Allison Matsu Tweets About Bartender's Conversation At Houston's Down House Lounge, Gets Kicked Out

In yet another instance of business/customer social media shenanigans, a Houston bar patron has recently found herself in the middle of a firestorm over a he said-she said controversy.

Allison Matsu (whom several news sources call Allison Hiromi, after her Twitter handle), was having a drink at Houston restaurant and bar Down House when she overheard a bartender mention Bobby Heugel, a "prominent Houston bartender and restaurateur." Customer Matsu then tweeted that the bartender was a "twerp" for quoting Heugel and also used the hashtag #jackoff.

Manager Forrest DeSpain, who was not at the restaurant that evening, saw the Tweet and phoned the restaurant, asking to speak with the tweeting customer. Matsu claims that DeSpain said, "You need to get your ass up and leave the establishment. Your time is done there." DeSpain has a milder version of the events.

The owner of Down House, Chris Cusack, rationalized the ejection by saying, "If you go to someone's house and start calling them names, I wouldn't really expect to stay too much longer after that."

While some have come to Matsu's defense, she is also hearing her share of criticism, tweeting in reaction, "Everyone has put this crap on their blogs, industry guys patting other industry guys on the back, yet I'm getting called B.... and C... Wow!"

Bobby Heugel, the restaurateur whose mention at the bar initially caused the dust-up, even weighed in, saying that "Social media can be a fickle bitch or your best friend," and that, "Some of ya'll need to chill." He also tweeted at Matsu, "You think Im saying this for media attention? You really dont get it. LEAVE ME ALONE. You dont have media power bc you tweet!"

For the painful entirety of the back-and-forth, if it wasn't already convoluted and silly enough, see the Twitter accounts of Bobby_Heugel, AllisonHiromi and DownHouseHTX.

So, who is ultimately at fault here? It seems like it might simultaneously be everyone and no one. Be careful what you tweet, be polite and let's all just have a drink...without tweeting about it.

Comments

[CAhye]

12:06 PM on 08/22/2011

haha tweeter got dealt with.. internet tough guy/girl gets whats coming to them.

[alex4anw]

09:23 PM on 08/20/2011

"Be careful what you tweet?" "Be polite?" That sounds like intrusions on speech.

Tweet anything you want, and be prepared to deal with the consequences...is more realistic and also does not encourage those wishing to express themselves in writing to 'be careful.'

[beavercreek]

12:01 PM on 08/22/2011

Why do people feel like they have to record every minutia of their day? It's pathetic. Every week some adult ruins their lives acting like a juvenile.

[dbrett480]

08:39 PM on 08/20/2011

She deserves to be kicked out; not for using tweeting those comments, but for thinking that people actually care what her opinions are of bartenders.

[MochasMom]

10:43 AM on 08/20/2011

This is dumb. And I think the world was better off before Twitter.

[johnsmith9875]

02:53 PM on 08/19/2011

Well you're certainly not going to get tact and courtesy from a man who has made a career of selling people intoxicating beverages.

[ICarr]

09:24 AM on 08/19/2011

Wow - considering all the coverage, the person who coordinated all this is a marketing genius.

[SirCoolBreeze]

01:39 AM on 08/19/2011

Sounds like the high strung owner, manager, and bartender are wound a little too tightly.
It was just a tweet and she didn't dis the food nor the bevs nor the atmosphere.

Side note, how did he know she tweeted that unless he is following her?
We're missing some information, obviously...

[Maddog51]

11:52 PM on 08/18/2011

I'll never set foot in Downer House again.

[Bozzgirl]

06:45 PM on 08/18/2011

I am confused as to how the manager knew that she was one that tweeted... was he a follower of hers? I am totally missing something here...

[jrwest78]

06:11 PM on 08/18/2011

One day the Liberals will realize that reputations are worth fighting for

[SirCoolBreeze]

01:38 AM on 08/19/2011

One day TeaPartyHobbit twerps will realize that posting the word "liberals" means you, more than likely, live in a trailer park in a red state (or, at least, that's where your mind is, perpetually).
(smirks)

[ICarr]

09:23 AM on 08/19/2011

Ha! What a great response - FF

[stealur]

12:44 PM on 08/19/2011

How is the reputation of this restaurant now?

Tweet that nobody reads - who cares?
Now that you've thrown out tweeter that nobody reads - News story of how your restaurant sucks.

Hmm sounds to me ignoring the tweet would have been smarter...

[merlin57]

05:53 PM on 08/18/2011

Whats with all the trendy hipster joints inventing offenses and tossing folks out? Is this some new fad for the tattoo'd set?

@ martincl..... please announce your dive so I make sure not to patronize it. Good grief... grow some skin.

[Talossa]

05:37 PM on 08/18/2011

Just turn off your frickin' phone for half an hour and eat. Jeez.

[martincl]

05:26 PM on 08/18/2011

As a former chef i can tell you ive kicked people out of my restaurant for less. Granted, only when it came to unjustified complains over the food. Everyone assumes every bar/restaurant is just another TGIF/Burger King where employees and owners have no personal stakes in the reputation of said restaurant/bar...that aint the case. Sorry love, you opened your snarky mouth in the wrong house and were asked to leave. Boo Hoo

[GregHooper]

06:05 PM on 08/18/2011

I get pretty sick and tired of the bar nazi attitude projected at every instance they feel remotely dissed

Yes there are plenty of times custromers go right over the edge and deserve being tossed but for the most part when I see a situation escalate it is due to the psuedo tough guy/gal attitude pushing the situation farther than it would normally go

Most problems can be taken care of with quiet diplomacy and a few calm words but these tough nuts just act as if you are there as a favor not a paying customer

Many times it seems as if the bartenders are simply waiting for a reason to put you in your place

Yeah that makes me really want to go out and drop a couple hundred on food drinks and tip

And I always tip 20% because I like to pay people for their work Problem for you is I and many people I know are tired of going out and being treated as if we in the way of their real life

Kicked people out for less

What a Prima Donna Just stay in the kitchen do your job and get over yourself

[martincl]

01:07 PM on 08/19/2011

This has nothing to do with the bartender. The is the owner/manager of the restaurant that said this and on the door there is a nice little sign in gold that says "We have the right to refuse service to anyone." Le Gasp! That means the GM had every right to do what he did. Shocking i know!
You went a tangent here about the staff when it wasnt even dealing with them but i wanted to clarify something. I dont know what it is you do...frankly i dont care...but if someone who knows nothing of what you do calls you out on the quality of your work...you will rightly be upset. And if they came into your place of employment and started badmouthing everyone there and the work they did you bet you would ask them to leave. So take your condescending attitude and you get over yourself.

[captainspirou]

10:40 PM on 08/18/2011

She didn't open her mouth and cause a scene. She said it as a tweet which the manager had to be vigilant to catch. The bartender wouldn't have known about it if the manager wasn't being a stalker nazi about his establishment.

[martincl]

01:07 PM on 08/19/2011

So what...the manager didnt cause a scene either. He asked to talk the young woman and then told her to leave. He could have easily just walked in there and made a big show about it.

[Squiriferous]

05:18 PM on 08/18/2011

#thereisstillsomegininmyfreezer LOL.

[Squiriferous]

05:14 PM on 08/18/2011

Huffington Post's moderators don't see what's wrong with this overly sensitive tough guy manager's heavy-handed, free speech-hating tactics and wonder what all the fuss is about.

[martincl]

05:28 PM on 08/18/2011

Free speech? What about the managers right of free speech? That was his restaurant...this wasnt a public venue...he had every right to call this lady out and tell her to leave his establishment. How about he swings by your home and walks into your kitchen and starts to belittle you. Curious how long before you suggest he should leave.

[Squiriferous]

05:40 PM on 08/18/2011

My kitchen is not a commercial restaurant. This WAS a public venue and the restaurant huckster has no right to expect anyone to actually leave because they "tweeted" something he didn't like unless he wants a lawsuit. He does however have the right to be laughed at by everyone.

[Quel C Grammar]

06:02 PM on 08/18/2011

You don't have free speech at work, you act professionally. It was unprofessional of the bartender to make disparaging remarks about another establishment or restaurateur in front of guests. No pity for him and she should be glad to be rid of reactionary unprofessional people. She wouldn't have mad reason to tweet if he hadn't had a big mouth.

I managed for over a decade and this sort of thing does more damage than a tweet. What looks good is speaking to the bartender about professionalism and speaking to the guest about her concerns, which goes a lot further if you're trying to look good.