Christopher J.
Yelp
I have been to the Caribou Club three times over the last 10 years. I met the owner, Harley Baldwin....many years ago and was even invited to his private residence upstairs for cocktails. He made the Caribou Club a classy place. Sadly, it is no longer the place Harley envisioned since he passed away. I received an invitation to the Club from a member on January 20th and entered the club. The dooman had no record of my name on the list, and suggested I leave !! A few minutes later, another guest of the same member arrived, and the list of invitees was found in the reservations book, and I was rescued and admitted. The host took me to the member's dining table, and told me that I "must" check my coat. I decided that I may come after their dinner, back to the club and have drinks with my friends. While we were deciding, the host rudely demanded I check my coat. I told him, we were deciding whether to stay or not..and he interupted me and told me "Check your coat...it's the club policy, or GET OUT!" I was very embarassed and appalled by the rude treatment, we weren't even seated yet.
I decided to check my coat and THEN decide on whether I wanted to stay, or not. While checking my coat, a lady entered the club and told the same host, "I'm just going to look for my friends, first". He abrubtly told her, "Check your coat first!" and she replied, "Are you serious? I just want to see if my friends are here, first!", to which he retorted, "DOES IT LOOK LIKE I AM JOKING?!!"
He was of some foreign descent...possibly Spanish? But nevertheless....VERY rude and completely unprofessional. Later in the lounge, we were having drinks and some 20 something year old ladies were scantilly dressed and started doing lap dances on the men at their table, and were very loud and drunk and acting obnoxious. My friend noted that the host was overly concerned with checking coats (perhaps a form of club income?) but had no care on how guests acted in the "private" and supposedly exclisive club. Harley would be rolling over in his grave..!! Sad to say, the Caribou Club is no longer what it used to be, and I have no desire to return. I was treated much better the following nights by the fireplace lounge at La Montagna in the Little Nell, by their staff.