Velvet Tango Room — Restaurant in Cleveland

Where do I even begin. My husband and I were looking for something to do on our weekend getaway Thursday night. After searching up a few places we decided to try a new place. So it being our first time there we really didnt know what to expect. When we got there we walked in, rather than being greeted and seated like most places would the hostess ( Michelle) just stared at us like we were bothering her. After an extremely awkward minute we just went and sat at the bar. Mind you she wasn’t doing anything other than just standing there. After we had sat down we waited, after maybe 5-7 minutes Michelle half handed half shoved a menu in my direction. As we were looking over what we wanted she was also getting us water, which she put in front of us. I smiled and said thank you, now at this point i really am not expecting any type of good service due to how she was acting but i wasnt expecting a complete eye roll and sigh, im sorry but common manners??? At that point we really should have just left, we debated it, not a single hello or acknowledgment from anyone other than the hostess who CLEARLY had better things to do than to be bothered with us. We finally got our drinks, which I have really nothing bad to say about other than I can make better cocktails at home. As we were drinking them Michelle kept staring at us, whispering to the barback and pointing at us. I tried to brush it off but the level of disrespect was unreal. To top it off a group of men came in, 3 of them and got greeted with a very friendly Hello and they sat down at the bar next to us, they got immediate service, everyone was talking and friendly to them, the kind of service that should be given equally to anyone who comes in. We very quickly left after that. I absolutely will not be returning to this place and quite frankly if you want a place that is friendly and welcoming dont go here. I will always recommend someone to go to Cloak and Dagger which is only about 5 minutes away. That place has more charm then this place ever will, along with free shots...

On the night of Friday, December 13, 2024, I encountered what appeared to be a discriminatory and unjustified decision by the host and bartenders to refuse my business. Despite being a regular patron of this establishment without prior issues, I was turned away this time under the pretense of a “dress code” violation.

I, an Asian woman, was wearing black leather pants, a long-sleeve designer shirt, and black skinny heels. My partner, who is Black, was dressed in a black coat (appropriate for the 28-degree weather), a black long-sleeve top, patterned pants, and Balenciaga shoes. None of our attire was inappropriate by any reasonable standard.

When we politely asked for clarification on the dress code, the staff became visibly flustered, nervously searching for it on their phones. The bartender then claimed it was posted on the door, but the only sign stated, “No T-shirts, sweatshirts, torn jeans, and white Zinfandel”—none of which applied to us. The establishment’s website, ironically, states, “You can never be overdressed,” which only underscores the inconsistency of their reasoning.

What makes this incident even more troubling is the clear lack of uniform enforcement of the dress code. For example, social media posts by the establishment show other patrons, particularly those who are famous or white, wearing attire that would seemingly violate these rules, such as hoodies, shorts, flip-flops, and HATS. This double standard raises serious concerns about potential racial bias in how these policies are applied.

Furthermore, the bar was completely empty during our visit, which makes the refusal of service even more baffling and unacceptable. This experience has left me feeling disrespected and unwelcome, and I have no intention of returning. I will also be sharing this incident with my friends to raise awareness about the discriminatory practices I...

Very disappointed. We rented a bus to drive around greater Cleveland to look at Xmas lights. I was telling the folks we were with about this place and how cool it is. We had 10 adults and two children. The kids had to use the restroom so we went there. I told the bartender that the kids needed to use the restroom and would get back on the bus. I said that the adults were going to have a drink and be gone in ten minutes and we would make it worth his while. The bartender said that was fine. Another employee, apparently a manager, said that the kids could not use the restroom and were not welcome there. He said he didn't care if we were going to buy drinks. Just so happens that two of the people I was with are quite wealthy and were very turned off. It is Thursday night and I could understand if they were busy but they were not. I have told so many people about this place and the positive experiences I personally have had there. No longer will I do that. The manager if that's what he was, was rude and didn't care that we were going to spend money. If the owner I met many years ago is the same owner, he should rethink his management team. If the people I was with had good experience, I'm sure they would have brought potential clients and business people here. Cross this one off your list if you were thinking of going here. The fact that I am in the top 10 percent of reviewers on Google leaves me with the ability to have a voice. In response to the establishments response: I did not become angered, disappointed, yes, not angered. I pride myself on not letting others dictate my responses. It was a simple request to allow a child to use the restroom. They were not going to stay any longer than to do that. It was a...