The Grill on the Alley - San Jose

Review summary

1. R

   Richard

   VIP

   San Francisco

   77 reviews

   1.0

   77 reviews

   Dined on December 12, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Don't waste your time at the Grill on the Alley. Years ago it was a first class operation, a little expensive, but good food and great service. Today I would only have a drink at the bar where Justin does a first class job serving customers. At dinner I ordered the shrimp cocktail and was very disappointed. The shrimp were not fresh or firm. The warm rolls were doughy. The Caesar salad is only a Caesar in name only with inexpensive boxed croutons and a desultory bottled salad dressing. On the other hand the "Flower" pinot noir is excellent but grossly overpriced at $34 a glass and not worth it. San Jose has a any number of decent restaurants but unfortunately the Grill on the Alley is among them, RichardAlexander stands by this evaluation.
   

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2. M

   Mary Beth

   VIP

   San Francisco

   53 reviews

   3.0

   53 reviews

   Dined on November 29, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We routinely go to the Grille on rhe Alley for Thanksgiving, and before that we would go on Christmas Eve so we’ve been doing this for years. Yesterday was a huge disappointment. Evidently there is new ownership and head chef and we noted a bit of a Japanese flair to the menu this year. That’s all well and good….my husband LOVES that style of food….but when you remove a classic Thanksgiving meal of turkey and fixings that was working to this year’s offering, well it was not a hit. The turkey dinner in previous years came with a full plate of the moistest turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, cranberry sauce…..it was very good in my opinion. This year the plate consisted of dry and tough turkey, good stuffing, a cornbread muffin and some cranberry relish. You had an option of 4 veggies so if you wanted mashed potatoes you selected them from there leaving no veggie option other than ordering an additional side. No pumpkin dessert option….what?!!! On Thanksgiving?! We decided on a lemon meringue tart which appeared to have had no lemon added in the making. Bland is an understatement. My husband’s steak took up the whole plate so he was happy but had to order potatoes as a side as well as a veggie. Our waiter was great, listened to my comments and kindly removed my meal and the dessert from the bill. He was the best part of the meal to be truthful….friendly, personable, listened to my concerns and disappointment and tried to solve it. So will we be back for Thanksgiving next year? If this is the offering probably not, and that makes me sad.
   

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3. R

   Renae

   San Francisco

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on November 29, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We had a delicious dinner for Thanksgiving, food was amazing!
   

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4. L

   Lawrence

   San Francisco

   4 reviews

   2.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on November 28, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   One of our steaks was very undercooked and had to return it twice. Our waiter was helpful, Joel, he gave us a new steak, but it took forever, all of us were done eating when it came out. They at least comped our dessert and the steak.
   

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5. J

   James

   Los Angeles

   39 reviews

   5.0

   39 reviews

   Dined on November 23, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   For a steak house, their Sea Bass was delicious! The Hamachi Crudo was just OK - but not bad.
   

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6. J

   Jonathan

   San Francisco

   9 reviews

   5.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on November 20, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Lucas and other staff were awesome. We had a very early dinner, food was prepared perfectly. It may sound odd, but the bread was spectacular. We cannot wait to return. Cheers
   

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7. A

   Alyx

   VIP

   Seattle

   6 reviews

   1.0

   6 reviews

   Dined on September 22, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   So this place used to be our go to steak house. The time we went before this time I’m writing about, they were talking about how they’re struggling to stay afloat. Well my dad and stepmom were in town and like steak so we took them here. The second we opened the menu my boyfriend and I both looked at each other and said “uh oh”. They hike the prices up way higher than Morton’s (which was across the street and packed) whereas the grill had maybe two or three other parties tops? Anyway, selection decreased, prices increased, no bread service anymore. The waiter wasn’t as attentive as he could’ve been especially cuz basically no one was there. When it came time for dessert, he told us they don’t have a printout dessert menu so he verbally ran us through the options and forgot to mention canolis initially but we decided on the chocolate lava cake with espresso ice cream. He comes back and says sorry that was actually yesterday’s menu and gave us the options for today. None of which sounded good. We got coffee. It was $6 per cup of coffee (which of course we didn’t know til after since no printed out menu. I suppose we could’ve asked but still) and the coffee tasted like….idk I’m sorry but basically dirty dishwater. Incredibly disappointing. Everything about this experience. We will never be going here again. Will try Morton’s next time.
   

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8. Z

   Zari

   VIP

   Tulsa

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on September 22, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   It’s always great food, excellent service and outstanding drinks.
   

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9. c

   cliffmm

   San Francisco

   17 reviews

   2.0

   17 reviews

   Dined on August 25, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   The Grill at 5:30 was not crowded. Service was slow even after announcing we needed to get out for a play. We have been very annoyed in the last couple dinners that they don’t have bread or rolls to serve with the meals. That alone makes us unsure we will return. The value was high for small portions, especially the roasted chicken.
   

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10. M

    Maria

    San Francisco

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on August 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    For all the times I love the restaurant they change the menu maybe change owners before they received w a basket of delicious bread w butter this time when they didn’t put the bread I asked and they want to charge me extra for having bread
    

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