Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe has reopened for business at 4870 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row. Plumbing issues caused the restaurant to close all day Saturday. Plumbers worked through the night to make emergency repairs. A few brave souls are even dining on the patio, with temperatures in the mid-90s this afternoon. Hope they ordered Swirls from the bar!
The old days of Rio Grande were better. Of all the many restaurants in the area, this one may be the loudest I've ever been in. Impossible to have any decent conversation unless dining outside which of course no one is doing right now cause it's 105 in the shade
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the noise/music....many patio restaurants seem to be pumping louder and more 'esoteric' sort of music at higher volume lately. I can't help but wondering if the 'non principals,' i.e.the staff isn't trying to dissuade customers. As minimum wage guarantees go up, why would the staff want more customers? Now even during early and slow hours the restaurants are going to need owners and managers that respect the bottom line and profit earning.
DeleteYes! When it was next door to Luigi's on Fairmont Ave!
Delete@12:56 - What a painfully contrived and hardly veiled political statement. We get it - you hate the minimum wage.
ReplyDelete12:56 - less customers=less tips
ReplyDelete@4:53 - Would you like Thunderbird or Wild Irish Rose with that?
ReplyDelete4:53 Have you ever been to the Dog Haus? Much louder than Uncle Julio's.
ReplyDeleteGuapo’s and gringos and mariachis are far better!
ReplyDeleteCinco,
ReplyDeleteI actually haven't yet. It's a lot smaller than Uncle Julio so that's not surprising to hear it's loud.
5:55. Went to steak place just a few blocks north of the zoo in DC. The patio music was loud and obnoxious and the staff milling about inside. It was obvious they really didn't want customers. Maybe the work ethic is worse, but methinks they all come from the same pool. When good service initiatives are substituted by a guaranteed wage, say bye bye to service, and that's if the restaurants can even pay them. It's going to get much worse.
ReplyDelete11:13 - Very good point about guaranteed wage. Low hourly wage for service is seen as cruel when it's the opposite and always had been. Hard work and doing a great job in food service and the like equals way more in gratuities and personal satisfaction. Excellent point.
ReplyDelete