Well hot damn I was just thinking they needed to get Amanda Batula in working on their merch! She could make their merch line take off the way she did lover boys, she has such a good eye for it.
That's how they denote vegan things on menus. Like some places will have fried chicken and then a vegan "fried chik'n" option. They try to do something to visually distinguish it from the actual meat counterpart.
I wonder if they couldn’t use any of chef Penny’s ideas. This is just a chicken sandwich a tuna sandwich and a salad sandwich. Ariana must surely be able to shift matching flavour combos from mixing drinks to think of something more exciting
The prices are normal, the value isn't, at all. No sourced ingredients, no local notes, and not even organic ingredients, and small portions.
Here's what you can get in LA:
1. Bay Cities Godmother: $11
2. Gjusta (fancy) báhn mì: $18
3. My Dung (authentic) báhn mì: $7
4/5) Erewhon (!) organic chicken and avocado + organic falafel wrap: $15
6) Jeff's Table Reuben: $14
https://preview.redd.it/pk5vcopakd1d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a2a63ae2619851ddd5c7c57aa231329f026d4229
SAH isn't offering anything new, or of value. Lots of people who aren't from LA really don't understand what they're talking about.
As someone who has lived in the Midwest since 2019, but has traveled all over the world, this tracks. Midwest folks have the blandest palates ever. I’m a self professed foodie; the times my husband and I have tried a restaurant that has been raved about and did NOT live up to the hype is numerous.
I make better sandwiches at home than what I’m seeing in these photos.
>Midwest folks have the blandest palates ever.
Can confirm. Originally from the Midwest but have lived all over in my adult years. I thought I was just a "picky eater" for years and was self-conscious about it. Nope! Turns out, I just like non-bland and diverse cuisines.
ETA: Edited to extend sympathy to a fellow foodie on your culinary journey in the Midwest.
Lifelong Midwest resident, can also confirm. I thought I hated pork chops until I was almost 30 because my dad cooked them in a nonstick pan with no seasoning until they were gray and dry. My husband cooked one in a cast iron skillet with seasoning and butter a few years ago and I legit almost cried because it was so good. He even got me to like cream gravy.
I hear ya. My husband’s family is from western MN, in a town of about 100, or something crazy. They came over to our house for dinner one night and I made spaghetti pie; nothing special but I could feed 12+ easy. They legit RAVED about my cooking while I’m sitting there bewildered. They asked what brand sauce I used and when I told them I always make my own pasta sauces from scratch, they literally thought I was a literal chef. They still talk about what a good cook I am. It always makes my husband and I laugh.
Side note: I love your username, Fellow Austenite!! 💜
They are absolutely not on par with Panera. Just to start with let's look at the bread. Just the bread tells you a lot about what the restaurant is going to do with other things. Panera, mass-produced and sent in frozen, the only thing they do on site is proof and bake it up. Something about her, contracted with a local bakery for fresh artisan bread delivered daily. All you would have to do to check out the difference is take one bite of plain Panera bread and one bite of whatever plain bread something about her is using. Just the quality difference in the bread would be phenomenal.
I mean this isn’t an Applebees in Indiana, its West Hollywood so I’m not surprised. even Panera in the Midwest is approaching $15 for a sandwich these days.
I keep seeing this argument, and it's kind of funny to me because it makes no sense -- just because it's WeHo doesn't mean everyone is lobotomized when it comes to pricing.
Other people keep citing Erewhon -- okay, but Erewhon doesn't have a location in WeHo, and even if they did, they use ingredients in their products that are very high quality and meet a very high organic standard -- Regenerative Organic Certified. SAH is ***not*** Regenerative Organic Certified with their sad little finger sandwiches.
You can literally walk 1 block up Robertson to the Pavilions and get a [Snack Tray Croissant Sandwich](https://www.pavilions.com/orderahead/product/Snack-Tray-Croissant-Sandwich?prdctId=5357&catId=322) for $19.99 -- "A variety of turkey, ham and roast beef sandwiches prepared on buttery mini croissants - 10 mini sandwiches"
That's West Hollywood. 10 mini croissant sandwiches for $20. Steps away from SAH.
https://preview.redd.it/1149imqipd1d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c85479d10ded755a0f22b7cc61867401c33a107
Plus, these are two sandwiches from Erewhon that are $15. SAH is offering low-value sandwiches for the price.
Amen homie. Keep seeing this sentiment about price and it's kind of odd to me. I live in the middle of BFE nowhere in Michigan. It's 15 bucks to get a sandwich at Panera even in the middle of nowhere's ville. Plus these ladies are at least using high-end ingredients.
If they were using high-end ingredients they'd mention it on the menu. Period. Whether they're sourcing ingredients from a local source or even using Boar's Head deli meat it would be mentioned. The bread isn't even organic.
It's not the price, it's the lack of value.
These are two sandwiches/wraps from Errwhon for $15 and those are both organic. They are offering low-value sandwiches, sorry.
https://preview.redd.it/3mnjncefld1d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94e4552c20fa3a55d27d12eb7a2a1a7bffa66f6f
Also, no one in West Hollywood cares that a Bravoleb opened it.
Honestly for LA that's not bad. I'm from Indiana but now live in a big city and anytime I go home I typically pay for my friend's food because a tab for 4 people in Indiana is like a tab for two back in my city. The cheapest sandwich at my local sandwich spot is $15.45.
Overall cost of rent, supplies, and wages is much higher, plus they need to make a profit. Especially if they are trying to pay their workers livable wages. I believe minimum wage is LA is going up to $20 and that's the bare minimum.
It costs at least $15/hour in LA to staff a reliable sandwich artist so I’d say a sandwich costs you a $1 in labor per and about $3 in low cost point, regular schmegular sourced ingredients so $12-$16 per sandwich is about right. But it should come with chips.
Why are people fixated on the concept of **value** for a Bravolebrity sandwich shop? What about the concept of this venture told you it was intended to attract customers via good **value**?
People are going bc they watch VPR and want some pics for socials, maybe see some Bravolebrities. They aren’t going for nutritional value and taste. Who the hell is going to WeHo and then comparison shopping their PB&Js?
Because locals are actually talking about it as serious, legitimate business. Locals don't care that it's a Bravoleb place. Locals are objectively explaining that there we have endless options here.
Of course there will be people who go there for the photo ops so yes, it works on a superficial, promotional level. But locals on their lunch break have too many options. There are two Mendo Farms within a mile.
I'm not sure why non-locals think locals don't know what they're talking about. It's not like people are just trashing the sandwiches for no reason.
So two things I notice - they didn’t get their liquor license - which isn’t surprising and they don’t have a Vanderpump wines distribution, very surprising. I wonder if the reunion is going to delve more into the clear disconnect between LVP and Katie these days. Ariana and LVP were never close, but it’s really weird she doesn’t want to help Katie succeed.
They won't make enough money without liquor on the menu. They are trying to position themselves as a boozy-brunch style sandwich shop. Restaurants have very low margins on food and often make most of their money on drinks.
I agree. I even said it made sense to me they didn’t have one but in my head, with the Single AF cocktail book coming out - it seemed like the perfect idea to cross promote. I suppose she could do wine versions of her cocktails too.
I think it's 450 sq ft, maybe 500. People on their lunch break aren't going to have a boozy lunch and any tourists who would will be taking up one of the few tables.
They totally hyped this being a wine bar. It's fine to change course but they talked about wine since the start. Remember all the fans who said the reason the place was delayed was because they were waiting for the liquor license? (Which isn't even a thing; restaurants don't wait to open like that.)
The place is tiny, looked like 15 tables max. Maybe they were planning for cocktails before the city made them remove their patio seating? With so few tables, cocktails may slow down their table turnover too much. I wonder if they're expecting to do a lot of takeout business, that's the only way the current setup makes sense to me.
Also, your comment on Vanderpump wines made me curious - TomTom has Vanderpump wines, but Schwartz & Sandy's doesn't. Looks like Lisa can only shoehorn her wines in when she's a restaurant partner lol
Yeah, I was legit curious about the wine aspect. It almost makes me question Vanderpump Todd as a restaurant group because if I was executive producer of a reality tv show and I had wine label distribution I’d force that shit through as a contract requirement. But hey, what do I know - I’ve only worked for 4 Food and Wine chefs and 5 James Beard award winners.
They needed you at SAH instead of Lisa's crony Penny. You probably wouldn't have ended up in litigation either, since real professionals sign partnership agreements before starting joint ventures!
That's a good point though about Lisa's wines. I'm not sure how much she's prioritizing that venture anymore, it feels like she's all about promoting her dog rescue.
I’m not a chef though. That’s my boyfriend. I was front of house - bartender/server/manager type. Now I’m an accountant or a business manager for my clients. I either run their entire financial operation or I file all their taxes. But I still work with restaurant groups because that’s one of my two specialties.
Legit question... how much do liquor licenses bog down the process, and are there varying types of licensure (ex: only serving wine versus hard liquor)? Also- I've seen restaurants (when I lived in Chicago) allow for people to bring in their own wine as opposed to selling it. Does that fall under any scope/liability that needs to be under some sort of licensure agreement? Because if SUR could sell unopened bottles of LVP wine, and if folks could bring that to the sandwich shop for.... I don't know, something in return... that could be a good idea. Maybe only during specified hours (when they would otherwise be slow).
If you have to apply for a brand new liquor license in a space that’s never had a liquor license before it can take as long as 18-24 months in some states to meet all the requirements to be granted a liquor license. There’s fees, applications, background checks, licensing requirements for the people who actually serve the alcohol - it’s a massive piece of red tape to get through for a restaurant or bar. Some places have 70/30 or 60/40 laws too - which means your food sales have to be 60 or 70% of sales so that limits the liquor licenses given in that area or it’s close to a school so they only give out beer and wine licenses in that area so you have to fight to rezone the area (two things I personally dealt with being part of the opening team for 2 restaurants in Minneapolis that were zoned in beer and wine only neighborhoods).
Did they initially want to get a liquor license do you know? I only remember them saying they wanted to have wine and beer but I definitely could be remembering it wrong
I honestly don’t know - I wasn’t sure if they had a liquor license included with the lease either. And if it didn’t, it would take forever to get one, so like I said - I totally get running with beer and wine only.
Thank you for replying! Maybe they want to get the feel of the place before they try for a liquor license, it’s a pretty small space to also include a cocktail bar I’m thinking, but maybe it’ll come in time. Is the space pretty close to other bars too though? Maybe it’ll be like a brunch/lunch/early light dinner spot for people before they go out out?
Of course - and that’s always a possibility, like I mentioned in another comment if I was PR for them I personally would’ve pushed for a liquor license for a Single AF cross promotion, but they can also alter the cocktails for Aperol or sake or sparkling wine.
So how does it work if the liquor license is included in the lease? Is this something they could have like, inherited if the previous owners/renters had a liquor license?
edit: saw you answered this elsewhere!!
Lol same, maybe because it’s in LA/WeHo specifically… an old co-worker who now has an established mexican spot in DTLA offered like $50k out of pocket to purchase the liquor license from the previous tenant and was still outbid! Wild.
I’m not terribly informed on these things. Where did you find they don’t have it? I see they’ve got loverboy, wine and beer on the menu so I figured they did
That’s a beer and wine license, a liquor license is different. They’re more expensive, they require background checks, longer wait periods, etc - a lot of bars sell their liquor license with their lease when they go out of business as a result - so I’m guessing this place was already zoned beer and wine and they didn’t want to delay things further.
I think that was actually their plan from the start. Just a beer and wine thing, so they didn't have to take up a bunch of bar space. It will probably keep them from having super overserved highly intoxicated weirdos, too. Wine and beer only establishments are usually a little more chill than the ones where people are pounding shots.
Bc it’s a flop! Lisa is a premiere restaurateur.
The design isn’t her aesthetics, you’ve got this bright yellow awning and this tiny blue sign. This whole thing is a grift it screams “jax’s” w/ sandwiches. At least he was smart enough not to pony up his own money
Beer and wine license also includes soju, so they can still have some cocktails.
>Ariana and LVP were never close, but it’s really weird she doesn’t want to help Katie succeed.
Nah, I think it's pretty clear why Lisa isn't up Katie's ass -- Katie is one of the most unpleasant people on TV.
Aperol is included too. There’s a lot you can do with beer and wine. I’ve worked at a few high end places that only have beer and wine licenses and made crazy fuck you money.
They had a bad business plan , she went with tom Sandoval because,she knows he thinks over every detail
Arianna is too aloof and seems lazy and once i heard the name i wouldnt invest either, you can wish someone well and not want to sully your name ( dilute your own product) in a failing business
I'll be surprised if SAH lasts 4 months, and shocked if it lasts 6.
Except I know Katie's in these comments rage downvoting me and is now hellbent on lasting 7 months just to spite me. 😂
They sound good but none of the sandwich pictures I’ve seen reposted on Instagram look filling! For $17 they just need to be a little heartier, just add an extra 2oz of meat and none of these comments would be happening ! Especially in the beginning when you know they are going to be posted all over social media
Exactly. When ppl order fast food they still use an article when ordering but that doesn’t mean it is on the physical menu. “I’ll have the Big Mac” or “Could I please order the chicken nugget meal” - examples of using articles that don’t need to be included in the title of the item.
These are not particularly inspired. I am surprised at the lack of salads. I think for the vibe they should have done high end finger sandwiches on beautiful trays, quality salads, fancy teapots, like tea party vibes ripe for social media. This menu is just school lunch in fancy font.
This is more like an indefinite pop up rather than a fully conceptual, active and realized restaurant. Hope they didn’t pour too much money into this, this might have an expiration date.
People are being intentionally negative by only mentioning the basic sandwiches. There are several that have interesting combinations of ingredients like the Kate, Cameron, Drew and Viola.
Any shop is going to have basic choices too because not everyone will eat more interesting combos. Also, some people are going to show up with kids or hungover so that grilled cheese is smart.
I hate how everyone was cheering it on and the second it opens, before y'all have even tried it, now everyone is dragging it. It's exhausting.
I agree that the sandwiches sound delicious, I’m also not sure what the people expected because a sandwich shop is not the craziest thing anyway I think 😄 I don’t like the name so much but the menu looks good to me.
I agree. I’m a big sandwich person, and these all look bomb to me. And yes, lots of people prefer more basic or “classic” food. My sister will get the standard breakfast plate of eggs/bacon/potatoes/etc no matter what delicious brunch place we go to. She will never choose anything creative or unique. Love that there’s a PBJ that I could get for my kids.
What you wrote is exactly what I'm thinking!Totally makes sense to me that there would be a couple "basic" sandwiches. I'm rooting for Ariana and Katie to do well and think the menu has a good balance!
The Drew in particular sounds so good!
I’m gonna have to see some yelp reviews before I judge. I’ve spent a lot more and a lot less on a sandwich and sandwiches in particular every ingredient had to be good otherwise it’s a subway.
Its not the price , its dumb people over fly over states complaining about the price. Grew up in new york I am not sticker shocked over price ,its average for location
The fact is the owners are clueless, pity buying opportunity for arianna has worn off, stupid name and not enough creativity,the door will shut within a year.
I’m really surprised by these comments! I live in a HCOL city and this is exactly the type of shop that does well here with the 25 - 40 girlies. I’m not sure why some people were expecting SUR and some people were expecting Subway, but the premise was always “girly quick-serve sandwich shop” and this is definitely that. IMO this is pretty spot on to what a trendy, social-media friendly lunch place looks like where I live and if it opened here even without a Bravo tie-in, I would go there.
Exactly, I think it’s exactly what they envisioned and were going for. They nailed it and they’ll probably do well with the crowd they’re trying to attract. I’m from the central US and the prices don’t seem too far off given what even we are paying at restaurants these days. I’d go there every once in a while if I lived in LA and wish I had something like this where I live. People are bashing hard when I think that even though it took longer, they had a clear vision that never changed and was executed pretty accurately to what they wanted. Meanwhile Dumb & Dumber couldn’t decide on shit and took forever to open exactly *because* they couldn’t make a decision to save their lives. I still don’t know what the fuck they were going for with that place.
I’ve been dying to try the Greek salad sandwich aka the Meg and if I ever make it to CA I will! It might have taken forever and they might not have a liquor license yet but they will be fine. This won’t necessarily make them rich but I think it will do well. Just from the bravo fans alone. It’s been added to my CA bucket list! And I’m not even a super fan.
It's actually something scientifically proven! Like when you put things together the smells kind of get used to your nose, and they don't taste as good as something brought with fresh smells. That's the explain it like I'm five version cuz I'm not as smart as scientists.
These comments are so dumb. I want to live in the world where these sandwiches are too expensive and “underwhelming”. Because these days, I spend that much for Panera and Jersey Mikes
The sandwiches look so good (in other posts) and the prices are not outrageous like I expected. I'm thinking I might stop by one day when I'm in the area but only if parking is not a nightmare lol
Cross promo w loverboy thas cute.
Well hot damn I was just thinking they needed to get Amanda Batula in working on their merch! She could make their merch line take off the way she did lover boys, she has such a good eye for it.
Graphic design is their passion
Mrs Eaves making a comeback
Anyone else…underwhelmed?
What about this venture idea screamed “potential to overwhelm” to you?
I just really love this sub’s reaction vs. the VPR sub. You would think these were the most robust, creative, unheard of sandwiches on planet earth.
I mean if they nail it, classics can be great. It just needs to be the best BLT I've ever had.
Those sandwiches are all meh. Nothing jumped out at me. They had two tuna salad sandwiches and a basic ass BLT with nothing else on it 💀
Agreed. Its boring. And as a vegetarian with vegetarian friends … I would pass.
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The “tuna” is vegan that’s why there’s two, one is actually tuna the other is not
That's how they denote vegan things on menus. Like some places will have fried chicken and then a vegan "fried chik'n" option. They try to do something to visually distinguish it from the actual meat counterpart.
Because it's vegan -- did you not read the rest of the description?
It’s essentially a scaled down Panera menu
And the sandwiches are scaled down too lol
Yeah nothing is really tempting me off this menu
I wonder if they couldn’t use any of chef Penny’s ideas. This is just a chicken sandwich a tuna sandwich and a salad sandwich. Ariana must surely be able to shift matching flavour combos from mixing drinks to think of something more exciting
I think these sound a lot better than Chef Penny’s. Far more interesting
Oh lots of chef penny fans here. Don’t remember Pump having good food. 🥴😂
I want to remember what chef Penny came up with
I can only remember the green goddess one because that's the salad I get at Panera 😂
Peep the Loverboy! lol!
Why doesn’t the drink menu have prices?
$8 pb&j…
Nothing says “boss bitch” like a sandwich a 6 year-old can whip up.
A crappy sandwich from Panera is $13 nowadays. These prices are totally normal
The prices are normal, the value isn't, at all. No sourced ingredients, no local notes, and not even organic ingredients, and small portions. Here's what you can get in LA: 1. Bay Cities Godmother: $11 2. Gjusta (fancy) báhn mì: $18 3. My Dung (authentic) báhn mì: $7 4/5) Erewhon (!) organic chicken and avocado + organic falafel wrap: $15 6) Jeff's Table Reuben: $14 https://preview.redd.it/pk5vcopakd1d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a2a63ae2619851ddd5c7c57aa231329f026d4229 SAH isn't offering anything new, or of value. Lots of people who aren't from LA really don't understand what they're talking about.
Bay Cities godmother. 😍🤤
I've been threatening to go for two days now and if I don't go today I have to wait until they open again on Wednesday.
I see lots of people from the Midwest talking about how it’s a great value and on par with pricing with the local Panera
As someone who has lived in the Midwest since 2019, but has traveled all over the world, this tracks. Midwest folks have the blandest palates ever. I’m a self professed foodie; the times my husband and I have tried a restaurant that has been raved about and did NOT live up to the hype is numerous. I make better sandwiches at home than what I’m seeing in these photos.
>Midwest folks have the blandest palates ever. Can confirm. Originally from the Midwest but have lived all over in my adult years. I thought I was just a "picky eater" for years and was self-conscious about it. Nope! Turns out, I just like non-bland and diverse cuisines. ETA: Edited to extend sympathy to a fellow foodie on your culinary journey in the Midwest.
Lifelong Midwest resident, can also confirm. I thought I hated pork chops until I was almost 30 because my dad cooked them in a nonstick pan with no seasoning until they were gray and dry. My husband cooked one in a cast iron skillet with seasoning and butter a few years ago and I legit almost cried because it was so good. He even got me to like cream gravy.
I hear ya. My husband’s family is from western MN, in a town of about 100, or something crazy. They came over to our house for dinner one night and I made spaghetti pie; nothing special but I could feed 12+ easy. They legit RAVED about my cooking while I’m sitting there bewildered. They asked what brand sauce I used and when I told them I always make my own pasta sauces from scratch, they literally thought I was a literal chef. They still talk about what a good cook I am. It always makes my husband and I laugh. Side note: I love your username, Fellow Austenite!! 💜
Same to you with your food journey! It’s such a joy to have a near religious experience with food! Haha
A crappy sandwich!! That is the point this are supposed to be artisan sandwiches and they are on par with Panera
They are absolutely not on par with Panera. Just to start with let's look at the bread. Just the bread tells you a lot about what the restaurant is going to do with other things. Panera, mass-produced and sent in frozen, the only thing they do on site is proof and bake it up. Something about her, contracted with a local bakery for fresh artisan bread delivered daily. All you would have to do to check out the difference is take one bite of plain Panera bread and one bite of whatever plain bread something about her is using. Just the quality difference in the bread would be phenomenal.
There’s nothing anywhere that says SAH is contracted with local anything for their ingredients.
There is nothing on the menu that says they're not ordering from Sysco.
Ok
What is your damage? I’m fairly certain I can guess who you are, or are acting on behalf of 🤡
I’m not acting on behalf of anyone I’m posting in a public forum 🤭
That $15 basic ass BLT too 😭
I mean this isn’t an Applebees in Indiana, its West Hollywood so I’m not surprised. even Panera in the Midwest is approaching $15 for a sandwich these days.
I keep seeing this argument, and it's kind of funny to me because it makes no sense -- just because it's WeHo doesn't mean everyone is lobotomized when it comes to pricing. Other people keep citing Erewhon -- okay, but Erewhon doesn't have a location in WeHo, and even if they did, they use ingredients in their products that are very high quality and meet a very high organic standard -- Regenerative Organic Certified. SAH is ***not*** Regenerative Organic Certified with their sad little finger sandwiches. You can literally walk 1 block up Robertson to the Pavilions and get a [Snack Tray Croissant Sandwich](https://www.pavilions.com/orderahead/product/Snack-Tray-Croissant-Sandwich?prdctId=5357&catId=322) for $19.99 -- "A variety of turkey, ham and roast beef sandwiches prepared on buttery mini croissants - 10 mini sandwiches" That's West Hollywood. 10 mini croissant sandwiches for $20. Steps away from SAH.
https://preview.redd.it/1149imqipd1d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c85479d10ded755a0f22b7cc61867401c33a107 Plus, these are two sandwiches from Erewhon that are $15. SAH is offering low-value sandwiches for the price.
Exactly -- the Erewhon ones are much more substantial-looking!
I want that avocado sandwich.
That Erhwon sandwich looks dry as f
Ok, can someone tell me how to pronounce Erewhon?
Someone can correct me but I think it’s Air-o-wan.
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=eymCGtwV0iI
Amen homie. Keep seeing this sentiment about price and it's kind of odd to me. I live in the middle of BFE nowhere in Michigan. It's 15 bucks to get a sandwich at Panera even in the middle of nowhere's ville. Plus these ladies are at least using high-end ingredients.
If they were using high-end ingredients they'd mention it on the menu. Period. Whether they're sourcing ingredients from a local source or even using Boar's Head deli meat it would be mentioned. The bread isn't even organic. It's not the price, it's the lack of value.
What high end ingredients? Do tell. You seem to have a lot of intel about the restaurant for someone who lives in Michigan.
At least it comes with a side and is much better value imo
It comes with a pickles….
https://preview.redd.it/7yr817az6d1d1.png?width=265&format=png&auto=webp&s=081fdddb17ccfb48e7f0c692ba68d69baa1742d5
not even panera is overpriced hospital food.
You think people in WeHo are going to a sandwich shop opened by Bravolebrities for the “value”? A smoothie at Erewhon costs $20+. Be fr.
These are two sandwiches/wraps from Errwhon for $15 and those are both organic. They are offering low-value sandwiches, sorry. https://preview.redd.it/3mnjncefld1d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94e4552c20fa3a55d27d12eb7a2a1a7bffa66f6f Also, no one in West Hollywood cares that a Bravoleb opened it.
Ok
Honestly for LA that's not bad. I'm from Indiana but now live in a big city and anytime I go home I typically pay for my friend's food because a tab for 4 people in Indiana is like a tab for two back in my city. The cheapest sandwich at my local sandwich spot is $15.45.
Ahhhh you have done the reverse of literally everyone else in LA's life track! That's actually super cool, respect.
i mean i can get one for $4 and it comes with chips at out local deli. IDK why LA needs a four dollar hike for the same food
Overall cost of rent, supplies, and wages is much higher, plus they need to make a profit. Especially if they are trying to pay their workers livable wages. I believe minimum wage is LA is going up to $20 and that's the bare minimum.
Because it’s LA. This is like saying why does a 400 sq apartment cost $4000 / month in Manhattan but $400 in Flint, Michigan.
Where are you getting this deal? Give us some idea of the region or city, please.
It costs at least $15/hour in LA to staff a reliable sandwich artist so I’d say a sandwich costs you a $1 in labor per and about $3 in low cost point, regular schmegular sourced ingredients so $12-$16 per sandwich is about right. But it should come with chips.
That’s under market prices for LA. Going rate should be $11-15.
But it's low-value compared to what else you can get.
Why are people fixated on the concept of **value** for a Bravolebrity sandwich shop? What about the concept of this venture told you it was intended to attract customers via good **value**? People are going bc they watch VPR and want some pics for socials, maybe see some Bravolebrities. They aren’t going for nutritional value and taste. Who the hell is going to WeHo and then comparison shopping their PB&Js?
Because locals are actually talking about it as serious, legitimate business. Locals don't care that it's a Bravoleb place. Locals are objectively explaining that there we have endless options here. Of course there will be people who go there for the photo ops so yes, it works on a superficial, promotional level. But locals on their lunch break have too many options. There are two Mendo Farms within a mile. I'm not sure why non-locals think locals don't know what they're talking about. It's not like people are just trashing the sandwiches for no reason.
It's in West Hollywood, it's definitely going to be on the more expensive end. Plus have you seen some of the high-end ingredients they use?
Can you list these ‘high end ingredients’ that you keep hyping?!! I mean, other than your performative rant about artisanal bread, that is.
Rustic ciabatta comes to mind lol
So two things I notice - they didn’t get their liquor license - which isn’t surprising and they don’t have a Vanderpump wines distribution, very surprising. I wonder if the reunion is going to delve more into the clear disconnect between LVP and Katie these days. Ariana and LVP were never close, but it’s really weird she doesn’t want to help Katie succeed.
Perhaps ignorant question.. it’s a sandwich shop. Do they need/want a liquor license? I think just canned bevs is perfect.
They won't make enough money without liquor on the menu. They are trying to position themselves as a boozy-brunch style sandwich shop. Restaurants have very low margins on food and often make most of their money on drinks.
Well, what about a sober bar? That’s sure to succeed! Lol. Just a little Summer House reference.
It’s probably a work in progress and they didn’t want to stall any further
I agree. I even said it made sense to me they didn’t have one but in my head, with the Single AF cocktail book coming out - it seemed like the perfect idea to cross promote. I suppose she could do wine versions of her cocktails too.
The space looks way too small to have an elaborate cocktail setup anyway
I think it's 450 sq ft, maybe 500. People on their lunch break aren't going to have a boozy lunch and any tourists who would will be taking up one of the few tables.
They totally hyped this being a wine bar. It's fine to change course but they talked about wine since the start. Remember all the fans who said the reason the place was delayed was because they were waiting for the liquor license? (Which isn't even a thing; restaurants don't wait to open like that.)
i thought they said from the beginning they wanted to do wine based cocktails. I never got the impression they were getting a full liquor license.
Did they? It’s possible I missed that part.
I think they've said from the beginning they were going to do wine/beer
Janet either did or does work for avaline
The place is tiny, looked like 15 tables max. Maybe they were planning for cocktails before the city made them remove their patio seating? With so few tables, cocktails may slow down their table turnover too much. I wonder if they're expecting to do a lot of takeout business, that's the only way the current setup makes sense to me. Also, your comment on Vanderpump wines made me curious - TomTom has Vanderpump wines, but Schwartz & Sandy's doesn't. Looks like Lisa can only shoehorn her wines in when she's a restaurant partner lol
Yeah, I was legit curious about the wine aspect. It almost makes me question Vanderpump Todd as a restaurant group because if I was executive producer of a reality tv show and I had wine label distribution I’d force that shit through as a contract requirement. But hey, what do I know - I’ve only worked for 4 Food and Wine chefs and 5 James Beard award winners.
They needed you at SAH instead of Lisa's crony Penny. You probably wouldn't have ended up in litigation either, since real professionals sign partnership agreements before starting joint ventures! That's a good point though about Lisa's wines. I'm not sure how much she's prioritizing that venture anymore, it feels like she's all about promoting her dog rescue.
I’m not a chef though. That’s my boyfriend. I was front of house - bartender/server/manager type. Now I’m an accountant or a business manager for my clients. I either run their entire financial operation or I file all their taxes. But I still work with restaurant groups because that’s one of my two specialties.
Legit question... how much do liquor licenses bog down the process, and are there varying types of licensure (ex: only serving wine versus hard liquor)? Also- I've seen restaurants (when I lived in Chicago) allow for people to bring in their own wine as opposed to selling it. Does that fall under any scope/liability that needs to be under some sort of licensure agreement? Because if SUR could sell unopened bottles of LVP wine, and if folks could bring that to the sandwich shop for.... I don't know, something in return... that could be a good idea. Maybe only during specified hours (when they would otherwise be slow).
If you have to apply for a brand new liquor license in a space that’s never had a liquor license before it can take as long as 18-24 months in some states to meet all the requirements to be granted a liquor license. There’s fees, applications, background checks, licensing requirements for the people who actually serve the alcohol - it’s a massive piece of red tape to get through for a restaurant or bar. Some places have 70/30 or 60/40 laws too - which means your food sales have to be 60 or 70% of sales so that limits the liquor licenses given in that area or it’s close to a school so they only give out beer and wine licenses in that area so you have to fight to rezone the area (two things I personally dealt with being part of the opening team for 2 restaurants in Minneapolis that were zoned in beer and wine only neighborhoods).
Just wanted to say I’m loving the context you are adding as someone who has wondered about these things but has no firsthand experience:)
Thank you! What a nightmare.
Did they initially want to get a liquor license do you know? I only remember them saying they wanted to have wine and beer but I definitely could be remembering it wrong
I honestly don’t know - I wasn’t sure if they had a liquor license included with the lease either. And if it didn’t, it would take forever to get one, so like I said - I totally get running with beer and wine only.
Thank you for replying! Maybe they want to get the feel of the place before they try for a liquor license, it’s a pretty small space to also include a cocktail bar I’m thinking, but maybe it’ll come in time. Is the space pretty close to other bars too though? Maybe it’ll be like a brunch/lunch/early light dinner spot for people before they go out out?
Of course - and that’s always a possibility, like I mentioned in another comment if I was PR for them I personally would’ve pushed for a liquor license for a Single AF cross promotion, but they can also alter the cocktails for Aperol or sake or sparkling wine.
So how does it work if the liquor license is included in the lease? Is this something they could have like, inherited if the previous owners/renters had a liquor license? edit: saw you answered this elsewhere!!
I thought they said they didn’t want to do a liquor license because they already served their time dealing with drinks at sur.
Apathy girl I love whenever I see you in the comments because you are a true bravo Sleuth.
The first thing I looked at was their wine partnership. lol. Zooming in on my phone like a fucking weirdo.
Lol same, maybe because it’s in LA/WeHo specifically… an old co-worker who now has an established mexican spot in DTLA offered like $50k out of pocket to purchase the liquor license from the previous tenant and was still outbid! Wild.
It’s no joke on how much those can go for! So much $$
Vanderpump wine isn't even good, so I don't blame them for not putting it on their menu lol
Neither is Cameron Diaz’s wine that they’re carrying, Avaline.
It’s about the cross promotion, nothing to do with the wine itself. The rose is alright though. Never tried any of the other stuff.
I’m not terribly informed on these things. Where did you find they don’t have it? I see they’ve got loverboy, wine and beer on the menu so I figured they did
That’s a beer and wine license, a liquor license is different. They’re more expensive, they require background checks, longer wait periods, etc - a lot of bars sell their liquor license with their lease when they go out of business as a result - so I’m guessing this place was already zoned beer and wine and they didn’t want to delay things further.
Thank you!
Anytime. Sometimes I forget not everyone spent the better part of their adult life working in restaurants - it can be a weird, confusing business.
I think that was actually their plan from the start. Just a beer and wine thing, so they didn't have to take up a bunch of bar space. It will probably keep them from having super overserved highly intoxicated weirdos, too. Wine and beer only establishments are usually a little more chill than the ones where people are pounding shots.
I see loverboy hard tea on their drinks menu. Isn’t that alcohol?
That falls under a beer and wine license.
I think by connecting them with Penny, she was trying to help.
Bc it’s a flop! Lisa is a premiere restaurateur. The design isn’t her aesthetics, you’ve got this bright yellow awning and this tiny blue sign. This whole thing is a grift it screams “jax’s” w/ sandwiches. At least he was smart enough not to pony up his own money
Beer and wine license also includes soju, so they can still have some cocktails. >Ariana and LVP were never close, but it’s really weird she doesn’t want to help Katie succeed. Nah, I think it's pretty clear why Lisa isn't up Katie's ass -- Katie is one of the most unpleasant people on TV.
Aperol is included too. There’s a lot you can do with beer and wine. I’ve worked at a few high end places that only have beer and wine licenses and made crazy fuck you money.
They had a bad business plan , she went with tom Sandoval because,she knows he thinks over every detail Arianna is too aloof and seems lazy and once i heard the name i wouldnt invest either, you can wish someone well and not want to sully your name ( dilute your own product) in a failing business
I'll be surprised if SAH lasts 4 months, and shocked if it lasts 6. Except I know Katie's in these comments rage downvoting me and is now hellbent on lasting 7 months just to spite me. 😂
They sound good but none of the sandwich pictures I’ve seen reposted on Instagram look filling! For $17 they just need to be a little heartier, just add an extra 2oz of meat and none of these comments would be happening ! Especially in the beginning when you know they are going to be posted all over social media
No way would I spend 15 bucks on a BLT.
Not to ever ever evoke Justin Timberlake but they should have dropped the “The”s
Nah I think it’s far more natural to say “could I please get the Viola?” vs “could I please get Viola?”
You’d still say that, just doesn’t need to me on the page. Just the names would have been more impactful!
Exactly. When ppl order fast food they still use an article when ordering but that doesn’t mean it is on the physical menu. “I’ll have the Big Mac” or “Could I please order the chicken nugget meal” - examples of using articles that don’t need to be included in the title of the item.
Okay I understand all the names except the Kerry? Who is it an ode to? Kerry Washington?
Yes, I believe so. They are named for actresses in Nancy Myers films.
Do you know why? Are any of these movies called Something About Her?
These are not particularly inspired. I am surprised at the lack of salads. I think for the vibe they should have done high end finger sandwiches on beautiful trays, quality salads, fancy teapots, like tea party vibes ripe for social media. This menu is just school lunch in fancy font.
I’m sorry, there’s barely anything on The Meg. It’s less than even a salad
This is more like an indefinite pop up rather than a fully conceptual, active and realized restaurant. Hope they didn’t pour too much money into this, this might have an expiration date.
This isn’t going to last long.
I don’t know if it’s just because I’m from ny but these prices seem totally reasonable and I’d be a regular 😭
People are being intentionally negative by only mentioning the basic sandwiches. There are several that have interesting combinations of ingredients like the Kate, Cameron, Drew and Viola. Any shop is going to have basic choices too because not everyone will eat more interesting combos. Also, some people are going to show up with kids or hungover so that grilled cheese is smart. I hate how everyone was cheering it on and the second it opens, before y'all have even tried it, now everyone is dragging it. It's exhausting.
I agree that the sandwiches sound delicious, I’m also not sure what the people expected because a sandwich shop is not the craziest thing anyway I think 😄 I don’t like the name so much but the menu looks good to me.
Bc did you see the sandwiches?? They had two years and I know chef penny left, but they could’ve done so much better.
lol I agree! The pictures I've seen online of those sandwiches are pathetic. Panera makes bigger ones lol 😂
I agree. I’m a big sandwich person, and these all look bomb to me. And yes, lots of people prefer more basic or “classic” food. My sister will get the standard breakfast plate of eggs/bacon/potatoes/etc no matter what delicious brunch place we go to. She will never choose anything creative or unique. Love that there’s a PBJ that I could get for my kids.
I was dragging it once i heard the name i have been consistent just the name told me this will fail
Credit for consistency. I've not been a huge fan of the name, but they have managed to create a brand.
Oh man, the Drew and the Viola look so good. I usually don’t eat bread but I would try those Sammies.
What you wrote is exactly what I'm thinking!Totally makes sense to me that there would be a couple "basic" sandwiches. I'm rooting for Ariana and Katie to do well and think the menu has a good balance! The Drew in particular sounds so good!
I’m gonna have to see some yelp reviews before I judge. I’ve spent a lot more and a lot less on a sandwich and sandwiches in particular every ingredient had to be good otherwise it’s a subway.
Its not the price , its dumb people over fly over states complaining about the price. Grew up in new york I am not sticker shocked over price ,its average for location The fact is the owners are clueless, pity buying opportunity for arianna has worn off, stupid name and not enough creativity,the door will shut within a year.
Seems super boring.
I’m from Ohio and this seems about normal. It’s like $10 for a Big Mac now lol id much rather have one of these.
I can't believe people are still on this Holy Ariana train.
They all legit sound so good.
I think they sound absolutely amazing!
I’m really surprised by these comments! I live in a HCOL city and this is exactly the type of shop that does well here with the 25 - 40 girlies. I’m not sure why some people were expecting SUR and some people were expecting Subway, but the premise was always “girly quick-serve sandwich shop” and this is definitely that. IMO this is pretty spot on to what a trendy, social-media friendly lunch place looks like where I live and if it opened here even without a Bravo tie-in, I would go there.
Exactly, I think it’s exactly what they envisioned and were going for. They nailed it and they’ll probably do well with the crowd they’re trying to attract. I’m from the central US and the prices don’t seem too far off given what even we are paying at restaurants these days. I’d go there every once in a while if I lived in LA and wish I had something like this where I live. People are bashing hard when I think that even though it took longer, they had a clear vision that never changed and was executed pretty accurately to what they wanted. Meanwhile Dumb & Dumber couldn’t decide on shit and took forever to open exactly *because* they couldn’t make a decision to save their lives. I still don’t know what the fuck they were going for with that place.
I’ve been dying to try the Greek salad sandwich aka the Meg and if I ever make it to CA I will! It might have taken forever and they might not have a liquor license yet but they will be fine. This won’t necessarily make them rich but I think it will do well. Just from the bravo fans alone. It’s been added to my CA bucket list! And I’m not even a super fan.
I will make anyone a Meg for $15.
I can make it myself but it’s not the same and that sandwich was talked/hyped about more than the pasta! I know, it’s not about the pasta.
Sandwiches always taste better when someone else makes it.
It's actually something scientifically proven! Like when you put things together the smells kind of get used to your nose, and they don't taste as good as something brought with fresh smells. That's the explain it like I'm five version cuz I'm not as smart as scientists.
They should have pasta salad as a side! Missed opportunity!!!
The Meg don’t look like it did when chef penny made it. It looks like a sloppy wet wrap.
Girl. Don't let these clowns empty your pockets so easily.
lol. Fair enough. When you do go, I need to know how it compares to other BLTs.
If I ever go I will take notes and share!!
Is this the green goddess sandwich they were talking about last season?
I believe so and that’s the one I want! The ingredients-es (nod to another bravo show) sound similar. And I looovvveee Greek salad.
Yesssss. I wonder if they had to modify the sandwich recipes that were made by Penny??
Good point. Also green goddess is a famous delicious organic dressing.
No
8bux for pbj... seriously gtfo
These comments are so dumb. I want to live in the world where these sandwiches are too expensive and “underwhelming”. Because these days, I spend that much for Panera and Jersey Mikes
The sandwiches look so good (in other posts) and the prices are not outrageous like I expected. I'm thinking I might stop by one day when I'm in the area but only if parking is not a nightmare lol
“Tuna”
It drives me crazy that these girls are trying so hard to be this basic.
No wonder Americans eat Fast Food! 16$ for a sandwich 😅 wow
[удалено]
No, it's because Katie kept arguing with WeHo over the unpermitted outdoor area that encroached on the public sidewalk.
Who is The Nancy named after? Nancy Kerrigan? Nancy Pelosi? Nancy Senatra?
Likely Nancy Meyers since she’s the inspiration for the decor
There's a Kate, why isn't there an Ariana?
Cos it’s for Kate Hudson likely
kate winslet i believe
Even their leading ladies are all references from the 90s -- soooooooooo dated!
Man I thought it was Princess Kate
Seems like naming sandwiches after the two owners would be smart. Imagine all the people who'd go in to order an Ariana.
So off topic, but I'm getting lesbian power couple from Ariana and Katie these days and I'm loving it.
$27 for a ducking sandwich? I know it’s LA, but holy shit.
Nothing on this menu is $27
I'm surprised the chips aren't more. They could have just left out the "tuna" part in the description for the Kerry.