The Grill On the Alley: A Foodie’s Happy Place

The Grill On the Alley is basically my culinary Disneyland—except instead of rides, you get Garlic Cheese Toast, and instead of Mickey Mouse, you get servers so polished they could moonlight as James Bond. Service here? Impeccable. Atmosphere? Classic. Food? Oh, let’s talk about the food.

Lunch vibes: I kicked things off with a French 75 cocktail so perfectly balanced it could have been crafted by a Parisian wizard. Then came the Garlic Cheese Toast, which I will confidently put on my “last supper” menu. It’s buttery, cheesy, garlicky perfection—and yes, I shared, but only because I wanted to stay married. The French Onion Soup deserves its own fan club: rich, caramelized onions swimming under a melty blanket of Gruyère and Parmesan. And the Reuben? A glorious, messy stack of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing on rye. Ten out of ten—would eat again.

Dinner drama: Round two started with an Espresso Martini that could double as dessert. Naturally, we ordered the Garlic Cheese Bread again (why mess with perfection?). For mains, we had the Chicken Pot Pie—a golden puff pastry dome hiding a creamy chicken-and-veggie filling so good you’ll fight over the last bite. The Cobb Salad was loaded with double smoked bacon, avocado, bleu cheese, and everything else that makes salad less about “being healthy” and more about “living your best life.” And then there was the Calf’s Liver—an endangered species on menus these days—served with onions and bacon. If you love it, you’ll love this.

Sweet ending: The Hot Fudge Sundae is non-negotiable. Order it, thank me later.

In short: The Grill is comfort food dressed in a tuxedo. It’s where you go when you want old-school service, cocktails that sparkle, and dishes that make you close your eyes after every bite.