The owner of a popular celebrity-packed bar has broken his silence after several people claimed his drinks were spiked there.
Tristan Schukraft, owner of The Abbey in West Hollywood, California, took to Instagram to address “wild conspiracy theories” about the “safe space.”
Schukraft said heavy drinking “is a widespread problem” and not just “something unique to us,” as he cited an Alcohol.org survey that found 44 percent of men and 56 percent of women “unknowingly” they had consumed their food or drink. The drinks skyrocketed.
He assured customers that if any member of staff at The Abbey, also known as ‘The World’s Best Gay Bar’, witnesses someone ‘tampering with a drink, they will be immediately removed, handed over to the authorities and permanently banned.’
The owner’s response comes after many disgruntled customers went online and shared their alleged drinking stories at the famous bar.
The owner of celebrity venue The Abbey took to Instagram to address claims that patrons have been served alcoholic drinks at the West Hollywood bar.
Tristan Schukraft, the owner, posted a video in which he stated that excessive alcohol consumption “is a widespread problem” and not just “something unique to us.”
A user posted a video to TiKTok in 2021 detailing his experience after going to The Abbey, stating that “I was shaking 30 minutes after my second drink at The Abbey.”
The woman added that she was “projectile vomiting” and “couldn’t control my body,” in the video which has since racked up 1.3 million views.
Meanwhile, several Reddit users have insisted that they experienced similar symptoms after a party at the bar.
One person suggested that this has been happening for a long time, not just recently.
‘More like 20+ years. Where there is smoke there is fire,’ they wrote.
Another detailed his experience there from last year.
‘Some friends of mine were drugged there in September. In broad daylight on a Saturday afternoon, they didn’t even finish their ONLY drink.
“He passed out and had to be carried out of the bar, fortunately by friends who were not drinking. “The narrative that ‘they just make strong drinks’ is nonsense,” they said.
Another person claimed she was drugged at the bar in 2017.
‘It was a Sunday afternoon and I hadn’t drunk enough to be intoxicated. The only person who had access to my drink was the bartender because the place was empty because it had just opened.
‘I called their management office the next day to ask to see their security tapes. “They said they didn’t see anything on the tapes, but at that point I learned that other people had been drugged and assaulted there,” the client wrote.
In the video, Schukraf said only one arrest was made at the bar “because the recent increase in drinking was due to our security team.”
A police report, obtained by KTLA5, confirmed an incident of sexual assault and drinking at The Abbey.
According to the report, security guards allegedly recognized the unnamed suspect from surveillance footage and handed him over to police for arrest the next day.
Others took it upon themselves to investigate the bar, which is enjoyed by celebrities including Caitlyn Jenner, Snooki and Cher, while one person pointed to online reviews of the establishment.
“Yes, your Yelp reviews clearly show this pattern as well,” they said.
the most recent The claim about the increase came from a detailed article written by The 19th, a nonprofit news organization, in January of this year.
Since the bar opened 33 years ago, many celebrities have enjoyed the nightlife there, including Cher, Caitlyn Jenner and Snooki, among others. (pictured: singer Cher at The Abbey in June 2024)
Schukraft also told people what to do if they think their drink has been tampered with, saying they should immediately report it to the bar or the police.
The outlet shared dozens of stories in which alleged victims, staff members, bartenders and law enforcement officers shared their experience about the avalanche of drinks that were fired at the bar.
‘More than 70 people interviewed by The 19th over the course of three years reported that they went to The Abbey and drank well below what they felt was their usual limit (in some cases consuming only soft drinks or water) and experienced disorientation in various ways. degrees or lost consciousness. ”said the outlet.
Despite the accusations, Schukraft remains confident in his bar and told his followers that even the state of California requires establishments to have test strips to purchase drinks, The Abbey provides them free of charge.
“They are available at any time, all you need to do is ask,” he said.
Schukraft also told people that if they believe their drink has been tampered with, they should immediately report it to the bar or the police.
He added that if customers want to remake their drinks because they’re not “sure,” they can order a new one.
‘If you think you have consumed an alcoholic drink, go to the hospital, get checked or request a toxicology report.
“We will be there to support you every step of the way,” Schukraft added.