Local actor and comedian, Drew Droege, accused an employee at El Compadre’s Echo Park location of reprimanding him “for kissing another man,” Droege revealed on Instagram.
According to Droege, he and a date were in the middle of their second drink, embracing and kissing, when an El Compadre employee that Droege identified as “a manager” approached them and “said something to [the] effect of ‘you guys can’t do that here.’”
“This is a family restaurant,” the manager allegedly told the couple. When Droege asked if someone had complained, the manager responded by throwing their arms up and saying, “I don’t care if you’re the President of the United States. We don’t allow your behavior here.” Droege and his companion got up and left in shock.
Up until then, the food and service had been “great.” “I will never be back [and] I encourage you to find another place too,” he said a day later. “The chilling and pointed tone of “we’re a family restaurant” had a lasting impact on Doege.
“Ever wonder why gay people often seem nervous?” The comedian wrote to his 23,000 followers. “Why do we walk faster? Why do we work so hard to please others and be good little citizens in this world?”