The Capital Grille
Category: Steakhouses [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Midtown East155 E 42nd St
(between 3rd Ave & Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10017 (212) 953-2000
- Nearest Transit:
Grand Central (4, 5, 6, 7, S)
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
25 Reviews for The Capital Grille
I think I may be the only person who goes here for something other then their steaks.
I'm obsessed with their Wedge salad.
It's the epitome of the steakhouse salad; huge iceberg wedge, smoked bacon, fresh tomatoes [though they are currently substituting sun-dried tomatoes during this 'killer tomato scare'] and endless amounts of creamy-chunky bleu cheese dressing--my server always asks mid-way through if I need more dress.
Although I'm their number 1 Wedge fan, I've had their Filet Oscar a few times--crazy rich tasting with the crabmeat and that barnaise sauce but still delicious.
Expense this dinner, if you can.
Meh...
Michael H and I stood out amongst the grey-suited power lunchers in our stovepipe jeans - but we liked it.
Burgers were good but fries were overcooked until they were brown. Yuck. It took awhile to get me re-fills on my iced tea as well.
I'd not come here again but then I never go above 14th Street so it was a miracle I was here anyway.
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I came here with my doctor friend and her two friends for dinner. This place reminded me of Morton's - tourist scene, upscale flair but with smorgas board of people, and known for their steaks.
I love lobster bisque and I must say this place had one of the best bisque ever. The right amount of lobster and cream created the perfect taste. The lobster bisque at Morton's doesn't even compare to Capital's. The one at Morton's tasted "sea" like and they adorned the entire bowl of soup with one measly piece of lobster meat - which was the worst bisque I ever had.
The doctor ordered the night's special - Halibut. I love halibut and though they are known for steaks, they sure knew how to cook the fish right.
Her friends ordered the Kona Crusted Dry Aged Sirloin with Caramelized Shallot Butter - which was decaffeinated coffee infused steak. I didn't particularly care for this dish but she loved it.
Her husband got the Dry Aged Porterhouse Steak - which is half filet and have sirloin. I didn't get to try his dish but everybody else enjoyed.
I am not a big meat eater since I love seafood, but I decided to go with the Filet Oscar. The meat was really hard to cut since it was such a thick cut - I should have gone with the filet mignon. But I went with the Oscar after hearing how the waiter described it.
Since I don't like onion rings - I didn't get to try the Vidalia Onion rings but everyone seem to devour this side dish in one bite. I guess it must be good.
I stuck with the Fresh Asparagus and Roasted Cremini, Portabella, Shiitake Oyster Mushrooms dishes - which was okay. I wanted to try the Lobster Mac N' Cheese but didn't want to add to the hefty order.
They also have a very yummy Creme Brulee here and not to mention the imported Italian candy - Glitterati! (Yummy - me loves candy!)
During my meal I couldn't stop staring at this family who I presume are tourist by their attire. This 11 y/o girl had the thickest paste of foundation on her face which didn't even match her skin tone. Eck! So if you're bored here, there is a lot to see but no eye candy here!
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A little on the pricey side, but the wine list is extensive and they'll definitely help you find whatever it is that you're looking for. The two appetizers that I had here were delicious! Calamari & the tomato mozzarella that had tomatoes that were ripened to perfection.
Definitely a place to come after work if you have a large group in tow and a company footing the bill. But personally I'd rather let the shareholders enjoy their profits and try to pick something else.
Date Rating: 6
Pick up Scale: 3 (Unless you're looking for the cocky banker type in a stiff suit)
Strong Suggestion: Pull up a seat at the bar and enjoy an app or two but don't get too crazy here.
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First time in NY, glad this was the steakhouse I dined at. Raspberries in champagne, fried calamari, truffle fries and filet mignon were awesome! It definitely hit the spot and added to my NY experience.
Corporate steak house with all of the fixtures of an old gentleman's club. I haven't eaten at this location but I do know the brand well and must admit the food has been very good in other cities. I was at the bar with some friends sharing a couple of very good bottles of wine and my compliments to the sommolier; he made excellent recommendations and was very knowledgeable. We did order the calamari and the mozzarella: both very good. I like the feel of this kind of bar and it attracts the professional clientele you expect at this midtown location.
Not cheap eats but definitely a good place to hang your coat and stay for a meal and drinks, the Capital Grill delivers a great steak house experience.
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A great celebration dinner post NY marathon! We were able to walk (ok, hobble) over on Sunday night and enjoyed incredible service & food. This is one of the best crab/lobster cakes ever (not fried but would you expect that at a place like this?!) and our waitress was absolutely amazing. She was also a runner and added a lot to our celebratory dinner. Ask for Chrisi Carter. She was a gem. You will enjoy every minute of it. This place stands out among the other Captial Grilles in other cities.
Bravo!
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Had an excellent steak dinner here. The waiter was the most professional waiter I've ever had serve me. The decor was excellent. Lobster Mac was incredible! There certainly was plenty to go around. If you are hungry and willing to pay for it, Capital Grill is the place for you.
One of the best Steak places in the City!
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My first CG experience was in Chicago and it left me wanting more.
As many other reviewers have stated the food and service is top notch. You must try the truffle fries. French fries made in truffle oil...oye!
Beyond that I highly recommend the Stoli-Doli. I know it's not an original idea but CG makes their own pineapple infused vodka. Just ask for a Stoli-Doli but watch out....they are VERY easy to drink and sneak up on ya.
Overall one of the best chain based steakhouses around.
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I still love meat.
Preface: I was here for a holiday party. We drank a lot. It was fun.
The fried calamari is some of the best I have had, it is more than just calamari and sauce, they are with a spicy mixture (I forgot exactly, would be perfect at the bar with a drink though)
The food was good, I remember the appetizers more than the rest, but the steak was good, my was a little underdone, but I might have said rare this time though, it wasn't out of my range of acceptability. The service wasn't that snappy, we were a group of 15 or so, so that might have had something to do with it. They did give away our table and make us split up, which was the worst, but they got us at table together for desert and announcements.
Oh yeah by the way it is expensive too, beware.
The restroom were mint, nice private stalls, 4 Flushes
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This is not a location if you are a light eater as well if you are not willing to take a hit to your wallet that equaled the average losses on Wall Street that Enron caused. My party of three left well content and with a bill that went well past $650.00. To be honest we are big eaters and I do love a good wine. It was a guy's night out and we made sure that the menu showed this adventure.
We started out in a booth but decided to switch to a table; an issue that most restaurants frown on but here at The Grill they are there to make your evening perfect and they moved us without question or issue. If you are searching for a good piece of meat, excellent caviar and a wine Stewart who knows what he is doing stop on in.
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I have been here probably a dozen times, as it is a favorite of one of my high-eatin colleagues. The staff know him and always make sure our table is well taken care of.
So many fun nights have happened here.
The waiters here are always very nice, accommodating, and approach our table very carefully since we tend to get randy and uproarious as the bottles of super tuscan come and go. We tip well though, so the risk/reward is in their favor. No waitstaff has ever been physically injured while serving our table.
I cannot comment on Capital's drink-making skills as the only drinks I have ever had here were: 1. ketel with one ice cube, which I like to call the Double O and 2. red wine, which is always very pricey and fabulous and 3. Inniskillin dessert wine which I sip while in a food/wine coma toward the end (or the beginning) of the evening
Menu recommendations:
The seafood platter with snowcrab, oysters, mussles
The caviar comes out on a very prettily presented platter with a bunch of extras and crackers
So is the 4 pound lobster, but what can one expect from a large sea creature basking in its fabulous glory
The lamb chops, always perfectly cooked, because I am one of these sticklers for properly prepared (not overcooked) lamb.
The porterhouse
Fish choices: The tuna is an old stanby as is the snapper
They do the sides very well and when I am feeling naughty I like to nibble on their truffle butter fries (this may be a special order, I don't use the menu at this place too often, so I am not sure, but ask for these!)
My fav crabcakes are from this place
The calamari is AWESOME--if you like yours extra spicey, this one truly packs a punch. Great to share them.
I like to sit under the glass if I am with a one or two people (I would choose sitting under the glass if I was on a date) or at one of the round tables if I am with a bigger group, which is usually the case. The one next to the portrait of JP Morgan is my favorite. The standard 2x2 booths are cool but a bit tight if you are sitting with 2 people on each side. I mean there's room but it's not super roomy where if you took ppl you don't know well (clients for exmp) I think it would be too close, unless they were Europeans, because us Euros are close talkers and close sitters. Ambiance is very posh power scene.
Funny Story/Accidental Gaffe?
It was raining one time and the coat check diva was hitting on a bunch of my finance dude friends/colleagues. I found this highly amusing, as I am a diva at heart, but then I thought about it, what if they were taking clients to CG--wouldn't they find this embarrassing? I thought this sort of sassiness was appropriate for a downtown bar, but not a midtown fancypants restaurant. Also, the coat check diva made me close my own umbrella when it was dripping wet.
YEAH, he actually said "please close your own umbrella" to which I replied "it's wet, can you close it? my shoes are wet enough" to which he replied "no, I am sorry."
To which I wanted to reply, "Isn't it your job to close my umbrella if I am tipping you 3 bucks to store it in your hole for a few hours?" but I decided to be the well-bred person that I am and close my own umbrella. POOH!
Overall, great place. I look forward to coming here again and again.
Risk: 2 glasses of ketel + half bottle of super tuscan = can't do the math
Reward: solid place, never disappoints
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This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city! Excellent service and absolutely wonderful food, if a bit stuffy. :)
Get the steak. :)
I was vegetarian for a while, and I felt okay about that. Then I went here on a date and happened to have a bite of the most delicious steak I've ever eaten. It was like my whole body was bathed in a mystical glow of rare, aged, tender and juicy steak.
The food here is excellent, but if you're not sure what you want, or don't see anything you like, they're more than accommodating. I was having a hard time deciding what to eat due to most things on the menu being full of meat, cheese, or meat and cheese, so our waiter asked me what I wanted, made a few suggestions, and had the kitchen whip up some curly pasta with massive pieces of garlic and mushrooms and spinach. (Of course, I ruined the whole thing by eating steak, but I think I managed to hide it from the waiter.)
Okay. Yes, The Capital Grille is a chain, but I've been to a number of New York steakhouses and The Capital Grille really holds its own comparatively.
First of all, the architecture of the place is amazing. Try and get a seat near the window if you can. I've heard that other Capital Grille's tend to be a bit darker on the inside, but I particularly like the atmosphere at the New York locale.
Second of all, the food is AMAZING. I am currently a vegetarian, but have eaten here pre and post. The steak is amazing; moist, tasty and made to order just the way you like. One time I was here they undercooked all the steaks at the table which was disappointing and aggravating, but c'est la vie. As a vegetarian, I can confidently say that their seafood entrees are equally as good as the steak. The two-pound lobster I ordered was HUGE. The swordfish is a great steak which stands up strongly in comparison to its carnivorous equal; it's hearty and not dried out.
The lobster mac-n-cheese is probably my favorite thing on the menu. The only lobster side I've had that could trump Capital Grille's lobster mac-n-cheese is the rock lobster mashed potatoes and Rock Lobster in Vegas. Another great appetizer is the lobster and crab cakes (my mouth is watering thinking about these guys).
For dessert I usually go for strawberries Capital Grille or the fresh berries in cream, as to avoid insult to injury (though both feature high calorie accompaniments that don't exactly keep the calorie count down).
Even though it's right next to Grand Central, my stomach is usually so full that I have to resort to taking a cab home as my body just cannot handle any kind of physical movement after such a great meal.
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The Capital Grille is a favorite of my boss's, both because of its close proximity to our office and because clients are always impressed when we take them there. He's got discriminating taste and the place keeps him happily coming back after each visit.
I'm decidedly less discriminatory towards a free meal, and so after my first visit, which was spent lapping up filet mignon and their decadent chocolate hazelnut cake, my thoughts were that it was a great place to dine on someone else's dime, but I wouldn't shell out the cash myself.
After several more visits there, I'm beginning to change my mind. I'm no moneybags, but I might just have to spring for this place soon as a treat to my boyfriend - after several great experiences at the Capital Grille, it's finally been deemed worthy of my hard-earned cash.
I have been consistently pleased with everything I've tried - they're known for their steaks, so I've tried the filet mignon and kona-rubbed steak, but I've also ventured into surf territory with crabcakes and pan-seared tuna, which have been excellent as well. And don't even get me started on the chocolate hazelnut cake. The dessert selection is very impressive, but I always come back to this one. Luckily for me, it's big enough to share, so I've swapped bites of the coconut creme pie and cheesecake as well. Both were good, but my chocolate hazelnut is better. Main dishes are in the $35-45 range, and desserts are $8 or less.
I've always enjoyed the bottles of bourdeaux and pinot noir the staff recommends, and the side dishes, which are big enough for the table to share, are alone worthy of a trip to Capital Grille. Get the lobster mac and cheese no matter what, trust me on that. It's creamy/crispy/gooey perfection. The mashed potatoes are of the so-good-please-don' t-tell-me-how-many-calories -or-how-much-butter-was-used variety, and the steamed vegetables always make you feel better about yourself for gorging.
But the most exemplary thing about the Capital Grille is its staff - you'd be hard-pressed to find a greater attention to detail and genuine warmth towards patrons at any establishment in Manhattan. We've asked for Paul on several occasions - he's hilarious and knowledgable, and always takes good care of us. I've also been served by Jason, who, like Paul, knows his stuff and how to treat people. You definitely won't get that stuffy upscale restaurant vibe here!
Try for a table in the glass-ceiling room; with views of 42nd Street and the Chrysler building overhead, even Midtown is cast in a romantic light.
MMM...good! I remember coming here with my bf not long ago and we had a great time. We could barely move when we finished. We sat right under the skylight dome facing 42nd st and it was raining so it was very nice. We ordered oysters which were very fresh and the crab cakes were delish! I had the filet mignon which was spectacular and he ordered the portherhouse though I remember the sauce being amazing, I ended up eating more of his than my own. The side dishes were also great spinach, mushrooms, and potatoes. The staff was very attentive, we actually had quite an interesting conversation with the waiter. Very enjoyable. God I love steak!
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Good ole' chain steakhouse with a five star attitude and service.
Steak n Wine joint
Start off your dinner with their special pineapple infused vodka martini.
I am not a vodka fan nor pineapple lover, but it was a good one.
Their martini comes with generous portion, so don't be fooled by the number of glasses you drink!
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Wandering around midtown last night I found myself hungry and in front of the capital grille. As luck would have it my buddy dan was also in the mood to get his steak on. The steaks were good and the scotch list extensive ( but no lagavulin oddly enough), but the thing that really struck me was the quality of the service. Our waitress Neda was on top of everything and really good natured. Her recommendations were spot on with every course and even where to go afterwards.
American Cuisine, Steakhouse...
Ok, first a disclaimer... the 5 star rating might be a bit bias, since my meal was free as it was a holiday luncheon. However, after eating my meal, I thought it would still be worth the 5 star rating if I had to pony up my own cash to pay for the meal.
So my entree was the Ribeye Steak with Porcini Mushroom rub special. I shared the cold seafood tower (oysters, lump crab, king crab and lobster) appetizer and with the meal various sides (mashed potatoes, asparagus, cream spinach and fries).
The steak with rub was done very well. Very flavorful, so you didn't need any steak sauce or any kind with it. I had mine medium and it was cooked perfectly. There was a teenie bit of fat with the meat, but that's what makes it all taste good! The seafood appetizer was huge! I don't eat oysters, so I couldn't tell you how fresh they were, but I had the lobster, the crab legs, and lump crab and they were all very good. The sides also tasted good, but there was quite a bit of butter in the mashed potatoes, very creamy, but not my preference.
It's a nice atmosphere, and I'd like to actually come here again for a special occasion, even if I was surrounded by high powered business types. The food is very good, and if you have that special occasion you want to just let yourself go with your meal, have a try.
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It's yet another Very Good Steakhouse full of Very Powerful People in Business Suits. After enough firm Victrory Dinners, they all kind of blur together. Thanks Audrey J. for reminding me to add it to the list.
I still think Smith and Wollensky is better, but Capital Grille does win for a more sophisticated ambiance.
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As a business person always on the lookout for a great place to take clients, I was thrilled to find The Capital Grille a year and a half ago. Having only been there for lunch, I can't say much about the dinner crowd. However, lunch has consistently been great. Perhaps it is because of Chad, the Wonder Waiter, who always makes my guest(s) and I feel welcomed and cared about. Maybe it's the favorite table that they know to assign to me when I call. Or maybe its the damn fine Kona Steak (they marinate it in coffee and I LOVE coffee) that is always good. The fish is good too! So grab the expense account and ask for Chad.
A chain steakhouse, this place still does it with class. This steak place close to Grand Central served up a delicious piece of juicy squishily-wonderful filet mignon. I was super impressed with their use of the black napkin for those of us who had black slacks/skirts on. How fancy! The white chocolate mousse was incredible.
Edit 06/2007: Came back and was a little less wow-ed. The seating area in which we had lunch this time smelled oddly like...chlorine. Also, they overcooked my medium-rare to a medium instead. Hereby subtracting a star for a less than stellar second visit.
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I am not a big fan at all!!!!!!! Steak is okay! I only like coming here for one or two cocktails!
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Hi, we visited New York Last week ( october 2007 ) for the first time,the first evening we found the Capital grille steak house and we had agreat meal. Having been a little disappointed with some of the other meals we had in New York ( especially the Chinese ) we decided to go back to the Capital Grille for our last meal of our vist. My wife had seen on our fist visit a great looking sea food dish which had everything on it so she ordered it. She soon realised that it looked good but was complete rubbish, everything tasted of just tap water. So we complained, the waiter ( or what ever you call them in there funny little jackets ) said " you have to use your sauces with raw fish" errrmmm we thought raw fish, the only thing that should be raw is the oysters, as everything else on the plat had cooked shells, like lobster, prawns etc, So we complained again and asked to see a manager. He came and removed the dishsaying we would not be charged for it. But from that moment on the waiter or , ,,,,,, kept giving us bad looks, So we did not Tip as high as we could have, So sorry Captial Grille Great steaks Crap sea food and some crap staff.
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