greenfield

I believe this is mostly true in New York City. At the NYC Commission on Human Rights website, there is the following description of public accomodations: [emphasis added]It goes on to say, "Some examples of public accommodations include [...] restaurants [...]" The rules page regarding public accommodations lists some exemptions. Some explicit exemptions are for locations that display MPAA movies, and the right to not enter into contracts with infants. Finally, there is an out for facilities that do not want to allow children at all: [emphasis added]Does this mean you have to apply for an exemption before not allowing children? Or can you apply when someone decides to bring action before the Commission on Human Rights? Would ejecting a family with children who are behaving poorly and disturbing other guests be grounds for legal action on the part of the family? What happens if you allow some children but not others? Of course, please note that I AM NOT A LAWYER, and before taking or not taking any action CONSULT A LAWYER FOR LEGAL ADVICE. Finally, the law differs in each city, county, and state.

This is definitely a very interesting thread. I have some very mixed feelings about children in restaurants. Personally, I don't mind children who stay in their chairs and behave reasonably well. For what it's worth, I definitely go out with friends and their children, but I have not been to any high-end restaurants with them. One time a friend's child started to get a bit cranky. Since it was the end of the evening, they had a simple solution--time for them to go! It was a very nice solution and the entire evening was pleasant. Had it been the middle of the dinner, they probably would have stepped outside for a few minutes until the child was a bit calmer. (Of course, this can be a bit tricky in the winter in a small restaurant.) I have another friend who allows her child to roam around the restaurant. She justifies this behavior by saying that if the restaurant wants to stay in business in our neighborhood, they will allow children to scamper about. Not only do I find this a bit annoying, but it can also be quite a bit dangerous. As a result, I try not to go out with this friend. There has been a lot of discussion on why a child would be brought to a high-end restaurant. As a child, my brother and I were brought to high-end restaurants on two occasions: my grandparents' 70th and 75th anniversaries. The restaurants in question were Tavern on the Green and Windows on the World. In both cases, my grandparents wanted to have a nice meal with great service; they also wanted to spend time with the people who were close to them. I still vaguely remember both restaurants, and I definitely remember my grandparents being very happy that I was there with my younger brother. For what it's worth, I think we were very well behaved. (I can also remember the venison pate with truffles on the menu at Tavern on the Green, and I can also remember that it was my first introduction to a fixed price menu.) I know my grandparents would not have wanted to have an experience at a nice restaurant for these occasions without my brother and myself in attendance. My brother has some very nice memories of Windows on the World. They gave him his own miniature bottle of soda, they put him next to the window, and they tried to make sure that he was having a good experience. This had a two-fold effect: he remembers nothing but good service at Windows on the World, and he was very pleasant because his needs were met. So what could have been done in this situation? Honestly, I don't work in a restaurant, so take my advice with a grain of salt. And I certainly do not want to try to second-guess the situation. As a customer, I would like the same sort of treatment in any high-end restaurant if I had or did not have children. I would want to have a good meal with unobtrusive and polite service. I guess it can be hard to be diplomatic in this kind of situation. I don't know who said it, but I think this quote is oddly appropriate: "A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to Hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip." Did you have a well-stated policy? If you require a jacket and a tie, I want to know ahead of time. Similarly, I want to know if children aren't allowed. If there is a problem with my behavior, I want to know in a polite and inconspicuous way. For example, if I accidentally knock a plate off the table at a nice restaurant, I want the situation taken care of without a big deal. If I have a child who has toys on the floor, I would like to be politely asked that they be moved so that waiters won't trip. Finally, if I am disturbing other guests, I want to be treated how you would other bad guests. What do you do if a guest is drunk and loud? Can you do the same with a parent who has a screaming child? A Windows on the World approach may have worked as well. Perhaps children should merely be treated as customers with special needs. Give them extra attention during their experience at the restaurant, and if they don't need the attention, then throttle it back throughout the meal. Maybe a waiter or busboy that was good with children can be assigned to look after tables with children. On the flip side, the next time these parents attempt to make a reservation or attempt to come into the restaurant, the restaurant might want to think twice before accepting the reservation or offering seats. As for the other customers, were the ones who were visibly disturbed offered a complimentary dessert or glass of wine even if they didn't complain directly? If I were a pissed off customer, this would definitely go a long way to making me happy. It sounds like an awful evening for almost everyone concerned. It's really too bad--one of the goals of all people who go out for the evening is to have a good time.

Personally, I would pick 2nd Avenue Deli over Katz's anyday. I think 2nd Avenue Deli has much better consistency, better table service, and a friendlier atmosphere. If you just want to run in and grab a quick sandwich to go, then Katz's is probably the fast choice. If you want better pastrami or corned beef, I think 2nd Avenue Deli is the best. And if you have to run, you can always call ahead an order anyway. Plus, 2nd Avenue Deli has great tongue. :-)

You must not live in New York City. Complaining is as natural as cursing here. That is why the food is so good--we don't eat crap.

He's his grandson. I believe Eric's dad started NY Newsday or is one of the top people in that organization. I think Eric is Isaac's nephew; that is, Eric's father is Isaac's brother. Eric and Amanda Hesser took turns writing the food review when Grimes was on leave. I really enjoyed both of their reviews. I don't find Grimes reviews particularly helpful or entertaining.

Yep, we definitely got charged for the onion rings. Using the scoring sheet, I think I gave the burger something like a 63% score. If I had known it was at $13 burger, that score would have been 60%. We did end up leaving a very generous tip. Personally, I don't mind so much; I'm just never going back or recommending the place. I'm still very surprised they weren't faster with drink orders. Given how long the food took, people would have drunk more waiting for their food if given the opportunity to get more drinks. I'm not sure they are used to such a large dinner crowd. When we ordered, the place was hardly full (there was a large back room), and by the time we left, the place was empty. Some pictures: Note use of ham ("Irish Bacon") rather than American bacon. No notice of non-standard bacon was delivered by waiter. Presentation of my burger My burger was supposed to be medium rare; it was delivered uncooked in the middle. The temp after serving was 103 degrees. If I had thought about it more, this would have been a better photo. Empty plate. Icky tomato.

The one time I went to Fish, I had a bad oyster and perhaps the worst crawfish boil ever. I'm not sure which of the two was worse. The bad oyster prevented me from leaving the house the next day and a half, but the crawfish boil was memorable for its total lack of seasoning and flavor. I can't really excuse either problem in a restaurant named "Fish." I think Blue Ribbon in Brooklyn and Manhattan has two of the best raw bars in the city. But they aren't cheap.

La Cote Basque’s closing makes me sad. I went there with my Mom on this past Mother's day. I thought the entire experience, including the food, wine, and service, was wonderful. The menu was a great mix of both traditional and contemporary cuisine. On the other hand, I haven't gone back since then. When work spurns a jacket and tie, it is more difficult to go to restaurants that require them. So while the restaurant closing disappoints me, it does make a lot of sense for it to change to a more casual restaurant.

I like Hallo Berlin. They are fast, good, and cheap. There is always a good selection of beers and a nice selection of sausages. They have two locations, both in Manhatten: one is at 10th Ave at 44th and the other is on 51st near 9th Avenue. The one on 10th Avenue is much bigger, and I think it is a little more fun. I've also enjoyed Zum Schneider quite a few times. However, I find that I have a pounding headache the next morning after every time I visit there. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. About me or the restaurant.

I live in New York, and anytime I am in Seattle I make sure I go to Harvest Vine. It is arguably one of the best restaurants in the country. The flavor and variety of dishes is amazing, and their execution is simply incredible. It is the kind of restaurant you can sit at for hours eating dish after dish. Not only is the food excellent, but also the wine list is amazing. I have never had nor seen as many Spanish wines as there are at Harvest Vine. I have enjoyed both their dinner wines and their dessert wines. My only regret is that I didn't write them all down as I was drinking them--drinking a lot of wine seems to make you forget what wines you have been drinking for some strange reason. My favorite dishes include the aforementioned stuffed peppers, the cured tuna, the chorizo (without the eggs), and the fried peppers. That being said, I can't say I have had anything that didn't make me happy. The menu changes quite frequently, so you won't see the same item every day. (I once has fried stuffed squash blossoms that were fantastic.) The wait staff knows the food and wine well; they can make good recommendations. I think the best seats in the house are at the counter in front of the kitchen staff. Harvest Vine is one of several reasons why I would like to move to Seattle. I wish I could find a restaurant in New York City that was like it.

I've been to two weddings in Seattle; the last one was two weeks ago or so. One was on a cruise around Elliott Bay. The view was really amazing and the food was good. The one I went to two weeks ago was hosted at The Ruins, a private supper club at the edge of Queen Anne. There was no view, as The Ruins is in the middle of a warehouse, but the atmosphere and the food were both very good. The Seattle Times had an article on The Ruins on the ruins called Love Among the Ruins. My friends joined as members, but I think you can also book parts of The Ruins as non-members as well. I also ate with my the same friends a couple of months before their wedding and was very impressed by both the service and the food.

I have eaten at Les Halles on Park many times. It would probably disturb me to go through my credit card statements to see how much I have spent there. Excluding the past couple of months when I have been very busy at work, I ate there three or four times a month for the past year. Generally, I sit at the bar, but if I am with other folks I will get a table. Even though the restaurant is always busy, I have never had to wait long for a table. I really enjoy both the food and the atmosphere at Les Halles. The food is good, consistent, and fast, and the service is reliable and unpretentious. When I eat there, I generally start with a slice of the pate as an appetizer and then have the steak-frites-salade medium rare. (The steak-frites-salade is a good deal.) However, there are many other dishes that I really love including the tartiflette, the gratin de macaroni, the merguez and the faux-filet bercy. The charcuterie is also really awesome, but it is a huge dish. The wine list has a decent selection of French bottles and wines by the glass. I don't think the restaurant is too loud, but then again, I enjoy loud crowded restaurants. And Les Halles is crowded. Even though I don't smoke, I miss the smoky bar--I really thought it added a lot of character to the place. (Of course, that is a topic for another thread. ) I think the fries are the best french fries in New York City. Bourdain bragged about them in his books, and he has every right. The fries are well made, perfectly cooked, and served hot. Most importantly, they taste great with a perfect crisp and a nice smooth center. I am glad this thread started--I really have to get back to going to Les Halles regularly. It is out of my way since I work in Rock Center and live in Brooklyn, but it is well worth the trip for a good meal. I hope you enjoyed your meal there tonight, Dumpling.

I think it is fine that you wrote a letter to the owners of Babbo, but it isn't clear to me what you are expecting from the restaurant. It looks like you had three experiences: * You cancelled a reservation: * They lost a reservation * You had a reservation for 6:15 P.M., and your party wasn't complete until 7 P.M; the service was not friendly: I have not been to Babbo, but I eat out quite a bit in NYC. There have been a couple of restaurants where I have been unhappy with the service in one way or another. In one case, I wrote a letter to the owners, and I never got a response. I realized that I could make my feelings known another way--I didn't go back to the restaurant or any other restaurants owned by the same owners. It's not a hard and fast rule, and I may go back in the future. However, there are too many good restaurants in the city to waste my time where I am not happy and have not had a good meal. It is not worth my time to write to the restaurant owners and it is not worth the spite of undertipping. If I have a poor experience, I still leave a nice tip but I don't go back. All that being said, I don't totally understand why you were so offended by your service. Even if the person was being incredibly rude in your first incident, you were still the one cancelling the reservation. Some restaurants would charge you a deposit. Should they be rude? No. Should you cancel a reservation? No. In the second incident, the restaurant lost your reservation. There is no good excuse for that. In the third incident, your party was 45 minutes late! This doesn't excuse cold service, but I think you were really in the wrong in this case. A reservation is not just a whim--it is a promise to another business that you will be there. Just as you expect them to keep your reservations, they expect you to use them. If you had new friends, would you keep them waiting for 45 minutes? I know I sound a bit harsh, but I don't think you were necessarily polite in your dealings with the restaurant. That being said, I firmly believe that if you feel you had bad service you can let them know. And you shouldn't spend money on places where you don't have a good experience.