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Blue Grillhouse
Categories: Restaurants Steakhouses Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants American (New) Steakhouses, Wine Bars, American (New)
4431 Easton AveBethlehem, PA 18016
(610) 691-8400
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 10 am - 9 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Daniel H. said: "No idea why people have written so many bad reviews thus far. I have a feeling they are comparing it to the old Rookies restaurant that used to occupy the same space. However I never had a chance to visit Rookies before they bit the…" read more »
28 reviews for Blue Grillhouse
Review Highlights
"Tried the rib eye steak sandwich and a chopped salad."
(in 2 reviews)
"All in all though a very nice dining experience."
(in 3 reviews)
"Large selection of steaks for dinner."
(in 4 reviews)
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Candi K.
Updated - 1/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
My first trip in since the big remodel. Looks like a more polished & modern version of the old blue...love the cherry wood trim, the fireplaces and the large bar area.
A quiet Saturday lunch for two was in order. Maybe 40 people having lunch inside, but all spread out. I didn't realize how many people were inside until we were headed back to the car. The music is kind of loud for lunch - but the place is pretty open, so without the loud-ish music, you'd be able to hear every other conversation. And I'm sure it's perfect in the evenings when they are packed.
I tried the blue burger...$6.95 for a plain burger (LTO) with fries or salad...$1 extra for each additional topping (cheeses, mushrooms, avocado, etc). I topped mine with cheddar and avocado (which was more of a red onion/avocado mash...yum!). Served a perfect medium, it was delicious. The fries...just okay. My companion had the grouper sandwich...a huge 1" thick filet, perfectly breaded...served with a delicious remoulade. He chose the salad instead of the fries. Just okay (maybe too much dressing?). Finished off the meal with the NY Cheesecake - oreo was the day's flavor. I was expected a little slice, but it was an entire little round cheesecake. Half of it is still in the fridge with the rest of my burger.
Service was fantastic. Jenn made sure we had everything we needed without being too clingy - waters stayed full - and she made great recommendations.
Looking forward to heading back for happy hour ($6 drinks & appetizers), dinner ($29 prix fixe during the week) and brunch (yay mimosas!).Listed in: Upscale Dining in the Valley
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/20/2009
I finally had lunch here - I had a client in town on business and needed a quiet place to have a… Read more »
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Review from Johnny I.
Hawley, PA
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
Back last night after a couple years, and still very good!
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Review from Jennifer P.
Bethlehem, PA
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
The ambiance was exceptional making it a special dining experience for my boyfriend and I on his birthday. I ordered the grassfed ribeye w/ mashed yukon potatoes. I always order my steaks well done ... some get it right some don't but boy was this well done steak juicy. mmmhm. I barely needed a knife. I noticed another comment about the 'overpriced' menu. Yeah, umm don't go if you're on a tight budget and don't understand the concept of fine dining. It's not going to be cheap! You'll complain way too much about the price and miss out on the goodness this establishment has to offer! Which is heaven on a plate.
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Review from Nicky R.
Teaneck, NJ
1/4/2012
My parents and I had never been to Blue. It was highly recommended. My mom and I ordered from the prix fixe menu. There were many great choices. I had the scallops, filet mignon and creme brulee. My mom had the salad, salmon and strawberry shortcake. My dad had the bone-in pork chop with red wine sauce. He had fruit cobbler for dessert. We all shared two vegetable side dishes: broccolini and roasted asparagus with hollandaise sauce. The entrees, sides and sauces are generous portions. Everyone was happy with the wines by the glass. Our waiter was very accommodating when I asked for more information about my Willamette Valley pinot noir. It was sublime, like drinking liquid silk. The atmosphere, service and food all deserve 5 stars.
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Review from Kate S.
Easton, PA
1/20/2012
Way too pricey for what you get...
My boyfriend and I used to enjoy going to Blue for special occasions (because it's pricey) for the traditional and delicious steakhouse experience. We went tonight after almost a year away and they revamped the menu and we were so disappointed they got rid of our favorite steakhouse classic sides. We started out with some tasty apps, the oysters rockefeller and lobster raviolis which were good but overpriced. The new sides were blah. They were basically steamed or sauteed vegetables and they were charging $7 for a plate of mushrooms that were eh and a $7 baked potato that was overcooked to the point where you couldn't even cut through it with a steak knife. They got rid of the lobster mac n cheese as well as the creamed spinach sides which was something I would totally pay $7 for. I also realized they were charging $2 for a steak sauce which I don't think they used to charge for before. The service is always great there and my filet was to die for but everything else fell short of my expectations for the price which was worth about a week and a half of groceries! OUCH... So we will explore other more reasonable places in the valley to get a good steak. -
Review from Brian H.
Township of Lower Gwynedd, PA
4/19/2011
I took a ride to meet some friends who live in the Poconos at a conveniently located halfway point in Bethlehem. We walked into a very welcoming, well designed, well decorated building, and were greeted professionally and courteously. The one bartender was very busy but her pleasantry made up for the wait.
We sat down to dinner and were attended by the most precious server, smart, efficient, professional, the service and ambiance was the best thing about this place, though.
The chopped salad had a funky flavor and seemed like day old produce. The lobster bisque was very salty, but decadent. The arugula with prosciutto and melon was probably the best app we got. Oh, before the apps we had a cheese plate with our wine order. There is a decent selection of wines which came from a beautifully inserted glass walled wine room visible to the entire restaurant and bar area. But the cheese plate was something grand mom would put out on Christmas. The plate included 5 cheeses, horrible presentation with 2 smoky cheeses, 1 horseradish and 2 without flavor. Along side were townhouse-type crackers, salty, buttery, not appropriate, and the garnish of grapes were of mixed sizes and ages, yes, some were old, and blueberries, some mushy, some unripe.
The Ono fish special was so dry, it needed the chutney to create moisture in your now dry mouth. And the chutney was flavorless. The Ahi tuna, although fresh and cooked to a perfect rare, had too many veins running through it to get a clean bite without getting stuck in your teeth. Another person had the lamb chop which I was assured was "good".
The company of my good friends made me not dwell on the culinary mediocrity. I don't plan on going back...but what did I expect for "up there", I'm a city snob. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Dallas, TX
8/21/2011
Very nice place in Easton - I was pleasantly surprised. I started with a strawberry bellini martini...yum! We tried several appetizers and enjoyed all of the them. The filet was cooked perfectly too! The service was fantastic and the decor was very nice.
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Review from Dimitrios D.
New York, NY
11/25/2010
It's a nice enough looking place with modern American fare.
However, the prices are too high considering its location in the Lehigh Valley- these prices would be fine in Manhattan, but not out here.
And I got the ahi tuna main course, which was good, but had an awfully pungent sauce accompanying it. Not recommended.
This place is possibly okay, I just got the wrong item. And for the price, I'd look elsewhere... -
Review from Chelsea P.
Aston, PA
6/17/2011 2 photos
Went here for my friend's bachelorette dinner. We decided to go for a bunch of apps and drinks. The apps were enjoyable.. but not what I'd consider worth the price we paid for them. I can't even remember what I ate, so that has to tell you something. Drinks -- definitely worth the price. My favorite was called the "midnight in paris." I'd go again just for this drink and skip the food next time. However, I've never tried their main courses so I can't comment on that. The atmosphere was trendy and fun. It was definitely a fun excuse to get dolled up and chill out with my ladies :-) Staff were super friendly and offered to take pictures of us as a group. Although what young man wouldn't want to find an excuse to get in with the cute table of young ladies wearing black dresses and penis necklaces (classy I know).
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Review from alexis g.
Falls Church, VA
10/1/2007
This place is great for the Lehigh Valley because it's not a chain, and it's huge. As a former meat eater, I can say this place is pretty good.
Unfortunately, this is where I took my then-boyfriend the first time he met my family. He has been vegan for about 10 years, so I was nervous about going here. But my mom had called ahead and assured me they had options for vegans and vegetarians alike. In reality, the waiter looked like a deer in headlights when we asked for vegan recommendations. On the spot, he thought of a dish called "The Tower of Vegetables," and swore up and down that this was one of the restaurant's best dishes. They must have had a chuckle about it back in the kitchen, because "The Tower of Vegetables" was more like a carrot on top of a piece of lettuce.
It's a funny story that we still laugh about to this day. It was our bad for thinking they really did have vegetarian options here. Why would they? -
Review from Vanessa W.
Bethlehem, PA
8/4/2006
Upscale restaurant with excellent wine list. The largest wine selection in the Valley. Great for a lunch business meeting. Even has a back board room to close the deal privately.
Menu is american with unique twists including a Shrimp Lobster Reuben for lunch.
Large selection of steaks for dinner. Generally attracts an older crowd, but has a very hip, trendy appearance. Not for the budget-minded. -
Review from Victoria S.
Bethlehem, PA
3/13/2011
Have been here many times for drinks and dinner. Had their bar menu which was great for a late night snack when everything else is closed. Their kitchen is open past 10pm. Tried the rib eye steak sandwich and a chopped salad. Was good. Service is always good, great decor and good time.
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Review from Jeff H.
Philadelphia, PA
10/27/2008
The food here is better than at sister restaurant Melt, but they both suffer the same problem, the emphasis is on decor/looks. Not that a beautiful restaurant is bad, I think Blue looks great, but don't rest on your visual laurels!
The appetizers are, for the most part, good. Both times I've gotten the cheese plate I've enjoyed it. Most recently it featured not a single blue cheese, major plus.
I've gotten the steak once and fish once, I think they do steak better. However, someone else ordered the ahi tuna and had nice things to say about it.
The biggest disappointment for me was a crab mascarpone and orecchiette side dish. It was far and away the most expensive side at $15 and had about as much flavor as one of the 99 cent Lipton sides you can get at the grocery store. You know the ones, a dab of butter, a 1/4 cup of milk, cover and simmer for 11 minutes.
Naturally a good wine/drink selection and I think if I chose to go there it would probably be for drinks and to enjoy the music. Nice selection of lounge and chill out music earns them a few points, I enjoy a little Nina Simone with my dinner. -
Review from Joe L.
Allentown, PA
7/10/2008
There seem to be some wishy-washy reviews here for Blue, and I'm not quite sure why. I have never had a bad meal here, and it makes me wonder why the owners couldn't replicate the Blue quality over at Melt. I've been to other major steakhouses, like Capital Grille in Philly, and Blue remains my benchmark of quality steak joints.
This is, first and foremost, a steakhouse. The cuts are great. The bone-in NY Strip is fantastic (when available on special), as is the prime rib (special), which warranted a photo with my mobile phone it was so huge. Sides are family style, typical for a steakhouse. I've found the fish dishes to also be quite good, from the tuna steak to the scallops.
This is my splurge place in the Valley - I go on New Year's Eve every year and run the full menu: appetizer, salad, entree, dessert. I'm stuffed, but it's oh-so-good.
Table service is always very good, although a few members of the staff are better than others. Shortly after Melt opened, I suspect that some of the long-time staffers made the jump over there. I've found the meals to be very well-timed - everything makes its appearance just as it should, and nothing feels like it's been under a lamp or sitting on a counter. Kudos to the kitchen staff on that.
The bar area is rather nice. Bar service (mixed drinks) are good, and the wine list is nicely appointed. (A good selection of by-the-glass as well.) Draft beer selection is a bit limited, but a nice Sierra Nevada Pale Ale goes quite well with NY Strip.
Lunch is very good...and recommended if you can get over here during the week. Most of the crowd goes for dinner, so lunch is usually quite sparse. But trust me, it's very good, and great for a business lunch if you can swing it.
Attire is technically casual, but I usually avoid jeans for slacks and a Oxford shirt. I've seen guests in flip-flops and shorts, and I just want to punch them in the face. Don't make me do that to you - wear a pair of pants and actual shoes, please.
Blue is great for special occasions, and a good place for a date. Make reservations. (You can do so on OpenTable.) -
Review from Dorothygale T.
Oxford, PA
7/9/2008
I had hesitations about eating here, it is afterall, the freaking Candlelight and anyone who grew up here has been forced to eat here for some occasion or another.
I was impressed by the wine selection, I will give them credit for that one. The food however, was nothing to write home about. The steaks were pretty good, I had tuna 2 ways...horrible. Terrible cuts of tuna, horrendous sauces.
They do the whole, "sides to share" for the table. I'm not a fan of this...I don't want steak sides with my delicate fish dinner, thanks anyway.
Unimpressed, should have listened to my brother on this one. -
Review from ricardo s.
Bethlehem, PA
11/17/2008
I am not speaking from a food point of view, but from a bar/loungie place...this was a great place to go for a few hours with some friends and listen to good music and enjoy a few nice drinks. I am usually a beer person, but I decided to try their espresso martinis and they did not disapoint. The wine selection also seems pretty decent.
All in all I would at least recommend it for that.... in the summer, there is also a small patio where you can enjoy the weather and your drinks outside, it's also not nearly as loud out there. -
Review from Joshua L.
Phillipsburg, NJ
7/27/2010
Ok, for those of you who gave this place a bad review get over yourselves. I just had the two best crab cakes I have ever had, absolutely NO FILLER, all meat. No idea how they even keep the little suckers together. Asparagus was cooked perfect, baked potato unreal. Excellent beers and a fantastic atmosphere. A little pricey for my liking but you get what you pay for. The waiter did an amazing job. The apple upside down dessert with ice cream was fantastic. The ice cream had such a pungeant vanilla scent and flavor. All in all a great meal. Hey food snobs, aka foodies, aka the people on here shitting on places when they clearly do not know food, shut it.
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Review from Patricl Z.
Allentown, PA
12/8/2010
This is one of the best grill house I have eaten in sometimes. And I have eaten at Emerill, in st-martin the french food capital of the Caribbean. The surrounding is top notch (up to NY's standard). Service was a bit quick though but still best porterhouse steak ever.
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Review from Anthony L.
Easton, PA
12/27/2009
First time I went there I enjoyed my meal. The bartender had trouble making their martini's so we had a lot of taste tests.
The food was excellent and the service was phenomenal.
The only issue I had is that there were no less then three people watching us eat. If something was dirty, then came and replaced it. If there were crumbs from the bread they came and cleaned them up. It was too excessive.
The waitress knew exactly what drink went well with each meal we ordered. She also took our complete order without even taking out a pen.
Fast forward to this year. Our steaks were very undercooked. OK, they said they would correct the problem.
This is where the night was a bit interesting. My wife cut a few pieces of steak as did I to check how cooked it was. When the steaks came back from the kitchen they were the same steaks we sent back, except now overcooked.
The manager came over and asked us if there were any issues with our meal.
I told her flat out that for $42.00, a steak should not be put back on the grille. A new piece should have prepared. The manager agreed and without any suggestion from us, removed it from the bill.
I still tip based on what the bill would have been and so it was a very expensive evening for excellent soup, bread and desserts.
The restaurant decor is nice. It is not overly done and the dim lighting seems to make one assume that it would be a quiet evening.
However, they were sitting everyone in one section when we were last there and it was one of the loudest places I have eaten a fancy meal.
If I am spending $$$ (which is rare) I expect a quiet, slow evening. After all, this is not a burger joint where they usher you in and usher you out to get another table sat. -
Review from Josh F.
East Greenville, PA
7/27/2009
The epitome of overpriced "fine" dining.
Let's be clear...the food is good, the wine selection is great, and the service get's no complaints....but if you can explain to me why it deserves the pricing it get's, I am all ears.
The place is very nice, beautiful decor, very trendy setting. I believe they even have or had a cigar bar...cool, if you're into it.
Have been three times, just to make sure I wasn't missing something. Once with another couple, who raved about the place, and we found it to be just alright. Second time was with a buisness function, so the check was picked up by the company...and I still felt like the place was suffering from delusions of grandeur. Last time was a few of us, for a friends birthday...we all had a great time, enjoyed a bit of wine, light fare and some deserts. Now I no wine is not cheap when purchased within an establishment, but 125% mark ups on a same bottle I purchased the day before at the local wine and spirits!?!? Oh well, I suppose some people just enjoy the feeling of dumping tons of money on a dinner/evening at places like this...a false sense of satisfaction, for having indulged in something so pricey in a upscale setting maybe? -
Review from Joe R.
Bethlehem, PA
10/14/2008
This place is so overpriced for what they have to offer, it's ridiculous. Its intention is upscale with a huge variety of wines. The steak I ordered was mediocre at best. My friend got the lobster tail entree and was served just that, $55 with no sides. What a waste. The bar atmosphere was nice but was filled with an extremely loud crowd of local car salesman. Save your money, go somewhere else.
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Review from Abby W.
New York, NY
9/27/2008
Decent wine list I would recommend going to the bar for drinks over having dinner here, the food is pretty mediocre but the ambiance is nice overall
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Review from Mike W.
Madison, WI
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of the nicer places in the Allentown area. There ws a nice atmosphere; good (not great) service and the food was excellent. It was on the epensive side, but it is what i would expect to pay for the quality of the meal. I had: Wild boar. Tomato and mozzarella salad. Broccoli w/ hollandaise. & Tiramisu. The balsamic reduction on the salad was excellent. It had lots of flavor,but not in the hit you over the head sense. The tomatoes were firm and tasty and the mozzarella was fresh and yummy. The boar was excellent, but im happy i ordered medium rare because it came out medium. Even though it was wild, i did not get a gamey taste, although it was a bit stringy as expected. The Tiramisu was a let down because it was only really good and not great. If there was a low point it was i would consider our waitress to be average, i had to flag her down and ask for the refills on my water and soda. All in all though a very nice dining experience
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Review from Robert S.
Bethlehem, PA
8/2/2009
Blue turned out to be better than I expected, given some of the other reviews.
I went with some friends on a Friday evening. First we tried the happy hour specials in the bar, which was pretty busy. They discounted some glasses of wine and beer by a few bucks, and had some good appetizers for $5-7. We then went into the dining room for our dinner, which was pretty empty. Oddly empty for a Friday night. The atmosphere/design in both the bar and dining areas is pretty cool.
The prices on the menu were actually slightly less than I had anticipated. Steaks and sides are cheaper than Shula's or Emerils. If I remember correctly, a 8-oz filet was $28, sides maybe $5-$6. I had a bowl of chicken noodle soup that tasted great, but the bowl it came in made it very difficult to eat. The steaks were excellent, and they give you several sauces on the side to try. I was too stuffed to try dessert.
They do have a huge wine selection, probably better than any other local restaurant.
The service was great, but probably because the place was empty.
As far as expensive restaurants in the Lehigh Valley go, I think Blue is a pretty fair value for what it is. I'll be back. -
Review from Charles C.
Easton, PA
7/20/2008
Overpriced, overpriced, overpriced.
The steak is better at the newly opened Shula's in the Promenade. The wine here is good, but the meat is inconsistent. Don't come here unless you have a gift card, they try to squeeze every dollar out of every customer.
It's the in place to be in the Valley, so it gets a break from a lot of reviewers, but if you think about what you got and what you paid, it's just not special enough. -
Review from Laura C.
Bethlehem, PA
1/22/2011
My husband and I went to BLUE for our anniversary this year. We had a great experience, very good service, and the meal was delicious. I think it's priced a little high, but definitely a great place to go for a special occasion.
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Review from Rick M.
Bethlehem, PA
1/10/2011
Overpriced, that's my only issue. Food, drinks and service are very good. No one will be disappointed, unless they're the one picking up the check.
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Review from Daniel K.
Brooklyn, NY
9/29/2008
this place is not that innovative, overpriced and uninspired. i would not recommend to friends.
