Of Course Donald Trump Jr. Went to That Bar That Banned Solo Women for Valentine’s Day

If you were Donald Trump Jr. and needed a place to to go with your girlfriend on Valentine’s Day, what would be the obvious answer? Turns out it’s that notoriously expensive Upper East Side restaurant that recently allegedly banned women from dining alone at the bar to avoid the impression that they were prostitutes.

Jezebel reports that the president’s son and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle — a former Fox News host who disarmingly looks like Trump Jr.’s stepmom Melania — celebrated the fake holiday at Nello, a UES Italian restaurant that’s long been known for its inflated prices and more recently for an alleged controversial ban on solo female diners at the bar.

Nello hit the news last month after a female branding executive accused it of not allowing women to dine alone at the bar — claiming that it was due to “a crackdown on hookers.” There was swift backlash to the story on social media and Yelp, with a flood of one-star reviews. In response, the restaurant banned anyone from eating at the bar.

And that’s where Donny Junior decided to romance his girlfriend, who’s the vice chairwoman of pro-Trump political action committee America First. He posted several photos of the pair posing with huge, bright red stuffed bears positioned outside the restaurant. The bears have proven popular across social media, with various influencers posting them all through February.

Nello has been open for 30 years, fitting right in on the UES for its luxe scene and dramatic prices. Pastas there often cost $200, and in 2008, one man posted a receipt saying he spent $47,000 on a dinner for six. It’s become a destination for socialites and wealthy people, who treat it as “a private club of sorts.” The restaurant hasn’t had an entirely smooth life, with a $1 million lawsuit between partners for alleged “widespread financial fraud.”