New restaurant coming to Washington: Janelle's
Comments
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Oh snap! They got a groupon! Seems like they're tryna fight to stay open. I've yet to hit them up....b/c I'm a West Indian food snob but refuse to pay over $40 for West Indian food that doesn't taste better than what you can get on Nostrand or Flatbush for 1/2 the price....but this groupon will do the trick.
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I saw the groupon ... and it says it includes Caribbean Cocktails .... yet they don't have a liquor license. I'd be annoyed if I bought it and assumed a nice dinner with drinks only to find we had to spend
The deal:
For $29, you get a meal for two (up to a $70.85 value) that includes the following:One appetizer (up to a $13.95 value)
Two entrees or combination dinners (up to a $22.95 value each)
Two caribbean-style cocktails (up to a $5.50 value each)Yet there's no actual alcohol? I'd probably flip a bit if I traveled to the area to eat here to find it was fruit juice in a cup.
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I haven't been in and ordered a drink, but I do see a bar stocked with what looks to be alcohol bottles when I walk by. Which is weird, because, this link says they go before CB 8 in a few days (Nov 8th)
Note: I'm aware that CB8 does not issue liquor permits, the liquor authority does.
Can one get a permit before going in front of before CB8?
Are they serving drinks at this point? ....are they serving without a permit?
Are the bottles there for show, in eager anticipation?
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Janelle's doesn't yet have a liquor license yet. I think the ABC law controls sales and distribution of liquor. Haven't read anything about displaying liquor.
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according to Groupon they have their liquor license -- I asked on their forum....
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Given that it is always empty, I wonder if they have actually served a alcoholic beverage.
They may have figured out a new way to not get busted for serving alcohol without a license: Have no customers.
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Janelle's was on the agenda for a new liquor license at last night's CB 8 Economic Development Committee meeting.
No one from the restaurant showed up.
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What is the name of that TV show where the chef comes in, and quickly turns around restaurants that are failing mostly due to their owner's incompetence?
Are they filming in NYC anytime soon?
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whynot_31 said:
What is the name of that TV show where the chef comes in, and quickly turns around restaurants that are failing mostly due to their owner's incompetence?Are they filming in NYC anytime soon?
There are a few including Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares and Irvine's Restaurant: Impossible.
I don't think that either will be in town soon enough.
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Some good could come from this.
If they are unable to get their act together, the next tenant may benefit from a nicely renovated space.
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danaeo said:
Janelle's was on the agenda for a new liquor license at last night's CB 8 Economic Development Committee meeting.No one from the restaurant showed up.
Good, Janelle's.
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I am pleased to report that this place actually distributed menus in PH yesterday.
No mention of alcohol.
They deliver, and are going to offer brunch. At first glance, it appears like the menu for Shanes Cafe (also no alcohol, similar menu). Shanes has developed a steady customer base and is a nice alternative to Toms.
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whynot_31 said:
No mention of alcohol.Since it's First Saturday, businesses are having all sorts of deals:
Washington Avenue Prospect Heights Association
Tonight! Sip & Shop deals on the Trolley leaving the Brooklyn Museum from 6pm - 10pm! Don't miss out. 10% OFF entrees @ Udom Thai Restaurant, A FREE glass of wine @ Abigail Cafe & Wine Bar, $2 OFF cocktails/$1 OFF beer @ Janelle's Carribean American Cuisine, ONE FREE DRINK with an entree @ Dean Street, $1 OFF DRINKS @ Rawstar, 10% OFF DRINKS and pastries @ Coffee Bites. See you on the trolley! -
I'll have to walk by tonight and see if they have customers.
If Jack's waitress is there, I may order a rum punch as well.
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So I finally hit up Janelle's on Friday with the hubster...a few other couples were inside but they had alot of takeout traffic and phone orders. They also had a steel drummer playing a medley of pop classics and Caribbean tunes. But enough about the ambiance.
From the reviews that I've seen I was expecting the food to be horrible but I was dooooope. I had the curry shrimp with okra and rice, eggplant choka (a sauteed eggplant side dish) and a couple glasses of a cabernet. The hubster had the ribs and shrimp combo with mac and cheese and a virgin cocktail.
I'm from Brooklyn and my family is West Indian and I was impressed with the quality of the food. It was delicious and I really appreciate all of the vegetarian menu options.
The bad reviews that this place has gotten has kept me away but that groupon got me in the door. This place is a nice sit down west indian alternative to the meat market at Sugarcane. I just hope they can keep the food quality and service consistent.
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Despite the confusion above, they have an alc lic
Lately, I have even seen customers.... Have they found their stride?
Despite these hopeful signs, they can't be breaking even....
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Despite walking by during prime dining hours this weekend, I saw only two tables filled.
One night, they hosted a comedy show ....this is a good technique because comedians often cajole their friends and family into seeing them perform.
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>>>this is a good technique because comedians often cajole their friends and family into seeing them perform.<<<
I hear they do this at Chabbads too
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I resubmit my idea of hiring curvy, scantily-clad Jamaican women as waitresses. It's worth a shot and nothing else seems to be working.
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Jack you may have to settle for Jerk
ing yourChicken.However, I agree, that is a tried and true formula.
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A large group of co-workers and I finally made it to Janelle's. Despite some of the negative reviews, it was a pretty positive experience. The atmosphere is casual, yet attractive and the food decent. Some dishes(e.g. jerk chicken, mac and cheese, rice and peas, stewed chicken) were better than others (roti, cod fish cakes). Much to my surprise, the drinks were strong, especially the one called "Bad Boy", whose every sip tasted like a shot of liquor. Service was so-so, but not as terrible as I had expected. As a bonus, they had a steel drum player. Sadly, there were no scantily-clad Jamaican waitresses - however, since learning that the owners are Trinidadian, not Jamaican, I have amended my business plan to reflect this and can only hope that they take my advice in the future.
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Good to hear.
Yes, I've also seen people in there when they have live entertainment. I hope they are getting enough people in there often enough to survive.
So far, I have yet to detect a singles scene. Strangely, the Bearded Lady, Minor Arcana, and Way Station achieved this soon after opening, without the staff members Jack desires.
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Jack Krohn said:
Sadly, there were no scantily-clad Jamaican waitresses - however, since learning that the owners are Trinidadian, not Jamaican, I have amended my business plan to reflect this and can only hope that they take my advice in the future.Even better! They tend to have the best Carnival costumes anyway.
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After a start during the summer of 2011 that was so slow, clumsy, and unprofessional that I thought it would soon close, this restaurant appears to be FINALLY figuring it out.
In addition to having more customers when I walk by, the Yelp reviews and "buzz" that I am hearing is becoming more positive.
For example, compare the 2011 reviews with the 2012 ones:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/janelles-caribbean-restaurant-brooklynThey finally have a website: http://www.janellesrestaurant.com/
They are distributing menus!....I don't want to know how much money these lost over the last year in order to learn how to do the above, but am glad that they finally seem to be getting their act together!
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http://www.yelp.com/biz/janelles-caribbean-restaurant-brooklyn?sort_by=date_desc
Bethany (8/18/2013), Wendy (8/17/2013) and LaTisha (8/7/2013), I wish I could give you a refund.
Is Janelle's not aware that they can't be good only on occasion?
...Is Janelle's aware of Yelp?
Is Janelle's aware that Bethany, Wendy and LaTisha tell people about their experiences?
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It continues to perplex me how this place stays open, despite having so few customers:
The place has relatively few reviews on Yelp, but Grant C wrote this on Oct 13, 2013:
The food was tasty with good portions, but this was the worst service I have ever experienced.
Waited 45 minutes just for the server to take our order. Then waited another hour for our food, which did not all come together. Then, after receiving our food, we had to wait another ten minutes to get our utensils so we could eat. All this after, I had seen other diners get their food and also not have utensils, so I preemptively asked the server for utensils before getting our food to no avail. Unbelievably terrible service. We heard their playlist go through twice before eating, not because it was a short playlist, but because we sat for 2 hours before eating. The restaurant wasn't even busy. Probably should have walked out.
However, the food was decent. I had oxtail with rice and peas. The oxtail was tender and well seasoned and the rice and peas were solid. I hope they can improve the service, because the food and atmosphere is decent.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/janelles-caribbean-restaurant-brooklyn?sort_by=date_desc
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This place continues to be almost empty every time I walk by, and the Yelp reviews tell a depressing story.http://www.yelp.com/biz/janelles-caribbean-restaurant-brooklyn?sort_by=date_descI have seen places hire professionals to do advertising and consulting when they have realized that they are in desperate need of help. Today, I rec'd the picture below and thought this might be the case:
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As of about two weeks ago Janelle's finally closed. A handwritten, cardboard sign on the door now confirms same.For several years, the place was so empty I wondered it was a front for drugs or some other kind of money laundering. I doubt anyone misses it. In the 5 years it was open, I never saw more than 3 of its approximately 30 tables occupied.It leaves behind a very large, renovated restaurant space that is far enough from churches that it can possess an alcohol license.671 Washington AvenueI wish The Islands had the resources to take over this space in light of it's impending demolition.
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