Phil G.
Yelp
Below is the review I wrote our first night at Guilt & Co. We went back after dinner at St. Lawrence on Sunday night to listen to an amalgam band named Nightwalker. There was no line, and we were escorted immediately to a table for two after being advised about a cover charge of $6.00 per person. Six bucks! That's nothing for listening to great musicians. Our server was an attractive, petite woman with dark hair, who works her ass off and seems to be at Guilt every night. She runs around taking care of every patron. The music by Nightingale was amazing, but again, a bunch of people got up to dance blocking the sight lines for everyone else. The music was concert quality, and I didn't think Guilt was a club. I thought it was a concert venue. Despite the dancers, listening to the musicians was cool, until the two dudes in front of us began arguing with the server about the $6.00 cover charge. Are you kidding me! They were giving this poor woman a hard time, and I had to intervene. I offered to pay the 12 dollars, which is about $9.00 for me. The server refused, wanting the two nincompoops to pay. By that time, the band's set was done, and it was time to head back to the Loden Hotel. Guilt & Co. has great music, and the concept is egalitarian, but dancing should be restricted to an area that doesn't block the sight lines for the patrons who choose not to dance. Also, if people refuse to pay the $6.00 cover charge, let them serve drinks and food for 30 minutes, and they'll be happy to fork over the 6 bucks. Maybe they'll appreciate how hard people work, and what the $6.00 is for.
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I like the concept, and the people who work here are very kind. As a venue, the acoustics could be better, but food, liquor and the bands are all good. However, I am now old. I don't feel old, and I don't act old, but age tapped me on the shoulder when I wasn't looking. There was a band we wanted to hear on Friday night. We stood on line over 45 minutes, and my body was in pain, and my wife was looking at me with her death stare. After 50 minutes, we ditched and went to L'Abattoir for drinks.
Saturday night we went back and we were able to wait on the patio. That was infinitely better, but the band lacked energy for some reason, and some bad dancers detracted from listening to the band. We will try to get into Guilt & Co. tonight, before or after our dinner at St. Lawrence. It's all a crap shoot, but for me, I can wait in a line maybe 15 minutes. That's why Guilt & Co gets four rather than five stars.