"Is it worth it? I’m afraid it is. I’ll genuinely never forget the experience. I feared it would be Trumpy; it’s not — it has class. Is it the greatest, most ambitious, most technically flawless food? Not even close: it’s the sort of thing that could be produced by well-drilled, competent line cooks. Good-quality ingredients, done by rote, as reliable as a McDonald’s. Is it delicious? Yes, yes, yes: boosted by salt and butter and sugar into hedonistic excess. That duck: mon amour. If you’ve never been subjected to the ludicrous joys of gueridon service, the recherché pleasures of the ornate duck press, this is where to fill your hand-tooled, bespoke boots. Don’t even bother looking for prices online — as they say, if you have to ask …” Marina O’Loughlin, “On the Grill,” Sunday Times (11/18/18)
have been a few times, it’s amazing actually. perhaps one of the true great openings (re-boots?) in a long time. disclaimer, i’m friends with people that work there, but even if i wasn’t, i’d still think it’s great. the review is behind a paywall so can’t read it fully. it’s all rather epic actually, in the true sense of the term.
I went two weeks ago for a celebratory business lunch. The room was beautiful. The food was good, but short of great. Service was surprisingly slow at first, but then caught up. The $33 cheeseburger was lousy. It’s definitely a “power” restaurant and I’m sure the owners will make a lot of money, irrespective of the reviews. Because when people with money want to make an impression or have a power meal, they’re not going to ask what a critic from a newspaper or magazine thought.
I loved my dinner at The Grill. Epic, totally unique, and immensely enjoyable. It is frighteningly expensive and over the top and could only work in NY and is not a place I could or would go regularly. But if you take it for what it is, it’s pretty fun.
I’m a fan. Been there maybe 3 times. Love the show, love the food. Is it over the top and wildly expensive? Sure. But for an occasional experience, why not?
it works everywhere; every major city has a version of italian, or french, or american, or japanese, that’s intense, a little over-the-top and usually very expensive. that said, when you dive below the surface on most of these places, the ingredients and other costs tend to be very expensive as well. meaning, to experience that experience will always be expensive because delivering that experience is expensive.
I guess that’s right in a sense–in Houston it’s Tony’s (and Da Marco). But I’ve never seen it executed with quite the panache and unabashed over-the-top-ness and impeccable cooking that The Grill has.