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Yelp
Categories: Local Flavor Mass Media Local Flavor, Mass Media
706 Mission St(between Opera Aly & 3rd St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 908-3801
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
4083 reviews for Yelp
4080 reviews in English
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Review from Joanne A.
2/8/2012
I've learned about Yelp from my Bay Area residing cousin after I told him I liked writing reviews on products I purchase on the Zappos and Amazon websites. He knew I would dine out often, so that's when he suggested that I Yelp about it. My thoughts? What the hecky doo doo is this Yelp site all about?!
Four years and a few shiny Elite badges later, I'm still one happy member of this ever growing site. I have nothing but great things to say about the people I've met over the years with whom some I call and consider great friends.
I have friends that are business owners and appreciates the good feedback a Yelper writes about. I have non-Yelp friends that ask me all the time where's a good place for whatever it is they're craving. I have yet to explore a ton of other spots our city has to offer, but I sure utilize the bookmark option like crazy.
However, I personally do not care for those that I refer to as the Toxic 0-1-1 Yelper. They're basically Yelpers that open up an account, have an incognito profile pic, have ZERO friends, writes ONE review and it's a ONE star review to rant about whatever it is they felt was necessary to create a Yelp account, then fall off the face of the earth and never write another review again. You know who you are. You are bad energy and you make me want to give your review a virtual stink eye. Forever.
Then there are my Yelp friends that are the Check-In Whores. A butt load of friends, a gazillion check-ins, but ZERO reviews. It's all good. Thanks for letting me know where I can stalk you later. I'm guilty of being a Check-In Whore on occasion.
My favorites are the Food Pic Freaks. I am that person. What can I say? My iPhone takes awesome pics, so why not capture my meals in a lovely food porn pic for reviews to follow? If you're also that person, please do your fellow diners a favor and do not use flash. I take pics, but it's my personal pet peeve with using flash (I try not to, it can be disruptive to other diners so make the effort in being discreet about your Food Porn, ya Freak).
Due to popular belief amongst my family and closest friends, I don't Yelp about EVERYTHING. I write when the mood strikes, I write the truth and I don't believe in bashing any businesses unless in my heart they did me wrong at least twice so I can verify that I wouldn't want to go back. Quality over quantity speaks volumes when I enjoy reading other Yelpers reviews.
Oh, try to remember, Yelpers, that some of the vomit coming out of your mind and coming off your keyboard into a Yelp review can be downright stupid. I'm still floored that one female Yelper had the balls to write about how it's not right to see a female sushi chef and how she's used to seeing a Japanese male sushi chef that speaks broken English behind the sushi bar. Seriously? You're dumb for writing something stupid and ignorant like that in your review. That same female sushi chef you wrote about also has a sushi roll named after the mind-blowing roll that she created on the Roy's Restaurant menu. She speaks perfectly good English and rolls sushi that's worth Yelping 5 star reviews about. Uh huh, I'm rolling my eyes at you. Forever.
Lastly, the parties. Oh those Yelp parties. Thanks to all the restaurants, bars and other venues over the years for having the balls in hosting a Yelp party. Your food and adult beverages are all over the map, but this Yelper is truly grateful for the generosity bestowed upon us hungry & thirsty Yelpers. I have a ton of fun pictures, a plethora of useless Yelp swag, but when I think back to the parties I've attended over the years, it does put a smile on my face.
With all that said, I'm looking forward to doing a lot more fun Yelping in 2012. Cheers Yelpers! -
Review from Mike K.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 2/8/2012
Buckle up, young Yelper.
First of all, right off the bat, let's cut the BS, shall we? Yelp isn't really a user generated review site. Yelp is an advertising site under the guise of a user generated review site. Yelp generates ad dollars via user generated reviews. And Yelp doesn't care about the substance or content of reviews (as long as they are within the TOS). Period. End of story. And in other breaking news, Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Lady Gaga aren't real either. Sorry to break your heart. Pictures at 11.
Now, then:
1) Reviews. Again, you cannot trust most of them unless you are familiar with the author's reviews and find them reliable. There are less than 50 such sources on Yelp Chicago on whom I would rely. You're on your own to find them.
2) Filtered Reviews. They're still a major problem on Yelp. Many of them are fake/planted or from users with one or two reviews. I have no problem there. But I saw a filtered review the other day from a user with 131 reviews, likely because the user had no photo posted. Seriously, Yelp? That high pitched shredding sound I hear is your credibility, Yelp.
3) Talk. Taking a gander at this place is tantamount to being trapped in a vat of pestilence infested slime. It's still full of trolls, fakes, attention seekers, attack dogs, the perpetually unfunny, self-coronated "know-it-alls" and those pimping their business on the sly by messaging posters via PM (lame!). It's pointless to sink to the level of these individuals who are so desperate for your attention. The handful of people who try to be helpful are totally drowned out by the noise constantly pumped out by these sorts.
4) ROTD. It's hand picked by the CM. It's not "voted by [Yelp's] members." Clear? The criteria for getting onto the ROTD rotisserie are: be Elite (99% of the time), write reviews regularly, attend events regularly and write glowing reviews of those events. Oh, it probably wouldn't hurt to do a bit of sucking up as well ("I'm so excited!" "This sounds amazing!" "You've done it again!").
I realize I will never qualify for the ROTD, and I accept it. Just please, for God's sake, pick a decent review by the user when his name comes up in the rotisserie. It is ridiculous, personally irksome and goes to your credibility, Yelp, to feature a fairy tale that is so embarrassingly badly written for ROTD.
5) Events. Generally, I don't attend Yelp events. I've attended two soirees altogether - a large one and a small one. Hey, not bad.
But the thing is that it has become increasingly difficult to get into events. Sometimes, you'll see someone post that they haven't gotten into an event in awhile, but generally any chatter about who gets into and doesn't get into events is not posted publicly on Yelp. There's plenty of banter on this topic that's not posted publicly on Yelp. Oh, you betcha, yah.
6) The CM. I'm sure the Chicago CM is a nice guy. I've had fleeting interaction with him at a few Yelp events. He seems alright. But there are a few things he's said with which I take issue. And these things relate to the question of his honesty, yeah, his honesty. See, one likes to believe in the freedom of Yelping, but glittering badges and endless compromises and quid pro quos shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah.
First, at the aforementioned event, I told an Elite Yelper in the presence of the CM that the Elite badge would be yanked if no reviews were written for three or four months. The CM shook his head sideways and said no. Within two or three months of that instance, and no reviews written by said Elite Yelper, said Elite Yelper's badge was yanked.
Next, there was a CMYE recently where the CM indicated that the guest list "take(s) into account a number of factors including your recent activity on the site and whether you've been confirmed/attended other recent official events so we can give as many of you as possible the opportunity to check out an official event." Well, I'd written several reviews recently. And I'd never attended a prior RSVP Yelp event. But I didn't get into this event. Meanwhile, some of the usual people who get into seemingly all events got into this one. It just doesn't jibe.
7) Elite badges. All the Elite thing is is encouragement for you to write more in order to be eligible to get the ROTD and get into Yelp events. It's a red herring. Yelp is only really about ad dollars. The events, Elite badges and ROTD are only in place to divert your attention from this cold, hard fact and to encourage you to keep volunteering free content from which Yelp generates ad dollars. Quid pro quo. Circle of Yelp. Scribble, scrabble, burp, "amazeballs!," ka-ching.
_______
So why am I still here? Because I like to write reviews, tell it like it really is and maybe give you a laugh. That is all. Dismissed.
Two stars.Listed in: The Yelp Experience
6 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/6/2011
Addendum - Suggestions for improving Yelp.
1. Change the moniker of your "Elite" users to something… Read more »
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Review from Sam B.
Snohomish, WA
Updated - 2/8/2012
Yelp is still continuing the practice of posting slanderous and false reviews from biased persons. They still remove the 4 and 5 star reviews to the filtered file. On my restaurant, they have averaged it at 3 stars when in reality it should be 4.5 stars.
Out of 90 reviews, only 27 show up. They have 1, 2 and 3 stars listed at the top while the 4 and 5 stars are mostly at the bottom of th page. Recently Fat O. did a nasty slanderous review full of lies. I wrote to Yelp, but no reply yet. Today, I sent them another email.
Please read the slanderous post from Fat O. and then read my message to Yelp. Here is my message:
This is a follow up to my request that you remove this slanderous, biased and false review by Fat O. done on 2/4/2012.
This person has a personal agenda against this establishment.
He claims there is a stench as you enter the restaurant. This is false. You are welcome to come and see how clean this restaurant is. We are 2 diamond rated by AAA and they inspect the establishments without notice.. If what Fat O. says is true, then why did he stay for the meal and a bad experience?
He claims every food and beverage item was nasty and not fit for consumption. Why would he stay and endure this lousy meal, pay for it and not even complain?
The local paper, Everett Herald did a review of our Curry and Kabob menu not so long ago and it was very positive. Here is the link:
http://www.heraldnet.c...
I once again ask Yelp to remove this slanderous review!
Oh, Fat O. also has a list of "Places that Suck". It has 2 listings, Boondockers and your website YELP.5 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/28/2011
Dave H. did a 1 star review on my business.
We reached out to Dave to find out the details of his… Read more »
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Review from Joshua B.
2/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I suppose at 360 reviews and over 1000 checkins and 5-years of elite status I should write a review of the place that makes this all possible.
At any rate - since I started using Yelp in 2007 it's become my "go to" place for restaurant, entertainment and hotel reviews. They managed to "crack" the hard problem of getting quality user-generated content that so many sites before have tried and failed to do. I share my scribblings with the world and the world seems to care (at least a little) - and just as importantly, I send all my friends to Yelp and they find lots of useful stuff.
In terms of Yelp itself - I was actually lucky enough to get a tour of the facilities from a friend who works there. Seems like a fun place. Kegerators with iPad controllers, silly pictures of staff, nice break-room. I should deduct one-star because the elevators are annoying and kept skipping the floor we wanted to go on. Plus I didn't leave with any swag. But I'll be nice :-) -
Review from Jonette J.
Walnut Creek, CA
2/7/2012
As a small business owner, I've always been a fan and big supporter of Yelp and how it can help my and other businesses grow. Unfortunately, that love affair has come to an end!
I recently received a review by a person who did not even hire me for my services. Although the rating I received was good, the information in the review was not only inaccurate, but potentially damaging to my business, as I get a lot of it from Yelp. She stated that I charge $6000.00 for a service that is actually less than $2000.00. Imagine visiting the Yelp page for a business only to learn that they charge a ridiculous amount of money for a service that should be quite reasonably priced. Would you even bother to contact them? I wouldn't.
Per Yelp's terms of service for reviewers, all information within the review must be factual and accurate. I pointed out to them that the information in said review was the exact opposite of accurate. However, they told me that they will not remove it and that they "don't take sides". This is not about taking sides. It's about enforcing your policies. What's the purpose of having this so called algorithm to keep fake reviews off the site, yet they refuse to use good old-fashioned common sense to keep inaccurate reviews off their site? If I said that Yelp charged $25.00 per click for advertising even though they don't, I highly doubt they'd leave that on their site. Why not show the same appreciation for the little guy?
I'm extremely disappointed and will remove Yelp from my site. It won't hurt them, but it sure will give me back a bit of the control that they've allowed someone to take from me as a business owner. -
Review from Kurt W.
San Diego, CA
2/7/2012
Yes it is official, yelp is totally bogus. They called me when i started getting reviews on my business, and asked for 700$ a month for their marketing program. At the time had 25 reviews. I don't sign up for anything without doing my due diligence.
After i found numerous articles about the fraud lawsuits they were having against them, and their numerous BBB complaints I turned them down and even told them I knew they were going to delete my reviews as others across the web state.
Sure enough, day by day IMMEDIATELY after I turned down their extortion, my number of reviews went down to 2! HA what a blatant JOKE!
No EVERY TIME someone posts, it gets filtered in 2-3 days. We have 46 filtered reviews (some from AVID yelpers) and still only 3 posts left.
Its a scam, they ask you to pay and if you don't they filter your reviews regardless of any review legitimacy.
I ask all my clients to NOT write a review on yelp and to go to Google Place. You know that place that shows up first in the search rankings and DOESN'T filter the reviews. Google tried to buy Yelp and yelp turned them down. Google places has traction now and will crush yelp. AND THEY DON'T ASK FOR MONEY! -
Review from Glenn C.
Penngrove, CA
2/7/2012
NO CONTROL! as a business owner I have no control over what yelp does right? or do i? seems to me that if i want all my great reviews to show up i have to buy advertising, hell their are businesses that have five stars and 50 reviews on there front page (even when they only have a total of 55 reviews) yet my little restaurant still has only 19 reviews on it and 40 filtered!!!!!! funny thing is I am making yelp MONEY with my coupons and still there ALGORITHM seems to take all the good reviews and put them in the filtered section, now the salesman keeps calling me to SPEND MORE MONEY with YELP and swears there is nothing anyone can do about the ALGORITHM guess what yelp thats a bunch of @#$%& and you know it.
I will NOT be encouraging my guests to go to yelp and buy a coupon in fact the coupon goes away today! and i will NOT ask my guest to go to yelp and give a honest review because when they do they all get stuck in the filter file!!!!!! and when a guest asked "whats yelp" and my servers respond so that everyone can benefit? YA THATS GONE TOO
I am not going to work for YELP anymore its just not worth it! -
Review from Mark M.
San Anselmo, CA
2/8/2012
An interesting idea, but often a lazy abuser of power.
I love both promoting businesses that deserve it and alerting my community to ones that I feel are sub-par. YELP gives me that space - they can take two stars for that.
That said, being associated with a business that YELP 'services,' I find them to be marginally responsive, consistently 'dug in' on positions that are clearly not in the best interests of local business, replete with bold sales folk for watered-down 'marketing' and cowards hiding behind their secret algorithm.
Frankly, I find it to bei a bit of a racket... -
Review from Brian D.
Milpitas, CA
2/5/2012
Hi,
I'm new to yelp and just signing up for the service has been an awful head-ache. I am a sophisticated computer application user and indeed, write applications. But Yelp is very un-intuitive and difficult to get started with. And horror of horrors, the moderators take easy offense to your efforts and get bent out of shape and yes, damn you for trying.
To be called a moron by some-one in Yelp's customer service says a lot about Yelp. It tells me that a bunch of 16 year old mentalities think they have a good thing, but are a bad thing.
Right now, my setup is filtered out from yelp search because the 16 year-old didn't like doing their job and the application was NOT written to easily handle a sophisticated user checking it out.
Thumbs down on yelp. -
Review from King S.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/7/2012
Wish I could give -1 star. Whenever I give 4 or 5 star .. they always delete it. I know couple of small business owners whose services I always use despite having a bad rating on yelp.
I wish there was alternate to Yelp -
Review from James W.
San Luis Obispo, CA
2/4/2012
Yelp as an advertising product cannot survive in the marketplace. It's counter-intuitive for businesses who rank well organically. Why pay to advertise when you already show glowing free reviews?? I am certain that Yelp's algorithm is biased towards removing positive reviews and leaving low reviews. For example, my business has 160 reviews right now, and 40 additional 5 star reviews are filtered. Only 3 one star reviews are filtered. This takes our overall ranking from 4.5 stars to 4 stars. As a business, I am much more inclined to advertise, although I still never would, when my business ranks in the middle of the pack, rather than at the top. I am pretty sure this is their strategy; normalize rankings so everyone is lower than they deserve, and therefore more likely to buy advertising.
Yelp acts like a socialist government. It thinks it knows better than we do how to spot a bullshit review, so it filters it for us. They don't trust the very community they are trying to build, thinking it inherently dishonest. I would argue that most Yelpers are the opposite, and write thoughtful honest reviews. Why not take away the filter and let us, the consumer, make the choice of which reviews to believe and which to ignore? There could still be content guidelines to avoid hate speech etc. This would help Yelp's credibility and I'm sure gain support in the business community. I would be much more likely to buy targeted keyword ads from an open honest organization than from Yelp in it's current state. -
Review from Crystal F.
Monterey, CA
2/6/2012
Bad for your business!! "Auto filter is broken and causing damages to our company!!!
Yelp's filter has removed all positive ratings, some over a year old, and left the only 2 negative giving my company an overall bad rep for anyone who searches us. This is ridiculous. We do not have the opportunity to opt into or out of Yelp, and people can comment, but Yelp will remove at their discretion, thus causing us damages that we have no control over. One of the negative Yelp reviewers posted her comment, and we weren't even managing her building!! We will reply to the comment, however that will not change our rating.
Yelp is supposed to be a place where the consumer can write unsolicited/unbiased comments, but what is the point, when your potential customers can't see what people are REALLY saying about you? -
Review from Pinky and the B.
New York, NY
Updated - 2/2/2012
I got a message from someone with only 2 reviews yesterday that started with " I am not a stalker but" ....
I get them all the time that is just an example. There are no privacy settings on Yelp.
Ever wondered how many weirdos have printed your profile picture put it in their wallet, and gone around telling everyone you're their girlfriend?
That is why I took down my profile picture at Yelp. Yelp needs privacy settings.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/24/2012
Pancho whose pictures are the best in LA and has the best Mexican food reviews and his pictures have… Read more »
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Review from Jason W.
Oakland, CA
2/2/2012
There comes a time when you have reached a plateau and you no longer really want to continue walking on a leveled surface, the adventures of running up a hill while dropping hundreds of feet are no longer. The thrill becomes less and you realize that your time here was awesome and amazing, yet has suddenly been reduced to another mediocre experience.
Yelp, it has been a good 5+ years. My first year an introduction to this site, learning the ways of yelp. My last 4 holding the wonderful elite badge next to my name, enjoying several events for elites, hosting elite events, writing great reviews, picking up fans, meeting people, getting the honor of having ROTD's often, and the list goes on for a long time.
Sadly, I come to a stop!
Yes, I'll admit I was upset when I did not get my '12 elite badge. 5 years strong and all of a sudden I'm not getting a badge; no real reason to this other than, "apply again later". To me that was a slap in the face with all I've done here and the time I've spent on this site helping build a community; helping this place stay up and running with honest reviews.
Sure, You'll run strong without me, people come and go all the time, but if anyone actually cares and reads this; don't discredit peoples work, time, and ability to help this site like you did with me.
And more so, yes, it is just a badge! I know this, but it means more when you've put in a lot to help this community grow and strive; only to get a lame ass response and not allowing a true yelper to continue their elite status.
Am I leaving because of this?
Yes and no. But the principle and root leans more to yes.
And honestly, I've always said I'd spend five years writing reviews and then I'll disappear and move on to something else. Hell, this place has sucked enough of my time and it was fun while it lasted.
So here it is. Last review, last hello/goodbye.
Thanks for the wonderful times. Friends/Fans/Stalkers, I'll check emails from Yelp from time to time so please dont hesitate to say hello or pass me on your email so we can stay in touch!
Thanks and peace out!! -
Review from Johnathan B.
Sacramento, CA
2/4/2012
Oh Yelp... what would I do without you? You have been so essential in guiding me towards good food, and keeping me away from bad. Please don't ever leave me...
Your friend,
- Johnathan -
Review from A Hart E.
Vallejo, CA
2/2/2012
Filtering sucks!!! It wastes people's time when you do not publish their review. You do a DIS-SERVICE to those that depend on reviews.
Why write a review if it's not going to be published? -
Review from Jennifer Y.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012
Yelp is a scam, pure and simple.
I have 7 - "five star" reviews of my business on yelp.
All from legitimate customers and people who work in my industry.
But, guess what? ALL of those reviews are hidden.
Yet, someone just joined yelp to write a fake 1 star review of my company. I've never done business with them or talked to them or anything. They are a complete stranger. That "review" is at the top of my yelp page.
What a sham!
I email yelp to get them to take down these fake reviews, yet they do nothing.
I'm going to sue them. Any advice? -
Review from M M.
Bellingham, WA
Updated - 1/30/2012
Update:
Since I complained and jumped through hoops (invited strangers to be my "friends", marked reviews as useful, etc) I am now unfiltered 1/30/12.
I keep track of several folks who have wonderful reviews that are filtered, no change there.
I have found a browser that lets me see filtered reviews. Yelp making it this difficult is ludicrous. But since in the past they didn't let you see them at all, oh well.
I have a suggestion for Yelp: Have some staff members use some time (quarter day per day or a couple days a week) to go through the filtered reviews... The ones that are good* get unfiltered (or go to users to be reviewed for unfiltering). Most of the good* filtered reviews would take about forty seconds to judge.
* "Good" defined as not obvious advertisements, obscene, or unrelated.
Come up with some plan anyway. Users voting them out of purdah, a council of verified users to review them, SOMETHING.
The current system is poor enough that I (and many folks) use alternates.
Please see my original review below. Thanks.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/7/2011
My original review:
I have written 30 reviews, now all but two are filtered. Some were rated cool,… Read more »
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Review from leslie l.
Oakland, CA
1/30/2012
Yelp is fascinating! It has become a HUGE part of my life, but I've had mixed results with the veracity of the reviews. In one case, it was glaringly apparent that either the staff had helped write a lot of the positive reviews, or else the business owner had recruited a lot of her friends. Not at all as advertised! I have numerous friends who own successful, well-established local small businesses here in the Bay Area, and almost all of them roll their eyes and shake their heads in disgust when the subject comes up!
What is going on here? Well, now there are two nation-wide, well-represented and populated civil suits pending - large class actions! - to attest to wide-spread fraud and extortion at Yelp. No surprise to me.
My question is: why, Yelp, why??? You guys have an awesome business model and the site works brilliantly on so many levels. Why the fake "algorhythm" crap? No one buys that. You sit and make stuff up, write it, call up business owners and threaten them (sometimes it's very blunt, other times it is more subtle, usually not so subtle!)
You imply in your calls (sometimes they are cold calls!) that you can remove the negative reviews, filter them out, etc.) What is going on here? It appears you have staff members hired to carry out a scheme, rather than a legit business. Just how long do you thing it will be before you have disgruntled former employees ready to come forward with all the dirt??? People who left with files and inter-office memos that paint an oh-so-vivid picture? Hope you bought some primo real estate in Cost Rica, cause the writing's on the wall.
Well, welcome to the club. The BBB and you seem to be on track to go down at the same time. They are a racket, as well, with thousand of complaints and two large civil class actions in the works. But your rating is sound with them, har har. Have fun clinging to one another, lol. Crime pays...for a while. I am concerned that when the dust settles, you'll be out of business, due to the costs of paying back all the folks you defrauded and we'll be left without Yelp's wonderfulness. I love Yelp, despite all the bad stuff you've done. Can't you please get back on track and clean up your act? You CAN grow a legitimate business. I believe in you!
Thanks! -
Review from Virtual M.
Alexandria, VA
2/7/2012
Dear Yelp,
over the course of the last 3 or so weeks I have tried to cultivate my site, get more reviews, answer back the reviews I had been getting, I've used yelp in a personal capacity and wanted to be able to allow my customers to do so as well. About 2 weeks after we started getting more reviews, our stars went from 1 star (from a review left 2 years ago) up to 4 1/2 stars. a few days later I received a call about yelp advertising. I did not see the purpose in extending our ad budget to include yelp advertising, we have so many other outlets for this and use other social media that is free, I just could not justify spending another $350-$1000 per month on simple click through ads. Within a week of turning down the opportunity for yelp advertising, ALL, EVERY SINGLE REVIEW went into the filtered section, my stars went back down to 1 star, and the only review left visible is that one bad review from 2 years ago.
At this point in time, I feel that the way YOU do business should be reviewed and I can only IMAGINE how many of your good reviews end up "filtered", oh wait.. NONE of you your reviews are "filtered" imagine that! I will no longer say yes to customers who ask if we are listed on yelp, I will tell them that we have no affiliation with the yelp site and I am in the works of trying to get us off of yelp all together, but doubt that can be done. I would however like to know the legality behind you listing our stores without even asking us if we wanted to be listed on your site.
You guys are HORRIBLE and so are your business practices... Due to the way our company site has been treated, I will also be deleting my personal account, as I have noticed after logging into my own account, alot of those personal reviews have also gone to other companies "filtered" reviews and it is unfair for them as well.
if I could rate you 0 stars I would. I would have liked to do this review under my business account so you know who exactly I am, but I know that would have only hurt our company site even more. -
Review from jennifer j.
Kansas City, MO
1/30/2012
I began with Yelp many years ago. I started writing reviews to help people that traveled to Kansas City. I have utilized Yelp on many occasions on trips to California. It is a great idea.
I have never had a bad experience until recently. Yelp notified me that they had removed one of my pictures on a review for Zocalo. I am still mystified as to why this picture was censored.
The picture was of their public restroom which was completely filthy and unattended. There wasn't any toilet paper and there were paper towels everywhere on the floor and counter. The sink was filled with paper towels and water.
When I got the message that I had violated some sort of rule by posting this picture, I went and thoroughly read all the terms. No where did I find anything I did wrong. I even emailed Yelp directly to get a explanation and never received a reply.
I took a picture of my real experience and I am not sure why this is not appropriate. We use pictures and words to describe our experience. Isn't that what Yelp is all about? Guess not. -
Review from Gary N.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/8/2012
I rate "Yelp"
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/30/2010
Here's what you need to know about Yelp, whom you probably trust:
Yelp's insistence that "everyone's… Read more »
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Review from Jimmy I.
Berkeley, CA
1/27/2012
Yelp is fake. It's official.
Businesses can pay a fee to have negative reviews removed.
'nuff said. -
Review from Bert L.
Country Club, CA
2/8/2012
The iPhone app for yelp is something that I use daily to help me locate a business or get directions to get there. It's very well laid out and easy to use.
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Review from Jermery F.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012
Yelp why you be hating on me? I thought this site was so dope when I joined and I wanted to spread the love to all the cool authentic real places in the best city in the world yet instead Yelp keeps filtering my sweet love out.
Why so cruel yelp? Can we process this, how about you and me do a sweat lodge followed by some primo drinks from our favorite mixologists and make up and you stop filtering me? -
Review from Jenn C.
1/28/2012
There are many imitators but nobody really does Yelp as well as Yelp - writing recommendations on Yelp is really fun for me - I enjoy doing a bit of writing every day, though I suspect this may be taking away from my ability to one day write the Great American Novel. It's not just useful as a writing exercise but creating content that is useful to other people is very gratifying.
Yelp introduces me to people with a wide range of interests and experiences - I enjoy reading reviews on Yelp before visiting a new place to get a sense of what to expect and to help find businesses I want to check out. When I visited the Tampa area for the first time, I used Yelp to find vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants and grocery stores where I could buy organic produce. On my cross country trip, I used Yelp to help find hotels, restaurants and grocery stores.
Locally, I enjoy being part of Yelp Elite and meeting other people who feel the way I do about writing reviews and visiting local businesses. I've got lots of ideas about how to improve the mobile platform and plenty of feedback for the web platform but the bottom line is that the underlying goal "real reviews by real people" is useful to me as a customer.
I love reading other people's reviews - there are so many different styles, tones and approaches.
Yelp is a rich resource both for local information on merchants and services as well as ideas for writing style. -
Review from Adrian D.
Wenatchee, WA
1/28/2012
I like Yelp for what it offers but I recently had someone leave me a nice review for my business and it was removed. Something about algorithms.
That stinks.
I don't get a ton of business reviews but that removal left me with only one on my page.
How does that help my potential customers?
It doesn't, hence 2 stars.
Get this stuff fixed Yelp! -
Review from Song A.
Berkeley, CA
1/26/2012
Dear Yelp,
Stop filtering my comments and comments of other writers. By not allowing our reviews to remain posted, it is violating our right to free speech and creating misrepresentation of your star guide for many businesses.
Your algorithms are WRONG. And many of the star reviews are MISDIRECTED.
FOR THIS, YOU DESERVE NEGATIVE STARS.
Thank you. -
Review from D. B.
Chicago, IL
1/25/2012
Dear Yelp,
I pay you $350 a month to advertise my sole proprietorship business on your site, which basically lets me have a nifty slide show on the page, and not much else. In return, you have filtered 9, yes NINE 5-star reviews (OUT OF 11 TOTAL), all of which are legitimate, informative, and helpful comments as to how much I take pride in my hard work.
At one time, I had eight 5-star reviews up, and I was getting many calls from clients seeking my services. It was really helping me to make a living, as it seems many many people naively rely on what people say about you on Yelp in deciding whether or not to patronize your business.
I really do not understand this whole "filter" nonsense, as there could be a myriad of clients and customers who only get on your site one time to tell all about how one business really made their day, and where they just don't feel like writing any other reviews. Who are you to judge them, and why would that imply that they are all fake? Who made you God? You can't read the minds of these reviewers, and now, you've even filtered a review from someone who even bought a Yelp Deal. How could this be fake? Why don't you just take them all down, since now it really does not matter at all.
I will be canceling my contract with you, as it is totally pointless. I don't know why I am even paying you to ruin my business, career, and life. Thanks a lot. Thank goodness I have online booking where those reviews will stay up for eternity for all to see, made by actual customers who don't get censored. They are all 5-stars, by the way (and one 4-star), so they parallel all the things people once said on your site that are now censored.
I thought free speech would be a bigger deal out here in left-leaning San Francisco, but I guess that's incorrect. I'll steer people to my good reputation myself here in Chicago, thanks.
Sincerely,
A very small business owner who's had it with your bullshit -
Review from Jay S.
Berkeley, CA
1/27/2012
I've spent good money on YELP ads for the past 3 months in spite of my intuition telling me for the last year to avoid it. Well, I should have listened to my intuition. We are locked into a 6 month contract, that I tried to change and they manipulate their rules to suck more money out of me when I wanted to pay up and get out.
The thing is, with all of YELP's advertising sales team's HYPE about getting more ad clicks, more ad clicks mean nothing (as they will admit, under pressure) if it doesn't turn into business. In the big picture of advertising, more eyes don't really mean anything unless they buy something.
Don't waste your money advertising here because YELP's system is set up to penalize those who don't pay, but if you do pay YELP takes lots of money with no results from those who do pay. What a genius business model for the stakeholders in YELP.
But if you can't even buy an ad system that works for your business (just works for YELP's business), how does it really work? You have to break the YELP rules and get all your friends to write positive reviews of you and write negative ads about your competitors, as that is what the system is made to support.
The ad rep says "I have high hopes." Don't buy in to that phony thought as hope doesn't have a thing to do with rigged computer algorhythms that you cannot monitor. They don't even keep statistics on how long people stay on your ad. How pitiful is that for a so-called "cutting edge" company. -
Review from Kb B.
Los Gatos, CA
1/26/2012
I wish I could give negative stars -
Why do my reviews disappear????
Not a true review site sine it controls what the reviewers get to see.
Complete BS!!!
I also hear they solicit businesses for monthy fees -- WHY?
What could they offer them??
Anyway - just like we've been taught - don't believe everything you read.
Consider the good ones and consider the bad ones but who knows until you you see for yourself.
I do think its a great idea but I wish it was more straight up and post all the good one and all the bad ones.
Take care Yelpers. -
Review from Nino R.
1/26/2012
If you told me in September 2009 that a website would help dictate the way I live my life for the next three years, I'd laugh. I'd laugh and brush it off.
But three years later, Yelp is a major part of my life. It's a little crazy. From check-ins to reviews, I'd surmise that one hour of everyday is devoted to Yelp. But it's not all about dukedoms, FTRs, and ROTDs.
I've met so many fantastic people through Yelp. People that I consider real friends; friends for a lifetime.
The most unbelievable thing about this whole Yelp situation is that I met my girlfriend at an Elite event over a year ago. I know that I never would have met her if it wasn't for Yelp. And now I can't imagine my life without her.
It's amazing really...what this website can do... -
Review from ryan H.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I recently found out my friends business closed due to his yelp reviews being taken away-
I guess because he wouldn't spend money with you guys you pulled his good reviews! That's bogus and bull-shit, I may just delete my account and stop using it !
Lets see if this gets filtered..
Screw you guys -
Review from Jessie P.
Healdsburg, CA
1/23/2012
I am so frustrated with Yelp. Here is a recent email about my Elite status:
"Hi Jessie,
We're writing you today because we've received your nomination for Yelp Elite Squad.
We have reviewed your case and while we greatly appreciate all of your contributions to the site, unfortunately, we're unable to welcome you to the Elite Squad at this time.
Regards,
Yelp Elite Squad Messenger
San Francisco, CA"
I have given Yelp my time for many years. I give my all, care about my reviews and talk about the greatness Yelp is. NOW, I am sad, mad and confused. I hate the thought of feeling like a sad little rejected pre-teen. Why give me Elite, breed me the way you want for years so that I continue to think what I am doing is correct and then shot me down?!
F that. See my blog from now on for reviews: http://jessposhepny.com -
Review from Rob G.
Fremont, CA
1/25/2012
If I could give YELP a (-) star review I would. Yelp is awful. I am a small business owner and i've only received a total of 4 reviews (1 bad and 3 good) and guess what, Yelp has filtered out all of my good reviews and only left the 1 negative review. Thanks alot Yelp! you're a F'ing JOKE and I hope you are made to shut down soon.
Rob -
Review from Maria M.
Eugene, OR
1/23/2012
It's so awesome how much fun you guys are having in those photos! I mean, how great would it be to have an office with a big huge game room and lots of parties?
I mean, unless you're bothered by the fact that your well-earned pay checks come from lots of publicly posted lies, damage to businesses and individuals who work at said businesses, and extortion for ad money...
I had a business. It was listed on Yelp. It got lots of reviews. Lots of those reviews were wonderful, and they were from real people who got real services. Lots of those were hidden - excuse me - "filtered". Some of those reviews were awful, mean-spirited and downright false. Some of those also got "filtered". Seemed fairly random to me.
Unfortunately, all were readable to everyone with an internet connection, and even the ones I flagged and sent notes about received either no response (very Zen of you) or a canned reply referring me to your little insult of an FAQ for Business Owners page, where I got to learn really important things like "Just concentrate on providing great service" and "Keep your cool."
Wow! As someone who started a business from literally nothing and worked my tail off to get it off the ground - I never would have guessed that staying calm and providing great service would be important! Thank you SO MUCH!!
Also, thank you for all the other businesses that have sprung up as a result of this wonderful public service you provide. They get to charge people hundreds of dollars a month to "manage" a business's online reputation! But how would they do that? I mean, it's just honest, first-hand reviews on your site, so how would a company make a profit by "managing" this? What must they do to influence a business's rating, I wonder?
Incase you're thinking I'm just bitter because my business closed, and we must've gotten lots of bad reviews and all those hundreds we spent "managing" our online profile didn't work... My business had a 4.5-Star rating, and we never spent one dime trying to change it or remove a bad review.
We did, however get one-star "reviews" from competitors, have more than one staff member cry after reading a mean-spirited, useless review, and respond very courteously to every review we got, good or bad.
My conclusions, after about 5 years of dealing with my business as it related to Yelp, were that:
1. They don't care about business owners or their staff (who are actual, real people, trying to make a living)
2. They don't care if a review is false or slanderous. Not even a little.
3. They hide genuine, positive reviews.
4. They strongly encourage business owners to send messages privately to reviewers, as opposed to publicly. Why would that be? I thought they were all about being totally honest and public about everything.
5. They won't tell you how the filter works, but you're just supposed to chill out and trust it.
6. You can't opt out. Afterall, it is a PUBLIC site, with PUBLIC information on it. They have you by the proverbial short-ones and all you can do is beg for fair consideration with a thousand-character limit, mind you. (While they presumably take a Foos-Ball break before getting back to their desks to ignore some serious issues their company has created.)
Just noticed their cute little one-star caption: "Eek! Methinks not." That is just so friendly and adorable. Like no real harm can come of it. Well, in Yelp's case that is true. For everyone else, I think the best strategy is to make sure you have:
1. No competitors who know how to use the internet;
2. No disgruntled former employees who know how to use the internet;
3. No disgruntled former employees or competitors who have friends who know how to use the internet;
4. No clients who are having a bad day (or life) and love to sling abuse publicly;
5. Lots of money to advertise on Yelp;
6. Lots of money to pay great services who will make sure your average won't fall below four stars.
There - You're all set! What would we all do without this wonderful service?
I'll tell you:
1. We'd try places without preconceived notions (yikes!)
2. We'd actually get feedback from our actual friends about places they've been (Whoa, that's weird)
3. All these people who are whining or bragging about their "Elite Status" would have to actually get real lives and spend their time doing real things and have real friends. (See #2)
4. Customers would have to actually "interact" or "communicate" with a business they are unhappy with and give them a chance to make it better - OMG.
Sorry for the rant. That, my friends, is five years of pent-up frustration at a very unfair situation. Why five stars? Because you don't give a crap if I give you one, and this way, it might actually get read! Perhaps I'll create another user name and post the same review with one star... then I could post pictures of how much fun I'm having at MY office... -
Review from Nick M.
Manhattan, NY
1/24/2012
Team Yelp,
I think it is a disgrace how Yelp censors it's members. I received a disturbing email from Tobias of Yelp User Support. I cannot fathom how Yelp removed my negative review of the business services and practices of VERIZON that I had written because "it is not primarily relevant to a consumer experience with this specific business location."
ARE YOU 'EFFIN KIDDING ME???
I have not seen any positive reviews for Verizon. If you would have carefully read my review, you would have noted that a "whole (city) block is down in the middle of midtown NYC". If you would have done your due diligence you would have found out that it affected over 500 businesses. Therefore what are you talking about when you state that the reason for removal of my review is "it is not primarily relevant to a consumer experience with this specific business location." Can you get more specific than that?
I also find it incredible that Yelp has been able to filter 12 reviews of my own business from 12 verifiable patients. I wonder did Yelp "filter" or "censor". As Yelp and the Yelp community is finding out, due to the censorship practices of the management of Yelp, I will no longer be using it or posting reviews here.
Thank you,
Nick M Mobilia -
Review from Sarah M.
2/7/2012
Yelp is the new Facebook! Not only can you review your favorite local businesses, but it's a great way to meet new people, make friends, and even get invited to some awesome events if you play your cards right......
-
Review from Fariba H.
Fremont, CA
2/6/2012
What has this world come to? Everything is all about money. If you pay for advertising mysteriously your negative reviews disappear and the 5 star ones reappear. When you don't, then of course, your the worst business in the world!
Hey Yelp, I'm gonna use your motto... You aren't paying....so I am going to have my negative review shine!
How does it feel? -
Review from Lina M.
CHESTNUT RDG, NY
1/24/2012
Yelp is not run cleanly and is a censor.
1. I've written 2 reviews. One very favorable and the other negative, as was my experiences at these businesses.
2. Yelp hides my negative review of Body Evolution Pilates in New City, NY after it had been up for over 4 months, bowing to the owner's demand.
3. In the interim, Yelp has allowed the owner to post my personal health and medical information on its site - a clear violation of federal HIPAA regulations.
4. They refuse to have their legal department intervene and comply with HIPAA.
5. Obviously, according to the dates, Yelp allows a 5-star review from the owner's friend (or the owner herself) to be the only upfront review.
Yelp needs to seriously review its own review policy.
Read more reviews for this business:
Dutch (1),
Spanish (2)
