Monday, November 3, 2008
Restaurants T-ing Off: Michael T's Opens for Business
Posted by Carrington Fox on Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Michael T’s, the third in the Tangredi family's trilogy of Nashville restaurants, opened quietly this weekend and will make a grand debut next weekend. Subtitled “An American Restaurant & Fusion Lounge,” Michael T’s serves a menu of flatbreads, salads, pastas, steaks, seafood and burgers, as well as cocktails such as blood orange margaritas and blackberry mojitos.
Michael Tangredi, whose family owns Tangredi’s Italian Kitchen on Elliston Place and T’s Tuscan Bar & Grill in Hillsboro Village, has extensively remodeled the building that formerly housed Country Life vegetarian restaurant.
Located at 1919 Division, Michael T’s will serve from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with curbside and carryout service available. The bar will be open later.
As always, if you get to Michael T’s before we do, report back on Bites.
Comments (32)
Showing 1-32 of 32
I think the commenter known as 1050 lb and I are going for lunch at some point -- anyone else interested?
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Have you seen all the rants and raves on Craigslist about the owners of this place???
Geez....
I'm scared to go.
I've actually traced the source of the craigslist posts to a rival restaurant. Can you believe the nerve of some people? I can assure you that none of the allegations in the posts were true, how can one open several businesses, or even manage one for that matter, while conducting the practices that were alleged in the post. Impossible...
I hope that I don't seem overly defensive or anything, but I do hope to recover any of my reputation that has been slain by that post.
Thank you -
Michael G. Tangredi
President | CEO
M. Tangredi Restaurants, Inc.
I assure you that "all of the rants and raves" on craigslist are not posted by a rival business. These are people who worked at the Tangredi’s businesses and were severely burned. How anybody can lie, cheat and steal as a business practice is beyond me.
I have started a blog for former employees of the Tangredis to post their own stories. Michael Tangredi even responded to it asking me to reveal myself – so I guess he hasn’t “traced the source”. Either way, it is up to any diner to give money to whomever they wish. I would just like to expose the shady way this family treats their employees.
Read more here:
http://tangredikarma.blogspot.com/
I think it is actually funny that "Big MIke" himself would post to this claiming that he "has traced the source to one rival restaurant". Are you serious? "The nerve" is right, no one needs to try to bring you down, you are quite capable all on your own. There are many posts from many different people concerning the shady business practices of this company, myself included.
I worked for the Tangredi's and know first hand of their deception to their employees. I am willing to bet if you actually went in to one of the two existing businesses there MIGHT be one employee there who has been with the company for more than 6 months. I think that it is quite intersting there are always posts on cragslist warning others of the practices used by the Tangredi operation. If the employees were happy they wouldn't leave, if they were not competent then that is just bad training. I understand that not everyone who thinks they are cut out for the service industry are not, but the turnover in those places are ridiculous.
Take into consideration that the only thing "homemade" is the marinara. (which is quite tasty) The owners require you to tell everyone that all of the food is made from scratch, not so. Why? Many businesses order things made for them from different vendors. There are many things that are not made from "scratch" and can be ordered right here in Nashville.
Do we really want this? I think it is your responsibilty to give both sides...
That's total BS from both "guyfawkes" and "john". I've worked for the Tangredi family for over 14 months and I've never experienced anything that you guys claim. I've never even seen anybody get screwed over by these people. They're honest, personable, and a joy to see every day. I know of several employees that have been at T's since it opened and have been at Tangredi's for close to 2 years. I think that you both particualarly have some type of grudge for some extraneous reason and seriously have nothing better to do but loathe your previous employer. Everybody gets pissed when they get fired - you're just being a bitch about it. GROW UP!!!
"...if they were not competent then that is just bad training..."
What the hell is that? If somebody's not competent or able to do a job, you can't ram it down their throats. They're either able to do a job or they can't.
I've never worked for the Tangredis, but I go to the Elliston Place location frequently and am never disappointed. I actually see the same girls waiting tables everytime I'm in there & I've been going for close 2 years now.
You should get your facts straight before you try to defame somebody. Sheesh...
GF and John,
I've been working with the Tangredi's for over a year and haven't had one problem with them!
all the LIES you have posted on your stupid BLOG will backfire on you, sooner than you think!
You should use the free time you have " obviously a lot" to find yourself a real job instead of trying to degrade a hard working family!
I have heard from people of who you are and why you are doing this and I hope they track you down!
Never seen any employee there for more than a few months, and yes it's a mix of both incompetent clientele and terrible management. An experienced bartender got fired after a day of employment because one of the staff members that Maria had a beef with said he was cute. She literally had him fired because of a senseless grudge. Not cool people, but this is hilarious to this fly on the wall!
Keep posting guys, nobody thinks you're the Tangredi's.
Wow! It seems to me that the people who are defending the Tangredi's are either being paid or are just retarded. First of all there is a ton of bad press surrounding this family and it isn't just on a "blog", which by the way is probably one of the easiest things to maintain ever, otherwise half of the world wouldn't have them. Which if you didn't catch that, supporters, then you are exactly what was stated in sentence 1.
I think "defame" is an interesting choice of words, you might want to look that up before you use it icyyy. You actually have to have some credibility to be defamed. I think it is pretty clear these people do not. Well at least not with the general public. Employees who act like lap dogs in order to get in the owner's good graces really don't count.
Icyyy, you make a valid point concerning bad training, in a REAL restaurant. However, this point is only valid when someone is given proper training. When things change on a daily basis, sometimes hourly then it can be hard for even the best of servers to keep up. When you have two owners, a brother who calls himself manager, a guy named Fabiano who is also a manager, and an 18 year old son of the owners all telling you something different then it doesn't work. As an ex employee, whom did NOT get fired, I have seen that first hand and you as a customer did not.
Haha, well you're just an idiot all together. I think it is quite telling that you actually use the same tactics described in emails from many different people in many different forums and THREATEN other posters. So tell me, what EXACTLY is going to happen when these people are "tracked down?" Are they going to be beaten for expressing an opinion? This is simply childish behavior from a bunch of clueless morons. I hope the Tangredi's are real proud of you as an employee to further the claims that have been made against them.
TruBlu, all I can say to you is not everyone freaks out about getting fired or let go. I don't think everone has the mindset of a 4 year old and decides to throw a tantrum. Maybe some do considering the family only hires young kids. During my time there, everyone who worked the front of the house were 18-22.
The way I see it is if you treat your employees bad then the patrons will hear about it eventually, and karma is a bitch.
Whoops. Opened up a can of worms (or, apparently, tomato sauce). Sorry bout' that.
HaHa - You are one of the Tangredi's. I know for a fact that you have not worked for that company for over a year. You know why I know that? The only people who worked there a year ago (October 2007) are Stephanie (quit in April) Alethea (quit in May) Meryl (quit in April) Laura (quit in May) Tim (quit in Jan). So, if you aren't one of them then who are you? Same for you TruBlu. And I'll bet that Icyyy is Tangredi as well, but I can't back that up.
I hate to use past employees names but that's the only way to properly show that it is in fact a Tangredi posting as an employee. Which I find incredibly immature. Granted I may be wasting my time doing this as well, but it's my day off. I have some time to kill.
I own a clinic on 23rd, right down the street from Tangredi's. Apparently, according to Abe, there's nobody who will actually side with the Tangredi's on this matter except for themselves. Not true, I can assure you.
Besides, one of the Tangredi's actually posted on here as himself. Why would he do that and lie during another posting. It wouldn't make any sense.
I won't comment as to your memory of past coworkers, but how do we know that you're not lying to discredit the Tangredi's just like everybody else on this blog.
(PS - I know HaHa and they work at the Trace location)
so there...
this whole comment chain just seems ridiculous;
the tangredi's have made themselves nashville staples in the food industry;
they have the best lasagna on the block and everything else is just as good;
i can't wait to try micheal t's in midtown, but if they put the same authenticity and culinary skill into that as they did their other places, it should be damn good too;
leave the tangredis alone, they can conduct business however they want, i'll probably never work for them and neither will any of their thousands of patrons;
if they put out a good product, that's all that matters to the rest of us;
get a job already and let go of this stupid grudge that you have just because mr tangredi didn't give you that promotion you wanted, or you didnt make enough in tips last night, or you just have an inability to be in the workworld with a boss over you, or whatever the hell brought this on;
if you can't work for somebody, get you're own business, but if you can't work for somebody, you'll fail fairly quickly
i just realized i sound kind of like cris crocker...
"leave the tangredi's alone"
I knew you guys that post here were not smart but this is just retarded. Do you really think this Guy Fawkes person is actually going to post here and say he is just bored? You are an idiot if you didn't realize you can post any name you want. I can post as one of you. I think if someone took the time to create a blog for employees and patrons alike, he is not just going to throw his hands in the air and say "I have nothing better to do" Are you guys like 12 years old? It's obvious someone else posted as Guy Fawkes. Morons!
Does no one know who Guy Fawkes is/was??? Lord love a duck, read your history and check the date of the first post with that name. Yes, Guy Fawkes day. Celebrated with fires and burning the poor guy in effigy.
You're even too late to build the bonfire.
The food is good, no doubt, and people all have their choice (most times) on whether or not they want to work for somebody, but when an employer is committing illegal acts against their employees without their knowledge something should be said.
I've lived in this city for many years and am very proud of it. I don't want people coming in and trashing it up by conducting shameful business practices and harming others who live here, even if they make good lasagna. Would you want others to follow this example, i.e. your boss, and if you're a business owner, do you feel it's ok to steal from your workers? If I'm gonna be proud of a Nashville Staple, it will be someone that is actually good for the community, but to each their own I guess.
i never said that i knew how the tangredi's ran their business, but it's just that: "their business". i'm sure that if any of these allegations were true one would not be able to bring themselves to operate several businesses successfully. though i do see where you're coming from...
If anyone is still interested, I just found out that they wont be operating much of anything soon now that american express is sueing them for over a million dollars, money that they apparently stole from the company. They actually opened a card in an employees name and racked up that much money in fake charges over just a period of a few weeks.
For any former employees, I'd check around to see if any cards or bank accounts have been opened in your name. I'm sure this is not their first offense. And I think this goes outside the "their business" category, just a little.
http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2008/12/1/amex_accuses_restaurateurs_of_11m_fraud_conspiracy
You're right, how can you operate three restaurants successfully? Oh, with a million dollars of stolen money from American Express. Why didn't I think of that?
Maybe someone should change this line to:
“An American Express Restaurant & Fusion Lounge,”
We've got a post up:
http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/bites/2008/12/uh-oh_spaghetti.php
I told you!!! These unscrupulous bastards have finally let the true colors fly! Oh, sorry, Amex is letting the cat out of the bag. Piss on you Tangredi family for you should witness shame. I am quite sure you will whilst being pounded in the ass. You reap what you sow...
This is really funny because I always knew one day Michael would have to face himself in the people he has hurt.I was Mikes employee (Hey Mike whats up its Brandon here) I am not scared of this man. Its only slander if its not true. I just have a few questions for Mike because you all know he is reading these remarks.
1.Are you still calling your ethnic Americans racist and derogatory terms? You did.
2.Do you still smoke in the kitchen?You did.
3.Do you still tell your cooks you wont help them during a rush unless they find you pot?You did
4.Do you still find ways to not pay employees over time?You did.
5.Do you still use too much salt in the meat balls lol? YOU DID......................
