I am reposting this review because a previous version I posted is no longer visible on Google. Several members of our group also noticed that their reviews are not currently visible.
Management did reach out after the incident to discuss the situation. At the time of writing, the matter has not been resolved and no compensation has been offered. Regardless, we believe it is important to share our experience publicly so that others can make informed decisions about visiting.
We have been here twice now, and our experience last night was very disappointing due to what felt like discriminatory treatment during our visit.
My five friends and I were celebrating one of their birthdays. We arrived around 9:30 pm and were enjoying our time until around 11:00 pm, having already spent hundreds of dollars. At that point, a security guard told our friend (whose birthday it was) that he had to remove his hat or leave. He was wearing a clean, well-kept designer cap. The security guard walked away for a bit, so we asked our waitress about this "rule." She apologized and told us that the restaurant had received many complaints about the policy and suggested that we try to avoid the security guard.
Because they needed our table for a larger party, we were moved to another table across the restaurant. We had just settled in when the same security guard approached our friend again and told him to leave. At that point we asked to speak with a manager. The manager told us that their dress code goes into effect at 10:00 pm and that hats are not allowed. I pointed out that there was another customer across the room wearing a cowboy hat, and the manager responded that cowboy hats were "different."
At this point the situation started to feel very inconsistent. Our friend wearing the hat is South Asian, yet we observed other patrons wearing hats who were allowed to remain in the restaurant.
We tried to calmly point out the apparent inconsistency in how the rule was being enforced. Our friend was ultimately escorted out while the rest of us stayed at the table. About ten minutes later, the security guard returned with another guard and told the rest of us that we also had to leave. When we asked why, he said we had been "disrespectful to the hostesses," even though we had not spoken to the host stand since we arrived.
Both security guards followed us out of the room. During this interaction I pointed out that another guest in the restaurant was wearing athletic shoes, which also appeared to be against the dress code. The guard responded dismissively that they "don't care about that." When I attempted to take a photo of the shoes, he grabbed my phone out of my hand. To avoid further escalation, we left the building.
Once outside, we noticed another customer wearing a backwards snapback hat and tennis shoes being allowed into the restaurant by another security guard without any questions. When we asked about it, the guard simply smiled at us. While we were outside, one of the previous security guards looked down at us from a window and waved mockingly.
If the hat policy was truly an issue, it should have been communicated when we arrived. We were seated at 9:30 pm, and it was clear we would still be there after their stated 10:00 pm dress code time. Instead, the concern about the hat was raised only after we had ordered food and multiple drinks totaling hundreds of dollars.
The inconsistent enforcement of the dress code and the way the situation was handled made the entire experience feel discriminatory and extremely uncomfortable for our group. This was especially disappointing from a restaurant that advertises an "inviting atmosphere."
To add to the unprofessionalism, when someone in our group mentioned that the restaurant felt very warm inside, one of the security guards laughed and responded, "Are you going to pay the $20k to fix it?"
Based on this experience, I would not recommend this establishment. read more