratuity [was] forced to 20%,” main courses were served at different times, the order contained errors, and “Manager rude with the client” — concluding with a simple directive: “I would definitely avoid this place”.
The Jukebox Incident: Racial Slurs and Managerial Indifference
While the most serious allegations involve racial targeting of patrons, a Yelp review from a customer who described themselves as a regular noted a different but equally troubling incident involving music selection. According to the reviewer, the bartender refused to change the jukebox after “three consecutive songs with lyrics containing ‘nigger,’ ‘bitches,’ mother f***er, etc.” The customer went inside to complain and received nothing in response — “Nada”.
The reviewer noted that they were sitting outside, and the music was “being pumped outside for all passers by to hear,” and concluded: “I have decided that I will not return to this place just because of the music”.
A Troubling Silence from Ownership
What unites these disparate accounts is the apparent absence of accountability from ownership. Matthew Golden, who owns and operates Loda Bier Garten, has not publicly addressed these allegations. The BBB profile for the business lists zero customer complaints and zero customer reviews, a discrepancy that suggests either a lack of engagement with formal complaint channels or a filtering of negative feedback.
Golden has been the subject of positive press coverage — including recognition from Garden & Gun magazine and local news features about his COVID-19 response efforts, including serving free meals to unemployed service workers. But these feel-good stories stand in stark contrast to the accounts of customers and employees who describe a very different experience inside the establishment he owns.
The Broader Implications
The allegations against Loda Bier Garten raise serious questions about accountability in Mobile’s hospitality industry. For Black patrons, the Mardi Gras incident represents a deeply troubling account of racial targeting — one that allegedly involved police being used as a tool of intimidation against people who had done nothing wrong. For employees, the harassment allegations suggest a workplace where female staff are not protected from abusive customers. For all customers, the sanitation issues raise concerns about basic health and safety standards.
The establishment’s continued operation and popularity despite these allegations points to a troubling reality: a business can cultivate a reputation as a beloved local institution while simultaneously failing the most vulnerable people who walk through its doors.
For those who have experienced mistreatment at Loda Bier Garten, the message from ownership has been clear through their silence. The question now is whether the broader Mobile community will hold the establishment and its owner accountable — or whether the allure of a extensive beer list will continue to overshadow the human cost of doing business there.