The World Famous Cats Meow | Karaoke New Orleans — Restaurant in New Orleans

If I could give less than a one star I would, but here I am writing a review after a few days of this incident occurring. I have been going back and forth whether to waste my time on this review, but I don’t want other patrons experiencing what I experienced at the Cat’s Meow.

Let me start by saying this: I have been GM of several multi-million dollar bars and restaurants back in the Midwest. I currently am a F&B surpervisor overseeing the daily operations of the FOH and BOH, so when I write a bad review, it has to be a serious enough incident to express my frustrations.

While visiting Cat’s Meow, I first noticed the African American bartender with dreads fixing drinks in front of me to cutomsers. I sat back and watched as he tried to pour drinks. He was intoxicated and/or high on drugs (maybe a combo). Before he could ask me for a drink, a Caucasian lady with curly brown hair came and took my order. I could tell she was intoxicated and/or high on drugs. As I went back upstairs, I told my spouse that the bartenders were under the influence.

Next round, I went down to get another drink and witnessed the African American guy being aggressive with two guys after he thought they stole (they didn’t since I watched the whole situation). A very heated argument started and I could tell both parties were getting aggressive so I stepped in between the bar and the two customers trying to reasonably explain “its not worth going to jail over..just walk away.” As I’m trying to de-escalate the situation, the Caucasian lady bartender entered and started aggressively screaming and putting her hands on my back when I was faced away. The situation was being handled to only become toxic after she become aggressive and physical. When I turned around to explain she better keep her hands off me, she grabbed around my neck and ripped 3 heavy duty beads off and started hitting my friend (who heard the commotion and came over) and I over the head with beads. At that point, I had enough and I pushed her off the bar (standing on it so she could hit us) and that’s when security interjected. We were kicked out! I hadn’t been intoxicated and got kicked out after I tried to prevent a fight, but those bartenders need to be terminated.

My friend called to handle the situation (because I was too upset and I had lost a very expensive pair of sunglasses during the shuffle) and they keep giving her the run around explaining the will review cameras and call her back, but every phone call in those few days were followed by, we will watch the cameras. Shouldn’t you have already done that before the multiple return calls?

Here is where I’m at: the managers expressed that both employees had been verbal and even physical throwing items at co-workers/managers earlier and you still let them on the floor? You intentionally risked the harm to patrons after already knowing these two were aggressive and you still allowed it? And I can probably guarantee they are still employed there. As a manager, I would have immediately terminated and had them escorted out?! That is not responsible managing and maybe you (managers) should re-considered if you’re a great fit for that position too. You’re upmost important role is to keep both employees and guests safe...and you failed. I will never return to your establishment and will spread the word as far as I can to other possible patrons to stay away to ensure they are safe.

That is my experience and I hope you take it to heart. I never want to get people in trouble, but during and even after the debacle, the situation was not handled and kind of swept...

I love Karaoke, I can’t sing well, but I like to go to places with my friends for a laugh. This was a trip we didn’t get to sing at all, yet paid to.... Paying to sing, that is an odd concept, but there were three of us and they had this deal, pay 125 and “you and your friends move to the front of the line” or something like that. Pricey but it also wasn’t specific. So I asked the MC if that meant we could each sing our own songs and he said yeah, he would work with us and that he made a commission for each sale.

So we bought the pass which came with a t-shirt and drinks. I decided that it would be cool to give the t-shirt to my 12 year old and asked for a small, they gave me a medium. They also gave us 7 drink vouchers, some Jello Shots and a fast pass. Cool, we gave away the Jell-O shots while I was working on songs. Their list is very short, but by giving the Dj a drink voucher, he had songs that weren’t on the list. We learned this information from a lady who just literally rocked some Cypress hill. Things looked good. And we picked our three songs.

When I brought my fast pass to the guy in charge of taking songs, he said, one pass, one Song. I explained that there was three of us and instead of getting MC I spoke with before he got a manager who said I need to spend 250$ more if I want two more fast passes. They kept pointing to the print which said something like “you and your friends get to sing” but it was one fast pass and if I didn’t make the effort to verify, I could even think they had a vague point. I tried to explain my point, and he didn’t care, I believe because we were just tourists. I gave the bartender back my shirt and the other 6 drink passes, the fast past and we left. A lot of money for nothing. At least the Dj got a drink.

The MC did come and ask what happened and I explained. He said, he thought he meant all of us singing at once was my question. I know what I asked him, and why I asked him, he made his commission either way. I doubt they have many people asking if they need to spend 375 to sing one song with their friends. He also may have been put in the middle of something with the ticket taker and the manager and obviously is going to be on their team.

Getting rolled once in all my awesome times at karaoke is not the end of the world, I guess it happens. What could have been an amazing night at a place where we would have come back, ended up being embarrassing. The money never mattered either, we didn’t get offered a refund, but what a bad night. If you go, I would say stay away from the fast pass and wait to tip until after you get service not before (as everyone was very helpful in...

Pretty sure our family was racially profiled

First time in New Orleans, had to stop at a karaoke bar with the family. The atmosphere was lively but trying to get on stage to sing was a hassle.

Cece was the lady in charge of writing names on the board of who would sing next. 2 family members signed up at the same time, both were constantly asked to talk to the dj or whoever in regard to song selection, more than likely skipped a few times in the process despite them standing next to the stage to address whatever comment cece wrote on her board. Ok, understandable.

Another family member went up to request a song not seen on the list, was told by cece to talk to the dj, gave up after a while because he was busy doing dj things I suppose.

Once the song selection was figured out for the 2 relatives waiting by the stage our group moved to the front. They finished up and we waited around for myself, my husband and another relative to go up sing.

My husband (white male) and I signed up shortly after the initial 2 relatives signed up. We waited by the stage to make sure we didnt have any issues with cece. We waited for quite a few songs until I recognized a gentleman go up and sing who had signed up after myself. This is when I started to get annoyed.

My husband's name finally went up on the board and he went up asking why I hadn't been called. Come to find out my name had been written on the board for a while and I never went up. Which is a complete lie, he had her put my name on the board and all of sudden the song I had requested from their song list was erased or not written with my name? Strange.

She then puts a comment on my name to see her, turns out someone else who hadn't performed yet and put their name in after mine had the same song I chose. Instead of asking them to change it they asked me to.

By this time I'm hurt, embarrassed and completely taken back by what's going on but tell her nicely that I am no longer interested in singing, gave her thanks and walked away.

Cece went and told the lady who was singing that I was supposed to sing her song so the lady ran over to see if I would sing with her but I declined and our group left.

It was very weird and uncomfortable, should have went to the Karaoke bar...