"Have been a few times and it always has the best crowd."
(in 11 reviews)
"One of the most ridiculous and funnest nights in NY."
(in 4 reviews)
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1 Oak
Rating Details »
Categories: Dance Clubs, Lounges [Edit]
Neighborhood: Chelsea453 W 17th St
(between 10th Ave & 9th Ave)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 242-1111
- Nearest Transit:
-
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Wed, Thu, Sun
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- Yes
44 reviews for 1 Oak
Review Highlights
One of the most ridiculous and funnest nights in NY. 3 girls, 1 guy, 1 bottle of goose, 1 bottle of cristal. We killed it all despite having a bunch of drinks during dinner. Don't remember the music but I liked most of the songs. I liked the smoking area in the back because its a little room and it's not in front of the club.
Warning: Door super strict. I asked if the door guy would let my friends in who came later in the night and he said no despite having a table. My friend who had the table tried to give him a tip (he has a black amex so the tip was really generous). That didn't work. Either get a table or get there early, trying to meet up your friends later won't work.
Pro: Jay Z, Nicky Hilton, Brandon Davis and a few others were all there that night. A lot of hot girls. Door strict is also a pro, they just don't let anyone in!
"we pop cristal likes its water"
This only gets two stars because I didn't end up going in, met a group of awesome people who thought this place totally sucked and left, and went someplace better.
The guy at the door? Le grande douche if I ever saw one. A greasy hot mess, he refused to offer the common decency to say "Hey guess what, you're not getting in..." as everybody else around us was gradually ushered in. My friend had to ask what was going on, and we got some vague, lame-ass answer.
Not to be a snob, but I can confidently say that there was a lot of fug heading in there, and I am certainly not. Apparently if you wear a trendy Panama hat you can also get in quite easily.
Maybe if I had gotten in and swigged down a couple of those $18 drinks I've been hearing about, I might have given them a couple more stars...NOT.
We instantly made some new friends and went around the corner to Park. Danced the night away in a gorgeous locale, and ended up spending the remainder of our NYC long weekend hanging out with them. If anything, I should thank 1Oak for being such a piece of shit because it made me new friends :)
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
This place is average at best.
I understand the usual door/lineup strategies used to build exclusiveness in a club but they were just a bunch of bumbling morons. The decor was nice - too bad the same couldn't be said for the people and the music.
What do college models, a $400 bottle of champagne*, lots of big dark booths and a dance floor that just won't quit equal? A very bad hangover. No, I mean one that will last for days. You'll even tell your grandchildren about that time when you had such a bad hangover and they wouldn't believe what it was like living it up in New York in the old days.
So go with a good group of friends and dance your butt off but make sure to drink plenty of water before bed, kids.
*And no, I do not buy bottles...I just drink them.
People thought this was:
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I still have a passionate love affair with Oak. I admit I cheated with Juliette last weekend, but I still love Oak. One of the few places I would actually wait in a line for, not that I have, but I would if they asked nicely. I don't know why this place is different for me, but I always enjoy it even on crowded Saturday nights.
You better dress in some skimpy cloths and bring your hottest friends (you know not to call) ditch the guys cuz they won't get in anyway and go have your self a grand time at Oak. You probably won't pay for drink since Eurotrash will just give you glasses of champagne if you talk to them for a minute then pretend like you have to go look for a friend and take the bubbly with you.
Anyone with a bad review is just bitter because they couldn't get in.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/10/2009
1 Oak is the hottest club in NY right now. Been there on the weekend and the week nights. It's fun… Read more »
First Binn you are an ass but you know it and I still like you.
1oak is still fun and still the place to be in NYC after 3am
This used to be my absolute favorite :-( amazing wednesdays, beautiful/fashion-minded crowd, awesome vibe and people were actually dancing...
it went downhill this summer, maybe because all the right people are in hamptons. the place is full of b&t looks, DJs keep jumping songs every 2 min, and nobody is really dancing
Oh my sweet Jesus Christ in heaven.
This is a great place to get your dance on. Extremely stylish. But do not. I repeat. Do NOT show up here under any circumstance unless you've already had a fabulous head start.
I showed up completely sober to meet some friends around 2 the evening I went--the crowd was naturally WAAY ahead, and my friend (girl who writes for a magazine and always takes a limo everywhere and gets bottle-service) had already finished her bottles of Grey Goose with my other friends that evening.
My first drink? The weakest grey goose and cran I have ever experienced. Cost: 18 dollars.
Well damn. I will get a second drink (in a lame attempt to catch up), how about a glass of champagne. At least I know it won't be watered down, and it can't POSSIBLY be more than the first drink! Cost: 25.00
What? I asked.
25.00
You see, fellow yelpers, I'm used to the "gay-bar pour." And they're usually 7-12 dollars at most, even in New York! What can I say...I guess I've been spoiled!!!
And to clarify, though I'm poor, I'm not cheap. (I've been server ona nd off for the past 10 years, after all!) I generally will tip 30-50 percent a drink in most cases. I just don't want to feel like I'm being totally robbed, you know? I suppose I could have thrown myself at some guy for a "free" one, but we all know nothing is "free." Not my style.
I was slightly sad to not be able to get my buzz on with 45.00 at 5'2, 105 lbs, but I suppose it is partly my fault for not doing that beforehand. After hanging and dancing for a couple hours, I pulled a french retreat and disappeared into the night. I know, I'm a bad friend.
All that aside, I truly enjoyed the ambiance and DJ. Loved the wall murals, wood detail, the fact that they don't care if you stand up and dance on the booths in your stilettos. Overall a fierce place! Really cool decor, dug the crowd. I would come again to dance, but after I have already been out, which I'm sure any person with half a brain does anyhow, I just was off to a late start that evening.
Oh, and they have wierd crazy/fun bathrooms....like walking into a secret black wall panel. If you like a cigarette with your cocktail as I do, bring them! You can smoke in here! By the time I left, it was obvious that several things were being smoked out in the open....just sayin......
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
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- Cool (2)
Overcrowded, overpriced, overrated. I did have fun dancing until the DJ started playing terrible music. If you are impressed by being in the same club as Lindsay Lohan and enjoy paying $18 for a drink, then this place is for you. If you could care less, let's go somewhere else.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Let's see...what can I say about 1 Oak. Well let's start by saying that the doorguy(s) is a complete asshole...so be prepared. I really advise you come either alone or with only 1 other person, preferrably of the opposite sex. Must be Hot or You're not getting in. Just how it works. The drinks are truly overpriced, but it's an overall great time once you're in and enjoying the music. They have a small spot in the back where you can smoke cigarettes so that's definite plus. I happen to like this place so I gave it an A-OK. Good Luck! xo
I didn't pay for drinks when I was there, so I don't know if it was expensive. There are hot bartenders (I swore one was Tila Tequila) but their skills are mediocre at best. As a "pro" I will tell you: looks don't equal talent behind the bar. Not everyone can be blessed with my good fortune. :)
The spot is pretty. But, kinda reminds me of the places we had our First Communion parties at. Also, it's not as large as I thought.
Doormen were friendly enough.
I am just not a club person. I am too old for loud music, "reserved" signs on tables and false pretenses. I prefer dinner and good wine.
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Seriously this is one of the toughest doors I have ever come across. I will consider Melissa A. and I lucky for getting past Ben and his minions on a Friday night. We didn't know anyone with table reservations...we basically showed up (dressed to the nines) and crossed our fingers. Probably not the best idea, but hey it worked! We did have to wait a little but at least Ben didn't reject us like the 50 other girls that ended up leaving. It was pretty funny listening to all the B.S. they were feeding to people. "We're closed for a private event." Riiiiiight. Insert eye rolling here.
Once inside I was pretty ready to get my drink on since the whole door situation was so stressful. The crowd consisted of "older" people mixed in with the models and a really well dressed, good looking younger crowd. The songs were really fun to dance to and the sound system is for sure killer. The drinks are expensive so get ready to pony up the cash or talk to some d bag for a portion of the night.
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Old Serena is BACK.
2 comped bottles of champagne and dancing on our reserved table on a Sunday night lead to me being an hour late for work and still buzzed.
OOPS!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/12/2009
"Don't ever go to high school, Dorota. The girls are spoiled, stupid and ungrateful! One snapshot… Read more »
nice atmosphere and lots of beautiful women running around to bring you drinks. Can it get any better, hey maybe that makes me sound like a bit of a DB, but I'm just being honest ;)
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If you go to NYC and haven't been to 1Oak yet, what the hell are you waiting for????? That's like going to NYC without checking out the Statue of Liberty! This place has great drinks and great music. :) Favorite nights are weeknights!
Came here around 2am last Saturday, Door guys here are complete tool bags. There a mixture of wannabe washed up model & the 5'4 bluetooth wearing D-Bag who is hideously ugly and only became a door guy because its his only shot at landing a girl who is remotely above a 6 out of 10..Somehow we managed to find our way in. Crowd was ok, personally the staff waitresses were all hotter than any chick hanging out in here. In fact at the supposed owners table in the back, the girls sitting here shouldnt have even been allowed in.. Little John was hanging next to the DJ booth, pretty cool to see him in person, he did look strikingly similiar to the guy who sells incense candles on the side of sixth Avenue and 18th street. The odd part was the music, here we have the king of crunk, but there playing pumping some Pink song over the sound system. Bathrooms are downstairs and off to the right in this place.. Very weird, looks like a bathroom on the Star Ship Enterprise, probably even cooler if your high. Speaking of which this place was full of geeked up people, most were barely even drinking, saw some girl get carried out of here, she looked like a beat up Michelle Pfeiffer wearing the Kanye West Space glasses.
This place is A-Ok designed well, bartenders make strong drinks, fair amount of talent and likely to be in the future due to tourists & B/T crowd who think this three year old club is still the hottest around.
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Fabulosity at its finest!
Fabulous people.
Fabulous music.
Fabulously great time every time I've been.
I think they do a good job of filtering at the door, which helps for making the experience inside complete.
Cheers if you can get in!
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Okay, so let me start by saying that we were there about a week ago on what I believe was a Wed. and my friend lost her ID there. Luckily they had her credit card a the bar (whoop whoop!)
Trying to get her ID back has been a nightmare. We went last night to retrive the lost goods and they did NOT let us in to get it and were NOT accomidating at all. So lemme get this straight? We were cool enough to get in a couple days ago for a very famous someones birthday party, with him and his very famous friends. end up @ their table (we did not arrive with them, nor did we even know they were there unti an hour or so after we got there), and not be on anyones silly guestlist AND have 1 of the owners try to pick me up *gag*. But we were not cool enough to get in when it was B&T sat night ? And they have the audacity to hold her ID hostage? This place is thief heaven. Stealing fur coats, ID's *sigh*...try not to take anything of value with you there because they have very sticky fingers
If I wouldve written this review up before her ID had been held hostage I would have said very cool diverse place. Normal door, no sillyness. Now?...like I said, theivery is never cute
And btw, on a completely different note, $18 for a vodka cranberrry? really? next time i'll bring my flask. Real new Yorkers don't go for that crapola...we'll see how this place holds up
EDIT: i have been back since the door debauchery, and for some reason the luster that this place had the first time around was just not there. And they r still holding the id hostage! ha!....and the saga continues....
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I got here around 2:30AM with some random New Yorker about to get my girl and I in. Apparently the bouncer had some animosity towards our random hookup. Well we get in anyways and it was fairly empty (Tuesday night) nearing the end, of course.
But it didn't matter because I coincidently ended up at Tiesto's table. No complaints here. It was awesome considering I met him earlier that day when we both arrived into JFK. Wayyyy cool!
1OAK you were great, but having drinks made by Tiesto. EVEN BETTER. Can't wait to go back!
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THIS PLACE SUCKS! I made reservations for this club a month in advance. I had e-mail correspondence with someone named Adam. Not only did I fly all the way in from Amsterdam but several of my friends flew in to meet me for my birthday. here is his response.
Thank you for your interest in 1OAK.
Table reservations are available for bottle service for up
to 8 guests maximum. There is a $1k minimum. Bottles start
at $425. Reservations are held until 11:30pm. Please make
sure you bring at least an equal ratio of men/women. There
; is no guestlist. Please confirm. Thanks, Adam
It was a rainy night but we were one of the few in line to get in. We were on time and the minute the doorman comes i say I have a reservation he says," I can't let you in! "I say why? because" i just can't. "Plus you were late. I said no we were not! then it became crowded and he shouts anyone who had reservations for Adam all reservations are cancelled! WHAT THE FUCK! Stupid doorman stupid rules. The people weren't even worth the 1000 or two i would have dropped. I am not going to drop the race card but funny he just saw all 8 of us didn't check the list and said," I can't let you in"! And all my friends have money and look like it. What a horrible club and i hope their charma gets them! We end up going to Pink Elephant where i spent 2 grand happily and we were treated with much respect!
Hey there, Upper East Siders...er West Chelsea-ers. Your former mayor was feeling very Gossip Girlicious this Sunday when he finally managed to get to 1Oak, the new home of Gay Sunday nights in NYC (and the location for a recent episode of the best thing to happen to TV). While there were no Serena sightings, there were wall to wall cute boys, amazing beats by the amazing Ms. Lina on the turn tables, and lots of fun and flirty times. Sundays remain, as ever, my favorite night to go out in NYC.
As everyone has mentioned, the decor of this place is really something special. It combines a lot of fun design elements, mostly working with words and letters (and some interesting murals), and I don't really know why, but it just works, and I love it (and no, I swear it's not just because they filmed Gossip Girl here).
Drinks are no joke expensive ($14 for a g&t, ouch - imagine if I had ordered a martini), but it's to be expected in such places. I can't comment on its ridiculousness on a random night, but I expect you'll find me there on Sundays. Oh, and I got recognized from Yelp. Yes, it's tough being a C-list internet celebrity, but somehow I manage.
Til next time, xoxo, Sam P.
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I'm writing about the GAY Sunday party.
Josh Wood srikes again with 1OAK. The crowd is pretty cute. I love when Lady Fag runs around in her craziness. The space is decorated beautifully. There even a smoking room inside the club surrounded by mirrors that is basically a wall-enclosed alley! You look up and you see the sky, very cool. My biggest complaint about 1OAK is the crazy price of drinks. $10 for a beer! I know it's manhattan and they don't have a cover but c'mon! This is pretty much a good starter bar for Sunday night. They literally kick you out at 1am.
Right now, I would say 1oak is probably the best "club" out there. I have only been on Wednesdays and the ppl who work there say Friday is their busiest night. If you can get past the door, it is definitely worth it. I recommend going on a Wednesday - Jesse Marco DJs and hes pretty damn good.
It's a good crowd - a good mix of ppl...I have run in to a few celebs there as well.....
Haven't been here since last year when it just opened up. Came on a Wednesday night. Still the same. Rolled in with the entourage and had the back table next to the DJ. Music? Horrible. Just horrible. He played like 4 decent songs the whole night. Crappy dance/top 40 bullsht. Crowd? Just what you picture these exclusive celeb hotspots to be like. celebs, groupies, people who got connects to get in, stupid people who waited on line and paid $ to get in, and mostly stick figure fashionable models who can't dance for shit. Did i have fun? Yeah i was drinking and dancing with good company. Would i go ANYWHERE else? Hellllllll yeahhhhhh!
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Love this place!
Have been a few times and it always has the best crowd.
Caught DJ AM there this last September and it was an epic night because of the people I was with and a sick table.
Dancing is fun and the ambience is hipster cool.
2nd stop with friends on a Saturday night - had a great time -
Good crowd, good music/sound system, and I love the decor - definitely recommend.
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Note: Not a "recession-friendly" bar.
I did the gay-party-on-Sunday thing last week and really had a good time. Lady Fag is definitely one of my favorite fag-friendly performers out there.
I've been told that this is the winter place to be now that the Ono party is over, and the Hiro party has become kind of passe. The bartenders are all nice and cute, the space is amazing, there's usually a big fire going in the fireplace, and the bathrooms were very clean.
Now all I need is a sugar daddy to pick up the drinks. Sam P. -- will you volunteer?
OK, so the drinks are $18, and if you go early it is kinda slow. BUT, after midnight this club really gets rolling and can be a lot of fun. They had 3 different DJs when I was last there and the mix of music was great. The crowd and staff was very good looking.
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For a club, this place is pretty good! I was here for an after-party during fashion week, which I was on a list for, so I don't have any experience or knowledge of what the lines may be like on a regular night. But I can say that the atmosphere is one of the nicest, especially for a club.
There is a place where you can sit down and talk which is situated behind the speakers, so you don't have to scream. Genius. The drinks are pretty standard.
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Well, at least it's not on W. 27th with all the other douche pits.
It's a club, New York is full of 'em and this one doesn't wow me as much as others. They say they're trying to be anything but a "Models and Bottles" club but their first party was just that - hedgefund managers and the women who love them.
Still, I don't turn down an invite. It makes a nice alternative.
UPDATE: After coming here again on a Thursday night I've got to reduce the number of stars to three.
Their sound system is way, WAY too loud - almost deafening. Plus they wouldn't check my friend's fur coat because they didn't want to accept liability? What's up with that? An upscale lounge should expect women to be checking expensive furs and coats - ridiculous. They need to get their act together. The DJ also sucks - terrible mixing and old music.
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Ok... Great DJ's, great decor, pretty people, but $18 for a bottom-shelf vodka tonic? It's time for a recession special, 1Oak...
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I had heard a lot better things about this club then what I experienced there last night. My friend had been there and Paris Hilton was there, so I thought it would be like, really classy, or something. I mean, it was nice and all, but it was DEAD. The music was just decent and I hate places that have bathrooms downstairs from the club. It's just annoying having to travel so far to get to a bathroom. The service was good and we got our drinks about 2 minutes after we ordered them. But other than that the whole experience was just, blah.
I'd go back, but if it was empty again, I think that would be the last time I went.
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I went to a fashion show after party here the other night. The ambiance and decor were AMAZING. Finally - a new club that actually has some SPACE! Even though people kept filing in, I still had room to breathe, and the bar was so big that you could always find space to get the bartender's attention. The DJ kept a good mix going of the classics and the new hot songs.
However, on any other night, this club would probably be difficult to appreciate. I hear the door situation is horrendous (try getting past the door guys) and the drinks inside HAVE to be pricey (there was an open bar going for the party I was at). Just be sure you are on the list before you go. And that you are buzzed/drunk so you don't have to spend a fortune on drinks inside.
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Went here the other night with some friends. Didn't even know where we were going until we got to the door. Thankfully they knew someone inside because I don't think it was open to the public yet, (they had a private event poster on the wall).
Had a great time. Most of my time was spent in the back room area. They have a fireplace back there where you can smoke. Decent sized dance floor surrounded by tables. The DJ was really good and mostly played house music which I personally love. Had me dancing all night! The crowd was really sexy to not your usual bottle service a-holes. Hopefully next time I go I can get in again.
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SPACE BABY! and supa comfy beds=] gets the heads up.
wed.night 2 victoria secret models and bookers.
"NOT" models&bottles....hah puh-lease, have to give 1-oak credit for substance the place makes you feel at home no matter what even if the music is SO-SO. Sorry im partial HOOKED on Dj Sinatra he's dope room service fridays thats where its at!
This past Friday, not Fabulous at it's finest. The space is large and decor is well done but the music/DJ was really terrible. The worst I've heard in a while. And the $18 drinks just silly... the bouncers were cool and the pill-popping Johnny Depp look-a-like doorman wasn't too bad, although we were four women.
There are many places better than this - and i don't plan on going back.
someone threw up all their cool in this place....
i was LUCKY enough to get into this place one night. maybe the doorman was a temp or they needed to diversify the place up a bit or maybe because i was with someone who was a complete loser who bought 10 too many bottles each and every time he went. his picture is hanging in their office somewhere with the title, "biggest sucker, please let him in so we can exploit him and take him for every dime." i think the latter reason is why i got in on that very special night.
well, well, well...the place REEKS OF SUCKINESS!!!!! i wasted a good dress for this awful place. let's see, the music...the dj must have been on crack (which by the way could have helped my situation). his music selection was seriously bi-polar. one song would be great and then the next song would just completely suck! this went on for the entire night. so needless to say, i could never got my dance on.
the people...i hate them all!!! maybe it's me, but i really really don't like people who think they are god's gift to nightlife. i mean, is that what life is really about? i know i'm not cool and maybe it's a bit of jealousy...but the people in there make me want to throw up. i think i did at one point but don't remember from all the drinking i had to do in order to manage
the sad truth is we are all suckers and losers for buying into the idea that you have to spend thousands of dollars to surround yourself with pseudo-cool people while listening to really bad music played by a dj who has a multi-personality disorder.
1oak is NOT a good time, unless your on crack, ecstasy, coke, heroin and drunk off your ass to truly enjoy yourself. being in there hurt me physically...of course i could have left but i had on a really hot dress and i was drinking for free, why would i leave???
but i will never go back. and it's not based on because i could never get in but because i would rather waste my time dancing somewhere where the dj does take his meds and is able to play some decent music and i'm not surrounded by people who make me wanna throw up in my mouth.
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GREAT late night spot! Very exclusive & tough to get in but if you are a group of good looking girls, you should have no problems. Dress to the nines! Place usually doesn't get good until 2AM though!
I would like to leave zero stars, but that's not possible. I'm not quite sure how this place is actually in business given their customer relations skills.
A group of my friends and I, about 10 girls, had selected 1 Oak for our good friend's bachelorette party. Adam, the contact from the website, was so helpful in making our bottle service reservation and assured us the night would go smoothly. We even called 3 times to confirm in the weeks before the event. When we arrived at about 11 pm, the doorman fully knew we were coming and greeted us with, "Oh yeah, the bachelorette party!" But he let us know the club would be open in about 20 min, so we went to a bar around the corner for a drink. When we returned about 40 min later, the host had arrived and was now working the door. I'm still trying to figure out what kind of tangible skills this person brought to the job (aside from looking one step above homeless, which is cool now?). He proceeded to pretend he had no idea who Adam was (check out the website, he's listed as a contact) and attempted to form a moderately coherent sentence explaining there was some sort of birthday party so we could not come in. This was extremely confusing, since making a RESERVATION usually means that you reserve your space. My friends and I chose this venue because our friend is only having one bachelorette party and wanted to send her off in style. The story from the host (whose name was Ben/Bin?) was absolutely ridiculous. Great job turning away 10 attractive, 25-year-old girls willing and ready to pay for bottle service. I'm sure your I-banker clientele has dwindled, so not sure what demographic you're going for now (middle-aged? ugly?). This was not just a group trying to get in to be caught up in the "scene," it was a special occasion people flew in from out of town for.
So, please, 1 Oak, don't waste people's time. Honor reservations or don't make and confirm them, and maybe consider hiring people that don't show up to work high. I'll be super excited to check out the venue that replaces you when you go out of business in a few months.
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After a night of drinking at el esqcuina I ended up here. Good times for a Wednesday. I'm sure I'll be back later this week.
