Half the fun of following a Bravoleb’s story is being able to buy or go to a business that you’ve seen on the show. Such is the case for Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz. With the success of TomTom, the duo wanted to capitalize on their name with Schwartz & Sandy’s. Terrible name, as it makes me want a corned beef on rye, but I obviously still want to make a pilgrimage to the hotspot. But will it be closed before I get there?
The Name of the Game
Thanks to Scandoval, Schwartz & Sandy’s has gone through a lot, and while that is the name of the game when it comes to opening up your own bar and restaurant, no one could have planned for the affair that broke the internet. Sandy didn’t help his business after he made a post that was supposed to be an apology, I think. Almost immediately, the criticism came pouring in as Tom was accused of not being remorseful for his actions. Since Sandoval wasn’t taking the bait, fans decided to one-up him and take their anger out on his business.
Bravo fans can be rough, with many taking to Yelp. One fan wrote, “The food was cold and over-seasoned. The ambiance was confusing. The lights were harsh yet dim?” Another critic shared, “Anticlimactic, to say the least. Tacky decor, theme park food, and robotic servers. Don’t waste your time.” But a new one posted this week noted it: “Makes sense he dates a hot-headed Scientologist… Might want to put a muzzle on your side piece.” Even though the cocktails are super innovative (get the Mai Tai), they might not be enough to bring in paying customers.
Damage Control
With the Season 11 premiere just passed, it didn’t go unnoticed that the Toms were filmed in their West Hollywood bar, TomTom, for the opening credits. Well, there seems to be a good reason for that because Pump Rules was evidently banned from filming in Schwartz & Sandy’s via The U.S. Sun. The bar was supposed to be a big deal, as Season 10 showed the backbreaking process of getting the vision finalized.
The bar became an extremely toxic place to be after Scandoval, with a source telling the outlet, “The abundant amount of toxicity aimed at the restaurant led to many issues with staff, whether it was working there for the wrong reasons, like, trying to get camera attention or added pressure they received while trying to serve the guests.”
Thankfully, the co-owner, Greg Morris, made changes. The source explained, “Greg took control and did not allow cameras to film at Schwartz & Sandy’s because he felt like the restaurant and everyone who worked there was unfairly targeted. S&S took a big hit. And Greg thought filming there would ruin the business more than it had already been ruined post-Scandoval.”
Sandy Is out … kind Of
It turns out Sandoval does know when he isn’t wanted around. In hopes of saving the bar, Sandy is taking a major step back and choosing to be a silent partner. During a recent episode of The Viall Files, Schwartzy revealed Sandoval is “sort of taking a step back. He’s been mostly a silent partner. Yes, he is still financially involved.”
Schwartz opened up to listeners, noting, “There’s been a shift. Honestly, we got doxxed. I’m not here to throw a pity party. But it sucks that this business — that I put my heart and soul into — and so many people put so much time and energy into came crashing down because of one person’s actions in their personal life. But we suffered dearly. We really did. People have been coming in, there’s been an outpouring of support lately, and it’s been a nice change of pace.”
So, if you ever find yourself in Franklin Village and fancy a drink, Schwartz & Sandy’s is indeed still open and ready to serve you Lobster Corndogs. Yum? While VPR viewers will be able to see the cast chill at TomTom, there is no plan to ever let cameras into the new bar.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK SCHWARTZ & SANDY’S WILL MAKE IT IN THE LONG RUN?
