Lol, good memories of that cold beer line from the '98 reunion shows. He kind of lost me when he got overtly political in his concerts but I’ll look back on the old days fondly.
Haven’t been to any of the AP restaurants, but the new WYB is close to home. I’ll have to give it a shot, good on @Oshingurl for asking for, and responding to, criticism.
Please follow the conversation here under a new thread for the new name/concept. (@seal it ok I’ll do the heavy lifting)
In researching some past reviews of my experiences at Langosta / Pop’s I visited Chow to search some of my reviews. I’ll be perfectly honest @coldbeer70 I thought you were being a little rough on @Oshingurl, and personally I thought you might have had an ax to grind with her. Interestingly I found these posts, one by MGZ (@MZ where the hell are you buddy???) who in general was a big fan of Langosta, pretty much verifying everything you are claiming about Marilyn and Langosta. There was an entire thread dedicated to the “elitist” attitude of the restaurant and staff. Mind you both of these are from 2009, so it seems this has been a long standing issue (copy pasted from Chow)
MGZ Apr 23, 2009 10:35 AM
I intended to illustrate the hypocrisy emerging at Langosta in the hopes that it can be remedied. My encounters with Marilyn, Scott, and those who appear to be close to them, suggest that they would be dismayed to learn that Langosta was becoming elitist. It is, however, one of the few places where I think bringing attention to the issue might help.
I am probably one of the last people who should raise this issue. I have never received anything but excellent to special attention at any of the Schlossbach establishments. Believe me, I could’ve had Seal’s table by 8 o’clock . . . I will get my tequila refilled before the bartender bothers to pour your first glass of wine . . . (Get it? Yes, Virginia there is a secret local handshake!). It doesn’t make it right.
Above, I noted that such practices are engaged in everywhere; I too have been guilty of it. Given the quality of the food, Labrador Lounge is one of the most egalitarian places I know. I confess, however, laughing about the bennies with our waitress. Face it, at one time or another each of you was prejudged and pigeonholed.
Part of this< I am certain, is because in the course of waiting on someone for an hour (or two) it’s easy to treat them as the most immediately recognizable cliché. Maybe you really are comfortable as the cliché and therefore don’t mind – fine, it’s still not right. When the fat lady asks for extra butter, the staff laughs! And don’t think that your mispronunciations go unnoticed simply because they were not corrected.
I know this rant has digressed into too broad a point, I am just hopeful that Langosta can stay cool and that perhaps by pointing out this peril they will be aware. After all, sooner or later, you gotta let Barney try!
BTW – “Cousin Eddie”? Why do I waste such good stuff on you people?? 
Langosta Lounge: really full of itself
jerseyeats | Oct 11, 2009 09:27 AM
So finally my partner and I try LL for dinner. Had been there for drinks once–v. good margaritas and fun atmosphere. Tried to go for dinner last week. Called for a reservation around noon but host practically laughed out loud at the idea of us thinking we could actually get a Sat. nite reservation “that late.” Made a reservation this week, on Friday, for Sat nite.
So partly it’s all the hype and build up, but boy was I disappointed. Table for two was tiny and we sat about a foot away from the next two-top. Then our waitress…my question was, could we get her to crack a smile? Nope. I had narrowed my choice down to 2 entrees and asked for a recc. I don’t eat shellfish, so I don’t know, was her first reply. Then I asked which was more popular. No joy there, either. I figured she hates people and/or her job and just ignored her after that, noting also that our neighbors got exactly the same treatment. But when neighbors left and fashionable couple replaced them, the woman self-importantly ordering a bottle of wine, the waitress transformed: chatting, joking, and–yes–making menu recommendations. I sat there slack-jawed, watching this. I guess she wrote us and first neighbors off as nobodies. After this–though it was check and tip-calculating time–we didn’t see her much. She was too enthralled with new neighbors and I guess other, cooler people. But my favorite moment of all was, when she came to take the check, I tried to tell her, “we don’t need change” but she just snatched it out of my hand and wouldn’t even make eye contact. Wow.
My dish was problem #2. Can’t remember the name but thai-inspired with green and red curry, over black rice, and I chose shrimp. Well, the shrimp was “bait shrimp” or, if you can picture this, much like the shrimp you buy in a little bag at shop rite for $5 and make shrimp salad sandwiches with. I couldn’t believe it. The sauce was EXTREMELY heavy and rich…I swear there was a full can of coconut milk in there and I don’t know what else. I couldn’t finish it and, as I said to my partner, when Ieave rice and potatoes on the plate, you know something’s wrong. At the risk of TMIing you, my stomach was in a state of shock and awe all night. My partner was happy with her salad (arugula, goat cheese), and sushi roll, but I tried them and they weren’t special in any way.
At some point–maybe in warm weather when we can sit outside–I might go back and try the lobster enchiladas. But really a big let-down.
We have a bad opinion of you because all your restaurants serve indifferent, if not bad, food at inflated prices, and the only decent service is to be obtained at the bar.
We’re it not for the geography you occupy, tourism, indiscriminate palates and your various liquor licenses we sincerely doubt you would stay in business.
But then there is the Jersey shore restaurant corollary:
Indifferent food + Liquor license = “Successful” restaurant.
Never once have I had a meal I enjoyed at any of your establishments, nor have they ever been recommended to me by others (unless it was some mention of drink specials).
I’m glad for you that your business is successful.
But I find it detrimental that the Monmouth county restaurant scene is dominated by the labrador whelps, mcclones, tummy’s coal fired and other mediocre chains where your main business skill set consists of buying liquor licenses.
Woof Woof indeed !!!
You may, but your serving staff does not, and since you run the place that is your fault.
Again, woof !
Not true in my case, I am anything but a snob. Actually more of a triple d palate.
Here is an example of what refer to from a Schlossbach menu:
POP’S ENCHILADA – Choice of shredded chicken, fish, shrimp, lobster, or veggies smothered with cheese & served with ruby rice and beans- choice of red, verde, diablo, or mole traditional Veggie… Nineteen Dollars or Chicken… Twenty-Two Dollars or Fish… Twenty-Five Dollars or Lobster or Shrimp… Twenty-Six Dollars
$ 26 FOR A GRINGOSCISED ENCHILADA ??
You can get a whole puerto nuevo style lobster in Rosarito for that.
(Served on a menu with sushi and “Irish” short ribs ??? Any time I see sushi and Mexican on a menu my bowels usually warn me to beat a hasty retreat.)
If I’m in the mood for enchiladas it’s off to La Valentina or El Oaxqueno in LB, which are not fancy are authentic, and cost like $ 8.
@VikingKaj !!!
First time in a while and VJ was spitting hot fire!!!
Damn right! Would you expect anything less? Lol
Good to see you back viking.
Good thing we didn’t float him out to sea while shooting flaming arrows at him like you wanted to CJ.
I did apologize in advance for speaking for anyone other than myself regarding the “snob” qualifier, but I still hoped someone would bite. Thank God you did…gives me renewed faith in the vibrancy of this board!
As a local foodie/drinkie, I have the same general opinion as coldbeer70 and others about Schlossbach restos having tried most at least once. I haven’t visited Russell & Bette’s yet but I plan to, probably in the fall. I enjoy having a drink at the bars, but I don’t choose them as dining destinations because I wasn’t overwhelmed by the food quality/price ratio. As for Pop’s Garage, too much $ for bland Tex Mex when we have a plethora of authentic Mexican choices for far less $.
And now for a little peace and love:
I’ve attended three fundraising events for our local NPR radio station for which Marilyn closed Langosta Lounge and donated the space, her staff to prep, cook, serve, and clean up; and the food. I believe that she’s done this more than those three times. We all know how rare it is to find decent food at an event buffet. At each of these events, the food was very good. The staff hustled to keep the food in good supply. Each was a lovely, intimate musical evening that left me feeling good about humanity.
.
It’s been well over a week since I sent @oshingirl a direct message, as I wanted to give her the courtesy of not jumping online to complain. I haven’t received any sort of reply, so I’m going to share what happened to us at Langosta Lounge over Memorial Day weekend.
The facts:
-I made a reservation for 6 people a couple of weeks ahead of time and specified we were celebrating a big birthday and going for dinner and to watch the band playing that night.
-I called the restaurant 1-2 days later to bump the reservation to 8 people.
-I called back the Friday before to ask if only 6 could make it for dinner and the last 2 for drinks/dessert if we needed to change the reservation and was told no.
-All 8 of us were there on time and had drinks/apps/entrees
-The band started and 1-2 songs in, we were told we had to give up the table as they had another reservation coming in. THIS HADN’T BEEN COMMUNICATED TO US UNTIL THAT MOMENT.
-I strongly objected, and now a guy came over and said the same thing. I told him we’d made the reservation far in advance AND that we hadn’t yet had dessert. He screamed that it’s common courtesy to give up a table when asked. I screamed back that it’s common courtesy to let customers know if there’s a time restriction.
Since this site is for discussions about restaurants and Marilyn chimed in wanting to know what we have issues with, there you go…as an experience, this was all, ALL, wrong. I’ve blocked out any positive things I might have said about anything else because it was so obvious that management doesn’t care about customers. Marilyn may care and care a LOT, but if that’s not reflected by the actions of her teams, it’s on her to hire folks who DO know what hospitality is.
I wish I were surprised; I’m not.
Regardless of charitable intent, the operations and food at the Schlossbach venues leave much to be desired.
If only we could get good food and reasonable service at the non charitable events.
You mention nothing of the food, but my expectation is that this was mediocre Mexican at best. Would you really have wanted to stay for dessert?
Unfortunately, @CurlzNJ your experience is all too typical of my experience at the various labrador kennels.
“Woof ! Woof ! Woof !” I say.
That’s exactly my point…from what I know having lived down here <2 years, Marilyn is extremely community-minded, something I think is fantastic. But her restaurants don’t seem to reflect a passion for consistency in food, service, or management, which are the keys to success in the industry, imo.
As has been stated here - all you need is a location and a liquor license to be “successful”. If people will pay consistently high prices for bad treatment and mediocre food you need a ton of character to NOT just take advantage of the sheep.
I spoke with Marilyn, accepting only a glass of water from her hospitality. You don’t have to buy me dinner to get me to tell you what I think. @NotJrvedivici - you still have to buy me dinner to get me to put out.
I found out a few things. First, as far as the board is concerned, she is not an online person and only found us by accident. She will not be posting.
Also, as @CurlzNJ already said, she is not just involved with our local farms and charities, but hyperinvolved. She only buys local produce so the very thought of keeping a salad bar is ludicrous. She is a truly thoughtful and caring person, and she gives back so much to the community.
She acknowledged her staffing problems while still expressing pride in her long time loyal staff members, some of whom stayed on even after Sandy.
I gave her a lot of positive feedback, suggestions on what to fix and how to fix it. I told her I would relay any of those same positive ideas to her and also tell her about any problems we find. As somebody who loves Monmouth County and has lived here a long time, I feel it’s my duty to help out the good people who are doing their best for us.
With regards to staffing issues I get it, seasonal employees, now with more places for them to work with two more restaurants opening in AP (one in June and another not until after the season). So the good bartenders and wait staff have.more options of places to work
See this again is where I have a problem. Don’t come on the forum, initiate discussion and specifically request response only to now say: “I’m not an online person I won’t be responding”.
Sorry but I do call bullshit on that one, if you start something see it through. I hope you get your drink and @coldbeer70 gets his meal!
