Oceana

[robyn]

So they're not sexist. They're just idiots. What were they doing - waiting for Tom Cruise to show up .

I'm not familiar with this restaurant (so I don't know where the bad tables are - probably in the back by the kitchen door). But what I've found with restaurants where someone at the FOH has a bit of brain matter is that when business is slow - you seat the people who arrive early up front - or in a prominent place - to give the impression that you're doing an ok business. Robyn

[ellenost]

So they're not sexist.  They're just idiots.  What were they doing - waiting for Tom Cruise to show up  .

I'm not familiar with this restaurant (so I don't know where the bad tables are - probably in the back by the kitchen door).  But what I've found with restaurants where someone at the FOH has a bit of brain matter is that when business is slow - you seat the people who arrive early up front - or in a prominent place - to give the impression that you're doing an ok business.  Robyn

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Maybe someone from Oceana will read your advice. One can only hope.

[chefboy24]

I'll give the thread another bump.  A friend we will be dining with in New York said that this is his favorite restaurant.  Any recent visits or opinions (I read the Bruni review and know that the restaurant will be moving later this year).  Robyn

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I had lunch at Oceana at the end of December (Christmas Eve day) and the place was a ghost town. Unfortunately, the manager (with only two other tables occupied) tried to seat me at the worst table. When I declined the table, he brought me to the second worst table--I didn't want to make too much of a fuss in front of my guest, so I took the table. The place (for the next two hours) filled only another 3 tables. The food was very good though. Unfortunately what I'll remember is not the food, but the stupidity of the manager. I might have considered returning, but the stupidity of the manager was a real turn-off. The wait staff was attentive. Funny how restaurants don't realize that the internet exists, and I can post here (and on other sites) and plenty of people are now aware that Oceana has service problems. Too bad for them.

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how do you know its the worst table?

i've seated tens of thousands of people in my career and literally...some peoples "best table" is other peoples "worst table". you wouldn't believe it but its true.

[ellenost]

I'll give the thread another bump.  A friend we will be dining with in New York said that this is his favorite restaurant.  Any recent visits or opinions (I read the Bruni review and know that the restaurant will be moving later this year).  Robyn

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I had lunch at Oceana at the end of December (Christmas Eve day) and the place was a ghost town. Unfortunately, the manager (with only two other tables occupied) tried to seat me at the worst table. When I declined the table, he brought me to the second worst table--I didn't want to make too much of a fuss in front of my guest, so I took the table. The place (for the next two hours) filled only another 3 tables. The food was very good though. Unfortunately what I'll remember is not the food, but the stupidity of the manager. I might have considered returning, but the stupidity of the manager was a real turn-off. The wait staff was attentive. Funny how restaurants don't realize that the internet exists, and I can post here (and on other sites) and plenty of people are now aware that Oceana has service problems. Too bad for them.

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how do you know its the worst table?

i've seated tens of thousands of people in my career and literally...some peoples "best table" is other peoples "worst table". you wouldn't believe it but its true.

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I consider the tables at the entrance, next to the kitchen and next to the bathrooms to be the worst tables in a restaurant. The first table offered to me was the one at the entrance (I declined that table). The second table offered to me was next to the kitchen. I consider this table to be among the worst since it gets too much traffic. I don't think anyone would consider either of these tables to be the "best" or even "good" tables. The manager had never seen me before so he figured why waste a good table on a "nobody" (even though he filled only 5 tables the entire lunch service).

[oakapple]

how do you know its the worst table?

i've seated tens of thousands of people in my career and literally...some peoples "best table" is other peoples "worst table".  you wouldn't believe it but its true.

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In the situation as described, it's hard not to blame the manager. If the diner had already declined the first table, and if there were only 5 parties in the entire restaurant, the sensible thing would be to say, "I can offer you a table here, or perhaps over there. Do you have a preference, madame?"

[robyn]

how do you know its the worst table?

i've seated tens of thousands of people in my career and literally...some peoples "best table" is other peoples "worst table".  you wouldn't believe it but its true.

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Has anyone who isn't trying to hide from someone ever asked to be seated by the bathroom or kitchen doors? Robyn

[chefboy24]

i can think of hundreds of restaurants, that, believe it or not...have zero tables next to the kitchen doors or the entrance (due to a lounge), ... where there really are no bad tables

per se, eleven madison park, gramercy tavern, jean georges, le bernardin, adour, daniel, gordon ramsay, veritas, the modern, perry street, i can go on and on and on.

corner tables are always nice, though, and are sometimes in high demand. that is a different story. i would prefer one of the corners at gramercy or EMP than a banquette seated across if i were a deuce.

Edited February 2, 2009 by chefboy24 (log)