Haley W.
Yelp
I wanted to like everything about this place. But, I don't see this "sexy" vibe everyone keeps posting about. My husband and I were celebrating our 1-year wedding anniversary, and decided on a gondola ride in Stillwater (highly recommend) followed by dinner/drinks at the Velveteen.
To echo others statements, it is not hard to find. In fact, it was downright simple. Then, we get downstairs where a gaggle of 20-something bachelorettes are taking selfies. No hostess to be found, so we elbow our way past them and are greeted by a rude man who said "you need to wait back there". We say "we have an 8pm reservation" (it is 7:47). He says, you are 20 minutes early. We say, we understand, and are happy to wait just didn't know where to go or who to tell.
Next - we use the restroom while we wait. Overflowing trash with napkins and it is dirty. During a busy Saturday I understand; during COVID, that is a major strike against you. We come out and the bartender takes his foot and starts stamping down bottles in the recycle bin behind the bar. I didn't understand why he didn't just take the bin out... but I digress. Again, health hazard and just a classless move.
Host realized he was probably rude to us before and gets us seated right away. He wipes down the table with what I can only assume is a dirty rag. No sanitizer bottle in sight. No one comes to our table for about 10 minutes - again, it's a busy Saturday so we understand. I am looking around, and see cocktail napkins, fruit skewers for drinks, etc. all over the floor. It's not clean. After working in hospitality most my life, that to me indicates that the kitchen is not clean either. Finally order a drink, it comes, no one comes back to check on us. Ice is completely melted in my husband's drink. Host delivers shots to a nearby table, squats down and takes a shot with the patrons. Maybe they are friends.
We decide to bail to go to the Mudd Room in Mendota Heights. Leave $30 on the table for our drinks and dip out. No one even notices to care.
This place has the ingredients and decor to be really great. Needs better management to elevate it from the next step bar for college kids. Feels like the type of place I would think is classy at 24 after being in scuzzy college bars in Dinkytown. But as a 30-something, I know better.