Crazy Pianos is the snobbiest place in town
I try to write upbeat and not put down businesses just for the sake of putting them down, but Crazy Pianos does not fit into the Grove and they probably never will. I had my own rude experience with them before they even opened and I never went back. Since the day they opened, (and even before), they have been quite rude to more people than not.
I have gotten many complaints about them during the Alfest bar crawl this past Saturday night and this was the last straw.
They actually made the bar crawlers wait outside because it was "dinner hour" and then only let in a few at a time. After 9 pm, if you had shorts or tank tops on, you were not allowed in. They basically just went through the motions. What type of bar crawl allows a person or two in, lets them have a beer and then shoves them out? What fun is that?
They were given the liquor to serve by the Alfest organizers, but refused to serve it all. They supposedly kept most of it for their own profit. Apparently the door staff was rude and so were the bartenders. The Alfest organizers received numerous phone calls with complaints.
Why sign up for the bar crawl if you don't want to participate? What's the point? To make yourself look good? Didn't work, you made yourself look bad. Screwing the charity and Grove patrons is not the way to gain friends and fit in with the village.
They were jerks the day I met them (the owner and staff), so I just turned the other cheek and walked away. I never stepped foot inside again and when people asked me my opinion of the place, I told them how I felt.
They got rid of Café Tu Tu Tango for this? The ironic part is that I don't think any of the artists or customers from the old Tu Tu Tango would be permitted in Crazy Pianos. They don't fit their demographic -- people with their noses up in the air and sticks up their asses, oh wait, that describes the owners and staff.
I have gotten many complaints about them during the Alfest bar crawl this past Saturday night and this was the last straw.
They actually made the bar crawlers wait outside because it was "dinner hour" and then only let in a few at a time. After 9 pm, if you had shorts or tank tops on, you were not allowed in. They basically just went through the motions. What type of bar crawl allows a person or two in, lets them have a beer and then shoves them out? What fun is that?
They were given the liquor to serve by the Alfest organizers, but refused to serve it all. They supposedly kept most of it for their own profit. Apparently the door staff was rude and so were the bartenders. The Alfest organizers received numerous phone calls with complaints.
Why sign up for the bar crawl if you don't want to participate? What's the point? To make yourself look good? Didn't work, you made yourself look bad. Screwing the charity and Grove patrons is not the way to gain friends and fit in with the village.
They were jerks the day I met them (the owner and staff), so I just turned the other cheek and walked away. I never stepped foot inside again and when people asked me my opinion of the place, I told them how I felt.
They got rid of Café Tu Tu Tango for this? The ironic part is that I don't think any of the artists or customers from the old Tu Tu Tango would be permitted in Crazy Pianos. They don't fit their demographic -- people with their noses up in the air and sticks up their asses, oh wait, that describes the owners and staff.
posted by Tom Falco at 9:30 AM
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39 Comments:
Yeah, i'm all set with Crazy P's... they should have put an Olive Garden there. I mean, why pay $5.50 for a beer when you can get a whole pitcher of the same crappy beer for that much at any of the other bars in the Grove. Yeah they have the live music, etc... but i never really notice them.
not letting people in because of shorts when you are participating in a bar crawl in the middle of the summer is ridiculous. it was like 5000000 degrees on saturday.
this whole fiasco leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The rest of the participants, even in places which normally have a dress code (cabana one, temple?) were more than happy to accomodate everyone.
i agree with the OG suggestion above. that place would BANK in that location.
Really Grape, We had a great experience at Crazy Pianos!! They had great service, great food and if you don't like the prices just go somewhere else!! They are jam packed....so that means they don't depend on....
HA! I agree! I went there one night to check out the scene and there was a line outside as if I was going out on the beach! I stood in like for 10 minutes then realized what I was doing and left. I moved to the Grove for a reason, its simple.
I find it funny when places come into the Grove and try to act exclusive. You will end up failing because there're places right next door that aren't exclusive offering a similar environment.
I thought the really funny thing is the walls with all the faces, right in the middle is commishioner Sarnoff......CLASSIC!!! Maybe thats the reason they are the way they are!
I went there once a few weeks ago when it first opened with a bunch of people and we had a great time, and the service (we were at the outside bar on the deck) was fantastic.
Being a bunch of A-holes for Alfest really offends me though. I'm far less likely to return, and if I do, I may have to seek out someone in charge to have a word with. I love me some confrontation.
10:17 the name of the manager is Arno, for the next time you go and want to speak to someone in charge.
I, too will not be going back. I had a good time last time I was there, however, our bill at the end of the night was RIDICULOUS, and we didn't even eat!!
And for them to join Alfest and then keep the crawlers out is bad business, and as far removed from what our "coconut grove community" is about. I give 'em 6 months. Next...
Interestingly enough Grape - you were pretty excited about them coming to the Grove and reported very favorably - what A -holes that they were rude to you. They have no idea how many people read your blog I guess.
I'm of the ilk that was anti-chain for the Grove, (a lost battle, I know) so I never welcomed them over Tu Tu Tango, let's all hope they're bust in a few months. They don't deserve my hard earned dollar for being rude to locals.
I give it 5 months. It's a lame concept, tacky execution, and it's just a mess.
5 months . . .
Actually two weekends ago I had some friends visiting the Grove and we walked outside of Crazy Pianos... There was a velvet rope and bouncer and I was wearing sandals and didn't even attempt to go in. Went to Moe's instead to hear some live music, much less pretentious.
i hate to think that in the very place i live, i would be turned away for wearing "miami attire".. it's hot and i can't wear shorts and/or tanktop?!
why did tu tu tango have to go again?
Crazy Piano, You've been NEXT-ed!
I think I owe it to Crazy Pianos to defend them. I wasn't at Alfest but I have been to Crazy Pianos many times. I know you are all upset by how poorly they handled this charity function. They could have done a better job but hopefully after reading this you might be able see the staff without devil horns. I am disabled. Sometimes I just use a cane and other times I'll use a wheelchair. (I live 4 blocks away and it seems silly to drive when my friends volunteer to push.) Every time I am there the staff is ridiculously accommodating. Many times when I'm new to a place they treat me like a liability or an inconvenience. Crazy Pianos makes me feel comfortable and at ease. They don't pity me or treat me as a sideshow. I'm not saying that you should all like them for this reason but it does show that they are capable of treating people with respect. It could just be that I’m an optimist but I think Crazy Pianos has the potential to be a major asset to the Grove.
Aren't we the snobs if we don't give crazy pianos a chance? Grape, you said “Crazy Pianos does not fit into the Grove and they probably never will.” Isn’t that implying that the Coconut Grove community is better than Crazy Pianos; viewing our ways/policies as superior to Crazy Pianos. Other than complaining to a manager/owner at the end of a visit, has anyone really tried to explain to them what the Grove is all about? Instead of writing a comment here, everyone should write a formal letter to Crazy Pianos. Explain the culture and vibe of the grove and maybe they can then pass it on to their staff. Provide them with constructive criticism while also being polite. If things don’t seem to change after an effort is made then it’ll be their own fault. Personally I think it's great that there is something different being offered. I love to go out at night to sandbar, moes, baracudas etc but it's nice to have a little bit of variety. If we are rooting for Crazy Pianos to fail then we're basically taking money away from the grove. As for the overpriced drinks, they’re really not that inflated. A bud light at Sandbar is $4.50. That extra dollar you spend at Crazy Pianos is really paying for the atmosphere and entertainment. I’ve had yummy martinis at Crazy Pianos that cost $9. If I order a Mango Martini at Jaguar it’s about the same price. Just pay attention to the prices on the menu and your bill won’t be outrageous. (Order the bikini martini for $9 instead of the acai martini for $13.) If you’re going to dinner, split the pu pu platter of meat with a friend and order two side dishes (plenty of food at a reasonable price.) I hope this offers a different perspective without offending anyone.
The door man and manager were beyond RUDE this past weekend.
They need to get over themselves.
I was INCREDIBLY excited about Crazy Pianos coming... my favorite piano bar up north has talented musicians, inexpensive but good food, and LARGE $10 mixed drinks (2 is almost too many), and it has been there for years. I was disappointed to find that the only way to get that at Crazy Pianos is to eat/drink elsewhere, then go in and sip your $6 beer as you sing (I do like their musicians).
If the local competition hires musicians that take requests and play on weekends, and CP's STILL draws customers, then that will truly tell if the Up-scale Piano Bar model is feasible (no matter how rude they are).
I have been at Crazy Pianos a few times and we loved it.
About the dress code, if you already know that they are very strict with the dress code why to bother in showing up in shorts or t-shirts...I'm glad Crazy Pianos is doing this because this is exacly what the Grove's needs "another level of entertainment".
What I have noticed is that the Coconut Grove's "community" is very hard to pleased. They always want everything for free and they're always complaining of everything and have their critic nose everywhere...
I personaly loved Cafe Tu Tu Tango as well but I won't compare it with Crazy Pianos (there are totally two diferent venues). Crazy Pianos is a great place to hang out and if you don't like it, go somewhere else.
I think the food is pretty horrible at CPs based on my 2 dining experiences but the entertainment is great. The place is always packed with people having a good time. I think this place fits the Grove quite well and will be a great place for college kids during the school year. I believe there was notice about their dress code posted somewhere to give people a heads up. Yes, a dress code is somewhat silly in the Grove, especially when its warm out and the place is quite an "open" restaurant but its their prerogative and the nights Ive been there it seems like everyone is able to comply and still have a great time.
Bottom line is that this isnt a place for curmudgeons. Its a place for the youthful in age and life to have fun. If you dont like it, Im certain there are a few other options in teh Grove where you can get better food and hear some live music and have a good time. I dont think CPs is my type of everyday hangout but once in awhile it definitely is a fun place to visit for me. And I havent experienced any attitude from anyone there.
Blind Mind, agreed, but then don't be part of the Pub Crawl where 90% of the crawlers are in their 20s and wearing shorts. And don't keep people waiting outside to be spiteful.
Velvet rope? Bouncer? What is this, a flashback to disco?
The owners of Crazy Pianos are Dutch, from Rotterdam. In Europe, people generally don't go out in shorts and t-shirts, period. If they're in jeans, they're in nice jeans and shirts. What we may have seen here is a cultural misunderstanding ... my guess is when the owners of Crazy Pianos agreed to be part of the Pub Crawl, they assumed the crowd would dress the way people (other than some American tourists we sophisticated Grovites would probably make fun of) would dress to go out for a similar event there, which would not violate their dress code.
There's no excuse for being rude, but they should not be faulted for enforcing their dress code.
Maybe we should all just lighten up and enjoy the fact Crazy Pianos adds a little variety to the Grove. I've been there a couple of times recently; the service was good, the food was good, and for what we got the prices weren't out of line compared to a lot of other places in the Grove.
I have to respond to those sticking up for CP. First of all, their management is not dutch, so that cultural BS can go straight out the window. Second, they were not begged to be part of the pub crawl, but offered the option, which they accepted. They could have when making that choice, realized that those involved with the crawl would be walking throughout the grove on a hot night - and some would wear shorts. A one night exception to their rule, when they volunteered to be part of this even would not have hurt them, cost them a cent or offended their crowd.
But the big thing here people, is that they STOLE FROM A CHARITY! They took the booze provided by Alfest, which was to be served to those on the crawl, then refused to serve most of the crawl and denied having said booze. That's BS! That's despicable! And the only way the ownership/management could make up such offensive behavior would be to make a significant donation now!
Finaly, velvet ropes don't work in the grove - Flavour tried it, how'd that work out???? CP is a so-so chain - not studio 54, and the grove isn't NYC or SoBe.
I will say this, while I was pretty angry about the way they handle everything at CP, when I was venting to the mgr, he DID show my the courtesy of listening and understanding. As for the dress code, every bar crawler was aware of the no shorts after 9 pm. I put the dress code info on the alfest.net website and on every ticket. We even went as far as to tell the people in shorts to get there before 9. They started enforcing the code too early. Making people wait in a line then after waiting they were refused entry, is inexcusable. Hopefully all our complaining is heard and they make some adjustment to get it right. The Grove is always better when there are different places for all of us to enjoy.
We will be sure not to invite them to be part of the Bed Race PJ Pub Crawl. We don't need this nonsense and attitude.
I've been to Crazy Piano almost every weekend since they opened and have always had good service and a great time with my friends. I've never had to wait outside of any velvet ropes and no one has been rude to me. And by the way, comparing it to TuTuTangos is ridiculous because they are completely different. I also miss TuTuTangos but they're gone and they're never coming back! Time to move on and give CP another chance! It's kind of cheesy, I know, but its also kind of fun!
Don't worry Grape, I don't think they will want to be a part of the PJ pubcrawl considering you are not even allowed to wear shorts, let alone PAJAMAS in their place...
Who is this "they" mentioned so many time? "They" got rid of TuTuTango... "they" should have put an Olive Garden. Don't people get it? There is no "they". TuTuTango failed when people didn't find the value to be enough. Olive Garden (or their master franchise) just didn't find that CocoWalk would be a good value proposition. We are in a free market economy; there is no "they" only people willing to take chances
Crazy Pianos took a risk. May pay off. May not pay off. It is in their power to improve and succeed
This place is BEYOND tacky. A velvet rope for Crazy Pianos? It's pure cheese. If I wanted to go somewhere "exclusive" it wouldn't be this place. Also the food is ridiculous and so are the prices.
Everyone agrees if you want a dress code than by all means have a dress code!!! But PEOPLE open your eyes they said YES to be part of a charity event!!! Than when people arrived they were treated AWFUL and turned away!!! Forget the Velvet ropes, drink prices, ANYTHING ELSE!!!! focus on this and this alone, they said YES we would love to be part of Alfest, took the alcohol and beer that was offered, and than disrespected EVERYONE!!! There are ZERO Excuses for this!! Stop trying to defend this place, great you had a good meal, great the drinks are ok, we want people to understand they are responsible for there actions!! And that manager was rude, and the Tool Box checking the Ids was RUDE!!! Alfest was a success by all means, If you have the opportunity write an email, or send a letter letting ownership know you have WAY too many options in The Grove to watch ANY business disrespect a charity and a local business like they have!!! Please STAY AWAY FROM THIS PIANO JOINT PERIOD!!!!! Unless they cut a check to Al for the charity and acknowledge in WRITTING they mishandled this situation, Im sure we would all be forgiving!!! I know I would be....Thanks for reading people. Michael Masella
I still think "they" should put in an Olive Garden...
Hey, Crazy Pianos, not to worry. As soon as Muvico starts bringing in those 2,000 people a night every night, you can forget about those 1,000 once-a-year folks who showed up at Alfest.
Oh, but wait, 2,000 people a night can skip your place just as easily as 1,000.
Could be your gonna have to suck it up and lose the attitude.
I tried it once and I probably won't go back -- but not because I thought it was snobby, it just wasn't comfortable. It was a late lunch and we sat outside and the place was SO loud (fans + music) we practically had to yell to hear each other. On top of that, no one was impressed with the food they ordered (and I wasn't impressed with the menu). That being said, I can't say that anyone was rude. The wait staff were very friendly. However, I can't imagine it being around long if they are trying to be *exclusive* in a very laid back neighborhood.
I don't care how nice or accomodating they might be with a "selected" few...The point is that they signed up for a CHARITY EVENT, the key word here is a CHARITY EVENT and they failed to honor it. Plain and simple. This was not just an event to promote the Grove, this was an event were proceeds went to Camp Boggy Creek, a camp near Orlando for kids with cancer. There's no excuse for this kind of behaviour, I hope that they are not included in any future event in the Grove, they don't deserve it!!!
If they are going to be rude and unprofessional during a charity event, then i will not be visiting them...they lost my good money.
Had a good time. Don't like the crowded nights, standing room only is for the college kids. What I did not like was on a slower day, the woman's bathroom door was left open by the bathroom attendent. With that door and the front door open, you are in plain view of Fat Tuesday's bar customers and if you have really good eyesight, you can see customers entering Cheesecake. Close the ladies room door (there is only one entry door). If the attendent is warm, smuggle her a refreshing Mojito. Had a good time though.
Of course, we don't want the snobby customers at Crazy Pianos seeing the common folk at Fat Tuesdays. God forbid. Point proven. Thank you Anonymous.
The waitress poured a coke in my friend's Hermes purse. She basically ruined it and only offered to wipe it out. Everything was drenched and sticky. With their super lame response, I would be pissed even if it wasn't an $8000 bag.
I ordered a burger to go and it was $17 - they brought be a kobe burger; if they have a regular burger and a kobe burger, why don't they ask which one you want. I sent it back and got the $9 burger to go.
I've eaten at Biscaya at the Ritz dressed casually in a tank top at a dinner w/ four other people also dressed very casually. Many other patrons wore suits. We were treated great by the staff and though I probably wouldn't wear a tank top to dinner there again, we certainly weren't turned away or treated badly. For Crazy Pianos to be enforcing a dress code is just plain silly if the Ritz doesn't even enforce one. I hate dress codes and will not patronize a business with one, especially if it isn't spelled out on the door or on a piece of paper so that its not arbitrarily enforced.
i moved here less than a year ago, and i really like the vibe of the place, and the casual ambiance etc etc... but a place like CP is a good thing as it gives you a different alternative.
do i like moos and the sandbar? yes! foccacia and the cuban place? i love those so much that they already know what i want when i get there...
sometimes though its nice to have a different experience, and thats what CP provides.
I do agree, their food is crazy overpriced, and that thing they did with the alcohol and the charity, shame on them.
but i went there and they were very nice.
For someone who was so excited about CP coming to the grove, all that hate you are giving them now can only be because they didnt treat you with silk gloves when they met you, clearly. sometimes i feel like the owner (of the blog) has to get over himself...
I wont be a regular at CP, but going once in while wont make me a snob.
Ciao,
Ceci.
Cecelia if you had bothered to read the article and got off your high horse, you would see that I never stepped foot inside the place. All this happened to Alfesters who were having a bar crawl for charity. I have nothing personal against them except the fact that they treat people like crap.
I only wrote the article after receiving many complaints from the participants and organizers.
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