The owner of a legendary California eatery has blasted socialist presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders after he was ‘cranky’ and ‘rude’ to staff during a dinner with his campaign team on Thursday.
Senator Sanders had been in San Francisco to attend the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting last week when he stopped by the iconic John’s Grill on Union Square, flanked by a number of his entourage.
But the owner of the 111-year-old restaurant, John Konstin, said he was less than impressed by the 77-year-old Democrat’s decorum, claiming that he was ‘rude’ to staff and declined to shake hands or pose for photos.
‘It was all very nice, except for cranky Bernie,’ Konstin told Politico. ‘He was just rude, not friendly.
‘I think he was hungry and just didn’t want to be a politician. He lost my vote,’ Konstin added.
The owner of a legendary California eatery has blasted socialist presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders (pictured right with wife Jane) after he was ‘cranky’ and ‘rude’ to staff during a dinner with his campaign team on Thursday
Senator Sanders had been in San Francisco to attend the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting last week when he stopped by the iconic John’s Grill on Union Square (right), flanked by a number of his entourage. But the owner of the 111-year-old restaurant, John Konstin (left), said he was less than impressed by the 77-year-old Democrat’s decorum, claiming that he was ‘rude’ to staff and declined to shake hands or pose for photos
John’s Grill, which first opened in 1908, found fame when it was used as a back-drop in Dashiell Hammett’s ‘The Maltese Falcon’, in 1941.
In the decades that have followed, politicians have flocked to frequent the restaurant with hundreds of photos of them adorning the restaurant’s historic wood-paneled walls.
Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, spokesperson for John’s Grill Lee Housekeeper said that it’s unlike Konstin to speak publicly and negatively about one of his patrons, insisting the interaction with Sanders must’ve been particularly bad.
‘Bernie had to be in a terrible mood,’ Houskeeper told the outlet. ‘Anyone in the public eye needs to understand when it’s time to order room service.’
John’s Grill, which first opened in 1908, found fame when it was used as a back-drop in Dashiell Hammett’s ‘The Maltese Falcon’, in 1941. In the decades that have followed, politicians have flocked to frequent the restaurant with hundreds of photos of them adorning the restaurant’s historic wood-panelled walls
Housekeeper said that Sanders did leave a tip, and, upon their exit from the premises, Sanders’ wife Jane apologized to the staff for her husband’s behavior.
Video captured by local CBS reporter Joe Vazquez documented a jaded Sanders walking out from John’s.
Cutting an irksome figure, Sanders offers a slightly detached response to a question about his tour of Paradise, a town in California ravaged by wildfires last year.
‘If we do not address aggressively the subject of climate change, I worry about the future of our kids and grandchildren,’ before plugging his $16 Trillion Green New Deal initiative.
Video captured by local CBS reporter Joe Vazquez documented a jaded Sanders walking out from John’s. Cutting an irksome figure, Sanders offers a slightly detached response to a question about his tour of Paradise, a town in California ravaged by wildfires last year
During the DNC’s three day event, John’s Grill also hosted a party including Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (right), who Konstin (center) described as ‘pure class’
One of Sanders’ key Democratic competitors, Elizabeth Warren, also dined out in the city recently, stopping by the Ayala restaurant, where staff and patrons were treated to a much friendlier display than that reportedly put on by Sanders in John’s. ‘She was absolutely wonderful and came into our kitchen,’ Ayala General Manager Alexandra Loulias said. ‘So complimentary of our staff. She took individual photos with everyone. Just the nicest lady
The DNC’s three-day event in the Golden State was attended by 13 2020 presidential hopefuls, with causcus, council meetings and committees making up much of the itinerary.
During the three days, John’s Grill also hosted a party including Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who Konstin described as ‘pure class’.
One of Sanders’ key Democratic competitors, Elizabeth Warren, also dined out in the city recently, stopping by the Ayala restaurant, where staff and patrons were treated to a much friendlier display than that reportedly put on by Sanders in John’s.
‘She was absolutely wonderful and came into our kitchen,’ Ayala General Manager Alexandra Loulias said. ‘So complimentary of our staff. She took individual photos with everyone. Just the nicest lady.’