Restaurant dress codes
 

Only 3 weeks to go until we hit the US for our long awaited holiday. I am having concerns about dress codes for restaurants. Here is Australia, and particularly in Canberra things are very casual. In fact there is only one restaurant in this whole city that has any dress code whatsoever. It is quite normal to go to dinner in jeans (or short in the summer) and sneakers. Obviously some people do dress up but it's not obligatory.
As we eat early (around 6 pm) we will probably go straight from our day out sightseeing to the restaurant. Will we be turned away in our casual gear?

Wow. We need more information. Where in the US? Things in beach resorts are a lot more casual than say midtown Manhattan. And the type of restaurant makes a big difference. As long as you have shirts and shoes on, you can generally eat in most fast food places and even moderate family places. Even many very expensive and formal places have dropped their jacket and tie requirements, and you may even see someone in some of them in designer jeans. Depending on the area and the place, shorts may not be allowed except in the most casual of places. And sometimes men must have a shirt with a collar (no t-shirts). Some may even have a no "athletic shoes" policy. So as you can see, there is no easy answer.

We are only going to Hawaii, California and Las Vegas.
In Honolulu we are going to Duke's and probably only really casual places so I assume that's not an issue. Similarly we will eat where we can when in Anaheim.
In San Diego we want to go to somewhere in th Old Town(Berta's Latin American restaurant or similar), Anthony's Fish Grotto and somewhere in Balbao Park (Prado's maybe). I was also considering Parallel 33.
In Palm Springs we thought Las Casuelas Terazza or something like that.
In Las Vegas we want to eat at Samba's (Mirage)one night and the rest will probably be buffets.
In Yosemite and Death Valley it will all be casual or whatever is available.
In San Francisco some of the places we thought of are Kuleto's, Burmese Super Star, Yank Sing and the Slanted Door.
I am thinking most of these places are not really upmarket.
My husband always wears polo shirts never T-shirts. Are they strict about teenage clothing? My 14 year old only has T-shirts!!!
While we're on the subject..we are going to the theatre in Orange County to see "Rent". What is appropriate dress code for this ?

Of course, it would be difficult to comment specifically on each place you mentioned, but in the general, dining attire in the U.S.is very casual.

I'm sure there are a few restaurants here and there that "encourage" men to wear jackets, but those would only be at the very high end price-wise.

Really, these days, no one cares how you dress at a restaurant. And Las Vegas seems like the casual capital of the world -- lots of shorts, jeans, halters and T-shirts.

If I were you, my last concern would be dining dress codes in the U.S.

The San Diego area is very casual. For San Francisco restaurants you might want to forego shorts and jeans (the weather will probably be too cool for shorts anyway)and sneakers, especially at Kuleto's, but you certainly won't need a coat and tie.

If you're thinking of Yank Sing, take a look also at Gold Mountain, a huge place offering excellent dim sum and congee. Our friends from England loved it.

While its trus that dining is becoming much more casual - very few places still require jacket and tie - there's the question of how comfy you'll feel if very dressed down vs other diners. The places you're going are - mostly - fairly casual - not like Manhattan. But I would imagine that shorts/sneakers will not be generally worn in quite a few of them - even for a 14-year old (unless he looks like a little kid).

You'll be much better off in kahkis and a polo short - or long-sleeve shirt with collar.

Also, I would check on dining hours - especially in SF. Have not been there in a couple of years - but there are upscale places in NY that are just starting to open for dinner that early (8 or 10 are more usual hours for dinner).

I would not go rolling into Samba looking like you just hopped off a tractor. Dress up. And get that 14 year old some decent threads.

Since you are traveling by plane and packing space is surely at a premium, I wouldn't waste much space trying to pack fancy clothes. If you each bring a wrinkle free nice shirt (maybe long sleeve button down), you can pair that with some nice jeans or khakis and be fine for almost anywhere. If a place doesn't seem like you'd feel comfortable there, you probably won't enjoy yourself anyway. The U.S. is generally very casual and you don't have to dress up or spend a lot of money to have a great dining experience. Wear what YOU feel good in and have a great time!

I just went to Orlando and we had a private dinner at Christini's, off Sand Lake Rd.
Christini's is in the Albertson's strip center...
We had 75-100 people present, drinking and eating whatever they wanted. $$$ is what I am getting at.
One of the organizers of the dinner arrived in his walking shorts and they actually made him put a pair of full length Dockers over his similar just above the knee Dockers.
He was dressed nice, not sloppy BUT he looked downright stupid in the size 38/36 pants they made him wear. He is a 32/34.
It was pretty ridiculous...
I mean, it is in a strip center in Orlando for goodness sakes and it was not what I would call "fancy".
Crazy!

All the places you mention (esp. Hawaii) are very casual. Shorts and flipflops would work in most places.

Restaurant at a fancy hotel or a four star place, might be the only places you'd need to dress up.

90% of the eateries, shorts, tee shirt, sneakers will be just fine.

I cannot imagine that one who plays a gentleman's game like golf would dine in any less than a coat and tie even if the establishments do not require same. There is no reason to act like barbarians.

Even in fancy places i insist my hubby takes a blazer, maybe makes the tie a option. For me, perhaps off the shoulder light cotton sweater and scarf, because I dont' usally feel cold the way he and my son do. We don't travel much, and we think we have witnessed less formal things and more casual daytime clothing even at nightime.

Rule no. 1: If it has the infamous "No shirt, No shoes, No Service" sign on the door its a dump.

Rule no. 2: Any restaurant which does not let people in who are wearing casual closes is way too expensive anyway.

Rule no. 3: If the restaurant is in a lakes area and has a "Resturant" sign on one end and a "Live Bait" sign on the other watch what you eat.

I live in Orange County, Ca. and there are not many restaurants I can think of in the area where you would feel underdressed in a polo shirt and slacks for a man or a blouse and slacks or dressy jeans and sweater for a woman. I have a teenage son who has no dressy clothing and if we go to a nice place he wears a button up long sleeve shirt and his best jeans. I have seen Rent at the OC Performing Arts center and there were a few very dressed up people but due to the type of show there were also lots of younger folks in very casual clothing...looked just like the cast! Have a blast and don't worry!

wemr - I like your rules ;) Just remember the old saying "Yesterday's Bait, Today's Plate"

Oh dear, these clothing posts tend to get out of hand fast, don't they??

I say that SF is the most formal city you'll be in and you'll all be fine at the places you've mentioned in khakis/polo shirt or equivalent. The kid will be fine in t-shirts, although indeed, in SF, I hope he'll have a jacket or something to ward off the chill.

Have a great trip--sounds like fun!

However the dress code for the restaurant works, one thing that will immediately identify one as ignorant is wearing a hat (baseball type particularly) in any eating establishment. This exempts of course, those that may find it necessary due to a medical problem.
Add a cell phone that is turned on and you have a total a..h...
I feel much better for having said this!

Thanks you all so much for your comments I had a good laugh reading them. I suppose in the scheme of things it is such a silly thing to worry about. I guess I should be more concerned about getting strip searched at the airport!
I am sure we won't embarrass ourselves, and I will take my son shopping on the weekend for a decent shirt.

roy, I get a kick out of your saying that Steven Spielberg, Bruce Willis, Matt Damon and others are ignorant.
I don't think they and many others go anywhere to eat without wearing a baseball cap.

marthagrif: There are still places in Palm Springs with dress requirements, but Las Casuelas is not one of them. And this time of year most people will probably be in shorts.
And just to add my 2 cents, I think you posted a valid question. Why worry about feeling uncomfortable when a simple question can get the reassurance you need.
We also leave for Hawaii in 3 weeks. Maybe we'll bump into you at Duke's.

To marthgrif - have fun shopping for a decent shirt for your son - it may not get any easier. Our son is 18 and he had to shop for shirts with collars so he could eat on our recent cruise vacation. Enjoy your trip.

Oh, I don't think it was a silly question at all! In some ways, life was simpler when formality was the accepted standard; business casual, for instance, is a category that drives me crazy, and Vegas, with its "elegant attire" stipulations, worried me, too!

OK, I have to know: Was HyacinthBucket's post about golf and barbarians just a a troll.

If not, it's one of the funnier posts I've read. Golf, a "gentlemen's game"? I'll try to remember that the next time I see John Daly tee up.

And not wearing a jacket while dining exposes one as a "barbarian"? That's just great stuff.

OK, Hy, I'll say it for you to save you the time of posting: I'm not a gentleman and I am a barbarian.

'Scuse me while I go join Attila's army for a little looting and plundering.

I think you have to be prepared for "smart casual," Martha. Neat (vs sloppy) is key rather than the specific pieces. But whatever you need can be purchased when you arrive in the US, so why stress now?

I'm neither Brit nor stuck up, but I see Roy's point about hats (he forgot to list religeous reasons being acceptable). Not only was I brought up to remove a hat inside, but I also recall the signs posted at the entrances to Petty Officer and Enlisted Men's clubs during my US Navy years:

"He who enters covered here,
Buys the bar a round of cheer"

Hyacenth Bucket ("boo-kay") is a character in a BBC comedy shown in the US on many Public Television stations called "Keeping up Appearances" and seems to play the part quite well in these forums. "Hy" -- say hello to Richard Bucket ("buk-ket") for me!

ha, k_999_9 I've been recruiting, thanks for volunteering!

:-d

Whatever you wear, make sure it's clean above all. But your kid should have a nice shirt for the "nicer" sit-down places-- and that goes for hometown places as well as on holiday. Sneakers and jeans? If they're clean, most places have no problem (especially with a nice shirt).

But I have to comment on Las Casuelas Terraza in Palm Springs-- run, don't walk away from that dump. Worst service I've ever had at a restaurant in the desert, and the food was dismal as well. Edgardo's Veracruz, a little farther north on Palm Canyon, has far better and more authentic Mexican food. Even Del Rio's and Blue Coyote are better choices.

Not only for restaurants,but for life in general,one must be certain to always wear clean undergarments. One nevers knows when he may be struck by a truck or jitney!

Here,near the birthplace of golf, it still remains a game of gentlemen and ladies, and it is indeed unfortunate about the American "casualization" of civilization, bastardizing all in life that is sacred. My apologies to anyone offended, but there is no polite way to state it.

Since I have a 14 yo son myself I know what a battle ground dressing for dinner can be. You can always wait until you get to Hawaii where he can pick out a cool Hawaiian shirt to wear open over a t-shirt. Add a string of puka shells and he'll be set. Is Quicksilver an Aussie company? They have nice looking polos for teens. Have a great trip. I'm sure your son will have a blast.

<font color=#cc3366>Patrick - I'm sure that even <i>those</i> guys take off their baseball caps in resstaurants. They just then put a scarf over their heads and sunglasses on to keep from being noticed. ;)

~gnr~</font>

Thanks for the further comments. I got my son a basically plain black shirt to day and he is thrilled!! Good idea Birdie about the Hawaiian shirt I will suggest it when we get to Honolulu. Thanks also to rjw_lbg_ca re ideas for Palm Springs Mexican restaurants, we will try Edgardo's. I e-mailed Prado in San Diego about it's dress code as it looks quite posh on its website. The reply I got was quite amusing..&quot;Our dress code is..... as
long as you ARE dressed...... we get an eclectic mix of shorts and tee's to
slacks and button downs&quot;. I am starting to get excited about my holiday now!

Rich and Famous is not an antidote to ignorance.

In fact, quite the opposite in many cases!

While someone with the creative genius of SS couldn't be called &quot;ignorant,&quot; certain behavious can certainly fall into that category. Sometimes the rich seem to consider themselves immune from social niceties and basic considerations, and entitled to special treatment and exceptions. Ah well...

But to &quot;fit in&quot; with some of the nicer restaurants in major cities, I make my son at least wear a collared shirt (even a polo style), and my husband and I would not go in sneakers. (Actually, my husband is a jacket and tie kind of guy.) Since you are planning on going early evening right after touring, I doubt you'll feel uncomfortable in just about anything!

Martha, Have fun, and enjoy!

I would suggest a pair of khakis or cargos for junior. It doesn't take much effort these days.