COLUMBUS, OHIO – A woman is accusing Astra Rooftop in Columbus of selectively enforcing its dress code after she and her friends were denied entry. The TikTok creator, who posts as @lovelyme503 and goes by Eribeauty_7, filmed other customers in hoodies, sneakers, and shorts being allowed inside. She says the business casual policy was applied unfairly depending on who was standing at the door. Her video has drawn more than 85,000 views.
Group Turned Away at Astra Rooftop Over Business Casual Dress Code
Astra Rooftop sits on the eighth floor of the AC Hotel in Columbus. The woman says staff told her group they did not meet the restaurant’s business casual dress code. The group was stopped at the entrance before being seated.
In her video, she points out several patrons who were let in wearing casual clothing. At one point she notes a man in shorts and says she has not seen anything business casual about it. She also questioned whether the sneakers other guests wore met the standard.
Employee Says Reservation Would Have Allowed Entry
The employee told her that the group would have been allowed in if they had a reservation. She claims he turned away two men without asking whether they had one and never asked if she was a hotel guest.
One of her friends asked for clarification and argued that the policy should be applied to everyone. The friend accused the employee of picking and choosing based on his own opinion, and the woman alleges he agreed that they pick and choose.
Woman Says Manager Changed Tone After Social Media Mention
She said a manager immediately sided with the employee when the group raised concerns. The general manager also initially defended the decision, according to her caption. She questioned why it took the threat of public exposure for fair treatment.
She claims the tone changed once she said she would share the experience on social media. She also said she had seen similar selective enforcement of dress codes at another Columbus venue, Gala Park. She stressed that having a dress code is not the problem, but enforcing it unevenly is.
Viewers Share Similar Experiences and Question Dress Code Fairness
Several commenters said they had been inside Astra wearing sweatshirts and sneakers without issue. Others questioned how jeans and worn sneakers were allowed if the venue had a strict policy. One person said the employee was acting like a bully.
One viewer suggested she pursue a discrimination claim, while another argued that bar dress codes are often used to exclude certain groups. No response from Astra Rooftop has been reported, and the woman said she will post an update when she has one.
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