Yelp!!!
No, I didn't just kick the neighbor's dog.
Some of you might be familiar with Yelp as that online tool that enables people to review different businesses. I see it all the time when checking out places to stay on trips down south. One of the first links that usually comes up is Yelp where you get to see what other people think of that particular motel or hotel.
I became reacquainted with it yesterday when I did a search for Big Louie's Pizzeria. We were looking for the ingredients to their Baja pizza and came up with Yelp first. Unlike my other visits to Yelp, this was the first time I decided to do my own evaluation. I thought I might already have done a Yelp review but was asked to register first. No biggie. I registered and wrote a quick evaluation of Big Louie's.
The slightly unpleasant surprise was they're linked in with Facebook and Twitter and I was asked it I'd like to have my Facebook info added to Yelp. I thought I chose not to but, within an hour of registering, I received a "Friend" request from one of my Facebook friends who also uses Yelp. A few hours later I received another. I really didn't want to get in to that.
I guess it's no big deal but why does everything have to revolve around Facebook? Still, the site works easily enough and should be a useful tool for people to review and evaluate businesses. As long as they pay particular attention to my reviews since I don't have an axe to grind as some of the others seem to.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 7:20 AM
9 comments
9 Comments:
Sometimes it’s good to check in with Yelp to see what you’re getting headlong into. You were in the service, Fred. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Take The Grumpy Chef in Mukilteo, Washington, for example. You might get out with your life, true, but one’s pride gets pretty banged up not knowing the rules beforehand. Chef Masumoto, a few nuts short of a fruitcake and a couple eggs shy of a soufflé, is reportedly bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, antisocial, and by all respects, shockingly brilliant. A one man operation working 365 days a year without a day off, Masumoto is the Chef Nazi. 10 pounds of crazy folded into a 5 pound casserole.
Only a partial list of Chef’s etiquette rules, failure to follow them will have you taunted, berated, 86’d and tossed to the curb like a worn out salad. THEN followed back to your car to have your money flung back at you in reviling disgust:
YOU must have reservations. You must be on time. No lateness!
YOU must order quickly. Paid for in cash, upfront.
Money MUST be placed in the money tray– and NOT on the counter.
NO tipping allowed; the chef is a chef, not a waitress!
NO sandals, dirty jeans, or ghetto attire allowed.
NO leaning back in the chairs. Chairs must be pushed back in when not used!
No lipstick allowed (it ruins the cloth napkins).
YOU must go to the bathroom to blow your nose.
NO silverware is allowed to touch the table. Do not change their order!
Tables seat 4 only and will NOT be changed or combined.
NO photos!
NO condiments, changes, or substitutions– the food is exactly as it’s supposed to be. Period!
DO NOT say you are full and do not want dessert. It’s a three course meal for a reason!
DO NOT ask for a doggie bag or to take home food for your dog.
NO large appetites!
NO loudness, no laughter, no toasting, etc! Chef does not want to be smiled at, either!
DO NOT ask many questions. YOU will be asked to LEAVE.
The rules are enforced. Stories are legendary. If one is lucky, you might undergo some moderate glares, curt responses, or have your food ‘accidentally’ dropped by Chef for minor indiscretions or infractions. Cognoscenti, connoisseurs, and customers alike love the place, the precision, and the exquisite culinary ecstasies of Grumpy Chef Masumoto-- and the danger of it all. Following the rules and living life vicariously, they lay in wait for Chef to flay into the next unaware and uninformed diner nearby not having taken the time consulting Yelp for the rules, advice, and help. No, Chef doesn’t have Facebook nor does he care a knife’s wit about Yelp. I wouldn’t bring it up.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Fred. Big Louie’s, in contrast, has all their slices soundly on the pizza-- and more than a few tomatoes holding down their suspensefully rich, thick, and dramatic sauce.
Sounds worse than the Soup Nazi!
You have to take some of the Yelp reviews with a grain of salt. I've seen some where I'm sure they're from the kind of people that don't have anything good to say about anything.
I was looking around at different reviews today and found one guy that seemed like that but when I checked his other reviews I found he seems to be a bit of a comedian and adds a lot of satire and such to his reviews.
Not mine, of course. I tell it like it is!
Oh, and in case anybody's interested, the Eureka Inn isn't doing very well with Yelp reviews from what I've been seeing.
A couple others I've looked at:
The Comfort Inn (formerly the Day's Inn) on South Broadway in Eureka has gotten good reviews.
Eureka's Fresh Freeze Drive In has gotten lackluster reviews for the most part. I just did my 11th review and it was on Fresh Freeze. I gave it 2 stars.
Also with Yelp, if you're friends with someone on Facebook, they automatically hook you up. They don't even ask.
Well that's bs! Why does everybody and everything have to link to Facebook? And with Yelp, I thought I chose not to be linked to Facebook. I'm almost sorry I ever started a Facebook page.
I went into Provident Credit Union this morning and noticed as I was approaching their entrance, they have a sticker next to the door asking folks to "Follow us on Facebook and Yelp". Cracked me up, seeing Yelp there, but had to tell the teller gal I get sick of seeing Facebook everywhere. She told me she doesn't like Facebook, either.
I went to Bless My Sole Cafe on 5th street the other nite, and I remarked to Janisse how much I enjoyed it. She asked me to say a good word for her on "Yelp". I went to the Yelp site and it asked me to register. Needless to say I didn't sign-up. I get enough junk crap in my e-box. So, I wrote a review on my blogsite.
I haven't been using Yelp since the day I posted this, but it doesn't seem to be any kind of spam generator to me. I can't think of anything I've received since I registered with the site that I thought was spam generated from the site.
I only wish I had more businesses to Yelp about.
I meant to say I never used Yelp until the day I posted this. I've posted numerous reviews since I don't think there's been a problem.
I just checked that Bless My Soul Cafe's Yelp reviews and they come out very well. Over 50 reviews and all 4 or 5 stars. I believe I counted 3 one star reviews. Not bad.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bless-my-soul-cafe-eureka
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