WATCH: Restaurant wanting 'grown and sexy' vibe bans diners under 30
(WASHINGTON POST) -- When Marvin Pate and his wife opened Bliss, their Caribbean restaurant outside St. Louis, they were aiming for an upscale, luxe vibe. They put jollof rice and tropical cocktails on the menu, offered hookahs for patrons to enjoy — and banned diners under the age of 30.
Since opening its doors in May, the restaurant has operated with an unusual age restriction, allowing in only women at least 30 and men at least 35, rules that the owners have been defending as necessary to maintain the kind of “grown and sexy” atmosphere they’re aiming for. “This policy is in place to ensure a mature, sophisticated, and safe dining environment for everyone,” the restaurant said in a Facebook post.
The age restriction has polarized customers, but Pate and his team have defended it as needed to keep out a rowdy younger crowd. “It’s just something for the older people to come do and have a happy hour, come get some good food and not have to worry about some of the young folks that bring some of that drama,” assistant manager Erica Rhodes told local news outlet KSDK News.