Right in the heart of Brea, there was still plenty of parking in the public structures on a Saturday night. You immediately feel a welcoming vibe. Service was top notch! We tried a couple of appetizers, clams and meatballs. Both were delicious! If you're a bourbon drinker, try their oxtail Old Fashioned. So many delightful flavors! In the spirit of nose-to-tail, one of our dishes was their take on oxtails. Tender and flavorful, definitely recommend trying it. Hanger steak was grilled to perfection. The skirt steak was special. The staff really took excellent care of us. Griffin's might not be the least expensive option in Brea, but it might just be the best price/value. We will be back! Cheers! read more

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When you walk in the space is really nice with outdoor seating and then you walk into an open space and even more seating and a bar to your left. Came with a large group 9 of us in total and we made a reservation at opening just to be safe but it wasn't very packed. Our waiter was kind and patient for a large group with 2 kids as he grabbed all the drinks and then we ordered some apps. Food slowly started coming as it arrived, brussel sprouts, potatoes, which whatever the sauce on the bottom of those potatoes SHEESH FIRE! Food slowly arrived and everyone enjoyed what they ordered and shared so we could all try a little bit of everything as it arrived. It wasn't that anything was bad it was that nothing really was a home run. The food was good the service was fine but when your spending what griffins is saying their food is worth in my opinion the details matter that much more and once again it's not that anything was bad it just wasn't as elevated as the price point. read more

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This place is great! We had a reservation but it didn't get busy until after 6:30pm. We got in right before happy hour ended and they allowed us to order extra drinks to get the HH deal. Everyone working there was really pleasant. Our server, Dom, was attentive and helped with recommendations. The bartender, Nick, was accommodating and also made a great drink for the bday girl! The restaurant is a good size and even when it got crowded, it didn't feel loud. I can see why people come here regularly. Oh and the food was REAALLYYY GOOD! read more

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生活就是把自己哄好了，把自己勸明白了，日子就過得下去，好好工作，好好生活，好好愛自己，把期待降低，對依賴減少，妳就可以過得很好～ 星期六在西來寺當師姐時，接到朋友簡訊， 跟男友分手了， 心情低落的，需要有人好好傾聽述說，所以我選了一家在Brea的口袋名單，看起來適合聊天，而且開到晚上10點，女人一開始聊天，不曉得會說多久，結果意外的發現這家絕對會再回來的地方，我以為是墨西哥餐廳，可是比較像Fusion的感覺，剛剛看了是新美式餐廳，我們總共點了三道菜，兩杯飲料，全部都非常的滿意，沙拉很好吃，是我喜歡的beets, meatball份量不小，味道也純正，最後來的一道牛尾，其實配白飯也很合適，全都吃完了，他家還有很多調酒， 非常適合來這約會，小酌，聚餐的，結果小姐前面說不到幾分鐘回答我幾個問題，自己就釋懷了，開始破涕為笑，其實都是小事， 鬧彆扭罷了，在這個年紀還能像我們高中第一次談戀愛時那樣的患得患失， 愛到不能自拔也不錯，這家就在 brea downtown , 想探店的，只開晚上歐! read more

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Came here for Saturday date night and every dish was 10/10 and wiped clean. The patatas gravas somehow had the perfect amount of sauce on it when it could be easily over sauced. The wagu burger was so juicy and the French fries had this amazing seasoning on it. The Caesar salad was perfectly dressed and even though we didn't eat the fried sardines, it's a nice touch they include. No complaints with service, got seated right away, and the daily happy hour 4-6pm was a nice bonus. read more

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We were blown away by this amazing restaurant. From the staff, to the ambiance, to the drinks and to the food! We had absolutely no complaints or critiques on anything. Our server, Lauren R. was phenomenal. She checked on us often, made recommendations and really made sure we enjoyed everything. The manger also checked in on us and it was a nice touch to see how much they love and care for the place. They make all their food from scratch in house and you can tell by the quality and flavors how much passion they put into it. Every dish was a highlight for us and our absolute favorites were the Tagliatelle, Oxtail & Ribeye. The Tagliatelle was very creamy, rich and the pieces of braised beef ragu gave it that extra touch of saltiness. The ribeye was cooked to perfection, it cut like butter and melted in your mouth like butter. The steak comes with a side of broccolini which was cooked al dente and had a nice bite with garlic infused flavor. DONT SKIP THE OXTAIL! It was so tender that it fell off the bone, had a small kick with the Thai chilis and with a side of rice, it was a winner. For dessert we had the Whipped Chocolate Budino, it was like a thick chocolate custard with espresso cookie crumble, a nice way to end the meal. I did enjoy a Valentine's Day special drink, Cupid's Cup which came with a bow to hold the garnish. It was sweet with a slight tangy twist from the lemon. The Carajillo was strong (no complaints there) and had a good mixture to it. We will return! read more

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My Partner and I love trying new restaurants! We were scoping out Yelp and OpenTable and were fascinated by this restaurant in Brea so we decided to try it out! It was such a great choice! Dark ambiance, good location in downtown Brea, plenty of parking and friendly staff. Caesar Salad: 10/10 perfect amount of dressing And love the dried anchovies Yellowtail crudo: 5/10 a bit of a miss for us. The lemongrass was a bit over powering and loss the essence of the fish. Oxtail: 10/10 LOVE this, it was q burst of flavor. It was perfectly cooked and make sure you order white rice on the side. Mushroom tacos: 8/10 not a huge fan of onions, and it wasn't stated on the menu, but my partner said he loved it Lupe de Mer: 10/10 honestly this dish was great. The crispy fish was cooked. Perfectly crispy. Shallots was a great accoutrement, and the pasta was great. Prices were decent, but definitely worth it. I definitely recommend and will return. read more

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AMBIANCE (3/5): **LIVE MUSIC ON THURSDAY NIGHTS ** The lady who sang was AMAZING! It was slightly too loud though. Especially if you want to be able to talk to the people at your table. But love that they have live music and that it's great! FOOD (5/5): This rating is based on the dish I had today. A year later from my last review when they opened. Ive visited in between, but the dish I had today was SO GOOD - YOU MUST ORDER IT! $32 OXTAIL: seems boring, just oxtail. But boy did it deliver! It's fall off the bone, is seasoned with Asian flavors (I tasted some fish sauce), a little bit of spice from the Thai chilies. An EXCELLENT DISH! Served in a unique way. I loved everything about it. I recommend ordering a side of rice (I didn't because I was going carb-less, but it definitely would complement it). $8 SIDE OF BROCCOLI: this was a BIG PORTION! Perfectly cooked and seasoned with crispy onions of some sort. Delicious! HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE TRIES THE OXTAIL. TRUST ME! SERVICE (5/5): I sat at the bar and ate by myself. My ONLY complaint is that the bar is SO TALL & the chairs are TOO SHORT. I'm already short, but it was hard to eat at the bar. I sadly wouldn't sit there again due to the uncomfortable-ness. Bartender was 10/10! I wish I caught his name so I could give a shout out. He was amazing (& I didn't even order a drink lol). read more

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First off, the service was excellent! The setting was nice too! We were not impressed with the very small very eclectic menu.. it was random items that just didn't go well, in my opinion. Drinks were good but way too overpriced. Our bill for 6 people came out to almost $800!! Definitely not coming back. read more

Came here as a group of 20+ for a company event recently. My friend who coordinated mentioned that we were supposed to get our own room, but not sure what happened but they ended up putting us in the main restaurant along with other diners, and we were split into 3 tables. Good thing though the service was very fast and we all got our food prompty. I got the Wagyu Beef Burger which came with some fries - the fries were coated with some really dang good seasoning! Some of my friends got the Fettucine and it sounded like that fell short of expectations. We got a few appetizers as well to start our dinner off, and the brussels sprouts were way too salty. Overall, it was not bad. I think I put a lot of weight on the fact that the dinner was served so quickly. read more

Really liked this place - ordered the Wagyu Burger and Short Ribs, and both were delicious! Also ordered the Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Caesar Salad and Patatas (Potatoes) Bravas -- so yummy and filling ... did not leave room for their dessert. They have a fun bar area, service was excellent, and there is a free parking garage across the street. Menu changes seasonally, so great place to come back to try other menu items. read more

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My husband and I had dinner there on Saturday night. Our first time to Griffins and it was wonderful! We ordered the burrata and yellowtail crudo to start. Both were delicious. The burrata had beets and a yummy balsamic dressing. The crudo was presented beautifully with 5 big pieces and a wonderful lemongrass sauce that we loved. We then shared the wagyu steak and it was cooked to perfection. I also had a delicious pink pomegranate martini - I don't love too sweet so they were able to make it with more lime citrus and they did it perfectly. We finished with a chocolate espresso crunch dessert - can't remember the name of it but it was the first dessert listed on the menu. Also, David suggested a delicious glass of wine called 8 years in the desert to pair with my steak and it was a perfect match. Service was wonderful, each dish was fantastic, and we are so excited to have found a new local restaurant that meets our standards. We will definitely be back! read more

Located in downtown Brea. I found parking in the lot behind the restaurant, but there's also free parking at the structure directly across the street. There was live music on a weekday night, and the singer performed all evening, she was amazing! She's also able to perform any song by request too! Every dish I tried was DELICIOUS and full of FLAVOR. The waiter mentioned all syrup and sauces from the bar and kitchen was house made (except for the ketchup). That explains why everything had a unique distinct flavor. Yellowtail hamchi crudo- the waiter presented the dish and finished it with a citrusy sauce . The fish was incredibly fresh with a slight crunch from the other ingredients that added great texture. 10/10 so so good! Oxtail- heard they're known for their oxtail so I had to try it. It's tender and was easy for the meat to fall off the bones. They recommended to order with a side of rice. It was so tasty even without rice. 10/10! Tagliatelle- pasta with braised beef ragu. i cant quite put my finger on the exact flavor, but somehow it was unique and worked really well with the pasta and beef. Again, food is so good 10/10! Kentucky Heat- a very well crafted bourbon cocktail. the fire tincture really gave the drink an oomph! 10/10 Cafe martini w/ tequila- first sip tasted like diluted coffee. I didnt taste the tequila or a strong "cafe" but the alcohol was definitely there . I make my own espresso martinis at home so this was 8/10 Can't wait to come back and try their other dishes. read more

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Food and drinks were delicious but a little over priced. Its a super cute and romantic restaurant. The service was good our server was very attentive. read more

Griffin's - Ribeye steak, the sides change they used to have brocollini and now its asparagus so no guarantee it will look like this - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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Heidi was our server tonight and just had a great vibe and attitude. Very personable. Great service and food! Made our night! read more

Griffin's - Some random beer i dont know but food was great - New American Near Me - Brea, California

Food was flavorful, their menu is seasonal and is suggested as shareable tapas style, service is excellent they can answer any questions you have, the ambience I feel is classy , the lighting is subtle great place to take a date if you want to get a little fancy . Overall it's a great place to eat . read more

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The food here was really good. Enjoyed the presentation of each dish as well as the unique taste of each. What I recommend the most was the loup de mer, a perfectly cooked white fish filet set upon squid ink pasta. I also think the Caesar salad and the yellowtail crudo were great for starters. The oxtail was prepared a little differently than I'm used to so I would not likely order it. I like when the meat is tenderly cooked and falls off the bone. Overall, the service is friendly and helpful. Enjoy a dinner here for a date night as the interior looks modern and romantic. read more

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After reading the reviews, while in town visiting for work, we stopped by for dinner. The patatas bravas were absolutely incredible and addicting as were the Brussels. The patatas bravas come with two sauces that really compliment each other so well so make sure you get a bite of both! During our appetizers, the Chef or Owner came out and told us we had to try the oxtail. I am not the most adventurous eater but my colleagues were down so we ordered it. Although we were warned about the smell, it was truly so potent that I couldn't enjoy my meal because it was all I could smell. One colleague was brave enough to try it and said it was good but the rest of us couldn't get past the smell. There's something with fish paste in the sauce or marinate- I'm not explaining it well but my goodness is the smell off putting! We ate outside but I did pop in and use the restroom and there was live music even on a Tuesday evening. Interesting spot and would definitely recommend for a unique dining experience. Staff was all very friendly and helpful. read more

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Amazing night at griffins in Brea. Free parking just around the corner. The place itself is BEAUTIFUL! they have a singer Tuesdays and Thursdays which just made the ambience even better. Such a classy place. The food was delicious! We had the meatballs, burrata, potatoes and rib eye. We cleaned every single plate. The drinks were absolutely delicious and unique as well. Definitely will be back/ thank you to the whole crew! read more

Griffin's - New American Near Me - Brea, California

We had a wonderful meal, and great cocktails! We were waiting to hit the cinema and decided to have dinner at Griffin's. What a great choice. I had the Caesar Salad with grilled shrimp which I really enjoyed. The half dozen shrimp were very tasty. I loved what they did to the anchovies and was very pleased to see a nice mound of grated cheese on the salad. A hit all around. My wife had the burrata which she seemed to inhale. I'm not a beet fan but she certainly is. The hit of the evening was the Citrus Panna Cotta. We split one but I wish we got two! The little meringues added a small, but tasty crunch. We started out with cocktails. I had the whisky business and she had the pink pony club. Both were very nice and well presented. Service was excellent and the ambience was very nice. I really hope to return soon! read more

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My husband and I came here for my birthday tonight and the food and service were excellent! The yellowtail crudo had the best citrus sauce ever, the skirt steak was flavorful, the shrimp tacos were delicious, and the chocolate budino was so tasty. Our server was terrific and the owner even gave us a shot of his favorite Trujillo tequila! Everyone was so nice. My husband met a few of the friendly regulars at the bar (shoutout to Paul) before dinner and felt very welcome. We parked easily in the free parking garage structure across the street. Whether you're coming here for a nice dinner, or just looking for a great meal before or after a comedy show down the block, you won't be disappointed. We'll definitely come back. read more

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Food was good and delicious but I do think it's more on the expensive side of pricing for the amount you get. Service was fantastic, our server was very attentive to us and explained the menu perfectly to us. They gave us strawberry covered chocolate on the house for Valentine's Day. It's a cute spot for a date night. read more

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Went to Griffin's for an early Father's Day dinner and had a great experience! My husband and son ordered the wagyu burger and I ordered the pan roasted chicken. Both were delicious and fresh. Service was excellent. Our waitress Heidi was attentive and helpful. They had great team work with other staff members bringing food, refilling drinks, and clearing the table as needed. The atmosphere was welcoming, relaxing, and didn't feel pretentious. I would definitely recommend this establishment! read more

Griffin's in Brea deserves 12/10 stars! Celebrated a gfs birthday there this past weekend and it was amazing! We got a chance to meet David & Rob (the owner) and both were amazing hosts! Every dish we ordered was flipping YUMMY! With a big group of picky eaters, we all left satisfied. High quality ingredients, nice distinct flavors, and good portions for sharing. Shout out to the bartenders since the drinks were also a hit with our group!! With lots of restaurant choices in Brea, Griffin's has won me over. Can't wait to visit again & I hope they keep the panna cotta on the menu :-) read more

First time coming on Valentine's Day and am excited to be back to try the rest of the menu. I saw the other reviews about trying their crispy Brussel sprouts and was sooo glad I did! The ranch and buffalo dip go really well with the Brussel sprouts. The server (who I forgot their name) was very knowledgeable about the menu and told us that everything is made from scratch! THIS IS AMAZING! The tagliatelle was hands down my favorite item on the menu so far but I have my eyes on trying the other dishes. The chocolate covered strawberries were a nice surprise to end the night. Absolutely beautiful inside, the interior was very cozy and intimate but I can see it being inviting for larger groups as well. read more

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Visited this place for the first time yesterday night to celebrate my best friend's birthday. We were so happy that we picked this place for our celebration. Our server Sarah was the best! She had great recommendations The drinks we tried were Danger is my middle name and the Pink Pomy Club (this one was everyone's favorite!) For entrees we went with all of Sarah's recommendations: 20oz ribeye (recommended for two people), esquitte, creamy pasta which I forgot the name of and a Caesar salad. When the salad arrived we were not aware that it got served with anchovies which freaked most of out. Our server was nice enough to bring out a new one minus the anchovies. The ambiance was a little on the quieter side which is nice if you want to have date night. Bar area has tv if you want to grab a drink and watch a sports game. Our whole experience was amazing from beginning to end, and I can't wait to come back for our next gathering. read more

Griffin's - Pink Pomy Club - New American Near Me - Brea, California

griffin's for v-day dinner! got a reservation for 4:30 pm so the restaurant wasn't busy yet. service is nice, they check up on you and pretty attentive about making sure water is refilled. def a date ambience too. at first glance, the food menu is quite small tbh. the drinks are more extensive in comparison. got crispy brussels sprouts for appetizers, great sharing size. i like the sauces that came with it (one maybe ranch? and the other is a spicy one i think sriracha mayo). for the main entree, we got tagliatelle and wagyu bistro burger. both were good, nothing too special or stands out. it's very thoughtful that they gave complimentary chocolate strawberries for valentines day! i don't think i would come back as the food menu is quite small but overall this is a nice restaurant in downtown brea. i would say the target audience is for older individuals rather than trendy foodies. read more

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Favorite dishes were Branzino, Burrata, Caesar Salad w grilled shrimp, and patatas. ambiance was nice for an evening date night out or group of friends connecting. HH from 4-6pm daily! That's awesome. tried everything on HH menu and regular menu. would come back! Waiter was great. Checked in on us often. One thing I didn't like was we discussed that a friend and I wanted to share a glass of wine together and was asking what is a good red wine recommendation. We chose one but waiter ended up bringing out 2 glasses which he poured for us (2 orders of wine when we only wanted 1 glass to be shared). read more

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Food was great! I got the oxtail and ribeye and they were spectacular! I will be back!

Everything was amazing, great vibe, great food, drinks and staff! Definitely will come back!

First time having dinner here and was very happily surprised. Admittedly it was a last minute decision to eat here and went in with low expectations. As soon as we sat down we had great attentive service with food to match. Tomato burrata with crisy crunch seeds was delicious We shared an amazing skirt steak and the charred veggies. The quality of the meat was perfect The citrus panna cota was so refreshing with perfect sweetness read more

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Griffin's is the best restaurant in Brea and the best restaurant, along with Whittier's Phlight in the LA/OC county line area. In fact, after our first visit, we ended up going 4 times in one month. Surrounded by slick chain restaurants, Griffin's is the independent jewel that gets better with each visit. Set inside what I assume is an old theater, Griffin's is comprised of two main dining rooms, one with an open kitchen and one with a full bar. There is also a small outside eating area with some fire pits that might be nice when the weather gets a bit cooler. The menu is simple and small, with the salads and apps toward the top and the bigger entrees at the bottom. Highlights for me are the aguachile with pulpo (octopus)- so tender and citrusy, the patatas bravas with the two sauces, one on the top and one on the bottom, the oxtail, with the perfect amount of spice and tenderness, and the surprising pork cutlet. The pork cutlet comes with a sauce so good that I'd swim laps in it. The ribeye and skirt steak are also excellent with the nod going to the skirt steak for the accompanying sauce and tomatoes. While these may be highlights there are still so many things on the menu that are just excellent. Chef Gomez is way too young to be this good. She is truly gifted and I can't wait to see all of the dishes she comes up with in the future. Griffin's feels fun. It is not pretentious or fancy at all, it is a place that places great food and a great experience over all else. During one of our visits, the owner brought our table a round of shots and took one with us. We will be back on a very regular basis. We will celebrate here, we will bring friends here, we will bring family here for hopefully many years. Btw, at least during the summer, Thursday night was wine night with waived corkage fees and live music. I hope this sticks around. read more

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Nice ambiance, food was good, not great. , TV was present but not sure if I want to watch when this was suppose to be upper level. Food was pricey when compared to other similar restaurants. read more

Beautiful restaurant. Our server was excellent. We ordered some cocktails, they were delicious. Burger 8/10 Mushroom tacos 10/10 very flavorful Shrimp tacos 9/10 Oxtails paired with rice 10/10 fall of the bone tender, great flavor Definitely recommend. Will most certainly return. read more

Solid spot overall. Can get pretty loud but good place to hang out with friends on a weekend evening. Food came out pretty quickly. The standouts of our meal were the patatas bravas and bistro burger. Loup de mer was unfortunately too salty for our liking, probably would not order again. Also ordered the ribeye, oxtail, and Caesar - good but not good enough to come back just for those. Decent selection for the drink menu, though our waiter did forget my friend's Diet Coke three times...maybe because he didn't write any of our orders down lol but at least he got our food right read more

Had my birthday dinner here with my family on Sunday. They open at 4, we had reservations at 4:30, we were the first ones there. This is a pretty restaurant, loved the decor, they played good music. Service was great, very fast, all the waitresses who helped us were super sweet. They did let us know the food comes out as it's ready, and we were fine with that. But, I think since we were the only ones there they were TOO fast, and it seemed rushed. I wish the items had been brought out a bit slower. That would be my only complaint! We ordered a bunch and shared everything, it was all delicious! Caesar Salad was AMAZING. We got two for the table and it was perfect for 5 of us. Super lemony and creamy. Meatballs were great, loved the meat sauce served with them. Patatas Bravas were SO crispy and we couldn't get enough of the allium aioli underneath them! Brussels Sprouts were roasted perfectly and had great seasoning, I personally didn't like the dipping sauces, but I didn't need them. Pork Chop was like a big schnitzel, served with some kind of vinegary chimichurri. I liked the pork on it's own, wasn't a fan of the sauce, but everybody else loved it. The Tagliatelle with short rib ragu and mushrooms was SO GOOD. The noodles tasted freshly made, great texture, loved the sauce. Portion was was bigger than I was expecting, I brought about half home. Since it was my birthday they gave me a choice of ice creams, I went with chocolate, they brought out two scoops with some candles for me to blow out. We all shared the ice cream and it was good. This is definitely a restaurant I would come back to. Seems like they change up the menu, as some of the items I saw on their site weren't on the menu that evening. I was hoping to try the Cacio e Pepe, but was pleased with the pasta I ordered. read more

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Really glad we tried this place. We had only recently heard about it so we went in right away. All of the staff were super helpful and we asked what we should try and they helped us choose right every time. The live music was a great touch and it wasn't too loud or distracting at all. The Kentucky Heat was really good and creative. The Pork Chop was my favorite and was a really big nice portion. The owner also came by to meet with us and was the coolest. He also took us in the back bar and gave us a few shots. Plates cost a few bucks but definitely worth it in my opinion. Will 100% be back when I'm in town again read more

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Great food, ambience and wonderful service. Our servers Heidi and Joel were great! We enjoyed our meal and recommend this spot.

FOOD: 5/5 Ribeye 20 oz 5/5 Tagliatelle - pasta w/ braised beef 4/5 Shrimp tacos 5/5 Wagyu bistro burger The food here is undeniably good. We originally wanted to order the Dino Ribs, but decided against it after being told it would take 45 minutes to prepare. We tried the rib-eye instead. Even ordered well done it was very tender and perfect with the chimichurri sauce. I ate my leftovers the next day and the meat was still very tender and delicious. It's rare to find a place where well-done steak doesn't turn into leather, but this was an exception! The shrimp tacos were tasty, though a bit on the salty side. That said, the Tagliatelle pasta was perfect - creamy and delicious. Definitely the best dish we had that night! The portions are adequate but definitely shareable. I thought we were off to a great start--the front desk hostess was very welcoming and seated us immediately. And then a guy came to our table to explain the menu and take our order, but that was the first and last time we saw him. From there, the service became uncoordinated. To be honest, it was never clear who our server was. We had one person take the order, a different person bring the meal, and then a lady attending the table next to us who checked on them several times but completely bypassed us. . Perhaps she didn't notice us at first. When she finally did check in, I told her "everything was good" and I was referring strictly to the food alone while trying to be as positive as possible. However, the lack of coordination became difficult to ignore towards the end. Our drinks were completely empty with no one around to ask for a refill. When that same lady eventually passed by, we asked for a soda refill which took a very long time to arrive. We also requested a small to-go container that never showed up at all. The restaurant has a very open feel when you first walk in, but the actual seating arrangement feels a bit cramped. I was seated against a wall/divider where the tables were so close together that I could clearly hear the conversation of the party next to me. Verdict: The kitchen is clearly 5-star, but the service is disorganized and lacks a clear system. While the food is delicious, the frustration of having to hunt for service might make it not worth the visit in the end. read more

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Stumbled upon this gem after shopping at the mall. What a pleasant surprise. Food and drinks were superb! We had the patatas bravas , oxtail, house tequila, pink pony club. Joel was our server, very knowledgeable without being pushy . 10/10 recommend, will definitely be back. read more

Griffin's - Oxtail - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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