transportprof

Knowing the glacial pace at which United's airport terminal improvements proceed this is quite likely. Perhaps it was a part of the backroom deal that Smisek cooked up with then-Port Authority Chair Samson?

Chukiechz

Are here earlier. Nothing really too inpressive. I scanned my boarding pass, but wasn’t given 20% discount like the iPad said. At least I could say I tried it.

JVPhoto

I thought the 20% was if you paid with a Chase MP card?

cur

oh wow, if i'm a vip or my trip is screwed up due to united's incompetence, i would be SO HAPPY to be invited to an "exclusive" pay restaurant. race to the bottom and everyone seems complacent to it. mind you, in all fairness, i realize airfares in the usa are getting cheaper and hard product--hd aircraft notwithstanding--better. but god.

transportprof

I'm sure they would take UA's $12/$20 disrupted travel meal voucher at Classified. It might pay for half an appetizer.

manstein58

https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-ai...omments_sector

Plane-is-home

Booked Classified yesterday before EWR-DEN in FC. Never received email but online booking was permitted.
Mixed experience:
For sure beats overcrowded UC
Small room and voices carry. There were two very loud DYKWIA DC lawyers that ruined it for everyone. But after they left it was peaceful. Maybe 40% occupied.
Cocktails were stiff but not well made
I had the veal Milanese for main and it was great, wife’s Branzino was ok
Sides (chanterelles and fries) were subpar.
Chocolate mouse cake was ok, wife’s dessert order was wrong. Took forever to get right
Of course they already earned their tip ahead of time
Hate the iPads but thought restrooms were nice especially compared to earlier reviews
Receiving chocolate gift on departure was nice gesture
Would I book it again? Only if I have too much time to kill

mauld

Just got the invite... I'm on a super cheap coach EWR-LIS this Sun night, and as Gold, I don't think my invite had anything to do with status or tix class. I 'accepted' merely to see what it's like, aside from the generally packed UA club, and also because I think this Sunday night will be a nightmare( at this or any airport). I'm not planning on going all out, but as I'm traveling solo will most likely try an appetizer and a beverage and anticipate a more relaxed atmosphere than the pandemonium going on during the Sunday after Thanksgiving at EWR.
PS I don't see any post more recent than a month ago. Any updates??

PsiFighter37

The beverages were awful, but the ambiance was nice. Don't expect the food or service to be any different from any other OTG spot - which is fine for everywhere else, but given this is billed as an upscale dining experience, it will fall below expectations.

Two Bee

Most servers worth their salt are aware that once the soup is served they are free for a 10 min smoke break, before the entree needs to come out. Sometimes the urgency to fire-up can cause them to forget something while scurrying out the back door. I've found that if one doesn't want to chance slurping cold soup, a straw lying around is great in a pinch!

Hammer0425

Most servers worth their weight in salt will stop by the table a few minutes after any course is served to see how everything is and if you need anything. We must be going to different restaurants if you find your servers need to escape the moment a course is dropped on the table to rip a cig on the loading dock only to return later on reeking of smoke and asking if you'd like a plastic drinking straw to enjoy your soup through (which you're OK with?). Sorry but I've never found myself knocking on the door of the kitchen door hoping someone could provide a soup spoon. Same planet different worlds I guess.

cricketer

I've used Classified twice now and it's been solid both times. The first time, I was one of two people in the restaurant - it was a Saturday at 1pm - and the service was excellent. The second time was a Wednesday at 7pm, and it was almost completely full, but the service was very good once again. The manager, Herman, was there both times, and was really great (and if you need tips on where to eat in Barcelona, he had a couple that panned out well!).

The food was good both times - certainly not the upscale dining experience that is implied, but good for airport food. I had a custom omelette the first time, and a really good burger the second. The fries with the burger were mediocre at best though.

They give you a small box of 3 chocolates when you leave - a nice touch, but again, not high-end chocolates. Better than Hershey's though (which I concede isn't saying a lot).

Also - the 20% discount worked fine, though on the second visit I had to go through scanning the boarding pass twice to get it to stick.

Two Bee

My post was meant to be humorous, not taken literally. I guess I needed a winkie on there.

Obviously a fine dining restaurant shouldn't/wouldn't behave like they did.

geckoflyer

@cricketer What kind of chocolates did they offer? Would love to know as I have an online retail chocolate business and while I'm glad they aren't serving Hershey's...inquisitive minds want to know

Meola10

Chocolates from Jacques Torres’ Melange. They are what I consider to be fine chocolate.

I have eaten at Classified once so far and had to rearrange my schedule to do so but it was worth it. Good quality food and good unintrusive service which I like. The only issue was a slight over use of salt flakes on the seared tuna I had ordered. A bit much for the tuna but the salt flakes just made the mushroom bed even more delicious.