Quick Question on alcohol

[Greathands]

Hey guys ...

 

Does anyone know if there are any "guidelines" for BYOB restaurants. I've only ever seen people bring wine into a BYOB restaurant. Is it acceptable to bring a cordial or mixer?

[+ deej]

I've certainly seen people bring beer (and have done so myself).

 

The problem with anything that takes effort (i.e. mixed drinks) or that might otherwise be handled by a bartender is they typically don't have a bartender. ;-) The logistics favor stuff that can simply be poured.

 

In any case, expect to pay a "corkage fee" even if all they do is open it for you.

[OneFinger]

I lived in an area that used to be exclusively BYOB and there can sure be problems. Several times I brought wine only to find out the restaurant didn't even have a wine cork!

 

Usually we resorted to bringing mini bottles (like they use on airlines) and then just pouring it into a mixer (Coke, OJ, 7-Up, etc.) purchased at the restaurant.

 

Another thing to consider is the local culture. If the restaurant is BYOB they make be in an area where drinking is strongly discouraged. Be prepared to endure the rude comments of other patrons who insist on being given a new table far away from the drinkers. And, depending on the particular server you're assigned, they may be just as rude or try to hustle you out the door as soon as possible.

[+ deej]

In the latter case, one wonders why they'd be BYO in the first place rather than just dry.

[Luv2play]

I've been to quite a few BYOB restaurants as there are 100's of them in Montreal, in every neighbourhood. They make a nice alternative when you want to drink something special with your meal and the benefit is you don't pay the corkage (which is generally 100 to 200%). So for a very reasonable price, you can drink very well indeed. The attraction here is that the restaurants that are BYOB tend to focus on the food, which is generally of very high quality. So if you bring a good bottle ofwine, you really can't go wrong.

 

As for other libations, I have seen people with specialty beers but not mixed drinks, although these can commonly be bought here in Montreal at the liquor stores, things such as Bloody Marys, vodka and cranberry juice, etc. In principle, I don't see why you would be prevented from drinking them but it might pay to phone in advance and ask.

[Guest msclonly]

Don't forget to leave some wine for the Chef!

 

:+

[OneFinger]

>In the latter case, one wonders why they'd be BYO in the first place rather than just dry.

 

I live in Hatu (the backward state) where the only place to purchase liquor is a state-owned liquor store or a private club. Only in the past few years have restaurants been allowed to apply for an on-site liquor license and serve mixed drinks or wine.

 

So, the only choice was BYOB. A lot of restaurants didn't like having people bring bottles into their establishment but their perception was that the law didn't allow them to prohibit it or refuse service. Restaurants felt their only option was to give bad service to keep the "undesirables" from going there.

 

Believe me, I quickly learned which places to avoid and which ones to use.

 

In other places can they refuse service to someone who shows up with a bottle?

[tedbear]

Years ago a pretentious closet case at work read a really good review about a restaurant that had great food, but it's decor reflected the rather rundown and dangerous neighborhood it was in. He convinced me to drive him and some other friends there and he was dismayed to find out they didn't have a liquor license. The waitress told him there was a liquor store at the corner. When he returned, he was all aflutter about their total lack of decent wines and he'd never seen a package store where the booxe was all behind bars with the clerk who filled your order.

 

As he called the waitress over he kept going on about how he hoped the wine was at least decent. He then asked the waitress for a corkscrew. She gave him that head strut conveying attitude, then while rolling her eyes, she reached over and <unscrewed> the wine bottle! I thought I'd never stop laughing! :+

[+ deej]

>In other places can they refuse service to someone who shows

>up with a bottle?

 

That'll depend on local statutes and customs.

 

I've certainly been in "dry" counties in the South where people (many of whom have a still in the barn) look at you funny if you even mention alcohol. Restaurants there certainly DO NOT allow BYO.

 

In one case, county ordinances allowed alcohol at private clubs but the same ordinances forbid strip clubs, dance clubs, or pretty much anything else that could be considered "fun". ;-) Country club memberships were booming. It was a dive, and had absolutely no incentive to improve because it was the only game in town.

 

Local customs vary widely.

[OneFinger]

In one case, county ordinances allowed alcohol at private clubs but the same ordinances forbid strip clubs, dance clubs, or pretty much anything else that could be considered "fun".

 

OK, here's a related issue to that. In Hatu full-nudity stripping is illegal for places that serve alcohol. So, some genius straight guys decided to open full-nudity female strip clubs that only serve non-alcoholic drinks.

 

They were taken to court and won because the anti-nudity law only pertained to places with alcohol.

 

Now, if they'd just open up some male-only clubs... :7

[+ deej]

>In Hatu full-nudity stripping is illegal for places that serve alcohol.

 

There are only a few places in the US where that isn't the case. Until recently, you could see full nekkid dancers and get liquor in DC clubs, just blocks from the US Capitol. (They're gone because of the new baseball stadium.)

 

I've seen places where a bar opens directly adjoining a non-alcoholic strip club (always str8 places). There's always a little "marching ants" line of guys heading into the bar, then into the strip club, and back and forth.

 

There was one like that (in a Toledo strip mall LOL) where they finally got shut down because the girls started spending their breaks in the bar collecting tips, or guys were trying to get "to go" cups from the bar to take into the strip club. ;-)

 

There are thousands of variants here.

[Luv2play]

In Florida, Cupids in WPB has full nudity and liquor but you pay a cover charge at the door. (I believe the Cupids in Miami has the same policy.)