PrintRefused entry by Jean Georges
Long story short, I walked up the steps to Jean Georges, pulled on the door which would not open, turned to go, thinking it was closed. Another couple pulls on the door, which opens. I try again, and the door is again closed. The hostess is very literally looking *through* me. The place was most definitely open. What the heck is going on here? Manhattan hadn't magically turned into Denny's in the podunks has it? It's so crazy I couldn't be making this stuff up. I was most definitely dressed decently. Needless to say, I will *not* be honoring my reservation at Jean Georges in early January.
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20 Comments:
Had you been there before? Was this unusual? (To find the door locked.) Needless to say that when you enter a place that starts to drain money from every orafice before you even park your fanny in a dining room chair, you should have been treated better. Someone must have thought it was still the 80's and exclusion was the rule.
As far as honoring your reservation in January, would not going be cutting off your nose to spite your face??
chiff0nade at 9:40AM on 12/26/07
chiffOnade: We've never been there before. And I am more than happy this happened before we dropped $200/person on a dinner on would have left us gagging since the lunch reservation was really to scout the place out for a possible dinner splurge.
I'm looking into official avenues of complaint because this behavior goes beyond boorish and rude, and in my opinion, verges on the unlawful.
dana123 at 10:36AM on 12/26/07
First I would like to make "only in New York." Saying that - have you tried just calling them and asking what the deal is?
bravian at 11:12AM on 12/26/07
This is a bizarre story, Dana. What time was it? Was it on the 26th? Could they have been closed for a private party. We will try and find out for you.
Ed Levine at 11:16AM on 12/26/07
Private party was my first thought as well, but that's still no excuse for poor customer service! A sign or a person could easily have let potential customers know that there was a private party happening.
Bravian, don't be so quick to jump on the "only in New York" bandwagon, or I'll have to tell my long story about the worst service I've experienced in a long time--a $300+ dinner for two at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. In Vegas, not New York.
Curlz at 11:32AM on 12/26/07
Extremely bizarre behaviour. i'll put my feelers out too. The first rule with JG is always service. Does not sound like a typical day. Even with events, the staff are polite and courteous. This is really unusual.
souldawg at 11:47AM on 12/26/07
So did you call them on your cell? Did you have a reservation? More details, please. I've walked in there cold, both daylight and after dark, and never got anything worse than what I'd call we're-terribly-busy attitude.
lemons at 2:01PM on 12/26/07
Everyone: Thanks for your replies! I'm really touched. I kept the original post short, but I posted the whole story at http://jeangeorgesmanhattan.wordpress.com/
Around 1pm, I walked up, pulled the door, and it wouldn't budge. There was a couple of hostesses standing behind the door. I thought it was closed, so I turned to go. Another couple walked up and went right through. An hour later, I went back to JG (because I was curious as to what might have happened), and it was pretty crowded. This time the door opened, so I went in, and I asked the hostess when JG was open for lunch that day. She said 12pm. It was around 1pm when I tried the first time. I even considered the possibility that the door only pushed in, but my companion who also tried the door said the door didn't yield when pushed either.
I emailed JG, and they have not responded. However, I don't see what response they can possibly give. I'm not angling for a free meal as I wouldn't set foot in that place if I was paid to. I just want to know what the heck happened.
dana123 at 3:27PM on 12/26/07
Ed: It was on Christmas day, and I did go back an hour later to ask them when they opened for lunch. The hostess said noon, and the first time we tried was around 1pm.
bravian, lemon: I emailed JG, but I have not called them yet, because I don't as of yet feel I can talk to them with anything less than outrage.
I agree this is truly bizarre. I even considered the possibility that the door was the kind where you had to push in, and I only pulled. But my companion said the door didn't yield when pushed either. So I'm at a loss....
dana123 at 3:31PM on 12/26/07
I just have a question. I've never been to this restaurant, I probably never will but I'm just wondering. Is there some kind of buzzer whereby the hostess only lets in the "desirables"? I'm not accusing anyone of anything improper or illegal but I can't help but wonder if the owners prefer a more ..shall we say "restricted" clientele??
RichardCrystal at 11:25AM on 12/27/07
Dana, if Richard is right, I hope you nail them and hurt their pocketbook. I also hope you'll let us know their explanation, if they come up with one. I'm outraged right along with you.
PerkyMac at 11:50AM on 12/27/07
RichardCrystal: I've considered that. Thought it was too ridiculous. Then reconsidered it. I just really don't know at this point. If JG would like a more "restricted" clientele, then they should do like Masa and Per Se and get rid of an obvious and visible public entrance altogether.
PerkyMac: Thanks. I've emailed JG the day it happened. I'll post any reply I get from them here http://jeangeorgesmanhattan.wordpress.com/
I have no interest in JG's money or food. However, I do not feel I should let this type of behavior slide, if it is indeed what it looks like. If I don't get a written response from JG in two weeks, I'll look into the appropriate NYC governmental office that's supposed to be responsible for dealing with this behavior.
dana123 at 12:53PM on 12/27/07
Oddly enough, I was at JG today for lunch. We had a great deal of trouble opening the front door. I think that it might just stick in the wind. Honestly, we pulled for a while before someone noticed and helped. I'm not a regular and have nothing invested, and am certainly not trying to excuse poor behavior. I hope that it was simply a sticky door and not a case of a bad attitude. I'm sorry this happened to you.
jlbrach at 5:26PM on 12/27/07
I think jbrach may have a good point. Another potential customer and I arrived at a local restaurant a week or so ago. This place was no JG, but no greasy spoon diner either. Both of us tried the door with no success and both of us were going our separate ways a couple of minutes later with no clue as to why the restaurant would be closed. Next thing we know a couple walked out. I caught the door and walked in, callin g out to the other person to try again. Noted the problem to te hostess who apologized and said, "oh, stuck again." First time this had ever happened to me , but maybe it is not so uncommon. No excuse though for the restaurant not responding to the complaint.
ciaohound at 10:46PM on 12/27/07
Dana--Is there any resolution to this mystery? Many of us have read this exchange and are empathizing with your frustration and embarrassment. Please let us know when you find out what really happened!
Teachertalk at 6:47PM on 01/01/08
Read here:
http://jeangeorgesmanhattan.wordpress.com/
PerkyMac at 8:18PM on 01/01/08
Anyone who spends $200 for any meal for two has to have a screw loose or be seriously overfunded or both. Sounds to me like the restaurant did you a favor.
fewteeth at 9:32PM on 01/01/08
A few questions for the uninitiated:
1. Could you be seen through the door (was it clear glass or wooden)?
2. Do you look like a Killer on the Loose, a terrorist, etc. or can we assume that you looked harmless?
3. Do you think they were monitorring your approach, and didn't like what they saw?
4. Would you care to return to JG once again, and have someone videotape your attempted entrance? Or successful entrance, whereupon you could pose your question to the hostess or maitre'd to be captured on video and posted on YouTube?
I'm pretty sure that I've never been turned away from a restaurant BEFORE I ever crossed the threshhold! And I qualify as an unsavory character who wouldn't think of paying that much for a meal.
cocopazzo at 4:33PM on 01/03/08
After reading the extended and edited blog on his post/question I don't really care if the incident was real or not but I feel its a little questionable...
1. Why not when returning an hour later did he not ask the hostess or person who obviously looked right thru him the first time if SHE did in fact not see that he could not get in the door, and/or why the door was locked? But instead opted to ask when lunch started? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense...especially if he was as mad as stated.
2. Why not call? Come on, when did email ever get better than 50/50 response when addressing business and they don't know you from adam.
And if popularity, media, traffic, or just attention was not the intent then why the stats counter? The post is on wordpress with stats installed, maybe wordpress blogs come with stats installed, BUT usually it is a plugin option and besides this article with wordpress title, there is only one other new article on this blog.
you can tell stats are on because you see the little smiley face moving around in the background (and its tiny).
I think the majority of people would have found out what was going on when they got in the door the first time, and I for one (of millions) would have definitely called.
tyronebcookin at 10:05AM on 01/06/08
@tyronebcookin - I thought the exact same thing. Especially since the original post here did not state that he/she went into the restaurant an hour later and asked the time they started service. If I were that angry, you could bet that I would have asked all of my questions/concerns right then and there. I am pretty sure most, if not all, others would as well.
radley24 at 10:54AM on 01/06/08