"Then, I went home and pored over the open table site and the Sax website, and found no mention of this cover. I emailed Open table, to inform them that the price should be mentioned. They advised that I call a general manager. I emailed Sax and haven't heard back. I'll try calling sometime today, but this is something that should be mentioned up front, no?"

Yes it should have been mentioned up front, but judging by the totality of OP's post, it seems hard to take at face value.

"I pored over...the Sax website, and found no mention of this cover". Really? it can be found in less than 30 seconds on the FAQs.

Doesn't sound like OP's attention to detail is very high, and thus, very easily could have missed it posted on the menu/a sign in restaurant/from the waitress.

Just sounds like there is another side to this story, and OP's self-victimization doesn't add up.

Definitely outrage worthy, and I am rarely outraged. Please do write to Tom Sietsema.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was appalled like the rest after reading the original post because I didn't know what Sax was, but after doing some basic Googling, I think OP is trying to shift the blame for his/her own lack of research.

It doesn't appear that Sax is a normal "restaurant", but rather a entertainment venue with burlesque shows and other dancing. These places, along with stand up comedy clubs and music venues are notorious for having minimums. Granted, $75 is steep, but that's not the issue here.

Second, you looked at the Open Table site, which is a 3rd party entity, not the official website. After 2 min on their website, I found the table minimum in the FAQ section.

OP, you are being obtuse and/or naive, and are trying to shift the blame to the restaurant unfairly.

+1.

+2. The fact that the thread is titled "Restaurant with minimum charge" and the entire original post makes no mention of the entertainment side of the experience (Burlesque dancing/acrobatic poledancing/interpretive dance...according to their site) shows that they aren't telling the whole story.

This isn't a "restaurant with a minimum charge" this is a performance venue that serves food with a minimum charge.

I have been to this restaurant several times and it is *not* a performance venue that serves food. It is primarily a restaurant that has a nice bar area with sporadic, short performances that you have to crane your neck to see. And the quality of the performances is not particularly impressive either. It's a nice restaurant though and they have a really great selection of local wines.

I'd agree that it would be a best practice of the restaurant to inform everyone who sits down during a "Minimum" requirement time about the minimum, but I also don't think this is "Outrage--write Tom S." worthy considering this is a Performance venue and the info can be found on the website relatively quickly.

In OP's defense, I might not have figured this out either. I just went to the website. If you look at the FAQ, there is nothing explicit about the minimum per person. You have to open up the question about reservations to see that there is a $75 minimum per person. If you go straight to reservations and never even look at the FAQ, it goes to Open Table and says nothing about the minimum.

Huh. I was joking when I said I associated eateries that have minimums with the types of places that offer lap dances. guess I wasn't too far off the mark.

OP here. I never went to FAQ bc I already had a reservation and had read the menu in detail. A friend recommended that we go and said - it's a fun place with some dancing performances. It was not billed to me as a "show" and honestly, it was 3 min dances every 20 minutes - it's not a night club or a strip club; it's a sit down restaurant with a proper menu. I've been to places where there is a cover charge, but never at a place a meal was served.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was appalled like the rest after reading the original post because I didn't know what Sax was, but after doing some basic Googling, I think OP is trying to shift the blame for his/her own lack of research.

It doesn't appear that Sax is a normal "restaurant", but rather a entertainment venue with burlesque shows and other dancing. These places, along with stand up comedy clubs and music venues are notorious for having minimums. Granted, $75 is steep, but that's not the issue here.

Second, you looked at the Open Table site, which is a 3rd party entity, not the official website. After 2 min on their website, I found the table minimum in the FAQ section.

OP, you are being obtuse and/or naive, and are trying to shift the blame to the restaurant unfairly.

+1.

+2. The fact that the thread is titled "Restaurant with minimum charge" and the entire original post makes no mention of the entertainment side of the experience (Burlesque dancing/acrobatic poledancing/interpretive dance...according to their site) shows that they aren't telling the whole story.

This isn't a "restaurant with a minimum charge" this is a performance venue that serves food with a minimum charge.

Quit playing the victim card here OP. How did you spend all this time on their website and not visit the FAQ section?

Anonymous wrote:I was appalled like the rest after reading the original post because I didn't know what Sax was, but after doing some basic Googling, I think OP is trying to shift the blame for his/her own lack of research.

It doesn't appear that Sax is a normal "restaurant", but rather a entertainment venue with burlesque shows and other dancing. These places, along with stand up comedy clubs and music venues are notorious for having minimums. Granted, $75 is steep, but that's not the issue here.

Second, you looked at the Open Table site, which is a 3rd party entity, not the official website. After 2 min on their website, I found the table minimum in the FAQ section.

OP, you are being obtuse and/or naive, and are trying to shift the blame to the restaurant unfairly.

+1.

On a side-note, OP, how was the food there? I've heard of this place, but never heard anyone talk about actually going. It looks like the sort of place where a bunch of spoiled kids from VA would do coke in the bathroom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would write to Tom Sietsema!

+1
Good timing - his weekly chat is tomorrow, and you can submit your question beforehand.

+2 - this is a great way to get the word out and maybe get a response. This is terrible, because at least if you knew about it you may have ordered differently-- like splurge items, or a champagne cockatail or something special. Instead of being forced to take something home. Did they let ya take home a fancy bottle of wine? !!