Social Question

Nullo's avatar

What's your take on this restaurant?

Asked by Nullo (22033points) April 10th, 2010

Here in St. Louis we have a very, very exclusive restaurant.
There are no indications, from the outside, that it is a restaurant. You find it when a regular patron – invariably someone rich/famous/influential – brings you there. You are likely to be thoroughly ignored, should you happen to find it and not be in the company of a regular patron or are otherwise deemed unworthy.
There are no fixed prices. If you are in good standing with the house, your meal is relatively inexpensive, possibly even free. If you happened to wander in off the street and actually get service, the prices may be exorbitant.

The food, of course, is very, very good.

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31 Answers

davidbetterman's avatar

Money talks and… something (I forget) walks.

thriftymaid's avatar

No interest here.

jonsblond's avatar

I’d rather go to a family run diner. I’d prefer service with a smile, not service with a stick up the ass.

davidbetterman's avatar

service with a stick up the ass ROTFLMAO

Pretty_Lilly's avatar

Wasn’t that an episode of “Frasier”

jeanmay's avatar

Sounds abhorrent.

Nullo's avatar

@jonsblond The service for the well-received is supposed to be quite good.

jonsblond's avatar

@Nullo It is. I was lucky once in my life to receive such service. I still prefer the local diner. ;)

DarkScribe's avatar

If it hasn’t been critically reviewed, then it isn’t a good restaurant – regardless of the hype. Check some of the local food guides and reviews. Something sounds very improbable/implausible about it.

PandoraBoxx's avatar

Sounds like a private club, not a restaurant.

Captain_Fantasy's avatar

Yes the “exclusive” appeal. Some places will have it. It’s definitely not my thing because those places, while they have good food, are all about pretense.

I know places that have better food and none of the attitude.

escapedone7's avatar

Is it run by the mafia? I’d have nothing to do with it.

Nullo's avatar

@escapedone7
I put all that I know about it in the details. St. Louis has a fairly strong Mafia presence, so there certainly is the possibility that they’re involved.

snowberry's avatar

Sounds like a creepy place. I’d avoid it on general principles. I don’t care how great their food is, or to what wonderful lengths they go to to make their “privileged friends” happy. Yuk.

Bluefreedom's avatar

It sounds like a restaurant I would thoroughly avoid. Who needs that kind of unbalanced atmosphere and/or treatment when you’re trying to go out and enjoy yourself and have a nice meal? Life is too short to have to deal with petty venues such as that one.

ucme's avatar

I have a name for it “Snobs fill your Gobs” Mines a Big Mac to go please.See ya wouldn’t wanna be ya.

janbb's avatar

When you’re here, we treat you like family?

wonderingwhy's avatar

I’ve eaten at a bunch of insiders only places, usually you’re just paying to impress others or feel “exclusive” and self-important. If you want a top tier meal you’re likely to be underwhelmed. The food will be good of course, the presentation and service excellent, particularly the service – first class, but I’ve yet to eat at one that would consistently rate higher than a B. I’ve had one notable exception in Japan, but on the whole I’ve grown to believe they’re just a way to make you feel good about wasting your money.

Zen_Again's avatar

I’m making my famous lasagna. All invited.

wundayatta's avatar

It doesn’t bother me. I’d never find myself there. Completely off my radar screen. If you hadn’t told me, I’d never know it even existed. As far as I know, we don’t have places like that where I live, but I’m pretty clueless.

john65pennington's avatar

Am i missing something here? how can the restaurant survive by giving out free dinners? whats the catch? wheres the hook? i understand its only for the elite, but surely somebody or organization is footing the food bill. is there organized crime in St. Louis?

janbb's avatar

It does sound much more like a private club.

snowberry's avatar

@john65pennington, If there truly is “free” food there, rest assured it’s not really free. There is always a catch. I don’t think I’d want to know what that is, honestly.

john65pennington's avatar

snowberry, i totally agree.

Trillian's avatar

Sounds pretentious. And I don’t imagine that I’ll ever be invited, so – sour grapes. So there!

stranger_in_a_strange_land's avatar

It sounds like pure snob appeal. Those dining there probably don’t notice if the food is any good. I suppose that famous people might be attracted to a place where they wouldn’t be gawked at or photographed. Not a venue I would have any interest in.

filmfann's avatar

@Zen_Again Lasagna sounds good. What do you put in it? Do you ignore people who haven’t been there before? Do you charge lofty sums for first timers?

Zen_Again's avatar

@filmfann First of all, my lasagna is to die for, or to kill for. I can’t reveal the ingredients of the secret recipe, sorry.

As I mentioned all are invited. It’s free. You can bring a friend.

The second time will cost you a thousand bucks a plate – and I’ll treat you like shit.

filmfann's avatar

@Zen_Again Wow, that second time sound just like my wife makes it.

figbash's avatar

I’m not impressed by intentional exclusivity or pretension, especially when it comes to food. If I knew this was the “it” place I’d avoid it. I’ve been to a few of these places in my lifetime (East Coast, old money, blue bloods) and it just completely turned me off.

aprilsimnel's avatar

Free? Somebody has low rent, eh? Every couple of years some jagoff tries that stunt in NY, but the rent’s so damn high, said jagoff climbs off the “exclusive” horse in a hurry and anyone who can pay is free to dine.

The most expensive restaurants in Manhattan are Masa, which is $400—$600 chef’s tasting menu prix fixe, and Per Se, which isn’t so bad with the $125 prix fixe.

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