I got the scoop on this one
Establishment: Top of the hub
Location: Boston
Here’s just a few words about my experience at top of the hub. this place was pretty screwed up in all facets.
there is a pretty serious seniority/favoritism problem. i’m all for seniority, but there are certain guys who’ve been working there for 10-20 years. they get the best sections and end up making more money than everybody else. i have no real problem with this, except for the fact that there is no reason why in any restaurant, some guys are making $300 + a night and other guys are making $100. these "senior" waiters who are making this kind of money, with the exception of Fernando who has been there for 20 years, aren’t very good at their job.
problem #2- the restaurant is run by the hostesses. there is a serious profiling problem that happens at the door. hostesses profile guests, and then seat them in the section of senior waiters, or those who are paying them with food etc.
problem #3- the management is completely under-qualified. the service manager is a guy who knows very little about wine. though he tries pretty hard, and is leaned on by the gm excessively, much of the time he comes to work hung-over and has a serious napoleon complex because he’s only 5′1" which he takes out on the staff. however, outside of work he’s probably a good time, he’s just too young and inexperienced for a restaurant this size.
problem #4- the rest of the managers are completely useless. none of them have a clue as to what is going on. recently, a hostess was promoted to manager who has absolutely no clue as to how to open a bottle of wine. she’s never served, nor does she have any idea as to how food service goes. the other two managers are great guys, but it is very apparent that they aren’t too quick.
problem #5- the kitchen staff doesn’t care. granted, it’s a high volume restaurant so the food isn’t going to be great, but it doesn’t help that they’re constantly screwing up temperatures. some of their favorite tricks are running out of spinach and substituting arugula, and undercooking meats. once meats are returned, they really like to throw them in the deep fryer for a few minutes before sending them out, which is great for customers who are spending $36 on tuna steaks.
problem #6- the gm is a drunk. in all likelihood, he was probably a great gm years ago when he actually had to work. his wine knowledge is excellent as he was a steward years ago. now, he takes himself way too seriously and spends most of his time yelling at the staff and consuming all the free booze he gets from distributors. quite frankly, he’s not a very nice person and is able to get away with whatever he wants as long as the numbers are ok because the restaurant is owned by a group located in ohio.
overall, not a good place to work because of the above reasons and moreover, the food isn’t very good and over-priced because the rent on the property is too high.
Comments
I find it impossible to believe that after numerous attempts to remove the comment posted above(which by the way, was an alcohol fueled rebuttal to many other comments by other mysteriously missing posts) that it still remains. This comments was regurgitated after the fact and without the other posts; your staff does a disservice and shows that your primary intent is to recreate unnecessary drama when in fact the above post does not “out” poor management, but was speculation and a “who really cares if” piece in references to the many harsh words written by others. Yet, like a fool, I have yet again requested to remove the above post and again this public request will first go ignored and then be removed. Who is really shameless here.
I believe the original complaints and accusations were not even relavant to the above named manager who has long separted TOH to much greener pastures. And again, I state that he was a decent manager for what he had to deal with. He stuck around longer than most and for parellel comparrisons to others in his position city wide, I think he was solid compared to many out there. The purpose of this board is to pay back owners and managers who have gone beyond the pale so to speak. The website may have been reinvented, however you are shamelessly re-using posts that have been extracted from many other posts to keep the drama going and that is not politically correct. I still check from time to time to see what transpired and it’s sad to see nothing constructive occurs here. A shame really.
I, personally have heard from two reliable sources that they could have ‘done’ Nick if they persued it further. Maybe is just the alcohol talking. I have stellar ‘gaydar’ and I did not pick up that VIBE from him-maybe he’s bi at best??? His preferences are his business and not about his job performance. He did NOT play favorites amongst the many gay males previously employed there while I did my time.
ANYWAY, So who the hell cares if he IS gay? Who isn’t in this industry…At least he’s not a flaming, nit-pickety, whiny-sniveling uptight faggot. He was always decent to me. I probably have one of the bigger files of ‘write-ups” (ridiculous;bullshit; over-blown; misconstrued crap) from previous wannbe Jr. Managers long gone and one who was fired from Corporate for being a lush). I liked Nick. He’s still hanging in there. Good for him!
Tom was HOT!!! Shout out to Tom!
I miss the view, the laughs, and a special ’someone’s service-station farts……(NOT)!