Ditto for Seattle’s city center. It’s a garbage dump and that is even where no tents block sidewalks (which is also a problem )
Went to The Metropolitan Grill. Arguably, it’s the best steak restaurant in Seattle, and a famous one at that.
First, it wasn’t open for lunch - at all. It wasn’t open at the end of the trading day either. The bar has a ‘Guess the Dow’ board - a chalk board where if you guess the close you get a drink. The traders in all of the floors working nearby would come after 3PM to have a drink, talk, and then go home somewhere downtown.
It wasn’t open at 3 either.
It opened at 4:30. We got there and I knew to have my vaccine card (Can’t get food or drink in the People’s Soviet of Seattle without one). Mine slipped out of my pocket walking up from the Owl and Thistle (thank God that very good Irish bar IS still open).
Maitre D called the manager and the ruling was - not going to seat me. We retraced our steps and fortunately I found it. They seated us.
The steak was something I could have done at home. The service was diligent but it wasn’t professional. Instead of a guy sixty or so who had done it for 20 plus years, it was a well meaning woman with no idea about wine or beverages or food, but attentive.
The training they used to continually give their waitstaff has stopped.
The sommelier happened to be walking by as we were talking wine and saved the day with some excellent recommendations. He was shaking his head as he left our table at our waitresses mishandling of the situation.
Bottom line, The Great Met Grill is now about at the same basic level as The Keg in terms of service. You get more food at the Keg, of course, and cheaper.
It pains me to say this, because there are very few true fine dining experiences left. 21 is gone. Tavern on the Green is gone. The Brooklyn Cafe in Seattle is gone too. El Gaucho moved. I haven’t been there since it did. Much smaller place and their two wonderful cigar lounges are gone.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, destroys civilizations like globalist socialists - RINOs and Socialist Democrats - that see no end in doing good on your behalf.