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Café Grill - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Steakhouses Restaurants Sandwiches Seafood, Steakhouses, Sandwiches [Edit]
17900 Magnolia StUnit A
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 963-7925
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
54 reviews for Café Grill
Review Highlights
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"basically a cream puff with dark chocolate sauce on top." In 3 reviews -
"Bread Basket and Olive Spread: Healthy but tasty." In 6 reviews -
"chicken & brie sandwich: good and juicy." In 3 reviews
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54 reviews in English
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Review from Crystal I.
Laguna Beach, CA
11/1/2011
THANK YOU YELP!!
Another excellent rated dining establishment that impressed me & satisfied my expectations.
Nice & Quiet. Good music. James Peters, the owner & chef is a great guy...we actually went to High School together, which I didn't realize until my grandfather and I dined at Cafe Grill for the 1st time.
We order the Petite Filet topped with Blue Cheese, wow! And the Chicken Parmasan, which was really good. The cheese plate w/fruit looked really good too.
I highly recommend!! -
Review from Irene Y.
10/27/2011
Review #200! Wahoo! I can't believe how time flies when you're enjoying great food :) But I wanted to give this honor to a recipient with excellent taste. So, I'm proud to write this entree for Cafe Grill as it is a hidden gem in my hometown of Fountain Valley. Tucked away behind the Subway in the Rite Aid plaza lies a cozy French-themed cafe with stellar food. My cousin and I tried the following
*Bread Basket and Olive Spread: Healthy but tasty :)
*Soup-of-the-day/ butternut squash: light but definitely delightful
*Salmon, potatoes, leeks: seasoned well and tasty
*Beef Stew: soft, tender, and extremely flavorful
*Fruit Tart: presentation was beautiful and the dessert satisfied my sweet tooth
We went on a Thursday evening, so perhaps this doesn't accurate describe the business, but it was a one-man show as our chef, host, and waiter were the same person! The enviornment and setting was pleasant, so if you don't mind sharing a conversation with company than the speed of the food delivery shouldn't bother you. -
Review from Carla T.
Garden Grove, CA
Updated - 2/13/2012
Cafe Grill is no longer in business.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/8/2010
My husband and I dined here last month on a Sunday night, just a few days after the Cafe Grill… Read more »
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Review from Jen T.
9/10/2011
Came here specifically for their dessert, which Alan T. highly recommended! I can definitely see why!
So I just realized that there is one dessert that I do not gush over like I do with tiramisu, but I have this astounding love for.....BREAD PUDDING! Cafe Grill has some really yummy bread pudding! Sure it wasnt swimming in sauce, but the bread itself was thick, yet soft! I could definitely taste the cinnamon, so thats a major plus!
Also tried their infamous Profiteroles! For the amount that you get, I think this is worth trying! Although I didnt find these cream puffs extraordinary. They are good, but I dont think I could eat these constantly. I feel like I prefer Costco's cream puffs better..haahha!
So this place deserves a 4 stars for the quality of their dessert and service. The waiter is extremely nice btw! But there was just one issue...and yes, its story time.
So Alan T and I were waiting awhile for our desserts and we knew the chef/owner James was making it fresh. So as Alan and I were talking, Alan was playing with the utensils. Just twirling them in between his fingers. The owner shouts across the room asking Alan to stop playing with his utensils. Alan was very apologetic about it and stopped. Then Chef James snaps across the room asking Alan if he would like the desserts. Alan politely answered "yes." Chef James kept harping about how his utensils shouldnt be played with and that we may not get our desserts. I was so shocked about what happened that I didnt get a chance to glare at him. He could have walked over to our table and asked Alan politely. Mind you, the restaurant is really small. He could have walked around the restaurant 3 times while he was on his rant.
I have to admit I did not enjoy his profiteroles as much after the crap the owner pulled.
I would def come back for his desserts though and will have to try their food! Heard their pre-fixe menu is worth it.
Enjoy! :/ -
Review from Stevenenen N.
Orange County, CA
This is a nice little place that sits about 40 people. The prices are quite reasonable, the food quite good and the service is friendly. You are immediately given bread and tapenade. This olive spread is pretty amazing here. Very smooth and not too strong of an olive taste. The best I've had so far. 5 Stars
I went with the chef's 3 course meal. You get to choose an appetizer, entree and dessert for $25. I chose the ravioli for my app. This isn't your regular ravioli. It is a sweet-potato ravioli, sage brown butter sauce, and balsamic vinegar. The dish sounds strange, but it all came together quite well. 4 Stars.
My entree was the Atlantic Salmon. Phyllo wrapped salmon, sautéed spinach, boiled potatoes, and yogurt dill sauce. The salmon was slightly crispy on the outside, moist and flaky on the inside and yogurt dill sauce complimented the fish quite well. 4.5 Stars.
The potatoes were perfectly boiled and seasoned. 5 Stars.
I'm not a fan of cooked spinach as I prefer eating this green raw. So I'm not going to rate it to be fair.
For dessert, I went with the apple tart. This was the least favorite course for me. It was a little over-baked and the apples didn't really stand out. 3
Stars.
Overall this was a good meal and for $25, it is quite a good deal. Another good find in "The Valley"Listed in: Cool Things in "The Valley."…
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Review from Julie N.
Fountain Valley, CA
7/21/2011
The chief is very courteous. He made the effort to come out from the back a few times to ask us how our food was or to tell us our food was on its way. Great effort, 4 stars.
Small place. The food takes a bit of time because there is only one chef. He puts his own spin on the food. I would say the flavors were very light. For those that don't like salt this is for you: Chicken and Brie sandwich on baguette. The menu is not very selective. There are about 5 entrees to choose from. The steak is okay ish....Sizzler status. I wouldn't recommend it.
Try the shrimp cocktail. -
Review from Winston T.
La Habra, CA
Updated - 1/18/2012
My experience was not so good when the owner came outside before we got inside to wait for a table. They the owners spoke somewhat rudely to us concerning a tasteless event that was not our fault. It was unnecessary and this owner should of not mixed business with his private lie as he did that day. Although i believe people can change they should just admit it and tell us they are sorry before we get back on terms with eating or having lunch at this establishment. They canceled our long term relationship with this location. Their lose not ours.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/4/2011
James "Cafe Grill" is a nice atmosphere, clean restaurant. I should know I am grateful for his… Read more »
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Review from An H.
Costa Mesa, CA
7/6/2011 2 photos
The first time I came here (around the time they were featured in The OC Register), the food was fine, but dinner took over three hours, 95% of it spent waiting. I'm not the type to complain, but it was ridiculous.
They seemed to have worked out most of the kinks by the second visit. The menu is on the smaller side, but I'm guessing that lets them focus. The prix fixe option is a good value for the money. -
Review from Alan T.
11/20/2010
I went over the the fish and chips place nearby for lunch;
always delicious and satisfying!
I head over to Cafe Grill because
ever since Jaqu's closed, I've been looking for a nearby place for my creme brulee/dessert fixin'!
I come in to be greeted by a cute female waiter wearing her cute smile.
She told us that we could sit anywhere and so we grabbed ourselves a booth.
Complimentary bread basket came before we ever ordered anything;
yay!
They had an interesting spread for the sliced baguettes; waitress said it was made of olives and olive oil; I think there's also a bit of balsamic vinegar in there :)
So we order our desserts; I got the profiter... something....
basically a cream puff with dark chocolate sauce on top :)
she got the lemon curd tart.
The online menu said they have creme brulee, but they said they didn't have it :(
Didn't exercise yesterday, and slept in today;
now i'm eating desserts after a meal of fried food... oh boy!
The cream puff things were delicious, especially with that dark chocolate sauce on it.
MY dining companion preferred the lighter lemon curd tar with it's strawberry sauce and nice flaky tart and whipped cream.
I'm pretty sure the it was the chef that came out and asked us how the food tasted; I was hoping to talk to him a bit more but he seemed busy and headed back to the kitchen; or so I assume.
Bill came with two coconut macaroons shaped like the very vanilla wafers that made me fat as a child.
"The macaroons are phenomenal," I replied to the waitress after she came by to check up on us again.
"Phenomenal;" sure it's a nice word but I don't ever hear people say it; I see the word, but I seldom hear it...
but the macaroons were enough to force that word from my lips.
The waitress even gave me like 4 more to go; wooooo!
I will be back soon for more food, the cute/charming waitress, and those macaroons.Listed in: Lunchtime!
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Review from Beth H.
10/14/2010
Being the fabulous friend and lunch companion that he is, Sidney S. reached deep down into my personal Yelp Bookmarks and pulled out a doozie for lunch yesterday.
My biggest complaint? Cafe Grill is VERY hard to find. It is behind/on the other side of Subway and if you come in to the side parking area like I did, there is NO sign to really identify it. However, once I found it I was SO glad I did.
While Sidney S's lovely face brightened up the room (and my mood) the interior of this place is very warm and homey. Nice colors and cute little kitchy artwork. Small and intimate, while being cozy at the same time, yet not feeling like you are dining with our neighbors at the adjacent tables.
Mr. S ordered the steak special and I managed to sneak a taste. Steak was tender, juicy and flavorful. The accompanying veggies were crisp yet soft and had a nice snap to them.
I splurged on the Atlantic Salmon with shallot Ber Blanc sauce, sauteed spinach and boiled potatoes. The salmon was fresh and tasty with a nice little crisp/char on the outside but tender, flaky and moist on the inside. The Ber Blanc was a little acidic on the uptake but after a few bites seemed to meld perfectly with the slightly smokey salmon. The spinach was to die for. Not over cooked, tender, bright green and well seasoned. I have to admit I was scared about the boiled potatoes. I think it's pretty ballsy to serve them this way unless you have your act together. Well this chef did. They were cooked to perfection, tender yet firm and each half was individually seasoned so as to let the flavor of the potato shine through in all of it's natural goodness. Bravo!
I ordered the Lemon Curd Tart with Strawberry Puree and Mr. S ordered the profiteroles. While he offered a taste, I'm not the big chocolate fan, although I did steal one of his raspberries. The tart had a amazingly flaky crust and the creamy lemon curd fulling was not too tart, not too sweet. A dollop of whipped cream and strawberry halves topped it all off. The puree added a nice complexity and was not too sweet or syrupy.
For lunch, it is a bit pricey but if you only do it once and a while, who cares? It is well worth the money though. As Sidney S mentioned, I'd love to try Cafe Grill out for dinner sometime soon. There is definite 5 star potential here.
And don't be fooled by Mr. S's proclamation about being regaled by tales from my dating life. He lives vicariously through me and he knows it. Which only proves how sick and desperate we both are! Love you Mr. S! :)Listed in: My New YELP LIFE
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Review from Sidney S.
10/13/2010
Thank you Beth H for bookmarking this...and for joining me spur of the moment to try this out. For lunch, solid, solid 4 with 5 star potential at Dinner.
Cafe Grill is in yet another tired strip center with a Big Lots and Rite Aid and a mish mash of other stores. Initially, the restaurant is tough to find because it is in the farthest Northern reaches of the Center next to a Subway. Interior is far more stylish and Tuscan inspired than the exterior.
My lunch was the Hangar Steak...on special today with sauteed veggies and rice. Beth H had the salmon and spinach with potato.
My steak was cooked rare, instead of the medium rare I had asked but rare was probably a better preparation (score one for the chef!). Meat was perfectly tender and the teriyaki sauce complemented it perfectly. Vegetables were done very nicely, good grill crispness combined with a chemy center. I was surprised the rice was served plain, but, it didn't need any sauce. A lovely garlic seasoning (I think) made the rice flavorful.
In between regaling me with her tales of the dating world, Beth ate her salmon plate and actually offered me a bite of salmon. Cooked perfectly (slightly crispy outside and tender, flaky middle) although the sour sauce was not to my liking.
The ending was very nice...lemon tart for Beth (appropriate given her dating stories...just kidding) and chocolate profiteroles for me. Both desserts were outstanding, especially the dark chocolate sauce that came with the creamy filled balls of pleasure.
And while expensive for lunch ($28.00 + with drink, tax, tip and dessert); for dinner this would be better than most of the overhyped $30.00 and $40.00 OC Restaurant Week meals. Wine list, by the glass, is very thoughtful although I would add more Eurpoean wines to the bottle list. I will definitely be back here for dinner and maybe bring my monthly wine/dinner group some night. -
Review from Sam N.
8/12/2010
:::::::::::::Hidden Gem Alert::::::::::::::::::::::;
I heard about Cafe Grill from an old co worker and so I decided to meet up a friend and have dinner here. I saw the high ratings, but only such few reviews and I knew I had to do some investigation for my trusty yelpers.
Cafe Grill is in Fountain Valley and serves continental Euro -American Cuisine. They give you bread with black olive tapenade while you wait for your dinner. The olive tapenade dip is very tasty with the french bread.
They have a great 3 course dinner for 22 bucks and thats what we ordered.
I ordered the sweet potato ravioli and potato pancakes for appetizer. The ravioli is sweet, dense and the potato filling almost feels like a creamy cheese sauce.
For my entree I got the chicken with mushroom sauce and scalloped potatoes. The chicken was moist, tender and incredibly flavorful with the wonderful mushroom sauce. The potatoes were cooked and topped with a crispy onion coating. The food was filling, but not overwhelming. It was just the right amount of food.
For dessert I had the chocolate covered vanilla creme puffs. They were very good, but the chef put too much chocolate sauce on the creme puffs. He should have just drizzled each puff with some chocolate as opposed to drenching each creme puff in chocolate sauce.
Our server Josh was very attentive and made sure our food was cooked to perfection.
The decor is artsy, quaint, and very classic all at once. The restaurant it has a nice ambiance, but I didn't like the fact that the whole wall is a window. It would be nice for the staff to put a curtain on the window to dim the restaurant and make it more intimate for dinner time.
I am still going to give this place 5 stars because the food was great, and the price was very reasonable for the quality of food they serve. I have had dinners in LA that cost 60-80 bucks and this place is only charging 22 bucks!?
Cafe Grill is definitely a hidden gem and a great place to get a nice dinner with family or friends. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Newport Beach, CA
9/14/2010
I had a good experience at Cafe Grill. The inside does not match the outside, the decor has a warm, "Under the Tuscan Sun" vibe. They offered a basket of bread with an olive spread to start out. I started with a tasty Caesar salad. I was excited that my entree came with a side of white asparagus! The profiteroles were almost magical, basically a soft cream puff with chocolate ganache and raspberry garnish. One of the people I ate with ordered coffee after dinner. They brought out a mini French press, which was an elegant, unexpected touch.
The portions were extremely generous and a very good value. I really didn't know what to expect, since the restaurant is connected to a Subway and in a Big Lots shopping center. However the owner succeeded in creating a pleasant atmosphere. I kind of liked how I walked in and was transported into a European cafe motif with gourmet dining choices. -
Review from David K.
12/31/2010
I went and tried their lunch after my my sister mentioned that she really like the place.
This place opened up after Super Suppers closed. It's sitting in a corner of a strip mall next to a subway and other than the fact that it says Cafe Grill on the building there isn't much on the outside that makes it stand out. I believe the building was actually originally a bank.
The inside is kinda small, but cozy. The waitresses were all friendly and Chef James was actually out and about talking to the customers. We made some small talk and he introduced us to our waitress before heading back into the kitchen.
I tried his lunch set which is basically sandwich + salad or soup OR an entrée salad, a drink, and a dessert.
I ordered an iced coffee to start then decided on the chicken and brie with a split pea soup and a pear almond tart to finish.
My sister got the same with the chocolate profiteroles. We also tacked on a cheese plate as an appetizer. They give complimentary sliced baguettes with an olive tapenade that's also pretty good (we also asked for butter which they quickly brought out).
Cheese Plate:
He has a selection of cheeses (about 10) that you can choose from. We decided to go with the Manchego, St. Andres, and a Fontina. It came with some water crackers, walnuts, pear slices, and a couple strawberry halves. Overall good I mean it's a cheese plate.
Chicken Brie Sandwich:
Quite good. The sandwich is made with chicken, brie, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts between a baguette. The chicken was very moist and I thought it went very well with the brie.
Split Pea Soup:
This was actually a little bland to me, but nothing a bit of salt and pepper can't easily fix. It was slightly sweet from the peas and I detected a hint of smoky bacon flavor instead of the usual ham hock (later confirmed with Chef James).
Pear Tart:
I'm not a big dessert eater, but I thought this was really good. The tart was moist and topped with what looked like a fresh vanilla whipped cream. It wasn't overly sweet at all.
Chocolate Profiteroles:
This actually comes with 6 profiteroles (think cream puff) smothered in a dark chocolate sauce. The sauce was good being dark chocolate so it wasn't too sweet. Personally, I scraped off a bit of the sauce before trying mine.
After finishing our meal the place was really starting to fill up and Chef James was out and about once more just chatting and I got to verify my guess on the bacon in the split pea soup. So overall it was a great experience and the food was quite satisfying.
The portions are sizable so you'll be full afterwards. I actually ended up taking half my sandwich and half my tart home =)
Note: At the time of this review the prices on the website are outdated. It looked like they've raised the prices of everything ~2 dollars. -
Review from Jackie L.
Fountain Valley, CA
9/5/2010
Pros:
1. Okay food.
2. The waiters were very friendly.
Cons:
1. The sunlight that comes in through the windows is extremely annoying. They need to cover it up with some curtains or something.
2. Slow service. It took about 45 minutes for our food to come out.
However, I only tried the dinner, so I might come back to see if their sandwiches are good. It's a nice place and the environment is very cozy, but they need to hire more chefs/waiters! However, I'm also happy they've been getting good business lately because the newspaper did a story on them. When I ate there on Friday night all the tables were full and some people had to leave because there were no tables left. -
Review from Joe K.
Fountain Valley, CA
3/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Stopped into this location shortly before Christmas. My wife, daughter and I had been wanting to try it out. The place is on the small side, with no hostess to greet the customers...kind of strange,but if I was an owner of a smaller place and I could squeeze in one more table....I would.
We (the wife and I) had the price fixe dinner, a good deal at $25.00pp. We had the Caesar salad and the cheese plate for our Apps., a good authentic salad, not overdressed and of decent size. We don't know much about cheese so our waitress suggested a selection...good call, a mixture of firm to soft cheeses plus some bread and crackers...very tasty. It all went well with a cheapish Chardonnay we ordered (don't remember the winery)...
My daughter had a chicken tenders type attempt at a Kids meal, she didn't really like it...doesn't mean much...she's 11 years old, and is used to the way I fry her chicken.
I had the Filet Mignon medium rare with mashed taters and fresh veggies, the steak was perfectly cooked and came with a yummy sauce (Bearnaise???) it was fantastic. The sides especially the potatoes were spot on fantastic.
My wife had some kind of Pork dish, she liked it I didn't taste it, I was too busy with my steak.
Almost forgot...Dessert, mostly forgettable some kind of Chocolate cake with Raspberry sauce...pretty good. Cream puff with fresh chocolate sauce....reminiscent of Sam's club and some Hershey's syrup...just sad and disposable.
The service was pretty good, a little amateurish but she was very nice. All in all I give this place a strong 3 1/2 stars plus a 1/2 for the value. They seem to keep odd hours here sometime open sometimes ???? Roll the dice and check it out, I'll think you'll like it. -
Review from Vanessa L.
Fountain Valley, CA
8/24/2010
I'm sad because I thought that I was going to give this restaurant at least a 4-star but I am struggling between 2 or 3 stars. I'm going with the 3 star because I would never go back to a 2 star but I want to retry this place at least one more time.
Here's the deal:
(1) Appetizers are great! Especially for the price. We ordered the:
a) Tomato Salad ($5)
b) Artisan Cheese ($5)
(2) Entrees - I think we picked the worst ones - the flavors just didn't fit our pallets. The chicken breast and bratwurst sandwich got good reviews from prior reviewers also but it wasn't pleasant nor worth the price.
a) Chicken Breast
* The mushroom sauce was TOO sweet; did not enjoy
b) Baked Bratwurst Sandwich
* My fiance wasn't a fan - he felt he could get a better dog for cheaper elsewhere
c) St. Louis Spare Ribs
* Did not enjoy the chocolate coffee sauce
* The chorizo on the side was watery
(3) Service - Well, the waiters were genuinely nice but they are too understaffed and inexperienced to provide adequate service.
I'd go back but I'd stick to the appetizers and wine. The salads looked pretty good too. -
Review from Jeff C.
Fountain Valley, CA
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Nice fresh colors, very nice French theme, comfortable and like home.
Service: 9/10
Had some trouble refilling my water the first time but, following that it was fine. Matrie, d did not know the soup of the day, maybe cause it just opened, but still. Wait staff is helpful, when I (personally) didn't like my endive salad the waiter got the chef/ owner and he personally took care of the problem and gave me another salad.
Food: 9 / 10
Potato pancakes: were pretty good. Nice fresh potatoes but not crispy enough for me, served with sour cream and caviar.
Apple Puree soup: was great. Nice and creamy with and fresh peppery aftertaste. Perfect for summer.
Beet Salad: Excellent. Great dressing and veggies. Plus a generous serving of beets.
Price: 8.5 / 10 Pretty good considering the menu and the food they serve. -
Review from Justin V.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/2/2011
Great Little Local place.
We had the chefs Dinner "App, Entree, and Desert" for $25. Slight upcharge if you opt for the Steak.
Service was excellent.
Location is not obvious, but as long as you keep your eyes open it jumps right out.
Both apps were spot on: Ceaser Salad with dressing made from scratch and a pumpkin soup.
Now my steak was a 10oz Rib-eye, smallest rib-eye I've ever had very thin. At first i was very disappointed, until i cut into it, then i was glad i made my choice. The flavors were all there decent quality beef prepared well. Just wish it had been an inch thick instead of half an inch.
Don't get me wrong everything else we had was great the service was amazing and the place is "really cute" quoting my girlfriend.
We'll definitely be going back and if your a local you should check it out. -
Review from Julie L.
Fountain Valley, CA
6/12/2011
I'm so happy this place is so near my house :D and it's in the plaza that I grew up in.
Small place, but everything was deliciously perfect. Our waitress was nice and welcoming even though it was busy with only 2 servers. She brought our extra bread and water when we needed.
- There was complimentary bread with margarine and olive spread. I really liked the combination of the three but my boyfriend had to get used to it. For appetizer, we shared an arugula salad that came with slices of goat cheese and walnuts. The dressing was just perfect, not overpowering nor too light. The goat cheese did also go very well with our complimentary bread!
- For entrees, we ordered the pecan crusted pork loins and the st. louis spare ribs. The pork loins was a bit under seasoned but that's okay because I took it and dabbed it on top of the soy marinade on the spare ribs that gave it plenty of flavor. :D the spare ribs was so tender and juicy that i just wanted to keep eating, even though i was full.
- Desserts. yum.. we had the proliferates which were cream puffs with a nice, warm chocolate sauce over it and some strawberries on the sides. Everything was complimentary to each other with the savory cream on the inside and the chocolate on top. There were also strawberry halves on the inside.
OVERALL. this place is a must try :D who knows, it might be your go to Saturday night dinner. -
Review from Vanessa J.
Irvine, CA
11/3/2010
I came to Cafe Grill after reading an article about their opening. Like the reviews mentioned, the restaurant is slightly out of place in a building that could have been a drive through bank.
When we arrived the restaurant was cozy and all of the tables filled quickly. They had a great $25 fixed priced menu which included any appetizer, an entree and dessert. The menu was completely worth ordering. For the appetizer I had a beet - goat cheese salad which was fresh and light. For the entree I ordered the salmon with a caramelized onion beurre blanc and ended with a cream caramel.
Not only was the food great, the waiter was friendly and the service was fast. I will definitely come back in the future. -
Review from natalie r.
Fountain Valley, CA
9/15/2010
The food here is delicious and the price is more than reasonable. The chef even came out and said hello after we were done eating. If you go there definitely try the ravioli; I think it's made out of sweet potatoes but I'm not really sure. Either way they taste amazing.
Definitely give them a try - this level of quality food for the price is hard to beat. -
Review from Michelle P.
Westminster, CA
11/17/2011
It was the worst dining experience Ever! We got only half of our appetizers we kept waiting for the rest then all of the sudden the so called "Chef / Owner" came out in a rotten mood and looked at all of us and told us to get out he was shutting the kitchen down! He threw 2 tables full of people out what a JERK! I thought I was on an episode of Kitchen Nightmares the waiters was horrified by his behavior but said he acts like a big baby often
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Review from Nina F.
Los Angeles, CA
12/8/2010
We've been there half a dozen times, including Thanksgiving Dinner and everything on the menu is delicious. I'm hesitant to write a great review because it means other diners will fill up one of our favorite restaurants.
Very pleasant chef who actually comes out of the kitchen and chats to each table - love this place! -
Review from Hiep N.
Newport Beach, CA
7/3/2010 3 photos
I recently met some colleagues here for a business dinner.
The food was tasty, service was attentive, and prices were extremely reasonable for OC.
I opted for the prix fixe menu. I went with the Butternut Squash Ravioli, Halibut Special, and Profiterole for dessert. There was a slight upcharge for ordering the special off the menu, but well worth the $25 bucks. I think it was $23 if you went with the menu entrees.
The butternut squash appetizer was savory and well seasoned.
The Halibut was roasted and came with a tomato salsa that went well with the fresh fish.
The Profiterole's were definitely my favorite part of the prix fixe meal.
They were dipped in chocolate ganache and satisfied my sweet tooth.
I'd definitely come back if I was in the area. -
Review from Carlo V.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/29/2011
I've been wanting to visit and support this local independent OC restaurant for a while and I'm glad I did. It was a cool Friday night and we wanted to go to a nice place to have a soothing glass of wine and fine meal since we were all dressed up to the nines for an earlier event. We came for a later than usual dinner, around 8pm and Chef James Peters greeted us. The place has a very home spun feel - Chef took our order, and cooked us a special meal. I asked him to surprise me, and he cooked me a pork tenderloin with his special reduction sauce, it was really terrific. My wife had the Shrimp Pasta, it was a the perfect blend of herbs and fresh garlic, with huge shrimp toss in a giant bowl. It was a great night because Chef took the time to talk to us and told us how he made the meal, he even discussed his business, and he was genuinely open and very "real" - which is very welcomed and refreshing without a hint of standoffishness on his part. Kudos to Cafe Grill. It's a place you can have amazingly crafted fine cuisine for a great price, without the pretension and gloss of other so called fine dining establishments in the OC area. It's just the real deal.
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Review from Dena F.
Costa Mesa, CA
3/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cute place. Friendly servers. Great food. Awesome prices. We will be regulars here.
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Review from Lois M.
Updated - 2/15/2011
It' open! We had a dinner last week. James (owner/chef) needed a break to rejuvenate and revamp some menu items. Glad to report that no drastic changes made. The main focus that James plans to do is feature seasonal items - if it's in season, it's on the menu. Otherwise, you have to wait until the next time he can get the best ingredients. So very happy! Oh, and another star!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/23/2010
We've been here three times for dinner. I would love to give it another star, but it has a few… Read more »
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Review from Kellie K.
Fountain Valley, CA
1/3/2011
I can't believe this place has good ratings!!! It's disgusting!
Seriously I would NEVER even think of eating here again.
I came when it first opened hoping I'd love it because it's right next to my house. As soon as I walked in for dinner I was sat, there was no wait. It was slow and so was our service. It took at least ten minutes to have our waiter to come and take our order. When I did order I got a soup and salad, which was way too small for the price. It was so gross I didn't even eat it. The soup tasted old and had an awkward flavor combination, it was inedible.
My friend got the chicken and mashed potatoes with crispy onions, which were stale! I'm not talking kind of stale, no, they were seriously STALE. The chicken was DRY and the bill was high!
To top it off, the sloppy looking chef came out to chat it up with some girls in the booth next to us, but his outfit was filthy! Made me wonder what the kitchen looked like. -
Review from Adrienne K.
Pelham, NH
6/26/2010
Fantastic dinner at this new restaurant. Highly recommend it.
Very attentive service by our waitress. We ordered the beet salad - excellent. For our entree we had the grilled quail special. The quail was cooked perfectly, moist and tender. A flavorable citrus soy sauce was served on the side. The lyonnaise potato dish was crisp on the outside and rich on the inside. The Pinot Noir wine I ordered was just ok, acceptable given the low price.
Our dinner for three, that included 2 glasses of wine, totalled $60! They also have a special that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert for $21.
We will definitely eat here again soon. -
Review from Tim Y.
Fountain Valley, CA
This is a great local restaurant with affordable prices. I had the 3 courses for $25 meal. Started with a cheese course- gouda, manchego and cheddar, followed by an amazing ahi tuna main course with asparagus, finished with a flan-like dessert, amazing! Check this restaurant out.
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Review from Ariel K.
Fountain Valley, CA
11/25/2011
The worst
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Review from susan l.
Rowland Heights, CA
8/14/2010
cute place, okay place but... there are plenty of better cafes out there.
what i ate:
- bratwurst sandwich w/fries: the brat was good. juicy, flavorful, hot. lots of mustard. the fries were the frozen bagged fries, but they spiced them up with lots of pepper and parsley
- chicken & brie sandwich: good and juicy
- cobb salad: good, but unremarkable
pros:
- price: it was only $9 for lunch (i got the brat). for a sit down restaurant with waiter service, thats a steal
- food: the food was good. although nothing horribly amazing.. they did have a fixed menu for lunch and another for dinner, which wasnt a bad deal. we just didnt want dessert.
mediocracy:
- service: our server was very affable, but service was slow. there was only one server taking care of everyone
- ambiance/decor: the cafe is small and i find the layout of some of the table to be a bit awkward. the walls were a mustard yellow with painted brick details here and there. it seemed like the decor was pushing for cute european cafe look, but it seemed to fail a bit
cons:
- no hostess stand. its awkard to walk into a restaurant and stand in the middle of the dining area with no one to greet you. if there was a hostess stand youd know where to stand and wait for help, but without one youre left to wonder if you have to seat yourself
while the staff was nice, the food was good... there was nothing remarkable about this cafe. its great to try out, but would i come again? probably not. -
Review from Neal K.
Fountain Valley, CA
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Review from Ross D.
San Diego, CA
1/11/2011
Me and buddy went for dinner on a Tuesday night at around 7:00pm. They were pretty busy but there was a few tables free and we did not have to wait to sit down.
The staff was really nice and attentive. We had the fillet and chicken entrees with white bean soup appetizer. The soup was really good. You could tell 100% that this was homemade. No can of soup here.
The entries were also excellent. Again, you can tell that this stuff is not coming out of a plastic bag and thrown in a big microwave. There is someone back there in the kitchen with some decent skills and a game plan. The noodles with my chicken were a little bland, but still fresh and overall tasty.
2 beers per person, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts + nice tip to our cute waitress = $100. It was worth it. -
Review from Gary J.
Huntington Beach, CA
9/18/2011
The "Cafe Grill" is an excellent small restaurant to go to with friends. It's quiet inside and easy to carry on a good conversation. The food is excellent gourmet quality, and everything is fresh! The staff are friendly, and the chef/owner James' comes out to your table to greet you. The prices are very reasonable and they don't try to push you out at the end of your meal.....we will definitely return!!!!!
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Review from Shawn H.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/6/2010
What a hidden little gem this place is... Like others, we enjoyed the fresh french bread with the olive spread. The place is light, airy and clean. The service is first rate. The lobster bisque was wonderful as was the beet salad. They do an awesome cobb salad and didn't blink when I asked for it tossed. We will be going back for sure.
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Review from Medusa D.
Washington D.C., DC
2/23/2011
This has been a favorite of my parents and I finally had an opportunity to join them for dinner.
I enjoyed it immensely. The prices are reasonable, which allowed me to try several appetizers, order a glass of prosecco and a bottle of wine, and never worry about the price. Service was friendly and prompt, without being intrusive. My family was unhurried, allowed to rest, and enjoy a good meal. I appreciate a restaurant that allows one to dine without being rushed.
We ordered the Chef's Menu at $25 per person. It includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert. For appetizers, we ordered the cheese plate, gnocchi, arugula salad, and endive salad. Entrees were the pork loin, an Asian inspired steak fillet cooked on skewers, and rock shrimp & scallop curry (daily special)
The cheese plate was excellent. It did not come with crackers or bread as stated on the menu. Rather the cheese was paired with an array of berries, pears, and nuts. It was a great substitution that reminded me of my favorite meals in Europe. The salads were very good and fresh. My father, who is not an willing vegetable eater, loved the endive salad. If I were coming for lunch, I would be very content with only the arugula salad and cheese plate (and a galss of wine). Only critique is the gnocchi -- it's not a classic Italian gnocchi, but a gnocchi/polenta hybrid. It was very good, but a surprise to get small cornmeal cakes when one is expecting a potato dumpling.
The entrees were very good. I particularly liked the curry - although spicy, it was very flavorful. May be one of the best I've eaten. Mom loved the perfectly cooked pork loin. The portion is large; she took half home. I can't judge the steak fillet -- Dad ate it all, and wouldn't share. He enjoyed it obviously.
Dessert was fantastic. The famous chocolate profiteroles, a pear torte, and French "flan." These are three of the best desserts I've had. The profiterole and torte pastry were not heavy, but very light and did not overwhelm the light cream/fruit filling.
The meal ended with a order of tea off the "tea menu.' (I love the tea menu. More restaurants should do it) Tea purists may be disappointed because the tea arrives in a tea bag. I'm not a purist and throughly enjoyed an Indian Chai at meal's end.
The only improvement may have been a glass of port with dessert. Although there is port on the menu - after all the food, prosecco, and several glasses of wine, I was unable to make it to the "port round." Will try harder when I return. And I will return. Frequently. -
Review from Mike G.
Fountain Valley, CA
8/18/2010
This restaurant has only been open a few months and definitely needs to stay open. It's relatively small, has a great casual atmosphere and the food is excellent. We went for dinner and each got the three course chef's menu for about $22.50 per person; it includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The Ravioli appetizer is absolutely a must-have. I ordered the pork loin, which was very good, but I also tried a bit of the New York steak with bleu cheese, which I think was even better. We tried all three desserts; the chocolate profiteroles with raspberries was my favorite, but the others were also good. Great staff too - all very nice. It's exciting when good new restaurants open close to home, and we're excited to go back!
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Review from Jeanie W.
Irvine, CA
7/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
I found this restaurant by accident and thought it was a great buy for the price. I chose the 3-course menu for $23 which included a starter, entree and choice of dessert. For my appetizer, I opted for the potato pancakes with caviar. Although the caviar isn't beluga, the pancakes were nice and crispy. My entree was the quail with ponzu sauce, which was very good. For my dessert, I chose the profiteroles which came with a homemade chocolate sauce. I order profiteroles at every French restaurant I go to, and these were definitely yummy. Prices were affordable and the quality was great. I would come back again.
