Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz‘s restaurant addressed the backlash they received from Vanderpump Rules fans amid their owner’s involvement in a public cheating scandal.
“In light of the recent news we appreciate the many words of support but we also understand the outpouring of outrage that has been directed towards our businesses,” the Instagram page for Schwartz and Sandy’s wrote on Saturday, March 4, in reference to Sandoval’s split from Ariana Madix amid his affair with Raquel Leviss. “However, those of us who are not famous have dedicated our time hearts and money to make this restaurant a reality.”
In the lengthy statement, the account for the West Hollywood establishment called out the negative reviews on Yelp in response to the drama.
“We too are disappointed by the current situation as Ariana has always been a good friend and a great supporter of the restaurant,” the post read. “We appreciate that you may feel a certain way but please understand that the livelihoods of others also depend on this business. There are four more people involved in this venture other than just Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.”
The social media upload concluded by requesting that fans don’t flood their comments with hateful messages.
“Our staff, from the waitresses and bartenders to the cooks and dishwashers, all have had nothing to do with this unfortunate situation,” the statement added. “Please take into consideration, that posting negative comments affects more than just the individual you may be upset with. Our goal has always been to create a place where our community can come and enjoy a fun atmosphere with good food and friendly service and we intend to continue to focus on that endeavor. ”
Us Weekly confirmed on Friday, March 3, that Sandoval, 39, and Madix, 37, parted ways after nearly a decade of dating. A source revealed to Us that the businessman was unfaithful with Leviss, 28, — which led to Madix pulling the plug on their romance.
“They were having problems for a while,” the insider shared, noting that things “only came to a breaking point” when the Florida native found out that her then-boyfriend was unfaithful with their Vanderpump Rules costar.
Sandoval has since broken his silence about the scandal while Madix has remained tight-lipped.
“Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz, my friends and family out of this situation … Schwartz specifically only found out about this very recently, and most definitely did not condone my actions. This was a very personal thing,” he wrote via Instagram on Saturday. “Also, Schwartz & Sandy’s might have my name on it, but also there are 3 other partners and 20 employees, who especially rely on the restaurant for income for them and their families. Just like TomTom, I’m a small part of a much bigger thing. Please direct ur anger towards me and not them. They did nothing wrong.”
He concluded: “I’m so sorry that my partners, Greg, Brett, and Schwartz and our employees have to suffer for my actions. I will be taking a step back & taking a hiatus out of respect for my employees & partners.”
In response, the Missouri native was called out by his Bravo coworkers. Lala Kent shared his statement via Instagram Story, adding, “Where’s Ariana’s apology in this? It’s called narcissism … & and it’s terrifying.”
Meanwhile, James Kennedy weighed in on the drama in a since-deleted post. “Where’s Ariana Madix mentioned? Make sure y’all unfollow this clown RIGHT NOW GO,” he captioned a screenshot of Sandoval’s statement via Instagram.
Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!
Katie Maloney also clapped back at Sandoval for not acknowledging his ex-girlfriend. “Where’s the mention of hurting Ariana?! No apologies to her?” she captioned an Instagram Story on Saturday.
