You would think that anyone with a brain, eating at a restaurant serving food and wine as beautiful as this:
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…would have the decency not to show up for dinner looking like this:
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But the bruise brothers obviously think sports bar apparel is appropriate wherever they go. We’d like to think they lost their way on the way to Applebee’s, but the truth is, an entire generation of men, right now roughly between the ages of 30-50, think it is their Constitutional right to look like sh*t in any restaurant, anytime, as long as they are “comfortable.”
John Mariani decried this trend a decade ago as “creeping California casualness,” but we’re convinced the “creeping” has taken full flower, and the unsightly creeps have now taken over.
Much as the economic retreat from fine dining has given restaurateurs license to retreat from quality cooking and decor (e.g. no table linens, and all the atrocious pizzas, sliders and “tapas” we’re seeing), this downscaling of attire has given implicit permission to the unkempt and ill-styled to appear anywhere, looking like anything, and feel like they fit in.
But when a restaurant as stylish as Le Cirque has to put up with bad khaki miscreants who don’t own a belt or a tie, a line has most certainly been crossed, and we at ELV can only bemoan the further decline of western civilization.
I ate there in early August and saw a lot of the same—as well as young kids running around
But you’re OK with your Marche Bacchus companion yakking into her cellphone the whole meal?
“has to put up with . . . “?? unless these guys are the casino’s biggest spenders, surely the management would impose a dress code of some kind to maintain the elegance that those diners who bothered to put on their finest duds deserve? or inquire if they’d like a reservation made next door?
Have to admit I have the same reaction as JoeyH. I don’t understand how or why you let the khaki dudes upset you. I don’t care how the people at the next table dress. I do care how they behave, and find prolonged (invariably loud) cellphone conversations much ruder than sartorial offenses.
The Tourista’s reign. These kind of guys are what I spoke of in my letter last week. Why would anyone want to spend a buck and a half or more per person on a meal and not have the class to at least tuck in their shirt and maybe put a jacket on. Le Cirque is not on the beach in Maui. Like I said in my letter the airlines are part of the problem with the baggage rules. These guys probably arrived with a carry on the size of a purse for the weekend.
We have been to almost all the top restaurants in the city in the past few years. My bride and I always get dressed up and while I almost never wear a tie a nice jacket and slacks for me and a dress for my wife seem to endear us more to the maitre d’s, sommelier’s and wait staff than shorts and flip flops. It just feels better to me to be looking sharp and classy when sitting down in places that have spent sometimes millions making these incredible spaces so detailed and attractive.
Quit frankly when I have been stuck sitting next to slobs like this their table manners almost invariably match their look. Maybe if these places are not going to have or enforce a dress code they could have a group of tables set aside for these types and call the area “the corral”
On an interesting side note, speaking of table linens, I found it very interesting when I was dining at Lolita’s town square last week that they had table linens (and during the day no less). Guess some people still care about details.
You know, John….sometimes you can be such a snob that it actually becomes cute. I’m admire you for going down with the ship that is “fine dining.” You serve your people well!
When I moved here 10 years ago from D.C. and N.O. I never went out without a suit and tie on . Over the years of being the only non casino worker wearing a tie at the restaurants in the casinos etc, I slowly retired them and my suits slowly retired as well…. I have a closet full of 2-3k dollar suits I never wear anymore. Anyway, I think it is far more important to have proper manners when dining out, then worrying about some underdressed tourista.
If I go to N.Y.C., D.C. etc to eat, I dress well, Here, it’s no longer relevant.
Isn’t this site about food critiquing anyway?
Own goal scored here eatinglv. Ok to be on a cellphone at a meal but not be attired to YOUR tastes. EatingLV.com now removed from my reading list. Appalling snobbery.
In this economy, no one can afford to turn away paying customers. The high end restaurants are hurting.
It’s the way of Las vegas now. My husband refuses to even bring a jacket anymore to Las Vegas. He feels embarrassingly overdressed at most places.
Nothing wrong with khakis and a Tommy Bahama shirt when it is 105 out. However, we went to American Fish during Retaurant Week and the dude next to us looked like he just finished fishing on Lake Mead. Dirty shorts, tank top and flip flops.
I agree John, it’s a sad affair. We went to Stack a few months ago (if it wasn’t for free I would have never gone) and there were 3 guys early 20’s in tank tops hats and sunglasses. But I said hey, it’s a Light Group restaurant so I wasn’t really suprised.
Then about a month ago I went to American Fish and saw the same thing. This is a Michael Mina restaurant, show some class. The food they are putting out is great and well worth your effort to at least put on something nice.
I know it is 100+ ouside but I’m not walking from my house to get there. Put a hanger in your car, hang your jacket and put it on once you get in the AC Casino. I don’t always where a tie when out to a nice dinner, but always a jacket or at least a nice pressed shirts tucked in.
Rule of thumb for dinner, dress like the people who work there and vice versa.
If the server wears a tie or jacket, you should have something nice on.
If the server is in jeans, feel free to wear your Crocs
We got a good laugh at Picasso last year, when this guy checked his “hooded sweatshirt” upon arriving! Annoying hats, gym clothes we’ve seen it all here in Las Vegas.
Agreed. Folks don’t dress up when they go out to fine restaurants anymore.
It demonstrates a lack of self-pride and respect for the restaurant. This is especially true with the locals (rednecks) more than the tourists.
This coming from a guy who wears a white suit after Labor Day?
Tsk, tsk, tsk. So many assumptions that ELV condones the use of cell phones while at the table. (“Marche Bacchus Ups its Game…as ELV Gets Ignored (sigh).”). The mere posting of one photo of ELV’s dining companion at Marche Bacchus talking into a phone is hardly an indictment of the criminal offense that ELV has been charged with.
Rather than give the review of Marche Bacchus a passing glance–read through the piece–it doesn’t necessarily support the argument that ELV condones his dining companion chattering into an iphone during luncheon service. One could easily come away with the sense that ELV is in fact not yet ready to accept this incessant trend. Could it just be that he would have much rather had a discussion of what spices and brine the Chef used to marinate the veal loin rather than be ignored? In his own words–“By now, you’d think ELV would get used to these things…” Seems to me that statement says that he isn’t yet ready to plead guilty for the crime he’s been accused of.
The curious monkey that adorns the plates at Le Cirque is smart enough to tell you that he doesn’t like customers whimpering into phones while supping into the creations of his talented Staff. Nor does he favor the dress of diners who walk into his temple of gastronomy in attire that is an affront to the sensibilities and respect for the food and service these fortunate people are about to enjoy.
Unfortunately, curious monkeys are smart monkeys. Dumb, unappreciative, loud rubes in kahkis and wrinkled shirts will still fork out wads of cash for exquisite dishes like seared Sea Scallops with Califlower Puree, Anchovy and Prosciutto.
ELV responds: The post about being ignored by J. Curland at lunch was done in jest and with a twinkle in our eye. It’s a shame we have to explain these things to all of you sense of humor-free folks out there.
A patio lunch that is interrupted by a bakery representative taking orders is hardly rude or offensive — and, as we said, anything that helps bring superior bread to restaurants is a-okay with us.
As for being called an appalling snob — guilty as charged.
As for wearing white after Labor Day — we consider wearing the white suit only to be inappropriate after Ground Hog’s Day.
Go forth and sin no more.
ELV
Bless you my son….
I’ll have to admit that when I read the title of this blog entry, I was expecting worse. Something along the lines of a tank top with track pants. What I see is not as bad as I expected. They actually have pants on. Not shorts. Not even jeans. And the shirts? Actual collars!
As has pointed out, there is a general trend away from fancy fine dining with dress codes mandating a jacket and/or tie. How many places on The Strip even do that now? I’m sure ELV knows, but I bet they can be counted on one hand. Times are tough in, so places will relax their codes to get people in the door. If they behaved well, I don’t think I would have given them a second thought.
Sure, I like to dress up and look nice. I used to pack a jacket when I traveled to Las Vegas. But after doing that a few times, I eventually stopped. Just didn’t seem to be needed any more. Few people wore them. Friends didn’t. Other customers didn’t. Still, I would have nice slacks. Nice shirt. Tucked in. Belt. Shoes. You are fine virtually anyplace.
I can be a snob, too. Try to put sauce on your BBQ and eat with a fork at Kreuz Market? I’ll call you out on it (I know Mr . ELV would never commit that sin)
Yeah lets inspect your single white suit for soap spots and oil stains, poor bastard.
Who gives a shit what people wear.
At least they pay for their bills!!!
I am with ELV on this one. My wife and I ate at Guy Savoy this weekend and there was a table of guys in jeans. I get it, it has nothing to do with me or my meal, but I felt it brought down the heightened level of sophisitication and excitement for a once in a lifetime meal. I partly blame the guys for pushing the envelope of acceptable dress, and partly blame the restaurant for refusing to enforce a standard. But, at the end of the day, I guess I would rather the restaurant accept the slackers and get the cash it needs to survive.
GAWD….Las Vegas has a much style and grace as an aging hooker dressed in cultured pearls, smudged lip color and her never used wedding dress going to a state dinner at the White House. Business is business and who cares how anyone is dressed as long as they keep the illusion of “Vegas” alive….I got over the pretense of style and propriety two days after I first moved there almost forty years ago….want style ???…. move to (fill-in-the-blank).
What Peter said.
Please quit expecting Vegas to be something it isn’t, and appreciate what it is. We’ve got probably the most amazing selection of accessible eats anywhere in the world and you’re getting all worked up about a couple of fat bald guys in slacks and Tommy Bahama shirts???
If you think LV restaurants are ever gonna start imposing dress codes, I got some beachfront property in Summerlin you might be interested in…
As long as people don’t actually intrude on my meal (physically or excessively audibly) what do I care what they wear, especially if my hosts are cool with it? Do they behave? Do they leave me alone? Do they pay their bill? Do they tip appropriately? If the answer to each of these questions is, “yes,” then they can wear clown makeup for all I care. I refuse to let what other people wear to dinner disturb my meal, and I can’t understand why anyone would permit someone else to impact their experience in this way.
Actively cultivate detachment toward those things that don’t actually affect your life. You’ll be happier.
Lucas Says:
September 28th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
I am with ELV on this one. My wife and I ate at Guy Savoy this weekend and there was a table of guys in jeans. I get it, it has nothing to do with me or my meal, but I felt it brought down the heightened level of sophisitication and excitement for a once in a lifetime meal. I partly blame the guys for pushing the envelope of acceptable dress, and partly blame the restaurant for refusing to enforce a standard. But, at the end of the day, I guess I would rather the restaurant accept the slackers and get the cash it needs to survive.
this is the gayest shit above – fucking so lets start just leaving price tags on our fucking clothes to prove a point of sophistication. So while your wearing your cheap nordstrom rack slacks at 75% discount, i fucking come walking in, in my ironed, lightly starched super swank “for all man kind jeans” that cost 200+ and be sure to leave the tag on, so when I walk by your stuck up fucking nose, it gives you a nice paper cut. and then you can lick the rubber sole of my 49.99 vans and I’ll wave bye bye with my 3500.00 Alex sepkus ring.
Man all you bitches, bitching about others attire should get a life and quit worrying about feeling insecure amongst the other jones’
Fucking if these fools can drop 1-2K at the dining table than so be it, it supports jobs.
btw.. dont like others attire, take the chefs table so you can watch the dishwasher swoon back in forth in his plastic apron, but wait – he’s mexican. you OK with that?
I’m late in the game stumbling upon this post but I have to agree! My partner and I were having our anniversary dinner at a higher end restaurant. We weren’t dressed to the nines by any means but taking the time to press a shirt before tucking them into slacks (or even dark denim passes in some situations!) was just a given. The table next to us weren’t much different than the slobs you speak of- dressed in ball caps and bulky sweatshirts. I felt it disrespectful to the establishment as well as their fellow diners. Keep it classy Vegas!
Get over yourself. As long as your fellow diners are polite and speak at a normal volume, who cares? My wife and I were at a great restaurant recently where a very well dressed man must have liked the sound of his voice so much since he talked non-stop at a level that drowned out the entire room for an hour and one half. If you want to dine at Le Cirque and don’t want to deal with the dressed down touristas, head east to NYC. But the dress standards have been relaxed quite a bit since Daniel Boulud was in the kitchen. Besides, you are supposed to be a food snob, not the clothes police!