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

Best restaurant in Brea! This was my second time here, and I'll definitely keep coming back. From the moment we arrived, Kayla made the entire experience amazing. She was attentive, friendly, and truly went above and beyond. Our food and drinks came out quickly, and everything was absolutely delicious. I ordered the tagliatelle, and my boyfriend ordered the oxtail. Trust all the other reviews and order the oxtail--you won't be disappointed! I was torn between the tagliatelle and the chicken and grits, but I skipped the chicken because I wasn't sure I'd like the grits. Kayla surprised me by bringing out a small sample so I could try them, which was such a thoughtful gesture. That's the kind of service that keeps people coming back. The atmosphere was perfect. We went on a Friday night, and there was a DJ playing music at just the right volume--it created a fun vibe without being too loud. We even received complimentary shots! We also learned that the owner and general manager have their own liquor brand that's only available at the restaurant, which was such a cool touch. This has officially become my new favorite spot in Brea. Highly recommend! read more

This place deserves 4stars for the food but I'm giving it 3 stars for the overall experience bc the customer service felt short. Husband & I made reservations but once we walked to the front entrance, the hostess said to wait a moment to get seated. We wait , she comes back & says she did not see our names on the reservations & meanwhile other customers walk in & a server walks out & escorts them to get seated even though they didn't have reservations. We thought that was absurd. I showed the hostess that our reservations were confirmed via open table. She looks at us confused & then my husband says to her how is that we had to wait but the customers after us gets seated before us without reservations? She apologized & the server next to her apologized & finally got us seated. The baffling part is there were many empty tables as we walked in on a Friday night. Once we sat down, our server was polite & friendly however, rarely checked in on us. We had empty dishes sitting around on our table & not picked up for the longest time. In my opinion, this is just bad training & bad management. Not sure if the staffing was short just on that night or they're lacking experience. As for the food, we had the burrata, clam & chorizo, & oxtail dish. All 3 were packed with flavor & delicious. The burrata was soft, the clams were decent in size & not so tiny, the bread wasn't burnt, & the texture of the oxtail wasn't so tough. I'd order these dishes again. Lastly, the gin cocktail was spot on. Despite the lack in customer service, I would give this place another chance. read more

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Came To GRIFFIN'S A Couple Of Days Ago For A Simple Celebration. I Made Reservations The Same Day And I Was Able To Get A Spot. I Arrived About 10 Minutes Early. I Was Automatically Greeted By The Host And Was Seated Right Away. That Right There Already Gave This Place A Good Look. Once Shown To My Seat, The Menu Was Given And Drinks Were Offered By The Server KAYLA. She Was Great. She Knew The Menu So Well Off The Top Of Her Head. That Is Something You Don't See Anymore. She Was Obviously Trained Very Well And She Takes Her Job Serious. Great Smile Too! After Everything Was Taken Down And Requested, I Was Able To Take A Look Around And I Loved It. Felt So Welcoming And Warm. The Food. The FOOD! So Good! I Ordered The Steak Au Poivre And I Couldn't Get Enough. It Was Cooked Just As I Ordered It. I Also Ordered A Sazerac And That Just Topped It Off. Everything Was Just Right. My Date Ordered The Oxtail And She Couldn't Stop Raving About It. Oh And I forgot To Mention That The Water Was AMAZING! Sorry, I Love Water And Their Water Was TOO Good. So, Would I Come Back? Hell Yeah! You Have To Try This Place For Yourself. Have Your Own Experience. Don't Just Take These Words For It. read more

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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AMAZING-AMAZING!!!!! I went here for my birthday and I just might make this an annual thing. Kayla was our server and she was so sweet! When I asked her what are their top dishes, she broke down the whole menu and made everything sound amazing! It's rare these days where the server studies their menu and educates their guest on their process, guaranteeing an amazing dining experience. I ordered the Oxtail with a side of white rice and my husband ordered the Steak Au Poivre. Both were so flavorful and tender. I was really impressed with the oxtail because I never tried it seared and as a dry dish. I always had it in soups, so to be honest, I was nervous how it would taste, but woooooow!!!! The sauce is what's key in that dish. Just try it, there are no words but guarantee satisfaction to your palette. David, the manager, what a great guy! I see why the whole staff has great customer service skills and positive attitudes. I appreciate a manager that leads by action and not just by words. He didn't hesitate to grab a plate and go on the floor with his team. He was also kind enough to go to our table and check in on us. Food and staff, top tier. I can't wait to come back and try the other dishes. read more

Griffin's - Oxtail & Steak Au Poivre - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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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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I absolutely love this place. I was in recently and had a wonderful dinner. The food was amazing. The service was even better. And the ambience was just spectacular read more

Great food and great service. We'll be back again and again. Good place to go before the improv.

Absolutely incredible! This is the perfect spot for dinner, drinks, and a great time. This is my second time here and every dish I've ever ordered I've left thinking about. My favorite apps that I will forever have on repeat are the patatas and the brussels - do yourself a favor and add these to your next order! Every cocktail is a hit so I recommend asking your server what you should try based on what you like - they're super helpful. The owner, Robert, made us feel right at home and he has such an eye for detail and a plentitude of culinary knowledge. We loved the sleek yet fun ambiance and can't wait to be back! read more

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Amazing appetizers, the service for delicious cocktail drinks, ambiance is cool vibes. You will have to find parking in the structure, but if you can find parking behind Yard House, good job! read more

Always great food, and great service. Will keep going back. Never had anything on their menu that I didn't love. read more

Came here last Sat, we tried a couple of appetizers, Griffin's chop salad, Yellowtail crudo, meatballs. The Ribeye was cooked to perfection. Everything was delicious, great food and great service. Highly recommend, we will be back :) read more

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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An Absolute Gem! Amazing Food, Vibes, and Live Music ​We came here for a Thursday dinner, and from the moment we checked in for our reservation to being seated, the entire process was seamless and welcoming. ​Our waiter was incredibly sweet and attentive, taking the time to answer all of our questions about the menu with a smile. Both the food and the drinks were absolutely delicious--everything came out perfectly. ​The inside of the restaurant looks fantastic, and the overall vibes were just great. To top it all off, they had live music playing when we walked in. The female singer (I didn't catch her name, unfortunately!) was amazing and put together an incredible playlist. She was so friendly and happy, and she even took a moment to come over and chat with us at our table. ​Griffin's nailed every detail. Great service, delicious food, and wonderful entertainment. We will definitely be back! read more

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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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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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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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Nice ambiance and the food and drinks are good; however the service is on the slower side.

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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We've been to Griffins a few times. The food is I'd say the best in Brea. We've lived here over 20 years and Griffins is a true hidden gem. You honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I've tried everything except the meatballs, which look delicious and I plan to try on my next visit. Every dish is flavorful, fresh and unique. Cocktails, are perfect pairings with fun twists. Ambience can be one of those places where you can get dressy for date night or a casual anytime you feel like eating great food spot. Each setting feels intimate but the bar area looks like a cool place to hang out. Great experiences, always A+++++ food. read more

Went to Griffin's last night, we came previously last year when we were in the area and had a great meal. This time was good and not so good. We went early for happy hour, I got an old fashion and my wife got "danger is my middle name", same cocktails we got last time but were war too sweet. We were disappointed in these drinks, they were much better last time. Our bartender Jose was very personable but needs to be better. The table next to us ordered a Rombauer Chardonnay, got the wrong white wine, shows he wasn't paying attention. We started with a Caesar salad, a tad over dressed, too much dressing but we really enjoyed it. I had the whole snapper which was excellent, my wife got the shrimp tacos, she didn't enjoy that, it was over spiced, too hot and not mentioned on the menu ingredients. So many dishes on the menu were spicy, a lot for the small menu. I suggest management add indicators which dishes are spicy. Some were hits, some were misses but overall a disappointing experience read more

Griffin's - Shrimp tacos, deceptively spicy - New American Near Me - Brea, California

Great service by Jochen and delicious food. We had the shrimp tacos & papas bravas. The ambiance was lovely too. Music selection was on point. read more

Came in for an early dinner, there was no wait and it was nice and welcoming inside. The menu is small and refined, and everything we ordered was yummy. The patatas were a really good starter. Service is friendly and quick, and we had a very meal. They have a large bar menu, although we did not order alcohol. read more

Griffin's - Ribeye 20oz - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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

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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The food was amazing! Such a diverse menu and everything was delish!!! The vibe was cool. This will 100% be in our rotation.

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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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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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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I'm a local in Brea and I remember seeing Griffin open with a default 5 stars and approximately 100 reviews on yelp (before opening day) so I was hesitant to give them a chance. But, I finally decided to check them out after having tried their ox tail dish during taste of Brea. They didn't disappoint! So, the menu options are all pretty unique which is great for the area. There's already too many American restaurants with the same burgers and wings in Brea so it's nice to have something different. We had ox tail, skirt steak, the burger and for appetizers we had the potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Everything was delicious. For drinks, we had about 5 of their original cocktails and they were all well made, balanced (not too sweet). Where I'd say there's room for improvement, it would be the ambiance. The music doesn't really create a vibe. Sounds like someone just clicked shuffle on an old iPad with alternative rock and pop from the 2000s. The volume is also a little louder than it should be. The looks of the place are great, dark, kinda romantic lighting, and a unique look due to it previously being a theatre. The music was nothing that completely ruined the experience though. Just trying to give honest feedback. Service: our server Serina was great! She was professional, but also hospitable. Never over the top. Kept our waters filled, made casual conversation and made recommendations. I also saw her interact with her other tables and she was very busy but despite that, she still seemed poised and was attentive and personable to everyone. I'd give this place a 8/10 I'm coming back and glad that the possible fake reviews on opening day didn't end up being just a sad marketing stunt. read more

Great atmosphere. Great service. Great selection of alcohol and a fine mixologist. Incredible menu that changes every three months. Entertainment, some nights. Expect an unusual menu. Oxtail is a signature dish. We were there the second or third night they were open and have been going back since. read more

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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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

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

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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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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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