Table 42 Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, 399 Southeast Mizner Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 826-2625.

In recent months a number of people have been telling me about how terrific the food at Table 42 Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar in Boca was.

So…last night, I, Mrs. Jeff Eats and our dog Jiggy “went” to Table 42 planning on trying the food on the joint’s outside patio.

To make a long story short, the hostess and manager refused to seat us- raising “questions” about what a SERVICE DOG “is”. For right now, I’m not going to get-into all kinds of legal mumble jumble—what I do know, is that the manager HAD ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT TO INSIST THAT HE HAD THE RIGHT TO SEE STATE ISSUED PAPER DOCUMENTATION proving that a dog is a service dog. When this young man was advised of this, he became a “real wise guy” snotty jackass.

Trust me on this…I and my wife do a “ton” of eating out with our dog. Now- we know that Jiggy isn’t what most would classify as a service dog—but we also know, that a restaurant has no right whatsoever to make a customer produce written documentation proving that a dog is a service dog.

Just a small footnote, Jeff “Eats” is a graduate of The Brooklyn Law School class of 1973–and a member of the bars of New York, New Jersey, Florida and the Supreme Court of the United States of America (yeah! that’s the same one currently deciding the Obama Care case)…so just maybe, I know something about the topic at hand or at least know how to read a statute, regulation or law.

For the record,
Take a look at Paragraphs #1 and especially #3 contained in a Directive issued by the US Departartment of Justice:
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Disability Rights Section

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SERVICE ANIMALS IN PLACES OF BUSINESS

1. Q: What are the laws that apply to my business?

A: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owned businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires these businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed.

3. Q: How can I tell if an animal is really a service animal and not just a pet?

A: Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability. However, an individual who is going to a restaurant or theater is not likely to be carrying documentation of his or her medical condition or disability. Therefore, such documentation generally may not be required as a condition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability.

Anyway…Jeff Eats won’t be eating at Table 42 real soon.

Finally, to Table 42’s owner, folks like that manager and hostess can ruin an owner’s business-real fast.