Robert Irvine fails to deliver on promises for Public House

Robert Irvine’s Public House opened last week, and we’re wondering if the celebrity chef has been blowing smoke for 14 months. When he announced the restaurant in May 2016, Irvine told reporters, “We’re gonna do some TV here.” In a later interview, he said the restaurant would include “a lot of interactive stuff — visual, audio stuff, you know, a party for the senses.” Then in April, he teased that Public House’s “servers will do something servers never do.”

About a week before the opening, Irvine’s reps turned down a request to interview him on those topics. But when we had our first meal at Public House, the most interesting thing our server did was take our order. And that was the most “interactive” thing to happen in the extremely staid dining room. As for TV, nothing’s been announced. Perhaps Irvine will break his silence soon and let his fans know whether any of his promises were more than empty hype.

Restaurant reviews generally take place a month or two after opening. A full review of Public House’s food and service will follow.