NJ Restaurants that request jackets

[tommy]

La Tour in Ridgewood requests jackets. Haven't been there in a long time but I always enjoyed their food.

hehe. i don't have to tell rosie that i don't like this place. but, i will say that i've never worn a jacket there and i've never felt out of place. if they actually go as far as to request a jacket (over the phone presumably) then that's another reason that i'll never go there. la tour is way waay too full of itself, and for no good reason in my estimation.

for those wondering, i wouldn't bother with a jacket when going to La Tour.

Edited January 4, 2003 by tommy (log)

[lamb]

Whispers in Spring Lake requires a jacket. Personally I like to dress appropriately when I go to a restaurant. If it is very casual then I will dress casually, but if the restaurant is upscale then I dress accordingly and like to see men dressed properly also.

Just as an upscale restaurant should have good food, good wine list and good service, they should also have a clientelle that dress properly. I'm European and perhaps that makes a difference.

What I don't agree with and never did is the stupid practice of making a man wear either a jacket or tie that they keep in the back of the restaurant that many other men have worn. Restaurants should inform people when they make a reservation if there is a dress code, then the client can decide if he (it's rarely a woman) wants to eat in that restaurant or go somewhere without a dress code.

Really?

I was there last year, and the men in our group didn't wear jackets. Management didn't ask them to wear the "requisite jacket in the back". I don't recall other men wearing jackets either. Did their rules change recently?

[tommy]

it might be a good idea for everyone to recognize that pretty much only *2* restaurants in NJ "request" a jacket, much less "require" a jacket. "requiring" a jacket is so old-school, that even those temples of old-school sophistication in NYC have given up the practice. i can't imagine that in NJ, for example, Stage House Inn or Cafe Panache (the more serious of the "fancy" joints) or, at the other end of the gastronomic spectrum, The Highlawn Pavilion and its ilk have a closet of jackets in case i show up without one.

(it is important to note that i've never been to THP or its ilke, so i can't verify my assumptions)

in summary, "required" is a very strong word.

Edited January 4, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Rosie]

Whispers in Spring Lake requires a jacket. Personally I like to dress appropriately when I go to a restaurant. If it is very casual then I will dress casually, but if the restaurant is upscale then I dress accordingly and like to see men dressed properly also.

Just as an upscale restaurant should have good food, good wine list and good service, they should also have a clientelle that dress properly. I'm European and perhaps that makes a difference.

What I don't agree with and never did is the stupid practice of making a man wear either a jacket or tie that they keep in the back of the restaurant that many other men have worn. Restaurants should inform people when they make a reservation if there is a dress code, then the client can decide if he (it's rarely a woman) wants to eat in that restaurant or go somewhere without a dress code.

Really?

I was there last year, and the men in our group didn't wear jackets. Management didn't ask them to wear the "requisite jacket in the back". I don't recall other men wearing jackets either. Did their rules change recently?

Were you there in the summer? Sometimes dress codes are relaxed then.

[Rail Paul]

or, at the other end of the gastronomic spectrum, The Highlawn Pavilion and its ilk have a closet of jackets in case i show up without one.

I've dined at High Lawn Pavilion in a "stylish" turtleneck, sans jacket without difficulty. Perhaps they confused me with Leonardo di Caprio or Tony Soprano...

I've been intrigued that many establishments request or require jackets for men, but allow women in any state of undress. Jeans -OK, guinea T - sure, tank top - as long as you've got the goods.....

[tommy]

but allow women in any state of undress. Jeans -OK, guinea T - sure...

that's "mullet beater" to you, sir.

[suzilightning]

gosh what i wouldn't give to see my husband in a jacket

or even better black tie - or white tie

since i knew he wasn't into a lot of stuff when we got married 20 years ago i kept it as simple as i could to make sure he would show up

i have, however, seen him in a tux at his friends wedding( i was busy counting hawks on our hawkwatch)

[Rosie]

Chez Catherine--jackets perferred for male guests.

[Helena Robinson]

Let's see...

Once upon a time, some restaurants even loaned gentleman a jacket to wear into the dining room, only to be immediately removed and draped over the back of the chair. Last time that happened to us was several yerars ago at Susanna Foo's in Philly - at lunch.

In NJ, the only places that seem to at least request jackets these days are Ryland Inn, The Dining Room at the Hilton in Short Hills and Bernards Inn. You could probably add Fromagerie, among others, to this list (specifics escape me right now).

Ken usually wears a tie, but not always a jacket. OK, so he has a collection of "interesting" ties that are food and wine oriented. The latest addition is one by his favorite designer, Vicky Davis, which features something that appears to be a bowl of soup that has its own decoration - a tie tack (that really isn't) of a fly.

Then again, we like to dress up for going out to dinner at a "fine dining" establishment.

[Wilfrid]

Oof, page two. Wonders will never cease.

[tommy]

Oof, page two.  Wonders will never cease. 

and without the help of repetition. or NY'ers for that matter.

[Rachel Perlow]

Oof, page two.  Wonders will never cease. 

Page 2? Oh, you must still have your settings on default. If you want, go to My Controls/Board Settings, where you can change the number of posts per page up to 40.

[Rosie]

Scalini Fedeli--jackets mandatory on weekends.

[RockADS21]

Wanted to bring this topic back up as I have dinner reservations at Rat's for tomorrow evening and just happened to catch on their website that jackets are "preferred" for dinner...I actually wasn't planning on wearing one until I saw this, but now I most likely will...I just think that if they specifically state that on the site that I would probably feel underdressed and would be looking around to see if I were the only one who didn't wear one...anyone else feel the same?

Edited September 5, 2003 by RockADS21 (log)

[lamb]

The men in our party felt the same at Restaurant Nicholas. They were probably the only ones in the restaurant when we were dining that did not have jackets. A Sat evening in the spring last year. They got over it very quickly once they sat down and started eating and drinking. Didn't bother them one bit by the end of the evening.

[adegiulio]

Latour requests jackets?? I'll wear a jacket there as soon as they offer REAL wine glasses as opposed to those 3 ounce glasses that are always freshly warmed from the dishwasher. They are the reason I went out and invested in a soft sided Riedel case to bring my own stemware.

Food is still great though...

Anthony

[FoodSnob]

We are going to Rats tomorrow evening as well. RockADS21 - if you are there at 9:00 PM - you will be able to recognize us because the gusys probably won't be wearing jackets! The other couple made the reservations and never mentioned anything to us about jackets being preferred. Now I'll have to call them and coordinate on "jackets or no jackets." On the occassions that we've been to Nicholas, I think those have been mainly jackets with possibly one no jacket night. The food has always been great. I am hoping that Rats measures up to what I've heard. I will try to post something next week and hope that the wine doesn't stop me from remembering the details!

I just realized that "R" is going on Friday and we are going on Saturday. Perhaps he can give us a heads up on the jacket situation and, of course, the food.

Edited September 5, 2003 by FoodSnob (log)

[=Mark]

Whispers in Spring Lake requires a jacket. Personally I like to dress appropriately when I go to a restaurant. If it is very casual then I will dress casually, but if the restaurant is upscale then I dress accordingly and like to see men dressed properly also.

Just as an upscale restaurant should have good food, good wine list and good service, they should also have a clientelle that dress properly. I'm European and perhaps that makes a difference.

What I don't agree with and never did is the stupid practice of making a man wear either a jacket or tie that they keep in the back of the restaurant that many other men have worn. Restaurants should inform people when they make a reservation if there is a dress code, then the client can decide if he (it's rarely a woman) wants to eat in that restaurant or go somewhere without a dress code.

Really?

I was there last year, and the men in our group didn't wear jackets. Management didn't ask them to wear the "requisite jacket in the back". I don't recall other men wearing jackets either. Did their rules change recently?

I've also been there and did not wear a jacket...

[Helena Robinson]

On the other hand...

Perhaps this might be the appropriate place to mention that in a recent review of Lahiere in Princeton, it was noted that the restaurant no longer requires jackets.

[Lreda]

Wanted to bring this topic back up as I have dinner reservations at Rat's for tomorrow evening and just happened to catch on their website that jackets are "preferred" for dinner...I actually wasn't planning on wearing one until I saw this, but now I most likely will...I just think that if they specifically state that on the site that I would probably feel underdressed and would be looking around to see if I were the only one who didn't wear one...anyone else feel the same?

Rock, If straightjackets are allowed, perhaps you might feel more comfortable.

J E T S, jets, jets jets.

Hee hee

Lou