obnoxious experience at Violet Hour

I had some guests from out of town, so naturally I wanted them to experience the best cocktail place in Chicago. We got to Violet Hour around 10:30pm tonight (Saturday). There was already a long line with around 15 people in front of us. It took us about 30 minutes to actually get inside the building. The problem wasn't really with the wait. As we were slowly inching in toward the door, there were several groups of 5-6 people who arrived much later than us but were obviously getting in ahead of us. Apparently some people were complaining to the waiters and the answer they got was basically why they weren't leaving if they were so unhappy. There was no explanation as to why these people were let in. Besides these line cutters were very rude, telling others to move out of the way and acting all entitled.
At that point, I just couldn't take it any more and had to leave even though we just waited 40+ minutes fighting cold weather outside.
Has anyone else experienced this? It certainly left a bad enough taste in my mouth that I don't plan on coming back. Again, the wait wasn't the issue. If they have a strict policy for no reservations, they should stick to it.

Doesn't TVH do the thing where, if there's a wait, they take your cellphone number then give you a call when a table is available? Is it possible that those groups that were bypassing the line were doing so because they already paid their dues in the line, gave their number, then went elsewhere until TVH called them & told them their table was ready?

Khaopaat wrote:Doesn't TVH do the thing where, if there's a wait, they take your cellphone number then give you a call when a table is available? Is it possible that those groups that were bypassing the line were doing so because they already paid their dues in the line, gave their number, then went elsewhere until TVH called them & told them their table was ready?

yes and yes, not that it would make me feel any better though. That's why I just stay home on Saturday nights.

einberliner wrote:Again, the wait wasn't the issue. If they have a strict policy for no reservations, they should stick to it.

No, no way, a nightclub giving preferential treatment to high spending regulars, friends of the house or the famous. Letter to the editor time.

G Wiv wrote:No, no way, a nightclub giving preferential treatment to high spending regulars, friends of the house or the famous. Letter to the editor time.

Yeah, it's very disillusioning to learn that nightlife spots are practicing various forms of discrimination, bribery & favoritism with their door policies.

However, I don't believe this was the case in the OP's scenario. I'm pretty sure all of these allegedly line-cutting folks had already waited in line, and had given their cellphone #'s to the hosts. I've done this once before, and received a bunch of dirty looks and angry comments from some of the folks in line when I strolled past them & went straight inside.

Khaopaat wrote:Yeah, it's very disillusioning to learn that nightlife spots are practicing various forms of discrimination, bribery & favoritism with their door policies.

No jokey face?

If Mickey Rourke shows up with a mini-skirted Carol Channing on his arm you really think they are going to wait in line?

G Wiv wrote:No jokey face?

I was going for deadpan

Khaopaat wrote:I was going for deadpan

I tell the Carol Channing jokes around here......

G Wiv wrote:

Khaopaat wrote:I was going for deadpan

I tell the Carol Channing jokes around here......

Sorry, I'm still trying to process the image of Mickey Rourke, in all his face-lifted, hair-plugged glory, slurring something about being a friend of the owner to the door guy.

This scenario doesn't seem especially unusual and I agree with Kenny that some places are just best avoided at peak times but still, it would be nice if the level of communication with (waiting) patrons at TVH at least came close to approaching the level of their libations.

=R=

Sorry this happened, but this is the exact reason I go to TVH by 7 p.m. on a weeknight. I assume that this is why people enjoy not having kids.

jsagoff wrote:Sorry this happened, but this is the exact reason I go to TVH by 7 p.m. on a weeknight. I assume that this is why people enjoy not having kids.

Yeah, I agree, I have never had this problem there, but much like jsagoff above, unless I at The Hour by 7 or so, I don't bother going.

SSDD

Agreed. The people going in before you had come ahead and waited. I do this a lot.

That being said, don't go after around 7pm, like the others said. Only time I've shown up after that is on a Wednesday night, when I only had to wait a little bit .

Agree with everyone that TVH is best experienced early on a weeknight. On the weekends I'm always afraid that some of the Tito's that is flowing so copiously might accidentally end up in my drink. I'll add that rules were made to be broken, and while there is a general no reservations policy, invited guests, visiting dignitaries and regulars do receive preferential treatment everywhere and TVH is no exception.

ETA: Also, possible explanation for supposed rudeness of "line cutters". When you're called by TVH's door staff, you're given a limited amount of time to present yourself after which the table will be forfeited to the next group. I can imagine being somewhat forceful about getting through the throng if my table was about to be lost.

The "leave your cell phone and we'll call you in an hour to come back" thing happens at Avec too. I have seen it annoy other patrons there as well. Also, sometimes they have room for one size group and not another. If you go to Avec with an odd-sized group they will almost always seat you at the end of the table so the odd person can sit on the end. This means that even-sized groups who come after will almost certainly always be seated before you. Which also pisses off waiting patrons.

G Wiv wrote:

Khaopaat wrote:I was going for deadpan

I tell the Carol Channing jokes around here......

Just glad you acknowledge that she's still alive ...

Not related to this thread but a couple of times ago when I was at the violet hour (probably Jan/Feb timeframe) some yokel college aged man kept jumping and trying to touch a chandelier... I was really surprised I never saw him asked to leave. It made me a bit uncomfortable.