"I spoke to the hostess and told her we'd be ordering dinner and appetizers," Perng said.

But Sheerin said the hostess was not immediately aware that the group--too large to sit at a table for 10--planned on ordering food.

This miscommunication created some confusion, Sheerin said. After a certain point in the night, the restaurant will seat patrons at tables even if they only plan to order drinks. But during the dinner rush, Sheerin said, the restaurant reserves tables for customers who will order dinner.

Perng says that an employee had started asking the group for identification to prove that the students were at least 21-years-old.

It is the restaurant's policy to check IDs at the door when the customers only plan to order drinks, Sheerin said.

"Normally, the waitress checks IDs at the table if they'll be ordering food. According to the hostess, [at this point] there was not mention of ordering food," he said.

Sheerin said the bar was also being particularly vigilant about checking identification that evening since it was also hosting an event for College seniors.

After waiting another 10 minutes, Perng said she asked to speak to the manager. Then, she said, the hostess returned and told the group the table they were waiting for would only seat 10 people.