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Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: Long Island City30th Ave (N, W)
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Love the brunch on Sunday!! Atmosphere is loungy and comfortable that you might just want to spend the whole day there. Kinda gave me that Cali-feel :) Best part-it's a nice walk from the N train if you don't feel like driving.
This is a nice change from just going to those in Manhattan.
Definitely a nice spot to bring a date or and group occasions~ they have long tables to accommodate big parties.
2.5 stars to be fair
Ok, stopped in here for dinner on a whim and was impressed by the great atmosphere and the fantastic staff. However, could have lived w/o the constant loud techno music. As the evening rolled on (and the Yankees extended their lead in game 6) the excitement here progressed nicely. Not too rowdy - not too submissive. But the music seemed to fade away into the crowd noise.
Great Atmosphere + Great staff - Absolutely!
Great food? - eh, not too bad, but sure wasn't memorable
let's just say the Nachos could have found a home at any number of "flair" driven chain restaurants.
Meat market? - yep , sure is
On a quick side note:
I will applaud the wait staff who seem to have honed their skills at fending off pathetic pick up lines from their patrons - good job Jessica, I didn't think that guy looked like a photographer either....
Enjoy!
This place is crawling with douchebags. You can't walk by here without feeling trashy. I've eaten here once and it was okay, but I certainly can't remember anything that my friends were saying because of the terribly loud music.
It looks nice enough, but the clientele are the worst. Please close down.
Grand is OK!!!! THe food is alright, but the drinks are horrible,!
Grand Cafe is a hit or miss. If you come at night it has a lounge feel. During the day it has a Euro feel with everyone drinking frappes, including the neighborhood's Greek older men who take up a bunch of tables. Service is spotty, you usually need to hunt down the waiter. If you want to come, I suggest coming for weekend brunch. In general the food is average, nothing in particular stands out.
The food was always decent here for a cafe, you know brunch, panini sandwiches, the usual...
But I boycotted this place when I saw this on my delivery bill-
$2.75 for a 16 oz. poland spring bottle
the balls on this place, this is 30th ave. in astoria, not ocean drive on south beach...who do they think they are?
Loud, thumping techno / drag queen music 90% of the time. Mostly a place for you to sit outside in your $300 sunglasses, sip frappes and smoke cigarettes. At night... it becomes a meat market where you can't even dance. Drinks are completely over priced. But, the coffee is pretty good.
Really, the only reason for any sane, normal person to go to this place is for the brunch special. It's $11.50 and you get a free bloody mary or mimosa and a coffee or tea. The food is pedestrian, at best. I usually get the adequate, flavorless eggs benedict. I would probably never go there if it was more expensive and not right around the corner from my house.
Avoid at all cost at all times other than brunch. And with brunch, you get what you pay for. The coffee is the best part. And the bathrooms are pretty nice.
love this place! way too loud sometimes, i feel like im in a club. but their salads are to die for. :D
been there a couple times for brunch, pre-fixed menu... the food selection is pretty good, nice variety.. the only issue issue is sometimes the music inside is a bit loud at night, making it a little rough for convo (only at night it seems).. this is the pretty standard spot in the area, and is very popular
Grand cafe is a "hit or miss". Depending on what you order of course.
I usually go there on one of two occasions 1) weekend killer brunch deal 2) coffee/frappe
The weekend brunch menu is super affordable (about $11 - let's say $15 including tip) and it offers you mini-muffins - which are delicious andc omplimentary on the table - a choice of coffee/tea and a small glass of juice (I do love my tropicana fresh-off-the-carton) together with a breakfast item (I usually get the caprese or mediterranean omlette which are both very safe options and they don't manage to screw up) with home fries (which i love as they're not greasy but hold true to their flavor) with whole wheat toast (well done - sorry.. i do like a little crunch with my brunch ;).
They always refill your glass of water, coffee and ask to clear your table whether you're finished or not.
Pet-peeve alert!!
When not dining alone, and one of us is still enjoying their meal, i don't really appreciate the table being cleared on the side of the person that has finished. It's so rude to the one still eating.. .ANYWAY.. point being, I always say "i am not finished" if they want to clear "my" side, this way I am not rushing whoever is sitting in front of me :) (aaand +tip for having them let me keep my empty plate)
Why i LOVE this venue (besides the lovely brunch menu):
1) The tunes they play are great
2) the servers, are just plain hot (I do believe the eye candy is part of presentation). Can't hurt right?
3) The greeks and albanians seem to "love hanging out" and this place has just that vibe.. they don't kick you out if you're done with your drink and you just want to sit out people-watching. You will have to get a few drinks, and I suggest alternating - darn frappes are pretty strong
4) The bathrooms - GREAT... when i DO get to use them... it's impossible not to jive to the tunes in there... surround sound people :)) i give them a -5- :))
Points of Frustration
1) the buzzboys look like they own the place, keeping their hands in their pockets, b/c they're just "cool like dat"
2) sometimes you might just need to get up and get your own utensils
3) can't get myself to try other items in the menu. I'll stick with brunch
routine hanging out spot - go grand!
I have only been to Grand for brunch --- but probably around 5-6 times. They have a reasonable brunch menu and the portion size is nice. If you sit outside, make sure you are towards the front as the side is a little sketchy being near garbage and what not. Inside is very spacious. Food is pretty good, not the best, but quality. I would recommend giving it a spin.
I usually order from this place since as most reviewers have mentioned the music at this place is extremely loud. I have tried several items from their menu; the 2 items that I would definitely recommend are the Greek salad and the cheeseburger. Brunch is usually a safe time to go and sit outside if the weather is nice. The service can be better.
Occupies a large corner space that is a bit, indeed, "grand." Nicely done and feels comfortable.
My house salad of field greens was one of the scarier dishes I've actually endeavored to eat. I needed to pick out a full fifth of the leaves, for rotting or just about. My guacamole side was actually fairly tasty, but an enormous portion, with a clear thumb skid a couple inches into it and guacamole thumb prints on the side of the plate. It comes served with, apparently, nothing. I had to order a bit of pita on the side - for which we were charged additional. My ham and brie crêpe was the most acceptable dish I ate. It was made with lower quality ham, but it tasted decent. It was served on a hot plate with garnish of completely wilted field greens.
Food 2 + ambiance 7 + value 2 + service 4 = overall 3.1 / 10 (poor)
There is no better way to pass a lazy summer morning than enjoying a leisurely breakfast at Grand Cafe. I scope out a sunny outdoor table, settle down with my newspaper and watch the world pass by on 30th Ave.
The prices can't be beat. Coffee is included with most breakfasts and for $4-5 bucks you get some decent eggs/ french toast/ waffle. It's certainly not a remarkable eating experience, but for the price, it's pretty good.
The service is typical old-school Astoria -- slow & indifferent. So what? I feel like I'm in Greece as I sit there among the old Greek men, who are smoking cigarettes and drinking frappes.
Oh and the bathrooms are ridiculous! Uber-fancy!
A good place to have lunch if your in the area. It's on a nice street with lots of places to walk to. Really cool and chill neighborhood. Prices are moderate. Around $10-15 per person. There are days when it's jam packed and then there are ones where it seems like your the only ones there.
Well, now brunch is $11.50 pre fixed. I actually didn't catch any of the brunch specials... Anyway, I was disappointed in the size of the bloody mary - at least in comparison to Ovelia's. I had a decent tomato and avocado omelet with a side salad. My boyfriend said the eggs benedict was fine but nothing to write home about.
In terms of ambiance, we were sitting by the window, which was nice. The music was a bit too loud, but we could hear each other. Service was fast.
I loved that the tea/coffee came with a tasty cookie.
I would definitely come here again - but I will probably explore some other options before coming back.
Tone down the bass, please. I'm all for music when you're at a bar, or a club, or a concert. but not at a street side cafe.
also, there is an awning. and we sat outside under it as the weather was comfortable, but the sky looked ominous. As the waitress remarked, "looks like it's going to rain," she brought in a pile of menus, the hostess stand, and rolled back the awning. That's right. With about 20 people eating outside and the weather all but certain to pour any minute, they pulled in the awning. No awning as I finished my hamburger (which was average, and yet another place where specifying any way to cook your burger such as 'medium well' is a waste of your time. one size fits all) and my french fries (which were hot, but barely crisped, which is all the telltale signs of being frozen and defrosted). The prices were reasonable, but the service was spotty, the food average, and the bass thumping.
there are better options on 30 ave than Grand Cafe.
Loud, overpriced, food sucks. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Nothing really there. Only decent thing about this place is the fishtank... but let's be honest your can't eat them. Let alone have anyone in the kitchen who would know what to do with them. Stay away.
I've been there 3x b/c I keep hearing rave reviews about this place, so i would give it a try...again and again....well.....
Two words.......It SUCKED!!!! That's all you need to know.
Never again for me!!!! 3x was painful enough!
Go to Flo Cafe nearby, that's WAY better.
The rumors are true. This place is full of meatheads, they pump cheesy loud-ass dance music all hours of the day and night (so much so that your table conversation is a constant screaming match) and the service...what service????
Having lived down the street from this joint, sometimes it is just convenient. Case in point, while crashing at my former roommate's place in Astoria during my weekend visit to NYC, my boyfriend and I were hungry. This is the ONLY place I could think of. It was three blocks away and we were starving.
For once, the service was actually good. And they serve the thickest, juiciest bacon on their BLT. However, the multitude of other visits I have made to this place amounted to spotty service, obnoxious fellow customers and less-then-stellar food.
My boyfriend, who is not from the area, mused aloud, "so is this music a New York thing?"
No dear - it's an Astoria thing.
Great french fries-horrible music! I have never heard a techno version of Boys Don't Cry until last night at The Grand Cafe in Astoria. Whoa.
I did like the European cafe feel but it is really hard to enjoy a relaxing glass of wine and your meal when the bass is booming in your ear.
If you are looking for a great plate of fries, some fresh air , some really hot, leggy waitresses (ours was super nice and all smiles), or if you are a raver, than enjoy The Grand Cafe.
I had dinner here with a few friends and had a great time. That might've had something to do with all the wine we drank... also the reason I can't remember what I had to eat there.
The food was good, but could've been a lot better. The place looked hopping, and we got seated promptly. The service was very good as well. I'd go again for the atmosphere, but not so much for the food itself...
Cheap brunch spot but with food that's just okay.
For $11 you get one of a few different prix fixe meals like eggs benedict, various omeletes and other brunch options, plus choice of potato, beverage (alcoholic or otherwise), and coffee or tea.
My eggs benedict were tastey but not great. Their homefries are the less potato-ey, more french fry type, which I like but were too bland and overly dry. I tried a bit of one of their omeletes (I forget which) and it was well made but had too much peppers for my taste. Also, their fresh OJ was way too pulpy.
The restaurant, itself, is cute and comfortable, with lots of seating indoors and out, with great air circulation that keeps it cool (for summer) no matter where you are. It was kind of noisy, but I think that was due to the constant breeze. The waitstaff is friendly and service is very fast but not in a way that makes you feel rushed.
I'd be willing to go back every once in a while but my search for a favorite nearby brunch spot continues.
Went here for breakfast. Nothing special, eggs, sausage, hash browns and coffee. The eggs were good, the sausage fine, but the hash browns were pretty bad. Potatoes mixed in with some sauce that was sort of ketchup, but not. The rest of the menu was Greek, pretty normal for this neighborhood. Lunch or dinner would probably be much better and the atmosphere more conducive for that. BUT, the total bill for two people for a complete breakfast each, was $10.50. Such a New York place, decent food at at cheap price. Oh and the coffee was better than average too.
This place hovers between a 2 and 3 star. You see for every pro they have an equal con and it just does nothing to stand out.
It gets a point for being open so late. In a neighborhood like 30th ave, this is a nice thing as most other establishments tend to start shutting down.
It loses a point for being so loud and obnoxious with the shitty music. Hey if it weren't so loud, bad music CAN be tolerable. When you can't even exchange two sentences with someone due to the volume, it's too friggen loud. When you're shouting your order at your waitress and she can't hear you, it's too friggen loud.
Oh wait you find yourself shouting your order, because it's too friggen loud AND she doesn't understand English too well so you think she can't hear you and thus you're shouting, but alas you now look like a complete asshole in her mind.
It gets points for having a decent variety of unique teas and a coffees. It loses points for serving both warm coffee and warm cheesecake. You see those two items? They need to be at a certain extreme. Hot and Cold, respectively.
Other than that, it's a decently decorated diner/lounge where one can grab a quick late bite.
Wow, lots of people with lots of beef about this place. Here's the deal folks: you're walking into a place called Grand CAFE. There is no reason why you should walk in expecting to have a good bar/lounge experience. None. At the end of the day, it's a diner. Sure, they have nicer setups, the music is a tad louder and such, but hey, it's appealing to a younger crowd.
The time to go to this place is early in the morning or the afternoon for brunch. Do not come here when you're on the bar crawl looking for a place to grab a mixed drink and dance it up. Yeah sure, they promote themselves like that at night, but don't fall into the trap. The truth is, they pull of being a diner very nicely. They have a great prix-fixed brunch set up. I highly recommend the Grand omelet. You get your choice of bacon or sausage, a cheese, and onions, tomatoes and peppers. It was delicious. Surprisingly soft, warm toast too which I liked. I hate when toast is completely turned to ash. I also had a pretty well balanced mimosa as well which is sometimes hard to come by. Although I will hand it to Sandford's over on Broadway who's unbalanced mimosa usually leans more toward the champagne side. Ha ha.
But anyway, the wait staff was very nice here and the music was kinda loud but really fun and good stuff. It sort of wound up waking me up a little on my lazy Sunday.
My one complaint was that there wasn't a lot of space to sit and we got stuck propped up at like a bar table type thing with raised chairs and stuff and the table was too small for the meal that we ordered. And the busboy was a little creepy.
I would totally go back again for the prix-fixed brunch, and plan to. But I just wouldn't do it with only two people. You have a better shot at an actual table with 3+.
I've been here twice; once for drinks and once for brunch. Both times the food and service were decent - not too much to complain about other than it being a little cheesy (they try very hard to be sleek and cool, but they're catering to local tastes - it's smart, really). Inside there's a tidy layout - plenty of room - nice bathrooms! - gorgeous salt-water aquarium. The staff were friendly and efficient. For brunch, I ordered a ham & swiss crepe with a hot coffee - very good. My friend had the brunch special which essentially translates to small portions across the board - even her coffee cup was tiny, but the food was good enough to pass muster. All in all, this is a nice place - it's just not necessarily my scene.
Every day is a Saturday night at Grand Cafe (which can be overwhelming with a hangover on Sunday morning). Despite this, the food is delicious - I haven't been disappointed once. Service can be slow, but I am convinced it's because the wait staff is having a dance party 7 days a week.
I used to come here all the time for brunch- every weekend for months and months. The food and service was OK to good- sometimes they overcooked the eggs, sometimes the waiters would forget to refill my water glass- but it was so close and convenient that I didn't care.
Then one week I was informed very rudely that although brunch was $10, there was now a $15 credit card minimum (and mimimums ARE against the law, you know). I appealed to the manager- hey, brunch is $10, and with tip it's very close to $15- but he didn't care. He lamely said that they didn't want people charging $3 drinks and sitting there all day, which wasn't my situation at all. That was almost 2 years ago and I haven't been back since, and I share this story with everyone I know. Anyone who would turn away their most devoted customers over something stupid doens't deserve any business at all.
Been here a couple times for brunch, I'm a big fan of their crepes- very rich and not overly sweet. The service is decent and it's pretty roomy inside. Good brunch spot definitely, the music isn't so bad then either (because they do hike it up later on)
I love their brunch specials! I prefer the outdoor seating area then the indoor area, the service is not bad but it can improve and be excellent.
A lot of the hating of this place seems to be for it as a bar or a lounge, so what I can offer is that it's a pretty great brunch- eleven dollars, prix fixe, coffee/tea and a mimosa or bloody mary or whatever. I had the banana pancakes, and they were great (extra buck-fifty, though, for the banana part). The meal also came with a mini muffin bowl to start, so that was a plus. I also really liked the atmosphere (it's December, and they're decorated very nicely for the holidays) and we had a nice waitress (who won points by loving my necklace and being shocked that I got it at a dollar store, lost points for being about two pounds and making me feel monstrously fat, and then got neutral points for saying I looked underage because at twenty-three I'm just above getting insulted and too young to be complimented).
What kind of sucked was that the seating was limited, so we sat at a tall table with very narrow bar-stool type chairs. I was, as I said, already feeling size conscious considering that I could have swallowed my waitress whole, so I really didn't need to squeeze myself in to a table. And they're wasn't enough room for our food. It took a lot of creativity. And a lot of not putting any part of our arms on the table as we ate.
So, in all- yeah, I'll go back. It was a really good brunch, and well-priced. I just think that I'll wait until there's more people- if you're a party of two, you may get screwed over.
if you're looking for an upscale diner with good food than grand cafe is the answer. the place has really good food and a laid back atmosphere. so why only 3 stars? no matter when i go there, it's like a freakin club--they constantly have the music blasting, don't get me wrong, i don't mind loud music, but 8 o'clock on monday night or 11 o'clock on a thursday doesn't really make sense to have bad sounding house music blaring through the speakers---my friends and i were expected glow sticks to be passed out at any moment.
but yes, good food--just don't go here if you want a quiet meal.
Had lunch there yesterday food was below average as was service the hostess was too busy yapping to notice me.... never again.
i used to really love this place and the following are why i don't anymore:
1. that LOUD shitty music!
2.the hostess was so rude!! our waitress was worse!
3. our drinks took AGES to get to us and were watered down!
4.the food was fine not amazing fine
5. the crowd was interesting
6. only go to the brunch if you like waiting hours for runny eggs and their prices for brunch are ridiculous your safer bet is Fatty's or Bar 36 down the block hell even Avenue will do
Overrall it's a different place then it was a year ago!
My first visit here was not pleasant. It was a Sunday around 11:30, so brunch was in full swing. We didn't have to wait for a table. We did, however, wait an hour and a half for our brunch. Our waitress kept apologizing and saying "there's a private party going on and we're understaffed" like it's MY problem. Oh, I'm so sorry Athena, did you want me to put on an apron and help you out? (I assume that was her name, as everyone in Astoria except for myself is Greek. I dont't know...maybe her name was Medusa). I asked to speak to the manager and was told that it wasn't possible. This made me mad. But hunger surpassed anger. In the "rock paper scissors" game of my body, which goes "stomach, anger, logic" logic beats stomach, which all trump anger. Anyway, there was a cute puppy in the vicinity and the fabulously dressed gay couple next to us offered me their mini muffins when I stared eating the lemons out of my water glass. Gotta love the gays. So giving!
Brunch came. And went. I'm not sure I tasted any of it as I scarfed it down at record speed.
Trip #2 to Grand. I am glutton for punishment, yes. It was the night before Hubby and I eloped and we wanted a low key dinner just the two of us before the big day. We ordered champagne before the meal and they told us we couldn't have any yet because the bartender was running late. It's sooooo hard to open a bottle of champagne. If you have opposable thumbs you can pop a cork. Boy I wanted to pop something in our waiter's face.
Never to return again unless every other restaurant in Astoria closes. The only reason star #2 is up there is because their fries are orgasmic. I swear they're cooked with trans fats because I haven't tasted a fry that good since 1997.
You haven't lived in Astoria until you've spent an afternoon sipping a latte frappe or cool glass of Retsina. Here you can do both.
Avoid the brunch. Okay tuna sandwich. Tasty frappes. Good to people watch, especially in the warmer months when you can sit outside. Plays the same 5 very annoying techno songs over and over again. (I live across the street and "My Humps" and "Crazy" on repeat tend to get a tad annoying). EXCELLENT waitstaff. Cool bathrooms.
came here tonight for dinner. 3 stars.. heres why
+ i really liked the loud/club/trance type music, because i was actually in the mood to go dancing but its way too hot in the city
- the crowd was weird.. not too excited, not too great looking, just boring i guess
+ the owner and the guy im seeing met at benifit a while ago and they recognized eachother. he's a really cool guy, and apparently they made plans to go to highbar together on friday. anyways he comped all our drinks, which was very nice of him.
- a chic decor and upbeat staff was wasted on the crowd
+ i really loved my havana panini, and will definetly go back for another
overall a good experience, just not my type of crowd i guess... but ill be going back anyways
Ok, like everything else, this place has to be looked at in context. If you are looking for Grand food, and impacable service, go get a 4 season's brunch. If you go to Grand in the winter time and expect it bring you to a place of pure serenity, this is a 3 star place. But, if you go there and take a seat outside in the summer, you'll hardly be disappointed. It has good coffee, good food, decent price, and all that jazz, but this place is for people watchers, and there's a lot of that in the menu.
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