The Drake

12/28/09

Unprofessional

by sophiab at Citysearch

I had reserved a table at The Drake on Saturday, December 5, but when I arrived with my party of 12 they denied I ever made a reservation and turned us away. The reservation was made for my boyfriend's surprise birthday party which I had been meticulously planning for weeks.

First of all, it was very hard to get a hold of someone to make a table reservation. I took the contact information from their website and constantly called and emailed weeks in advance, but it took them over a week to get back to me. I should have took their unresponsiveness as a bad sign. When I was finally able to get a hold of the reservationist Ashley, we exchanged details and confirmed my reservation. She told me that since the reservation was for a special occasion a bottle would be $250, my party would be able to skip the line, and there was no cover charge.

My party and I arrived and to our amazement the place was bought out for some lesbian party which Ashley never mentioned. I let the doorman know that I had a reservation, and he told us to wait while he confirmed we were on the guest list. After waiting in the freezing cold for about 15 minutes, Ashley, a short fat ugly woman, comes out with the guest list and said that my name wasn't on the guest list. I was told by the promoter of the event that my guests and I would each have to pay $30 to get in. Needless to say, we left and partied elsewhere.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Unprofessional and rude staff

06/30/09

if there was an option for 0 stars....

by lattelady at Citysearch

Wow, this place is for the vertical-stripped, button down d-bags who listen to techno. I was able to hop the line here bc I went with a friend of a friend who knew someone. The line was crazy long, and when I got inside I couldn't figure out why this place is so popular. It is HUGE and this place was so packed that we could hardly have room to dance to the terrible music.

There were girls there were dancing on top of this huge leather looking bench/bed (not a piece of furniture that is made for standing on -let alone dancing) trying to look like strippers or something - they were not even cute and probably under-age. I'm pretty easy to please... how could you not have fun with a group of your girls, music, and drinks? Easy, go to The Drake. Oh, and the drink prices will be different depending on who the bartender is.

• Pros: nothing
• Cons: drink prices, music, staff, dj

05/18/09

Don't waste your time or money. No matter what color!

by designer73 at Citysearch

I wanted to go out and celebrate a monmentous occasion with firiends. Some one very to dear to me had just graduated with his Doctorate degree and it was time to let off some steam. Being that I was the host I arrived first. The first words out of Doogie's mouth were, 'Sorry, I can't let you in with baggy clothes." I had to address the issue and explain to him, that I am a man of size and i don't and can't wear skinny boy jeans so what you see as baggy is actually fit. After looking me up and down, he let me inside the club.

Once inside the vibe was totally different. I had reserved a table and bottle service for upwards to 12 people. Ashley the M.O.D that night was professional and attentive, that goes for our server as well.

3 of the 12 guest actually got passed Doogie with no issues. But when the guest of honor arrived with 2 additional guests, one of his guests was denied entry becuase,"his I.D. did not look like him" and he was asked to retrieve a second form of Picture I.D. of course my guest did not have a second form of picture I.D. so he was denied entry. Now how many people walk around with multiple forms of picture I.D.?

So when the guest of honor started inquiring about the I.D. issue with Doogie ,then Doogie cliams he felt threatened and was not going to allow the guest of honor inside to his own celebration.

Not once did the guest of honor raise his voice or make any threatening comments or gestures. It was an attempt to have an intelligent and reasonable conversion with another adult. Maybe Doogie was threatended by the big words that were being used.

Needless to say, the guest of honor left with his guests and now I had to contend with getting some sort of compensation for a night ruined by a socially inept little man who obviously was bullied as a child and is now trying to make up for it by working the door of a club.. Luckily the M.O.D was understanding and it did not take much of a fight to get refundied on the reserved table and bottle service.

But you can bet I will be monitoring my bank account online to make sure no charges of any kind appear from the Drake.

I will never step foot inside the Drake again.

• Pros: Server and bar staff were good.
• Cons: Doogie Howser, M.D. checking I.D's at the door.

03/31/09

One Picture Is Worth Thousand Words!

by DarthVeda at Citysearch

I went out with my friends to this place on Friday night. There were not that many people when we came to the ropes but still had to wait some time while being bugged by some third party asking us to donate money to help people in some third world country. Although, I normally give out donations through a church that can demonstrate and provide proof of how the money is being used, I was not quite sure about those people hanging around the entrance there that night.

Anyways, after a long wait we finally got into the club without even being asked for our ids (I do not know what others talk about here in regards to the id issue) and we were very disappointed when we saw a half-empty club inside. I was thinking to myself what was the whole entrance waiting fuss for? The music was very laud which I did not like at all. I literally had to scream from the top of my lungs in order to be heard. I ran out of voice by the time we got out of Drake.

Bartenders were nice though.

• Pros: Friendly bartender (second floor); club size
• Cons: wating in line; laud music

03/21/09

Emotionally underdeveloped idiot at the door

by orlando032474 at Citysearch

Most of you agree that the drake is not a place to visit if you want to have a great time. The guy at the door has let me in twice but when my friends arrive they are denied entrance. The reason giving is that they don't look like the person in the ID. That's a cowards way of saying, I do not like your social standing and physical traits.

I do not support establishments that denie entrance to well dressed people that do not resemble the majority. Not every successful indiividial will wear $300 pants to impress people. Grow up stop ruining the reputation of my beautiful city.

Oh and please ask one of your friends post a five star review. I have never seen so many negative reviews, it is depressing. Not like I care since I will not be returning to read or post a review on the drake.

Oh and once inside the club, you have very intelligent, friendly, people. The ones that make our city a success, but for most part the rest are a bunch of superficial idiots.

• Pros: it made me realize I have integrity
• Cons: prejudice behavior (2009, grow up)

03/01/09

Wonderful Evening

by sushipro22 at Citysearch

I don't understand why the Drake has received such bad reviews. A group of friends and I (5 of us) got in without a problem and we are not white. The door guy was really nice and courteous and so were all the bartenders. We had a blast that night... probably the funnest night Ive had in a while. The music was great and the dancing was great. All in all a wonderful evening - no complaints whatsoever!

01/24/09

No Entry For My Mexican Pals?

by DivaGia at Citysearch

Now I rarely go out anymore but when I do I need to have a reserved table and bottle service. I'm too old to wait in line at the bar and bathroom and after I dance I need a place to sit.

Anyhoo a sweet lovely girl recommended I try Drake. I went online and saw it was a posh spot, but then I read the bad reviews concerning the "prejudiced" door boy with the power trip. I said, what the hell and thought we would be okay, because I had a table reserved. I donned my Fendi, real jewels and the guys wore collared shirts, fitted pants and dress shoes.

Needless to say the ones with the Italian and Irish last names were let in, but NOT the only two Mexicans.

After my pals were denied entry we stood there to see who the boy allowed entry to. No one was glam or fabu. Just Dawson Creekers.

I was like whatever. I can spend my $$$$ elsewhere.

The sweet lovely girl felt bad and recommended I try Pandora across the street, so I did. I had pleasant VIP and bottle service. It was a diverse crowd and we ended up having a really good time.

So yeah, I can't believe the little door boy. Please don't spend your money there and spread the word.

No to Drake and yes to Pandora.

• Pros: Absolutely none
• Cons: If my Mexican pals were denied entry, I'll spend my money elsewhere

01/09/09

quit your whining

by rob421 at Citysearch

all of us have to follow the same rules i got the same things you did and i am white why does every black use that same sad story? sorry to say i am irish and the irish have been treated the same get over it

• Pros: the women especially that one that was helping behind the bar
• Cons: nothing irregular

01/08/09

Don't waste your time

by mcboricua69 at Citysearch

If your not white don't even park your car and if you still try take a second form of id with you. You still won't get in!

• Pros: Racism

01/05/09

Rumors are True. Either Exclusive of exclusive or Discriminatory club

by somename123 at Citysearch

This is the first weekend of 2009 and i've had doubts going here amist all the rumors and reviews about this club (not just from citysearch either if you search). So I go there and the guy ...just like all the other reviews, ask me for a second form of id after i show him my driver's license. Now to be honest, the guy was nice about it...going "honestly, it just doesn't look like you". Being asian, inside my head i said bitche we all probably look alike to you anyways.

And for all the other comments of maybe we couldn't get in because of the way we look lik on the outside.....So classics tailored slacks and shirts....i guess they could smell my shirt wasn't gucci ? And pockets only had American Express black n gold cards ? and the couple G's in my pockets weren't enough for the club ? (yeh i came prepared), maybe my car failed their "non-imported" policy...you know admist the whole economic crisis of domestic cars...they wanted help out ? Pretty ironic the valet parking ppl parked my car up in the front facing the club....but bouncer wouldn't let me in. Can't say the club discriminate since i saw other colors too...(but if you're gonna discriminate these days, let one or two in so ppl can't say that you are). For my "people"...trust me its not worth it, even if you trying to impress....throw it at smarter people and being houston...no such thing as being too "exclusive" that you HAVE to get it.

My friend who i was suppose to meet up, white guy with two asian girls ...HMMmm.. you guess it....of course got in...*wonders*....instead of trying....like other people say i rather burn my money than at "the exclusive Drake". Time will tell....but i do warn certain "people", don't make that club your only choice that night and be prepare to bring you a witness and notarized papers before you go...make sure it says " I'm rich.....really really rich....(no wait money doesn't matter there) and most important of all I'm of "exclusive" properties ;).

• Pros: The "exclusiveness", the cockiness, being able to bring more than one form of ID if you're not white, being able to show of to your passport and that you really are of legal residence
• Cons: Don't know, never got in