The Middle East

07/06/09

Rude service, bad food

by martinlk

Cons:

The wait staff (some, not all) are rude. I showed up with 2 other people on a Friday before a concert. In short, they really didn't want to serve us drinks or food. I was reminded 3 times that they have an $8 minimum for sitting at a table. Once is fine, I say... 3 times is rude.

Ordered drinks and we never got them. 15 minutes later they wanted to take away one of the two sewing-machine tables we were sitting at to give to some other people who wanted a table. Great, so 3 people can comfortably sit at a 12" square sewing machine table with no leg room...

Saw the concert downstairs. Would be fine if they would turn a vent fan on once in a while. It went up to 80 degrees and 90% humidity. Good thing I didn't get a chance to eat anything first...

Went there another time for dinner. It was cold (ok, winter) but it was about 55 degrees upstairs and they wouldn't turn the heat up. The pieces of pita that came with whatever I ordered were obviously leftovers from a day or two ago. Stale and dry.

I've vowed to not go back, at least until I hear they've changed their act.

• Pros: Bands
• Cons: Many

05/16/08

Multi-purpose venue with several rooms offers alternative rock and dependable bar food from its namesake region.

by Contributor

This legendary landmark exudes a woody, lived-in feel that works quite well around about midnight, when things usually get hopping on the dancefloor and around the bars. Local bands and national acts alike bring sweaty throngs to the Downstairs. Upstairs is significantly smaller and brighter. Admission to each room is separate. Belly dancing takes over the Corner, however, on Sunday nights, with no cover. The restaurant is nothing fancy: A basic coffeehouse setup, with recycled treadle tables and scuffed-up captain's chairs, though the menu surprises by including a wide array of inexpensive, classic Middle Eastern dishes to choose from.

Photo by Christine Liu

09/30/07

Bizarre ID policy, lying bouncers, rude ticket-takers result in angry customers

by geoffpynn

Why would you turn away a balding guy obviously over 30 from the 18+ show he drove 25 miles to see with his wife because his ID was expired -- instead of just giving him the "under 21" bracelet? And then why would you tell him that this is because you are "following the law as it's written" when you and he both know that there is certainly NO such law? I have no idea; you'd have to ask the management of The Middle East. Deliberately alienating your customers by irrationally keeping them out and then lying about the reason seems like a strange business strategy.

08/13/06

The music is good, but the food and service isn't

by brettd

Catch a show- but not the food.

Our party of 3 wasn't given the proper number of utensils when we were seated, and the waitress almost threw them at us when I asked for a third set. When one person went to the bathroom and we placed our drink order(s), the waitress didn't return to collect the third person's drink order.

A friend declared "the juices are great here!", so I ordered a Cranberry juice- and watched as the waitress used the soda gun to make it. It was sickeningly sweet artificial junk, served with an r0tten slice of lemon cut too thin to squeeze.

We ordered our food, and the waitress had to RETURN TWICE to ask what we had ordered; once for two of us, and then a second time for one of the orders she had asked about already.

Two out of our party of three were served our meals; it was several minutes before the third plate showed up and we could start eating, and the 'late dish was identical to mine. The 'steak' kabobs were clearly the cheapest meat they could get their hands on and very chewy, though they were at least cooked correctly. The salad had a disgusting dressing, and beans on the side were soupy. A huge chunk of onion was placed next to the kabobs; do they not understand that the veggies and onion go TOGETHER on the skewer?

02/14/06

good

by emojoe52

if you do not like small places dont go. i love it, it feels like it was a show in freinds basement or somthing.

• Pros:  intimate, cheap
• Cons: no seats, parking