My second visit to Griffin's and both times have been very cozy, welcoming and memorable! Service is always above and beyond here! Let's start with the drink's. I ordered a Kentucky Heat -- bourbon based, it has a slight kick to it but the drink was fantastic. On my second visit, ordered an Old Fashioned with my choice of Bulleit Rye Whiskey and came out really nice. The food is 5/5 -- portions can be a bit bigger but can't complain, because the quality of the food is good! My only wish is that they had more options for food. The service and staff have been friendly and kind! Always making sure to check-up! read more

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Came here again the other day for happy hour, and still very happy with everything, from start to finish. For food, we ordered the patatas bravas, the tagliatelle, meatballs, and the panna cotta to finish. The pasta was great, tasted like fresh pasta, and the mushrooms and short ribs were perfect. I normally don't enjoy mushrooms, but they may have changed my mind. The meatballs were also really great, very soft and moist. But it's covered in a sauce that has a braised meat, and that meat was definitely the star of the dish. My only wish is that they had added more bread; the dish comes with 3 meatballs and only two pieces of bread. The potatoes were absolutely delicious. You could smell the paprika from the brava sauce the minute they set the plate down. The potatoes were insanely crispy, which is so difficult to get right when it's covered in sauce. I do wish they served more sauce on the side, but I'm not complaining. The aioli was delicious, and complimented the kick from the brava sauce perfectly! At the end of the meal, our waitress did ask us about dessert, and recommended the panna cotta. I normally don't order panna cotta just because it tends to be a simple dessert that you can make at home. But holy cow, the panna cotta here is no joke. It's perfectly citrusy from the yuzu, balanced with the tartness from the grapefruit; the creaminess is balanced with the lime meringue. It truly was the perfect palette cleanser to a heavy meal. I also wanted to give a little shoutout to the hostess Jess. We only came once before, but when we came back this time, she immediately recognized us. I think it's the little things like this that makes me want to come back to a restaurant. The restaurant had music playing in the background, but not at a loud enough decibel where you couldn't hear the person across the table from you, which was nice. I came during a Saturday afternoon, towards the tail end of happy hour. I will say that the restaurant was not as packed as you would expect for a Saturday night. I will continue to sing this restaurant's praises for the foreseeable future, and can't wait to introduce it to others. If you are wary of the lack of a line out the door, take advantage of short wait times and try out the food and drinks here! read more

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The music on Tuesday with Giana from the Sugar lips is amazing! And she takes requests. This was my first time in, was torn between the oxtail and Loup De Mer, Sarah helped me pick the comforting squid ink pasta (Loup De Mer). I dont usually like to eat fish skin but this whole plate was so delicious I ate the skin too. Crispy, the fish was tender and juicy. The pasta had a bit of a spicy bite at the end, had a very cheese texture and flavor. Im coming back in 2 weeks to try the oxtail! Highly recommend. read more

Griffin's - Loup De Mer Squid ink pasta and fish - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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Stopped by for a late dinner. Our server was Joel and he was fantastic. He was super attentive, checked in on us at the right times, and made sure we had everything we needed. Really made the experience better. I also want to give a shout-out to David (manager) for being very welcoming and making sure everything was running smoothly. You can tell he cares about the customer's experience. Would definitely come back. read more

Dom was our server. He greeted us with great energy and recommendations on the menu. And it did not disappoint. Everything was delicious!! Started with appetizers: Brussels sprouts, the crispy potatoes, and the squash & pear salad. We then shared the 20 oz ribeye with side of celery root & potato purée. This was plenty of food for four. Finished with a yummy chocolate dessert. Excellent cocktails as well! Thank you for a wonderful experience. read more

Food was delicious, Rib eye steak, cooked perfect, tender. Patatas bravas, delicious also. Sarah our server was great. We were celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary and the ambiance was perfect. read more

Overall the food was fantastic! The flavors popped so much with every bite, and every dish was unique with its own sauce and spice. The atmosphere was very unique being in an old theater and the lighting was amazing. The service was fantastic as every need we had was immediately met especially with how fast our food came out. Finally, the drinks were so unique in what was inside them and even their names! They were so fabulous and I can't stop thinking about them. read more

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We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary here and had a lovely experience! I was a little bummed the oxtail wasn't on the menu this time (some items change every 3 months), but we started with their staples: the meatballs and patatas bravas--both flavorful and a must-try! We also ordered the "elote" corn appetizer and the skirt steak entrée. Everything was well-seasoned and delicious. All the dishes we ordered are great for sharing and complement each other well. I must mention all the servers were ON IT. They just didn't hesitate to check on us frequently. Overall, a solid spot in the heart of Brea. Would love to come back to try more items on the menu! read more

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Visited the restaurant on a Friday night for happy hour. The parking lot in the back was full however valet was available and so was the free parking building across the street. We ordered from the HH menu which had a several dishes that had $5 off and drinks were $3 off. The Brussel sprouts were nicely charred, yummy dipping sauces. Asparagus was good too, tangy and perfectly cooked. The meatballs were delicious with the garlic bread toast, had to order 2 of those. Drinks were made decent, not too strong with enough liquor for you to order a few rounds and still engage in a conversation without slurring lol. The vibes were nice, we'll be back! read more

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

Joel was our server. Service was top notch. We ordered the oxtail. I've never had it before and it was excellent. Loved the Thai flavor. We got a side of rice with it for a perfect meal. Also ordered a ribeye and quality was top notch. The chocolate bowl was probably one of the best desserts we've had in a long time. My husband also ordered the spicy margarita and was obsessed. Overall a wonderful experience. Prices were also very fair for quality of food/service/experience. Atmosphere nice but laidback. read more

Food was great good portions not to big or to small . Clean restaurant decorated nicely. Service was 7/10 girl could've been more energetic and happy our server didn't look like he wanted to be there . Other servers on the other hand were very nice busser was awesome. read more

If you haven't been here yet, you NEED to. The food is incredible - there was not a single dish that I didn't enjoy. First of all, I didn't even know they had a full bar but THEY DO!! We ordered the Caesar salad, ribeye, patatas bravas, cacio e pepe, meatballs and oxtail. Everything was a hit and we cleared our plates. Best caesar salad I've ever had hands down. The oxtail was FALL OF THE BONE tender and so flavorful. The star of the show was the perfectly cooked medium rare ribeye paired with fluffy mash potatoes and a savory umami packed tiger chimichurri. Honestly you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I'm already ready to go back for the Dino ribs. The staff is very attentive and has great menu knowledge. The owner Robert was very welcoming and made the experience even better! There's plenty of seating since they have two big rooms. I loved that it wasn't too loud or anything either. The lights and flower at each table set a pleasant mood to dine! There's a small parking lot behind the restaurant but there's also plenty of parking in the structure across the street. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

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Had an awesome sister dinner here! But you have to try. Danger is her middle name cocktail! Just try it! read more

For months I have been craving a good steak. My side kick, my son, is the one who picks the spots. Today I decided to come to Griffin's for their ribeye. And an old fashion. Maaaaan, the ribeye (medium rare), was amazing. The perfect crisp on the outside, flavorful, & juicy on the inside. The chimichurri sauce was an amazing added touch. All while sipping on their Brown Sugar Old Fashion. Perfect touch. Added the Clarified Whiskey Sour, very refreshing. Nick & Jose at the bar, amazing job. Now time to go high 5 the cook who made the ribeye. Amazing. Just amazing. read more

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Nice little lunch or dinner date spot. It's really nice inside and they have an outdoor patio which we sat it. We started with the patatas bravas and Cesar salad. The potatoes were cooked perfectly with a light crunch outside and pillowy inside. They were good but didn't need the sauce imo. Next time I'd probably get the frites because they're thick. We also had the squid ink Cacio Pepe and ribeye. Pasta was really good, peppery and cheesy. The ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was good by itself but even better with a dunk in the sauce it came with. Definitely check them out. read more

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This might just be the best dining experience I've had this year. This hot new steakhouse in downtown Brea is OVERWHELMING, but in the best way possible ;) Their flavors are unique, inspired by familiar comfort foods but with a creative culinary twist. There wasn't a single dish that we tried that didn't hit, like the twice-cooked oxtail with Thai chili, ceviche in a pineapple-coconut broth, and ribeye that was cooked to perfection. For me, the patatas bravas and Caesar salad with the meaty scallops were must-haves. Thanks for reading! ^-^ read more

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Went for dinner tonight with a friend and was disappointed with the food, dinner and service esp given the price of our meal. I ordered the skirt steak and when it came to the table, did not come with a steak knife and the meat was so tough, you absolutely need a steak knife to cut it! Our waitress seemed to forget about us because after the food arrived, we didn't see her around and I had to ask another food runner for a steak knife. Given the price point of the skirt steak (which generally isn't an expensive cut of meat) I was expecting something fabulous but honestly, it was average and tough. As I said, our waitress seemed to get lost and even after we were done eating, we never had anyone come by to ask if they could remove our plates. We finally saw our waitress again so we flagged her down and asked for our check. Overall, for the price being charged for the food, I would've hoped for a higher end experience and better service....at a minimum, more attention to detail. read more

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

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Have no words to say besides that this place was perfection! Loved the ambiance and vibes and the service was phenomenal! We had the Italian chopped salad and ceviche for our apps and they were both delicious. Great acidity and balance from the Italian dressing and the seafood was fresh and well-seasoned. As for the ribeye, it was perfectly cooked, tender, and the mash and crying tiger sauce complemented the meat so well. We shared an espresso martini and sparkling mocktail which were both perfectly sweet and tasty in their own way. Perfect spot for a fancy and reasonably priced dinner! read more

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I ordered the patatas bravas, Caesar salad, skirt steak, and whole fish. Every dish was exceptional. The patatas bravas were perfectly crispy with just the right amount of spice, the Caesar salad was fresh and well-balanced, and both the skirt steak and whole fish were cooked beautifully, seasoned, and served at just the right temperature. I've been to several high-end and specialty restaurants in the past, and more often than not, I've left feeling underwhelmed. That wasn't the case here. The quality of the food, the presentation, and the consistency across all the dishes really impressed me. It's rare to find a restaurant that gets everything right, and this experience has me genuinely excited to return. The ambiance also added to the overall charm: comfortable, stylish, and welcoming without feeling overly formal. Our host, Jenny, was friendly, and attentive from the moment we walked in. She helped set the tone for a great night and made us feel right at home. My only small piece of feedback would be to pay a bit more attention to the water glasses, as there was some visible limescale on mine. It was a minor detail in an otherwise fantastic experience. All in all, me and my partner loved the visit. Great food, great service, and a great atmosphere! read more

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Review for The Griffin - Brea, CA Last night before going to sleep, an ad for The Griffin popped up on my TikTok page, and it immediately caught my attention. The video showed their incredible steaks, fresh seafood, and delicious-looking pasta -- so today my friend and I decided to give it a try. From the moment we arrived, everything exceeded our expectations. We started with an appetizer that was absolutely out of this world -- honestly, something I've never tasted before. For our main course, we shared a 20-ounce ribeye, perfectly marinated and cooked exactly to our liking. Every bite was tender and full of flavor. To top it all off, we enjoyed a dessert that was simply delicious -- the perfect sweet ending to an amazing meal. Our waitress, Sarah, was exceptional: friendly, kind, professional, and very gentle in her service. I'm so glad that TikTok ad appeared last night because it led us to one of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time. Highly recommend The Griffin to anyone who loves great food and warm hospitality. read more

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

Enjoyed a dinner with friend here. The steak was good. I won't say it's as good as a local steak house but a great second choice. The owner was very kind and offered us some shots which we of course took. Some recipes are from his grandma. Love the family feel of this place. Also has a bar top with TVs which is great for drinks with friends. read more

The place was empty on a Sunday night which is ashamed. Both service and food were good. It's very spacious inside and decorated nicely with TVs at the bar for people who want to hang out with friends to watch a game. The menu was small but had great options to choose from. We ordered the following to share between four ladies: Brussel sprouts Yellowtail crudo Meatballs Oxtail Ribeye Blackberry cake Brussels sprout was delicious with the buffalo sauce. Yellowtail crudo was refreshing and seasoned well. Meatballs were really juicy and yummy with the garlic toast. Oxtail was delicious and quite tender. Ribeye was cooked perfectly and broccolini was delightful. BlackBerry cake was a little weird. The clove icing was not pleasant with the cake. The combination was not a hit with my friends either. Overall, we had a good dinner, but some of my friends thought it was just a little too much meat and we should have ordered a more balanced meal. read more

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Great service, good variety and delicious! We ordered the meatballs, brussel sprouts, Caesar salad and steak. Hands down the steak was perfect cooked and tasty. Would highly recommend. read more

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

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Great service and impressive food. The ribeye was very juicy, tender, and flavorful. I'm rarely impressed by the sides/appetizers at steakhouses but all of them were creative and carefully crafted. We ordered the crispy brussels, burrata, patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), and inventive Caesar salad. The broccolini that accompanied the steak was perfectly cooked. The manager checked up on us and other tables about 3 times throughout the dinner. I'll definitely be returning. read more

Griffin's - Ribeye with broccolini - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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Finally tried one of the newest restaurants in town & it did not disappoint! Griffin's has a cool vibe that's perfect for a date night or a fun night out with friends. The crispy brussel sprouts were insanely good especially with that fennel ranch sauce! The meatballs were rich and melt in your mouth tender. The Oxtail dish was next level flavorful with a thai chili lime flavor that was so delicious, just writing this makes my mouth water! The waygu burger was juicy, flavorful and worth every single bite. Looking forward to our next visit to Griffin's! read more

The host was very nice and knowledgeable. We had a great conversation and she went out of her way to accommodate us when we asked to sit at a specific table, which honestly made our Christmas Eve dinner even better. While we waited outside, she kept chatting with us and made us feel so welcome even though we were starving. Her kindness and accommodating attitude really stood out and set the tone for a great night. I think her name is jennie thank you so much! Will likely to go back. read more

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We came here for a birthday dinner and had such a great experience! The vibe is hip and lively without being too loud, and the service was warm and attentive. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, potatoes, meatballs in short rib gravy, and a pasta dish -- everything was absolutely delicious. The flavors were rich without being heavy, and all the dishes were super shareable, which made it perfect for a celebratory meal. The meatballs in the short rib gravy were the standout for me, but honestly there wasn't a single miss. Great atmosphere, amazing food, and perfect for a special night out. Definitely would come back! read more

Pink pomy club was delicious and easy to drink. Patatas bravas were great. Unique flavors and great textures. Tagliatelle was good but a little too heavy for our taste. Skirt steak has amazing textures and flavors. A server recommended we get a side of corn tortillas to eat it with. We tried it out but preferred the fish as is. Even though we were celebrating my birthday, I was not given a dessert. read more

Great ambiance, impeccable service from our waitress. She was great! Delicious food. Great to try family style as she suggested. Ribeye, shrimp tacos, patatas, Brussels sprouts were delicious! read more

Headed to Griffin's on a Sat night to meet my friend for my belated birthday dinner. The restaurant has an open kitchen concept and is pretty dark and "romantic" inside. I tried the Pink Pomy Club to start and it was a bit too tart for my liking but made it through the cocktail. To start I ordered the Yellowtail Crudo which was good, but the yellowtail was still slightly frozen. For our entree, my friend and I split the ribeye and patatas bravas. Both were delicious with nice flavoring that wasn't too overpowering. The service was a bit slow while I waited for my friend to show up, but once she arrived we were rocking and rolling and even had visits from the manager and the owner with tequila and spark plug samples. If it's your first time, recommend parking in the garage across the street and walking over as the lot on the backside of the restaurant is tiny. Griffin's is located next to Yard House for reference. read more

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We got the shrimp tacos, meatballs & tagliatelle. The tagliatelle had more gummy beef fat than there was meat. I didn't snap a picture of all the fat but this piece fell off the plate. Nothing special about the shrimp tacos. They were very dry. Flour tortillas don't go well w/shrimp in my opinion. More sauce and/or lime would have been helpful. The meatballs were good. Staff good but request were took longer than usual. read more

Griffin's - We got the tagliatelle. more gummy beef fat than there was meat. - New American Near Me - Brea, California

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Was hoping to have a great night with hubby as always But we got our Ribeye without steak knives And by the the time I was able to get someone's attention to ask for knives the steak was already cold. We are loyal supporters of all local places and have brought family and friends in to support as well. As a former server my tip would be any one who orders a steak bring the knives to table before food arrives. We want to continue to support just disappointed read more

Extremely impressed with our entire experience. The ambiance is warm and intimate. The service from all the staff members was friendly, inviting, and knowledgeable about the menu. We started our dinner with the yellowtail crudo and it was the best start to our dinner. The yellowtail was fresh and the sauce was flavorful but not over powering. My husband and I shared brussel sprouts, patatas, and the oxtail. Each dish was created with creativity and balance. A sweet addition to our first visit to Griffins was a live pianist and singer! (tuesdays and thursdays) we'll be back for our next date night or girls night out read more

Celebrated my birthday with family. The ambience was good but the food was too salty. I ordered beef short rib and my son ordered the skirt steak. Both were overly salted. The avocado on top of the skirt steak was blackened, bitter and still sprinkled with coarse salt on top. It would have been better left fresh and untouched to compensate for the extra saltiness of the skirt steak. The shrimp taco was not special. The panna cotta was a disappointment, it was nothing like one. read more

Before watching a comedy show next door at the Improv, we stumbled into this restaurant and noticed it was quite new to downtown Brea. Looked over the menu and the food looked promising along with the cocktail menu. I liked the open kitchen concept and the spacious dining area with a separate bar that's perfect to watch sports on one end and enjoy a romantic dinner on the other side. We first started off with the appetizers and cocktails and later ordered the entrees. Their portions are good enough to share so pick several dishes to try. One thing that really stood out was their house made Caesar's salad dressing with charred whole Romaine lettuce topped with toasted bread crumbs. Never tasted anything like it before. It's a simple yet complex Caesar salad that's put together very well and flavorful. It's a must try! The hamachi presentation was beautiful and I couldn't help taking pictures of this dish! Great appetizer to share amongst 2-3 ppl. The server recommended the house made sausages which came with sautéed onion medley and toasted bread. Its unique taste will definitely go well with beer! Good size portion to share with 3-4 ppl! Now the one entree that I'll be back for is their fish! I don't know what's in that sauce but it's highly addictive and amazing! I can eat the whole plate and not want to share this one. Look at the picture of the fish I took! It looks amazing but taste phenomenal! Just order it and let me know if you loved it as much as I did! We also got the hanger steak and I took one piece just to try. Perhaps next time I would order their cowboy cut ribeye instead. That's more of my favorite cut vs the hanger. So in my biased opinion, it was my least favorite dish. But that's just me. Oh and if you plan on getting the steak, check out their extensive wine list! I was so caught up on all the cocktails that the server was suggesting and didn't pay much attention to the wine list. Now for the cocktails. This is the place to come for the best hand crafted cocktails!! If you want basic cocktails like a mint mojito, you can easily find that anywhere else. That being said, you'll find some exquisite options that won't be available to find at any other bars in this area. And we couldn't leave without trying the chocolate pie! Definitely a great palate pleaser and to end your meal! read more

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Met an old friend here with his son for a reunion dinner to celebrate his birthday. The wait staff could not have been kinder placing us in a cozy corner booth. The restaurant is a converted theatre and it retains a lot of charm. The food menu looks simple at first but the mix of selections was awesome. Each person got their own entree and then we shared sides. The meatballs were a good choice as was the pasta. Had an epic cocktail to start. Parking a little difficult so leave time. read more

We came here for happy hour and then dinner afterward. It was a Tuesday afternoon and there are basically 5 tables max from 5 till closing. The waitress is friendly and nice but everything takes a long time to come. The foods are pretty good but are on the expensive side. For the service and the price it is a bit underwhelming. read more

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Great food to go along with great service. Picked this place at random for my birthday and it was a nice surprise for me and my friends.

Decided to try this place based on all the social media videos making the food and cocktails look so enticing. Unfortunately this place did not meet our expectations. Food and drinks were ok. They have a 2 page menu. One is food and the other is drinks. We felt like something was missing from the menu, such as fries. The food was overpriced for the quality we got. Our bill was over $100 for two food items and 3 cocktails. Food took awhile to come out with a small amount of customers they had on a Saturday. read more

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Sarah was great! She gave us some great suggestions and was very welcoming. The food was good! Had the meatballs, Caesar salad, rib eye, tagliatelle and patatas. Would come back. But if you're there for a particular dish be sure to check the menu first as some items are seasonal read more

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