Thai Elephant Bistro

[nando]

My wife and I found ourselves on Morris Avenue at about 7PM yesterday and decided to head to Thai Elephant Bistro in Millburn/Short Hills for dinner. Our first surprise of the evening was that the restaurant was no longer Thai Elephant Bistro but had some other "thai" name that I can't recall right now. Once inside we found out that it was the new restaurants grand opening. The place did look brighter and airier than before but other than the asthetics not much had changed. The table cloths, serviceware and glasses seemed to be the same as before. The food was the same reliable, if not a bit expensive, thai cuisine that we'd enjoyed before. We liked the Pad Thai and Ginger Chicken Saute and loved their Tom Kha coconut soup. After speaking with the staff I couldn't really say if they had really changed owners or were just trying to reinvent themselves. The other surprise appeared on the menu in small type at the bottom. They were charging $2 for a service fee on BYO wines. I know corkage fees are common throughout the country but I'd never seen that at a NJ BYOB. Has anyone else seen this "fee" used anywhere in the NJ BYO realm?

[tommy]

The other surprise appeared on the menu in small type at the bottom.  They were charging $2 for a service fee on BYO wines.  I know corkage fees are common throughout the country but I'd never seen that at a NJ BYOB.  Has anyone else seen this "fee" used anywhere in the NJ BYO realm?

as rosie will no doubt post, NJ byo restaurants are no permitted to charge a corkage fee. maybe they don't know that.

[thereuare]

Just to clarify, i'll assume that this restaurant does NOT have a liquor license...

As Tommy pointed out, NJ restaurants that DO NOT have a liquor license can NOT charge a corking fee.

I believe if a restaurant has a liquor license but allows you to bring your own bottle, then they ARE ALLOWED to charge a corkage fee.

[Rosie]

Thai Elephant was at 504 Millburn Ave.

Enhanced Thai Cuisine has been open for 2 years and they are at 321 Millburn Ave.

It is illegal to charge corkage fee at a BYO.

[Rail Paul]

Rosie -

any idea of the fine for charging a corkage fee at a BYO? I'm not sure what the ABC could do since there's no license to jerk around. Perahps it is just a consumer affairs administrative violation?

NJ's crazy quilt of liquor laws is intriguing, but the liquor stores and restaurants seem to be so well connected that it usually takes an ABC officer spotting a nine year old kid dragging a keg down the street before anything happens to the licensed entity

Paul

[Rosie]

I don't think the ABC fines the store for serving liquor. I think it is the municipality and that fine is probably different from city to city.

[Rachel Perlow]

So which is the place that is charging the corkage?

[Rosie]

Thai Elephant has closed.