We're eating these saturday night, I'll report back after we do.
Actually, the thought of this doesn't break my heart. We dine there because of the food, not the view. Not that the view isn't nice, it's just not the main reason for dining there.
If it means there will be less "table hogs", less "looky loo's" (although this has been partly remediated by the escort up policy), and less parents taking over tired cranky kids who are not used to eating anywhere except Chuckie Cheese, then I warmly welcome it.
I think they are trying to get back to what they started as...a fabulous upscale restaurant with excellent, inspired cuisine which attracts diners looking for a great meal with a great wine list.
In all honesty, many of those diners, who are their cash cows, stopped dining there because of the "kerfuffle" which was ongoing nightly. I wonder if they are trying to win them back. If I managed the California Grill I would much rather have a party of four who order three or four course meals with two or more bottles of wine and are there to dine, not watch fireworks over a family of four that split two appetizers, drink water, and "hog" a table for two hours to watch the fireworks. Economics dictate keeping the whales happy. And this is exactly what I'm seeing happen at the CG.
Anne