As I was turning off the engine, my wife was walking towards us with a look of disgust. The employee at the restaurant refused to seat her because not all 4 of us were standing there, and gave the last table to three other patrons that walked in a few moments later, behind her. Now this so called policy of being an ass, which is what it is, is something I have never experienced at a restaurant in New Orleans, where I hear the chef/owner at The Black Sheep was trained. It is just silly.

Had the missing guest (my sons and I) not been there, meaning, still on our way, I would understand. Small place, limited table turns, all understandable, as I worked in the restaurant business for 16 years. But when someone who appreciates your food, and makes the effort to come there on a night like a Friday, with a parking situation that is challenging, should never be subjected to a petty and arrogant judgment, rule, whatever you want to call it, because someone is still parking. There is no sign to this affect outside, and really, it is just stupid.

Because of our experience, it will be a long time before we spend money there again. We had eaten there three times in the last month, because we liked it so much. Restaurants in Richmond, I have noticed, harness more mediocre wait staff, with an air of entitlement than I have seen in other cities. It makes what we could be proud of, something that just leaves a bad taste in your mouth, which is not what eating out should do.