48 replies to this topic

[Wilfrid]

Oakapple has a point there.

Tell him to stop doing comedy!

[Slapsie Maxie]

ECC had an abysmal reception when it opened in London

The reality is that this "We decide if you come in" schtick may play in cities with no great cocktail culture, but wont play in NYC, London or anywhere else where there are lots of alternative venues to get a drink without having to encounter a bunch of complete knob heads at the door.

I am not sure about the NYC location, but I know there are at least a dozen places near the London branch where I would prefer to go and drink. They will change their policy soon or be gone in a year.

Slapsie

[joethefoodie]

ECC had an abysmal reception when it opened in London

The reality is that this "We decide if you come in" schtick may play in cities with no great cocktail culture, but wont play in NYC, London or anywhere else where there are lots of alternative venues to get a drink without having to encounter a bunch of complete knob heads at the door.

I am not sure about the NYC location, but I know there are at least a dozen places near the London branch where I would prefer to go and drink. They will change their policy soon or be gone in a year.

Slapsie

Well, the NYC location isn't exactly in a beautiful part of town - unless you want to buy some fish on the corner. But, within 20 - 30 minutes on foot, or less by taxi, there are plenty of alternatives.

[Wilfrid]

It's very near Milk & Honey.

ETA: Where "entrance is by referral and appointment only." Poo-pi-doo.

[oakapple]

Ha! Milk and Honey was never really that tough.

As bars go, it was pretty tough --- bearing in mind, who wants to jump through any hoop, for a drink?

[Suzanne F]

Looks nice, but you really have to enter into email correspondence to get a drink? #hospitality

Maybe they just don't have a phone yet?

Nothing in the piece in the Times says anything about door policy, so where is all that speculation coming from? Or have one of you actually tried to get in and been turned away?

[Wilfrid]

It's coming from Slapsie, who is talking about the London branch, which has been around a while, and does have bouncers and an advance email reservation policy (even though it does have a phone).

[Stone]

Bizzaro world. People make reservations to have drinks at a bar. They wait over an hour to have a meatball sandwich or a bowl of soup.

[Suzanne F]

Oh. But that's London. So do we know if they'll try that here, or more to the point, keep it up? Since it does seem spectacularly stupid to have to reserve via email. Kind of negates the idea of "Let's go out for a nice drink, now."

Then again, it will be another reason for Sneak to carry around his phone all the time.

[Sneakeater]

You used to have to reserve at Milk & Honey -- by either text message or email. They kept that up for something like a decade.

[Wilfrid]

Oh. But that's London. So do we know if they'll try that here, or more to the point, keep it up? Since it does seem spectacularly stupid to have to reserve via email. Kind of negates the idea of "Let's go out for a nice drink, now."

Then again, it will be another reason for Sneak to carry around his phone all the time.

I agree it's stupid, but it appears that's what they're doing.

[Nathan]

Ha! Milk and Honey was never really that tough. And - they were the first of their ilk, so...

If you had the number it wasn't tough at all. M&H opened in January 2000....predating even Zig-Zag and VTR by a couple years I believe...
So, he didn't just create the faux-speakeasy (actually that honor probably resides with the Safe House in Milwaukee...there's just nothing worth drinking there), Sascha opened what was probably the first contemporary classic cocktail bar. He arguably started the whole thing.

[Sneakeater]

It got to be tough in that you had to pick a time you wanted to go, text the number, wait for them to text you back, and then make sure you were there within 15 minutes of your time . . . .

(It was easier early on when you just called.)

[Nathan]

You used to have to reserve at Milk & Honey -- by either text message or email. They kept that up for something like a decade.

the text message came later. It was originally by phone...and it wasn't really a matter of reservations...if they had an open seat they'd tell you and you could come then....or you could reserve in advance if you'd like. but it was completely democratic if you had the number. right around 2005-2006 it became text instead of voice but it was the same system...if I was downtown I'd text them at around 1 if I felt like going and usually there was a seat or two available.

eta: I see Sneak knew that

[Sneakeater]

Right, that change was when my attendance there began to tail off.

Before that, there was little inconvenience at all.