August 10, 2004

Tourist trappings at Tavern on the Green

The restaurant I hate most in Manhattan, Tavern on the Green, is getting a drubbing in a Chowhound discussion string for its horrible service and uneven food quality. A sample: "I believe that the management just doesn't *have* to care, because the primary diners are tourists." Another diner says it's been that way since 1963 when her family sat on the patio on Mother's Day for an hour and a half waiting for any sign of a waiter - and then they walked out.


My one and only time there was the height of humiliation. Christmas time, my first year in New York. My date - (later upgraded to husband) - and I had a reservation, which I could only get if I let them pre-charge $150 on my credit card. We showed up - he in tux, me even all fancy even with an up-do -- and we were made to wait over an hour, not kidding, with about 80 other similarly dressed couples with reservations. The room was freezing cold, cramped and offered no place to sit. We were all held hostage because they already had our credit card numbers. Standing near the maitre d, I finally witnessed the problem: You had to pay him for a table. Even worse, when we were finally seated, the dining area was half-empty. We asked our perfectly nice waiter if they were especially busy that night. He said no, actually, they were extremely slow. Never, ever again.

August 10, 2004 09:52 AM in Foodology, Upper West Side

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