Not sure what happened, but I do have 2 guys now sitting at tables. One of them is naked (I guess I should have hung up a sign "no shoes, no shirt, no pants, no service), and I can’t interact with either of them at all, but that’s fine. I don’t really care much about being able to hire them, I just like the life being added to my castle. 
Edit: I can hire some of them now that I have a few more. I wasn’t aware that not all patrons will be able to be hired. Just fyi for anyone else as ignorant as me.