Le Cordon Bleu Banquet

I’ve been to an award event here Once. Food was below average And I remember asking a server I didn’t get my fruit cocktail cup I seen him walk over to another table where no one was eating it and took it and brought it to me ain’t that something? The décor out dated rooms are out dated this place needs some major updating. It’s in a great location the place has valet parking and has parking every where and around major transportation. Don’t get me wrong I’ve seen this place get pack at busy times like graduations and proms, I’ve even heard once the rapper jay-​z was there for a private party of some sort which I was surprise to hear, now a days there trying to redeem there selfs with mini concert shows with up and coming artist and locals. I even heard this place was suppose to be torn down and a mini store plaza was suppose to replace it don’t know what happen to that. If this place wants to last I advise le cordon bleu to do some major updating even if it’s a paint job or keep clean out side or change the bulbs that lights the sign outside something so little can make a difference.

I had my wedding reception here. It was a great experience. The owner/​manager was great with us. He delivered everything he promised. After reading the previous reviews, I’m kind of shocked of all the negative comments. My experience was great. If you talk to the owner/​manager nicely, he goes extra mile. I loved it and will recommend to anyone looking to rent this hall. Hope it helps.

I usually chaperone children under 14 yrs old who attend a banquet held there annually. There was that one year when they were closed (no surprise there) and the banquet was moved to Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn. Amazingly, they reopened the place under new management and dropped the «Le» from their name. Every time I visit this venue, my experience varies. In the past, I’ve had issues with their lavatory facilities. They’re too cramped and not always properly maintained. It’s a nice place and all, but I hate the excess mirrors in the lobby, bamquet hall, and restroom. So many stairs, elevator anyone? The food is pretty ok and so is the staff. I never understood why management only unlocked one out of three sets of doors. Can we say fire hazard? It’s easy to commute to and from, as long as the J train is running.

I recently attended a wedding here, and now see why this place is considered ghetto. The staff seem to care less about the clients, the room is dated and dirty. I think they had yellowish walls once now, I don’t know. Everyone was dancing with the lights on bright, so why bother with the disco balls hanging? Or why have a dj with a light set up if it’s unseen?
The food was bad, just plain bad. Extra greasy, dark meat for «chicken tenders»? Bathroom stalls all out of service, no elevator, the place was still setting up 5 minutes before people arrived, and then 15 minutes before the end of the night the staff was giving the «time leave» signals. Really?
Please avoid this place! Save your money and rent a knights of Columbus hall before this place.

As a DJ in the NY Tri-​State Area for over 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work at countless venues. I recently had my first event at Le Cordon Bleu and, let me tell you, I can now see why it’s not a place that comes up frequently. What a disaster.
The place looks dated beyond belief– like it might’ve been the height of luxury… in 1982. Creaky doors that are hard to open greet you the moment you arrive. The elevator was out of order. The men’s bathroom had 4 Out-​of-​Order stalls, and the one functioning stall… had no door on it. Much of the décor was old and tattered looking, with chair covers being ripped in obvious places, too. Paint was chipped, there was stains on the wall. Just a visual nightmare.
Then there’s the food. I’m known for not being picky, and for having an iron stomach… and even I was terrified of the food. I had a mozzarella stick during the cocktail hour– since that’s hard to screw up. Then I tried a bite of sesame chicken… only to find a tough piece of cheap, dark meat chicken in the center.
I avoided everything else the remainder of the night.
The staff was mainly a bunch of people who barely spoke english, or were rude. I was astonished to find that the bar didn’t come equipped with sour mix or even DIET COKE.
But then came the part that drove me nuts: 10 minutes before the party was set to end, I see the «captain» of the staff walk over to the fuse boxes and start flipping on the flood lights as guests are dancing the final set of the night. By the way, they don’t even have dimmers on the lights; They’re literally flipping switches on a fuse box. So I go over and ask him to please leave the lights as they are (dim), since the party still has 10 minutes remaining. He looks at me like I have 8 heads and says they usually flip on the bright lights 15 minutes before the party ends because they want the people to leave. I explain that I don’t care what they usually do, my client paid to have the room until a certain time and I’d appreciate it if he let me do my job and give these folks every ounce of entertainment that I can.
This bothered him. This outlandish concept of customer service and NOT cutting the paying client’s time short… was simply too far fetched for him.
So the party ends, and the bride/​groom are joyfully saying goodbye to their guests… and the staff is hovering menacingly around them, arms crossed over their chests. They’re obviously trying to get everyone to rush out of there, and they don’t care how uncomfortable it is for the hall’s 3 managers and the Captain to hover over them with scowls on their faces. The captain walks over to me, 15 minutes after I finish the last song, and says, «You have 20 minutes to get your stuff out of here,» while I’m packing up. I replied, «Ok. You gonna fix the elevator?» He mumbled something unintelligible and wandered away.
Then, 5 minutes later, the bride is getting the last of her things and her family is preparing to leave the room… when I watch the managers go over and turn out all of the lights in the room, leaving all of us in pitch black darkness, including the bride. Subtle.
So we all eventually escaped this terrible place, and all I could think of on the drive home was, «I’ll turn down the next client that tries to book me to work at that place. Couldn’t pay me enough to go back there.»