Ararat Benefit Party

We were asked to leave because they had booked our table for another party. The catch is we had just finished eating and for a moment had considered dessert. When asked to leave we pointed out that we hadn’t even received our check, upon which the waitress started clearing our entrees and saying it would be out to us. I had heard of this occurring at Ararat, but to experience first-hand was upsetting. They were pretty rude to our table and lost seven customers that night. No wonder they need a fundraiser.

it's called exclusionary lesbian militism and no business acumen.

good luck, ladies. thanks for ruining one of our favorite restuarants.

The problem with Ararat is the overall gruff attitude the owner's have when dealing with their customers. I've been to Ararat multiple times and always chuckle when a couple of tables are occupied for the evening and they hostess/owner asks if I have a reservation. What does it matter when you’re not even at ¼ of capacity for the entire night?

Once I was there on a Thursday around 8pm and the joint was half full. I was asked if I had a reservation. Yes. We weren't given the greatest table so I asked politely if we could move to another two top. The reply? "No, that table is reserved." Come again?

I guess all that killer green and hokey belly dancing Muzak is going to their heads.

McGrit

bringing your own food and paying for it at a fundraiser is pretty absurd, i agree. talk about milking/taking advantage of people's committment to a sense of community.

It should be noted that I enjoy the BYOB concept, especially in a situation where I know more than 1 bottle of win will be purchased -- the corkage fee is nominal and in a group of 4 or more, it is not uncommon to drink 4+ bottles of wine. That's a lot of money when you have to pay 2-4x more than Whole Foods would charge for the same bottle of wine.

I also liked Ararat's food the few times I've been there, I just don't get how *this* is a good fundraiser.

If they want to raise money in some other manner, host a party all day/evening that backyard with bands playing, charge $20, and serve food -- don't ask people to bring their own food.

maybe they are hurting because they changed ownership and the new ownership is more worried about things other than the food and service, especially the food. it has declined severely over the last two years. byob is not a big deal, but this practice is ridiculous.

agreed. this is a very lame attempt at raising funds for a restaurant. i get enough potluck action at work, and it's free, AND i don't have to listen to bad mediterranean(?) music at the same time.

i hope they at least paid you guys some money or waived your own "required donation" for this post.

from citysearch: "The restaurant does not serve alcohol, but diners are welcome to bring their own bottle, and the staff will uncork it for a small fee."

Wait, so I'm supposed to go to an eating establishment.. but bring my own food and my own booze?

Since when do people go out to eat, but have to eat their own food, drink their own wine, and eat the food that other non-professional cooks have made? And pay for that honor?

How about they just raise their prices and continue to cook for me instead. That's why I go out to eat-- so I don't have to cook, clean up, etc. Its not like Aratat's furniture is so damned nice that I'd pay $10 for a chance to sit on it while I eat Sally Homemaker's Mac and Cheese.

(Yes I realize that they're providing other things like a bowl of non-plastic fruit, some belly dancers, and a band no one has ever heard of)