March 9, 2008
Citizen Lounge: Just Say No
Don’t go to Citizen Lounge, Houston’s newest nightspot off of Washington.
Don’t support Citizen Lounge by spending your hard earned money for overpriced drinks and cheesy environs (or so we hear).
And most importantly, if you choose not to heed our advice, don’t give up your car keys to the valet in front of Citizen Lounge.
That is, unless you want to take the chance of shattering your self image and self worth in one crushing blow, all the meanwhile paying cold hard cash for the privilege.
You see, last night Houstonist decided to paint the town Rocket red after watching the hometown roundball heroes slay their 18th straight opponent. Having heard about the recent opening of a new lounge in our very own backyard, we decided to saunter over for a few drinks. Big mistake.
After pulling up our automobile to the front of the establishment, we forked over a whopping $8 to have the tall, emaciated valet park our car. Our group then strolled up to the doorman to enter the lounge, only to be denied access.
“Sorry y’all, we have a strict dress code and you’re not meeting it.”
Our entire group looked at each other in bewilderment to identify the culprit of this grave crime to fashion. Within our troupe of partygoers were two lovely young Indian ladies dressed to the nines. Nothing wrong there. Our faction also consisted of a tall and slim Indian man and a shorter Caucasian counterpart, both of whom were dressed in standard “guy attire.” Clad in untucked vertical striped shirts and a pair of stylish blue jeans, everything appeared to be just fine. The last member of our group was an Iranian-American donned in a blue polo shirt, jeans and a jacket.
A ha!
The bouncer stared our Middle Eastern pal up and down for a few seconds and casually proclaimed, “You can’t get in here looking like that.”
When our buddy promised to toss his jacket in the car and to tuck his shirt into his jeans, the doorman gave our entire group the once over. Finally we were told, “Look we’re trying to create a certain standard of appearance here and you’re all just not meeting it.”
Just like that our clan went from being denied access because of one man’s blue polo to the fact that our entire lot didn’t meet some standard of appearance
Puzzling to say the least, no?
While waiting for the valet to pull our car back around after just parking it minutes prior, we stood by the bouncer while we collectively determined our next move for the evening. As we discussed our options, we noticed two young Caucasian men with heads slathered in hair gel, clothed in t-shirts and ripped jeans, nonchalantly amble up to the doormen. We quietly and happily stood by to see another under-dressed group rebuffed with admission, so that we could share our pain with complete and utter strangers. Instead, we were flabbergasted to witness the men walk by the bouncer with nary a raised eyebrow.
Our jaws dropped to the floor in pure astonishment.
The more vocal of the aforementioned lovely young ladies shouted to the bouncer, “So t-shirts and ripped jeans are dressier than polo shirts now?”
The bouncer simply shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to ignore the lady’s assertion.
It was then that we realized that our clothing wasn’t the actual problem. It was the fact that either we weren’t pretty enough as a unit or our group’s collective skin pigmentation wasn’t bright enough to warrant entry.
Either way you slice it, Roxette was plain wrong and we just didn’t have “the look” or the standard of appearance as the oh-so-eloquent bouncer put it.
To add insult to emotional injury, the valet and the doorman both laughed off our demand for a refund for the use of valet services to a lounge that deemed us unsightly.
And just like that Citizen Lounge lost five potential lifelong customers, who all live within walking distance of the new enterprise and were in search of a new drinking establishment to patronize.
Instead, we traveled a few miles down the road to pass away the hours at Kobain, where we knew we could enjoy ourselves without judgment. As we threw back 6am Sunrises we discussed the events that had just unfolded before our very own eyes. We weren’t surprised to learn that every member of our party had experienced such prejudice in the past, especially the Indian and Iranian descendants of our group. Though we’re not fans of throwing around the “race card,” as our conversation continued into the night, we found that this was the common thread that united our group’s various negative bouncer-based experiences in the past.
By no means are we making assumptions as to the reason we were denied entry at Citizen Lounge. Perhaps we’re just not fashion-forward enough to know that t-shirts, in fact, are “dressier” than polo shirts. Perhaps that was the true reason we weren’t allowed to enter the nightspot. However our discussion proved that previous incidents said otherwise. At the end of a rowdy conversation, we all agreed that the only thing we could do was to pass on the word of Citizen Lounge’s behavior – in an effort to negatively impact business to demonstrate that Houstonians are not tolerant of such discriminatory practices, no matter the true definition of the phrase “standard of appearance.”
Or maybe it’s just us. Maybe “the chosen ones” enjoy having a hangout that selectively chooses its patrons. Maybe the rest of “the unchosen ones” have no bone to pick with such practices? Maybe we’re way off base and are severely critical because we’re oversensitive?
Either way, the word is out. Feel free to heed our warnings or to instead give the lounge a whirl for yourself. Whatever you decide to do, just don’t valet your car unless you like taking the chance of flushing eight bucks down the drain while simultaneously being told you’re just not pretty enough.
Where’s Stuart Smalley when we need him?
Photo: flickr user dennyterrio
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You're apparently not the first folks with this problem: http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-21/music/are-you-hot-enough-for-citizen-lounge/
"We've turned away more people than we've let in," confirms bar manager Lamar Wilkinson between serving 16-year-old Macallan Scotches ($12) and Raz-Me shots ($10).
What idiots. Bet they won't last long.
I blame this on the demise of Fat Cat's/Mary Janes. But then again, I blame global warming on the demise of that beloved dive.
Shake them haters off, Amol!
THAT WAS JUST SOOOOOO WRONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAY THEY DEVELOP FESTERING BOILS FROM CURRY SPLASHED ON THEIR "LILY WHITE" SKIN. MAY ALLAH "CARD" THEM AT THE PEARLY GATES AND SEND THEM SOUTH.
Puh-leez. I am okay not being cool enough. A place like that and people like that just wear me out. I don't need to go somewhere like that where I know that they turn unworthy people away to feel good about myself because I can get in.
It is truly wrong that they would turn you away because of your skin. Take your fabulously dressed selves elsewhere and spend your money there. And I'll hang out with you because you sound like fun. Even if you don't buy $200-$300 bottles.
I got this email from a friend at 104KRBE
"CITIZEN
Less Than Welcoming To All Houston Citizens
A friend and co-worker of mine - we'll just call her Ms. T, was invited to a birthday party for a friend of hers and invited me to come along. Why not? I have fun hanging out with Ms. T and her friends, so sure...sounds like fun. The party was going to be at a new club in the Heights called Citizen.
The party theme was "Black and White Ball" so everyone had to come dressed in those colors. I got all dressed up in a new dress with a very cool black and white mod print. I fixed my hair and got all gussied up for the party because I heard the dress code was really strict at the club. Apparently, that's not all that's strict about the club, which my friends and I would find out later.
I met Ms. T at her house and she drove us to Citizen. When we got there my first thought was "Wow, this club is not in a very nice looking area." Then I saw the outside of the club and it seemed kind of small. Anyway, we parked the car in the parking lot across the street and paid the $7 parking fee (they do have valet parking too). We walked in the rain and cold over to the door of the club and the guy at the door asked if we were there for a party. We told him who's party we were with and he didn't even really glance at his clipboard before saying "I don't have that name." He said that there were 3 private parties going on that night and they weren't letting in the general public. And we told him that we were there for one of those parties and we were invited to it and RSVPed for it. My friend gets out her phone to try and call the birthday girl, and as she's doing this, people are walking up to the door and the door guy isn't asking them if they are there for a party or anything. He just opens the door and lets them in. All the while, Ms. T and I are standing in the rain making phone calls and trying to figure out what's going on.
Ms. T was unable to get a hold of the birthday girl so she and I decided to leave instead of waiting out in the rain. Thankfully, the guy watching the parking lot was nice enough to give us our money back since we couldn't get into the club (the sign in the parking lot says no refunds, but we asked very nicely).
Anyway, Ms. T and I wait in the car for another friend to arrive and we all decided to go somewhere else. Why not? We were all dressed up. But before we left, I wanted to see if our friend, Ms. D, could get in since the door guy hadn't see her yet. So I asked her to give it a try. She walked up to the door and the door man just opened the door and let her in. She didn't have to say she was there for a party or anything. If the club wasn't letting in the "general public" that night, why didn't he ask her if she was there for a party? Needless to say, Ms. T and I were very annoyed at that point. We were invited to come out there and we were told that we couldn't go in?
Come to find out the next day, it wasn't our clothes, our make-up or our hair...they wouldn't let us in because my friend/co-worker, Ms. T, is black. One of Ms. T's friends, who was able to get in, called her the next day and told her that there were no black people inside the club, so it was highly probable that the reason we didn't get in was because of the color of her skin. It amazes me that there are still establishments and people around that are like that.
I can't review what the club was like on the inside or what the service or atmosphere was like inside either because I wasn't allowed in due to some very narrow minded people. And I can not say that that club will ever be reviewed on this website because I do not plan to go there again or give those people my hard earned money. As a matter of fact, the manager is named Bobby Ramirez and I don't plan on going to any of the clubs that he manages.
- Shannel Vance
Citizen
4606 Washington
Houston, TX 77007"
It is pathetic, and appalling, that these clubs are hiding behind "proper attire" as an excuse for such shallow, intolerant & ugly behavior. Let the "pretty people" have these places, who wants to socialize with that ilk in the first place?? I certainly won't be caught near there.
I was going to suggest filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of Houston--but it seems from the website that it only handles actual damages (i.e. how much $ you lost as a result of working with the company) rather than punitive damages (your pain and suffering from being denied entry into the club). Then again, you didn't recover the $8 valet fee, right? It is certainly worth a try!
I would also support any effort to picket the hell out of this place. Not joking here. These snotty clubs and their racist attitudes don't belong in a civilized society.
I was going to suggest filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of Houston--but it seems from the website that it only handles actual damages (i.e. how much $ you lost as a result of working with the company) rather than punitive damages (your pain and suffering from being denied entry into the club). Then again, you didn't recover the $8 valet fee, right? It is certainly worth a try!
I would also support any effort to picket the hell out of this place. Not joking here. These snotty clubs and their racist attitudes don't belong in a civilized society.
this should be called in to a radio station or tv station in houston. let them do a sting operation or a flat out boycott. that kind of behavior is abhorrent. folks spread the word: racist idiots run citizens lounge. do. not. go!
I hate places like this. I think we should get a group together, dressed to the nines, and picket. On a non-rainy day. There are plenty of places like this in Houston (ahem, Drake) and there are just too many people who are okay with the situation to make it go away anytime soon. People suck.
i am truly sorry about your experience. i have known the manager and bartenders that work there and it is unfortunate that this happened considering they are far from racist. i cant say that i know the door man tho. i had to say something after reading many of the negative comments on here.. i knew them when they worked at Hue as well, hue was sold i believe and was under new ownership a good while before it closed.. that's when i stopped going. i do not recall there ever being any race issues when these same guys were working there. being familiar with the club scene there is a such thing as profiling tho... it's sad but most clubs are guilty of it….i’m not speaking for this “lounge” but clubs in general do not want too much of one race.. i am hispanic and whenever a large group of us would meet at a club we would never try to all get in at the same time because we were aware of this logic... the club scene is a trendy one and although most good people do not agree w/ what seems to be stereotypes from a owners point i'm sure these things are necessary to stay afloat. i think the manager in this particular case should have been contacted.
i remembered something just now, i am not all too familiar with the details but a few yrs back one of the owners of Hue was killed. I believe he was middle eastern... so, the assumptions made here i'm sure are not true.
Went to Citizen on Good Friday and was there until 1:00 AM. The place wasn't that busy (I don't know if it was b/c of Good Friday or not) and to be honest I wasn't that impressed with the place. It's actually quite small for a supposedly happening lounge and it's in a shopping center (how sophistimacated!). We saw that none of the tables were reserved. People could sit in the tables and come and go as they pleased.
We had no problem w/ the bouncer but given the paucity of people I think they would have taken just about anybody. If I had read these reviews I definitely wouldn't have gone. With so many other bars on Washington opening people have a lot of choices. I won't be going back.
Uh, I'm Lebanese and the first time I went there I randomly met three Lebanese guys. None of us have had any problems. I love the place and the place loves us. There really IS a dress code and I'm glad there is.
I'm not sure how my photo fits into this story but thanks for using it.
My wife and I write for a Houston magazine and she was given an assignment to write about Citizen. I tagged along to see the new club. As we walked up to the door I saw expensive cars out front and a doorman with a clip board, I knew this wasn't going to be fun. Before we could say anything he told us that it was a private party. My wife didn't hear him and told him who we were and what we were doing. We asked for the owner and was ushered in. I can't remember his name but he was quite nice to us. We spoke with a partner of the club as well and he was quite nice too. We never had to pay for a drink while we were there but it is definitely not the kind of place I would go to.
I haven't heard too many good things about the club and it looks like my suspicions are true.
One thing though; it's not technically the Heights so don't take my neighbourhood down with it too
:)
This place is a joke!! First of all, Citizens Lounge lacks architectural design compared to other bars and clubs in the Washington Avenue area. It's located at a shopping center with plain beige stucco and it's almost as hideous from the outside as Club Hue. At least The Social and The Drake occupy historic buildings that have character...Isn't that what The Old Sixth Ward and the Washington area about?
I went there this weekend and after about 30 minutes of having a round of drinks with friends, we decided it was time to go!! We were expecting more people to show, but that was not the case. It almost felt like we were at a trendy, but empty hotel lounge.
The brilliant owners should pay their ridiculously delinquent light bill from Club Hue and should also consider taking some management courses.
"We've turned away more people than we've let in," confirms bar manager Lamar Wilkinson. Hmmmm….15 years of experience??? Doesn't seem like it....