Left Bank, LB Steak abruptly closing all Bay Area locations
Left Bank, LB Steak abruptly closing all locations in Bay Area
Vine Hospitality has abruptly closed all seven of its Bay Area restaurants, including longtime Santana Row favorites Left Bank, Meso Modern Mediterranean and LB Steak, leaving customers and employees stunned.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Customers arriving for dinner at several popular Bay Area restaurants Monday were met with locked doors and closure notices, after Vine Hospitality abruptly announced it is shutting down all seven of its locations.
Restaurants closing
What we know:
Among the restaurants closing are longtime Santana Row establishments Left Bank, LB Steak, and Meso Modern Mediterranean. Left Bank had operated at the upscale San Jose shopping and dining destination for more than two decades.
The sudden closures caught many customers by surprise.
Some restaurants had already ceased operations Monday, even before their announced final day of service.
A notice posted outside Left Bank and Meso Modern Mediterranean informed customers that the locations were no longer open. Inside Left Bank, signs of the abrupt shutdown remained visible, with half-finished glasses of wine and beer still sitting on the bar.
Customers surprised
What they're saying:
Left Bank closing.
"We booked Left Bank this morning, and then I said, 'this is where we're dining,' and he said, ‘Cuz, look at the sign on the door, they're closed.’ I said, ‘No way, I made a reservation right there,’" said Taj Thompson of Gilroy, who had planned to watch a World Cup match at the restaurant with her cousin.
Challenging environment
Vine Hospitality announced it would close all seven of its Bay Area restaurants, including Left Bank and LB Steak locations from San Jose to Marin County. The company's CEO reportedly cited a challenging operating environment and said the business wasn't successful enough to continue operating.
"I thought it was a joke. I could not believe that that was possibly happening," said Kary Coleman of San Jose. "Every time we go to these places, they're always packed. We do lots of family events here."
The announcement came as the restaurants were actively promoting World Cup menus and watch parties on social media throughout the tournament.
"Shocked and sad. Left Bank was doing pretty well. Last, I mean, they would do really well until maybe the last couple months, you know. And I thought they'd kind of pick it up, but I sort of noticed the food is not as good as it used to be," said Chau Do of San Jose.
Many longtime customers reflected on memories made at the restaurants over the years.
"I've been at LB Steak before. They have very good food. I've been to the Left Bank. They also have good food. I've gone on dates, I've gone on, you know, girls' night out, and so it's really disappointing. I was sad to see that," Thompson said.
The shutdown affects more than 300 employees.
LB Steak, which opened at Santana Row in 2009, remained open Monday and was serving some of its final customers. Many patrons rushed to redeem gift cards after learning of the closures.
"The employee there, like everyone was hugging her goodbye, it was very much all her regulars who come in every week, every night," Coleman said. "It just felt pretty emotional for everyone inside of there, I would say for a lot of the patrons too, of like we don't know where we're going to go and what is going to be our next spot," she added.
Some customers with reservations and private events scheduled in the coming days said they remained uncertain whether those plans would move forward. While LB Steak was expected to close Wednesday, one diner said an employee suggested the restaurant could shut down even sooner.
The Source: Vine Hospitality Social Media Accounts, customer interviews