Harvelle's Long Beach — Restaurant in Long Beach

My partner and I arrived excited to find what seemed to be a hidden gem. When we got to the entrance, we had many questions about the establishment and it’s offerings. We asked if we could order food and if there would be seating available for us to enjoy our meal because we could not see it from the entrance. The woman at the entrance informed us that we could order food and that there was “open seating tonight”. We paid our $50 to enter and quickly found a table that didn’t have a reservation decal on it like the others did. We sat, were quickly greeted, and ordered our food. About 10 minutes later, a tall man with locs (later identified himself as Esteban) said “I’m going to talk to you” to my partner and escorted them outside to explain that our table was already reserved by another party that had arrived. My partner asked where we should sit instead since we had already ordered our food and he informed there was no additional seating except a stool on the side of the bar. I don’t understand why my partner had to be escorted outside for such simple communication. It was as if the expectation would be that we either leave or eat while standing. We arrived at the side of the bar and saw that our food had been transported there. It confused me that there was only one chair so I went to Esteban to understand the issue we were experiencing. I expressed my confusion and discomfort hoping to have some resolve and to be heard. He was extremely nasty, rude and inappropriate in response to my concerns stating that he “doesn’t want to hear my problem if he can just solve it” and that I “just want to keep talking” . I expressed how I felt dismissed and couldn’t understand the assumption we would eat while standing. He then told me he was only security after we went back and forth for about 10 minutes. He finally got another stool for us and rushed off without apology. I couldn’t believe this was someone who represents this business. We asked our waitress and the bar to speak to a manager but they couldn’t find her. The waitress returned with her (Lisa) business card. Soon after, we saw the manager walk by and stopped her to speak with her. Before we could express our concerns, she said “I have a flooding bathroom”. My partner then tried to explain why we stopped her but I understood she needed to tend to another emergency. What I didn’t expect was that our issue would fall so low on the priory list as Lisa never made herself available to speak with us directly. Instead, about 15-20 minutes later, we spoke with a woman the waitress said was the Asst. Manager. She spoke with the woman at the door and got them to refund our entry fee and expressed her regrets. She also made space for us at the other side of the crowded bar because there was supposed to be more space for us to eat. It actually felt like a worse accommodation. She later asked if she could get us drinks on the house and we declined because we had spent so much time being dismissed and ignored in this establishment. I have never been treated so poorly in my life. We spent entirely too much time waiting and tracking down the GM only to be met with more dismay. I am extremely disappointed with this business, it’s staff and management. It felt as if WE were the culprits and were sent to find our own accommodations. I will never return to this establishment again. It was a complete waste of...

This is a cute underground bar in Long Beach. A little backstory, I've been there three times now, for various shows. I went Thursday, 2/7/19, for a comedy headliner that my husband is a fan of. It's not real roomy in there but is ventilated well enough. The ticket process is insane and every time I tried to buy tickets for their "reserved area", on the website it turned out to be just general admisssion. I bought 2 $10 tickets ($20), which was the most expensive ticket they had on their website. (Long story, the website wasn't working properly) So I upgraded another $20 when I got there. We were seated in the middle of the room, and then shortly after was asked to move, which I did not mind, because of the lighting in my eyes, but the table was not better, stage was blocked by someone (more important? Bc I asked to sit in the booth they had, when we were asked to move and was told no, at least 15 mins before anyone sat there). My most upsetting issue was last night I had a vasovagal episode. I passed out due to several triggers in the room, ( including one lady who was vapping) So I put my head down on the table, trying not to make a scene. Now I don't remember the wait staff asking if I was okay, but my husband told them I just needed some time. (Not our first pass out). And you could see I was in physical distress. (Sweating profusely, I couldn't hear or see due to tunnel vision, laying my head down on the table) I tried to sit up several times because I was told I couldn't "sleep". I wasn't asleep and that was verbalized to them. You see if I sit up too fast, I'll just pass out again. Well, the bouncer came over and told me I would have to leave if I couldn't sit up. I have not paid $40 to sit in an obstructed view and be told I may have to leave. ( Which would have not been physically able for me to do.) I did sit up, because my husband wanted to see the headliner, and passed out two more times.

So as my review ends, the acts were okay, the drinks are good, the tater tots are AWESOME. They shows I have been to did not start on time. Last night started 30-45 mins late. But their management is lacking. Does this establishment not cater to those with disabilities? (i am a disabled military veteran) I think maybe a little more customer service and compassion would go a long way. Especially on a night when Mr. Harvell was there himself (sitting at the table we were...

I've been to Harvelle's about four or five times now, and while I enjoy the ambiance and the performances, I really don't like the drink-purchasing system. They employ a system for drink payments where a guest must purchase non-refundable poker chips from a front table, THEN buy drinks. These chips cannot be refunded, and they can't be used to tip performers -- only bar staff. Whereas with a credit card, you simply pay what you owe, with poker chips, you're often stuck guessing how much you'll need (and overpurchasing, leading to a pocket full of disney dollars).

Every time I've gone, I wind up with extra poker chips in my pocket that are (a) not enough to buy a new drink and (b) too much to just leave behind.

It's not a good customer experience to have to constantly get up and risk interrupting performances to go guess how much money I have to spend on chips, and it's frustrating having a stack of unused chips that essentially equates to wasted money, especially in this inflated economy. It's very similar to a residual-balance trap or a breakage balance trap, where it's basically intended that the business will simply watch you put in money that you won't be able to reclaim or fully spend. The ambiance is lovely and the staff is friendly, but the poker chip scheme makes me resentful of drink purchasing every time, and leaves a bad taste in my mouth that doesn't seem to fit with the establishment's luxury aesthetic. The over-spend on incremental chip purchases adds up pretty fast, and feels like a deliberate decision to squeeze bar patrons. If you're buying drinks, I recommend getting the exact cost from the bar, then purchasing your chips, otherwise you'll absolutely spend more than you planned. If you intend to leave tips for performances, I highly recommend setting aside cash.

Overall, I love the atmosphere, the bar staff is attentive, and the performances are fantastic. I just think the poker chip system adds unnecessary complexity and adds a layer of confusion to get the customer to spend more without...