Blue Martini:
How much is vodka worth to you?

Posted by Ash on September 28, 2009

About two years ago a girlfriend invited me to happy hour at a new posh martini bar at the outdoor mall that had recently opened, Town Square. The place was Blue Martini, and it quickly became a Las Vegas hot spot. Not one to turn down a martini glass filled with chilled vodka, I gladly accepted the invitation.

At first glance, I was intimidated. Blue Martini was definitely nice and looked expensive, which it is. Even happy hour prices are not that happy – with martinis at $7 and appetizers half price, not bad but adds up quick when you’re a fan of vodka!

Blue Martini has a large patio setting that makes locals feel like they aren’t in Las Vegas any more. It has a Caribbean, island feel about it. The furniture is wicker and there are umbrellas at every table. It looks and feels like a little island get away. The inside, although just as nice, has a totally different vibe with a dark lit room with hints of blue light, pub tables and tall sofa chairs and a fairly large stage that sits behind one of the bars. The place is always packed with beautiful drinks, beautiful food and amazingly attractive people.

Since the first time visiting Blue Martini I have been back (for happy hour only) probably a dozen times over the past two years, and I have noticed a couple things: (1) the drinks have stayed the same price; however, you get much less with far less alcohol content (2) the waitresses have gotten bitchier and bitchier (3) instead of a casual bar in a casual outdoor mall, Blue Martini has become extremely pretentious (4) service sucks!

Those probably sound harsh, but time after time of giving this place a second, third, fourth … twelfth  chance, I have not found a redeeming quality. This proved too true Saturday night.

Saturday night, Ash and I were invited to Paint the Square Pink, a breast cancer event held at Town Square. Ash’s mom and grandma are both survivors of breast cancer and we went to show our support. Along with our ticket into the event, we were each handed one drink ticket for a “Pinktini” at Blue Martini. So when the event settled down we decided to go cash in our drink tickets. Grandma and grandpa (who had never been to Blue Martini before) and Ash and I made our way up to the bar with the arrangement that Ash’s mom and dad would meet us up there shortly.

The place, per usual, was packed and with very beautiful people. We couldn’t find a table, but noticed that there were several that were empty although “reserved.” Grandpa, needing a place to sit, asked one of the waitresses if it was possible to sit at one of the reserved tables, she said as long as we didn’t plan on staying for more than an hour, it would be fine. So we took a place at one of the tables.

Ten minutes came and went with no waitress. Then fifteen. We had seen many waitresses. They were passing by our table every couple minutes, but none made eye contact or responded to our attempts of flagging one down. So Ash and I got up and went to the bar. We cashed in all four drink tickets and tipped the bartender well. We brought the drinks back to the table and started to relax and enjoy the live band.

However, not even ten minutes after we had returned with our drinks a waitress came over, picked up grandma’s drink and said “You need to move now.” It was unbelievable. We hadn’t been there longer than a half an hour. She didn’t even ask if Ash’s grandma was done with her drink and she was just plain fucking rude.

Whatever. We got up and made our way to the door. But we were still supposed to meet Ash’s parents there, so we decided to loiter just inside the door (the rest of us who didn’t get our drinks stolen from the waitress wanted to finish them).

We saw Ash’s parents walk in the door and they look a little frazzled and embarrassed. They inform us that they were not allowed in because they were in shorts and the doorman said, “Blue Martini is over shorts.” Everyone was fucking stunned. Let me just remind you that this bar is in Las Vegas – a place that has 100 degree weather well into October. Additionally, Ash’s parents weren’t dressed like hooligans. His dad was in khaki shorts and a collared button up shirt, and his mom was in dark denim shorts with a sweater. I am still fucking stunned thinking about it now.

So we downed our hardly alcoholic martinis and left. We couldn’t believe what poor service everyone in our party had received.

All of us enjoys nice things – nice drinks, nice food, nice clothes and all the rest. But what we don’t enjoy is pretentiousness. I feel like I can get all those nice things in a nice, relaxed environment where everyone feels comfortable and everyone gets good service. Blue Martini is not that place!

Blue Martini was a place to visit once or twice or maybe even a couple times for happy hour back in its beginnings. Now, I wouldn’t even say it is a place to experience once, not even when they offer a free drink. Because chances are good that said drink won’t be free, it will cost you a lot of time, aggravation and even a little dignity. Frankly, I’m not interested in losing any of that to experience Blue Martini.

I would so much rather head downstairs to The Grape for a nice glass of wine in a fantastic environment with excellent service. So if anyone would care to join me … that’s where I’ll be from now on.

xoxo Lilith Diana

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