Twisted Martini closing at The Jacksonville Landing

[comncense]

It would be great if we could move the Landing and place it right where the old courthouse is currently. Then it would be closely attached to the "Entertainment" district. Maybe they both could feed off of each other. I would like to see another bar or lounge go back into the Twisted Martini area. Maybe Sleiman doesn't understand the saying "Some money is better than no money". You can't realistic ask for a high amount of rent in the condition that the Landing is in I would think.

[ChriswUfGator]

Twisted Martini sucked. That's why it closed.

[BridgeTroll]

Twisted Martini sucked. That's why it closed.

What did you find "sucky"?

[ChriswUfGator]

Twisted Martini sucked. That's why it closed.

What did you find "sucky"?

The service!

[thelakelander]

It would be great if we could move the Landing and place it right where the old courthouse is currently. Then it would be closely attached to the "Entertainment" district. Maybe they both could feed off of each other. I would like to see another bar or lounge go back into the Twisted Martini area. Maybe Sleiman doesn't understand the saying "Some money is better than no money". You can't realistic ask for a high amount of rent in the condition that the Landing is in I would think.

I think the Landing issues need to be addressed from a holistic viewpoint.  The City/Sleiman will need to come to some resolution on land ownership/maintenance responsibility/dedicated parking, etc. for anything significant to happen with the retail center.  I don't know what the rental rates are but it appears that they are already giving a ton of places little to free rent.  My guess would be that even at the rate he purchased it, it has to be a money loser in his portfolio.  The only true way to turn that around is to finally get control of the major problems the plague the center and the surrounding downtown environment.

[copperfiend]

The Landing needs an entire revamp. It is old and outdated. My parents used to take us there when it opened and it literally looks the same. But I dont see that happening anytime soon.

[fsujax]

at least they added new lights out front! it's a first step. haha

[tufsu1]

Twisted Martini sucked. That's why it closed.

What did you find "sucky"?

The service!

really?  because I never had any problem getting food or drinks...and I believe the owners of Dos Gatos used to work there...and they do pretty a good job with service.

[ChriswUfGator]

Twisted Martini sucked. That's why it closed.

What did you find "sucky"?

The service!

really?  because I never had any problem getting food or drinks...and I believe the owners of Dos Gatos used to work there...and they do pretty a good job with service.

Yeah, I only went there once and it was such a nightmare I never went back again. This was the review I wrote about it back when it happened;

My friend Jeff I were out in my boat, and we were coming back through downtown after night fell, and we figured we'd pop into the landing for some drinks. The place wasn't that busy, but it took 20 minutes for the bartender to acknowledge us and take a drink order, 45 minutes for the (obviously fresh from the microwave) food to arrive, and meanwhile we were still waiting for the second round of drinks that was ordered a half-hour ago and never arrived.

When we were ready to leave, I snagged the waitress and asked for the check. 10 minutes go by. 20. 30. We were seated by the bar, and the bartender was walking by and asked whether we wanted anything else. I repeated "just the check". Another 10+ minutes go by. At this point, the bartender is studiously avoiding making eye contact with us, lest he be forced to go in search for our missing server.

Now I'm getting fed up, and am tired out from being out on the water all day. I said "F*ck it, we're leaving" and we walked out. It was probably about 10pm at this point. I would have left cash, but all I had was my credit card, and I'd asked for the check literally 5 times and waited 40 minutes for it by that point. Frustrating.

So after walking out, we made it all the way down the ramp to the boat dock, and I was already onboard with one engine running and just finishing starting up the other one. Jeff had already untied the bow and spring lines, and was undoing the stern line. At this point, their oversized bouncer bounds up to the railing over the boat dock, and yells at me "hey asshole, you didn't pay, get your ass back up here we called the cops". I had the side window open, and yelled back "I asked for the check ten times and waited an hour for it, you guys had your chance, I'm leaving."

At this point, he starts running towards us down the metal ramp to the boat dock, and Jeff was finished with the stern line and said "just go". So I pulled the boat back from the dock about 20', and the bouncer is still yelling at me, and I'm screwing with him saying "Ok, tough guy, what are you going to do, swim? Come on...let's see it."

Anyway, we headed off and that was the end of it. This place was an atrocious bunch of assholes though, and I wouldn't go back there if you paid me.

[comncense]

The only thing I found 'sucky' about Twisted Martini is they seemed to rely on the "Video DJ" thing instead of having a real DJ. I thought it was pretty cheesy. Not to mention it seemed to be the same music and videos playing every week. I never had a problem with getting drinks there though.

[comncense]

heh, that's a pretty funny story Chris. I've had that happen at a few places but never to that extreme though.

[Captain Zissou]

It would be great if we could move the Landing and place it right where the old courthouse is currently. Then it would be closely attached to the "Entertainment" district. Maybe they both could feed off of each other. I would like to see another bar or lounge go back into the Twisted Martini area. Maybe Sleiman doesn't understand the saying "Some money is better than no money". You can't realistic ask for a high amount of rent in the condition that the Landing is in I would think.

I think the Laura Street skyscrapers should better address the street.  That would bring the entertainment district all the way to the Landing.  Ivy's and Lit are 3 blocks from the Landing, but those blocks are populated by empty streets, dark buildings, and homeless people.  People aren't going to make that walk.  If there was something at Bay and Laura that people could see from Ivy's and walk to, that would complete the circuit.  You would then have 6 consecutive blocks of nightlife and foot traffic all the way from the Landing to TSI.

[BridgeTroll]

Twisted Martini sucked. That's why it closed.

What did you find "sucky"?

The service!

really?  because I never had any problem getting food or drinks...and I believe the owners of Dos Gatos used to work there...and they do pretty a good job with service.

Yeah, I only went there once and it was such a nightmare I never went back again. This was the review I wrote about it back when it happened;

My friend Jeff I were out in my boat, and we were coming back through downtown after night fell, and we figured we'd pop into the landing for some drinks. The place wasn't that busy, but it took 20 minutes for the bartender to acknowledge us and take a drink order, 45 minutes for the (obviously fresh from the microwave) food to arrive, and meanwhile we were still waiting for the second round of drinks that was ordered a half-hour ago and never arrived.

When we were ready to leave, I snagged the waitress and asked for the check. 10 minutes go by. 20. 30. We were seated by the bar, and the bartender was walking by and asked whether we wanted anything else. I repeated "just the check". Another 10+ minutes go by. At this point, the bartender is studiously avoiding making eye contact with us, lest he be forced to go in search for our missing server.

Now I'm getting fed up, and am tired out from being out on the water all day. I said "F*ck it, we're leaving" and we walked out. It was probably about 10pm at this point. I would have left cash, but all I had was my credit card, and I'd asked for the check literally 5 times and waited 40 minutes for it by that point. Frustrating.

So after walking out, we made it all the way down the ramp to the boat dock, and I was already onboard with one engine running and just finishing starting up the other one. Jeff had already untied the bow and spring lines, and was undoing the stern line. At this point, their oversized bouncer bounds up to the railing over the boat dock, and yells at me "hey asshole, you didn't pay, get your ass back up here we called the cops". I had the side window open, and yelled back "I asked for the check ten times and waited an hour for it, you guys had your chance, I'm leaving."

At this point, he starts running towards us down the metal ramp to the boat dock, and Jeff was finished with the stern line and said "just go". So I pulled the boat back from the dock about 20', and the bouncer is still yelling at me, and I'm screwing with him saying "Ok, tough guy, what are you going to do, swim? Come on...let's see it."

Anyway, we headed off and that was the end of it. This place was an atrocious bunch of assholes though, and I wouldn't go back there if you paid me.

I never had anything like that happen to me there.  In fact the service, drinks, and food were generally pretty top notch.  When it opened twisted had some of the best 'tenders in Jax and the food selection was considered very good.  IMHO Twisted began its slow decline occurred around the time they loosened the dress code standards.  Personally I am not much of a "dress code" person myself but service began to get sloppy and the great 'tenders were replaced by OK 'tenders and staff.  The food definitely suffered.  They had the best Happy hour downtown for quite awhile...

[comncense]

Speaking of Twisted Martini, isn't Mavericks owned by the same people that owned it? I thought they took over that spot after Club Paris got the boot. I just wonder how they are doing in terms of business. Country bars are such a niche market that it probably does better than a regular club would do there.

[tufsu1]

yes...from what I can tell, Mavericks is doing ok...they operate as a country bar and occasional live music venue...Cage the Elephant was there last weekend