On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Real People. Real Reviews.®
Categories: Steakhouses, Burgers, Sports Bars
2509 S Bascom AveAdd us on Facebook for exclusive deals and promotions http://facebook.com/gr.... Enjoy Happy Hour 7 days a week at Grill'EM!
Mon 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Tue-Thu 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sat 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Loading...
We went to Grill 'em last night for the first time and we are hooked. First the decor is very cool. 1950's hot rod style mix interior with a great looking bar. We started off with a few beers being that it was happy hour. With $3.00 draft beers that will make anyone happy. Our first choice was an appetizer of Chicken Pot Stickers. I suggest getting the spicy hot dipping sauce. Next my wife had the BBQ pulled pork salad, which was very yummy. I had the Cheddar Jalapeno Jucy Lucy burger. How would i describe it? Very Cheesy, messy, spicy hot, and delicious. A must try. Finally we had the smores cookie cake. This was drenched in chocolate syrup and whipped cream. So good down to the last bite.
Our server was great, being very nice, responsive to our questions and fast with the food and brews.
This a wonderful place, a must try!
Grill 'Em does so many things right.
Happy Hour till 2pm- 7pm with $5 apps, $3 Beers, $5 Wells.
The wings, steak bites, calamari are options you need to get with.
Various menu selections: Would you like to grill your own Bacon Wrapped Filet ( 8oz) , or go big with a New York , or T-Bone?? If you're not trying to " grill 'em" You can opt for a Sandwich or burger. ( check my homie Joel V's review for the burger details.)
I am a sucker for a Filet, no doubt, and the cut/quality here is superb. My thicker piece of meat takes a couple minutes longer than the rest. But it's worth it. I snacked on my generous piece of garlic bread to pass the time....Various rubs, seasonings,, A-1 Sauce, BBQ Sauce and more await you next to the grill, which is in the center of the dining room.
A few of my friends had the audacity to snack on my mixed vegetables. These were suprisingly incredible. Brocolli and Cauliflower with some sort of Sweet and Sour Vinagarette. Seasoned just right.
12 beers later, I spotted my boy Chris going to town on the Cheesecake, it looked too good to not order. I loved it, and also tried some of that Smore's Cookie Sundae. Solid, but victory for the Cheesecake was inevitable
Crowd- The room holds no more than 40-50 people. While we were a loud party in the middle of the room, I also spotted, families, and couples doin' their thing. Just note, this place is loud. If you're looking for a quiet night out, Grill 'Em and you will NOT get along
Decor- From the 3 Nascar Lovin' dudes out front when I arrived, to the pictures of past " Grill 'Ers" on the wall behind the grill, to the 1950's meets dark bar/lounge interior, this place is the farthest thing from " snooty".
Service- From the bartender and host that greeted us when we walked in, to the cocktail waitress, to our server who patiently and wonderfully took care of us the whole night, I would stress 5 stars here, for sure. There is a upbeat, eager to please vibe throughout the " Grill 'Em" team that is sorely lacking in many Bay Area restaurants.
So, in the end, look no further for a novel way to spend an evening in the South Bay.
Me and a big group of my boys went to Grill 'Em tonight in Campbell. 18 big smelly carnivores were ready to devour some delicious animal. One of my friends, Derek, was the one who selected Grill 'Em and was selling it hard lately.
Grill 'Em is a cool concept, order your steak and you season and cook it yourself at their indoor grill. I peeped the menu in advance and knew I wanted to try something other than the steak (much to Derek's dismay)... I decided to go with their "stuffed burger" aka the "Jucy Lucy." I've seen stuffed burgers on Triple D on the Food Network, and had always wanted one - but never have seen one on a menu before. I ordered my Jucy Lucy with 3-cheese and bacon. Basically, the cheddar, pepper jack and provolone is cooked inside a cave in the patty.
The dudes who ordered their steak got their raw meat first. Those who ordered other than steaks had to watch in agony as the steaks were being grilled. Derek, who thought all who didn't order as he did were bitches, made me take a bite of his NY Steak. Perfection.
The burgers arrived shortly after. A nice, fat hunk of ground steak on a hearty looking bun. Lots of lettuce, onion, tomato and pickles - and a little thousand island. The fries that came with the Lucy were also quality. I bit into the Jucy Lucy and was loving it. The cheese just oozes out, and although it is messy - it holds together better than you would think.
I also killed a Smores Cookie Sundae. It was tasty, but a little hard. It's weird to have to pull out a knife on your dessert.
All in all, a unique dining experience. I'll give a 3.75 for now, and I'd like to try a steak of my own next time...
We went to Grill'em last night and were pleasantlyl suprised! Fun atmospere, good music you can put on, casual dress. Our food was delicious. You can grill your own steak and garlic bread with lots of seasonings to pick from. Or you can have the kitchen cook for you something else. Or just stop in for some appi's at the bar and have a cocktail or two! We'll for sure come back with friends and family!
If I could give you 3.5 stars, I would.
Pro:
* It was unique to cook the steak yourself, but the piece I had was not fatty. It was very thin, like pork chop!
*The garlic bread was delicious
*Service was attentive/friendly
*Lakers game was on
*Special person with me
Cons:
*I got the rib-eye, but it was so thin and NOT juicy. It was a disappointing piece of steak!
*Dessert selection was not very appetizing! We ended up going to grab some ice cream at Ben and Jerry.
*You might over/under cook your meat--u smell like food after dinner!
To all the vegan one-star reviewers: It's a steakhouse. They serve meat. If you don't eat meat, go some place else :)
Now I for once, I love the meat. And Grill'Em has as good a steak as anyone else. They are also just my type of place, because I like my steaks really rare, and most restaurants won't dare to cook it to my liking.
Grill'Em is the only place now where I won't ever hesitate to have a steak.
The staff are friendly and competent.
True, it sometimes gets busy there at the grill, but it's a good sign, right?
Plus, if you don't want the steaks (which would puzzle me), you can have the kitchen prepare other foods for you. Burgers, wings, salads, etc.
Cocktails are good and strong. And the $3 specials are nothing to sneeze at.
Having been a fan of grill-your-own-steak place since going to Strip Club Steak house in San Diego and a steak lover, I was really looking forward to this place. We all order rib-eye and I opted for the bigger size. Meat was tender, juicy, tasty and grilled to perfect (pat myself in the back). I thoroughly enjoyed it. They also got some good drink deals and happy hour deals so get there early. On a side note, their buffalo wings was probably one of the best I've ever had. It has a very unique taste that's hard to describe. Try it. I'm looking forward to coming back!
I've been looking for a good steak joint that doesn't cost an arm and a leg (I can't afford Alexander's every week), and I think I may have found it. Has all the elements I'm looking for:
-Good steak
-Good prices
-Bar
-Tv's with the game on
The house seasoning that comes standard with the steak is solid, but if you feel the need to make your own concoction, there are plenty of options.
The one negative I have is that the $3 mojitos tasted like $3 mojitos. Mad watery. Maybe I got a couple of bad batches, but next time I'm sticking with beer.
Overall a very enjoyable experience, and will be back.
Tonight B and I decided to give this place a try. When we pulled into the parking lot nearly every space was taken! I was worried that we might not be able to get a table but as soon as we got inside I realized where everyone was.. the bar! There were at least five different screens playing all kinds of sports. Everyone was laughing and having a great time.
The dining room was fairly empty- only a few tables were taken. Our host, who was also our waiter, ushered us over to a nice clean booth and went over the menu since we were first timers.
Since it was still happy hour we went with an order of wings for $5.00, a cheeseburger, and the hungry man's special with a bacon wrapped fillet. The waiter was super nice and said that he'd try his best for the burger to come out when our steak should be done cooking.
The simple side salad arrived minutes after ordering. For only lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and a peppery Italian dressing I found it to be very good. Everything was really fresh tasting.
The wings arrived next. It was a huge plate of them for an appetizer, at least 12. They weren't fatty at all and the sauce was spicy and yummy. A little on the greasy side but it just made them that much more sinfully good.
When the steak arrived I was in shock. It was like a softball of meat with a huge strip of back wrapped around it! The waiter asked me if I'd like him to butterfly it but since I usually eat my steak rare I said no. According to the cooking recommendation on the wall I put it on for 7 1/2 minutes each side. B used the meat thermometer they provide (nice touch) to make sure it was safe to eat. When I got it back to the table it was kind of still mooing so I had to throw it back on. One more minute each side and it was perfect.
The garlic bread is FAN-TASTIC. Like, top three I've ever had. The burger was pretty good, I especially liked the bun. B got a side of garlic fries that were absolutely smothered in chopped garlic. I totally loved them but he found them to be a bit much.
The atmosphere is just fun. I would love to come back here with a big group for happy hour again sometime. A little on the pricey side but worth it for the whole experience.
Checked this place out on a Friday night. Place was pretty full but we didn't have to wait for a seat.
The interior has a kinda funky hot rod theme with a laid back atmosphere. Staff was nice and explained the menu. We ordered side salads along with the steaks. Took me a while to figure out they bring you your steak when its your time to grill it.
Lots of dry rubs & spices to put on top of your steak. Although I think the meat should stand on its own I ended up with some concoction I put on top of mine.
I think the whole grill it yourself thing is more a social thing to do with your group vs cooking what you want. I did manage to cook my steak just perfect for what I was looking for and like everyone else says, the garlic break kicks A$$. Side salad was good too.
Will I be back - yep for sure, not so much for the steak more for the whole cook it yourself & with your friends.
I was too lazy to grill my own steak, so I ordered the Works Cheese Steak Sandwich. It was amazing! Honestly one of the best sandwiches I ever had!!!
It is a nice place with friendly staff, and my friends really enjoyed the experience of grilling their meat.
Awesome concept for a restaurant to have a huge grill in the middle where everyone hangs out to watch their steaks sizzle and cook it to their liking. They have an assortment of spices and rubs and whatever condiments you want. Overall the quality of the steak is somewhat above the quality of your average restaurant chain.
Mushroom side dish came with 6 mushrooms that was marinated in balsamic vinegar. The brocolli/cauliflower side dish was too salty and drenched in terriyaki sauce. Although I didn't try it, the other people in our group looked like they enjoyed their baked potato and garlic fries.
It's not fine dining but a fun place to hangout, have drinks and have a decent steak.
This place is so much fun! We went for my friends' double birthday party and we were a huuuge party - probably about 30 people. Yikes! We kind of ordered in waves because the grilling area can only accommodate so many people.
When I finally made it up there with my slab-o-meat, I found tons of yummy condiments, sauces and seasonings to dress up my New York Strip. But seriously, do you need anything but Worcestershire sauce?
Despite our drinking, ALL our steaks came out flawless. I tried the rib-eye, the strip and the filet and they were all amazing! Either I have some pretty talented California-native friends who know how to grill, or Grill 'Em just knows how to do it right.
I met up an old friend for Happy Hour drinks one night here and ended up having one of the best Happy Hour experiences I've ever had, so much so that I keep coming back and keep bringing new people with me to prove I'm not a liar about the all night STRONG $3 mojitos on Thursdays and not a liar about the $5 full size appetizers either.
We decided to go on a Thursday because Thursdays are mojito nights at Grill 'Em. We walked in and sat at the bar which was packed for a weeknight at 6 pm. Mojitos are not hard drinks to mess up but people can, I was looking forward to trying them here since I'd heard good things about them. The male bartender was AWESOME (didn't get his name) and he definitely poured them STRONG. We didn't get a sissy high ball glass either, we got our mojitos in 16 oz. PINT glasses! w00t! We ordered a couple of the $5 Happy Hour appetizers expecting like most bar happy hour appetizers to be small in size. Nope, not here .. you get regular full sized appetizers for $5. The mojitos turned out to be $3 ALL night. So we stayed, had a couple drinks and we had some good conversation.
The owner came in and ended up hanging at the end of the bar chatting it up with us for the rest of the time we were there. He offered us an experimental spicy shot which we declined because it was a work night for the both of us.
I've come back since for Happy Hour and am greeted with a big smile and big hug from the owner.
I've not found a better place that can beat out Grill 'Em's Happy Hour.
They have a lot of patio seating however the bar is where it's at!!
The new staff is taking a bit to get up to speed, the last time I was there which was a month ago or so - there was a new bartender who was slower than molasses on a cold winter's day. We sat in the bar and ordered our drinks - It took us nearly 30 minutes to get our drinks but only about 10 or 12 minutes for the appetizers to arrive. There was a table with a large group there during this and one of the people at that table kept going to the bar to see what the hold up was with their drinks, I could see why they were getting angry because everyone's service was slow. The waitstaff was apologetic and let us know that the bartender is new. Even with the slow service that night, I still adore this place and the owner.
I'd have to rate this place above your average steak place. steaks are as good as your grilling abilities so if you go with a big group, a few people are gonna have some great steak some will have dry a$$ steaks. I think for an extra couple bucks you can get your steak cooked for you if you're used to grilling. drinks were pretty good, and service was pretty nice and friendly.
it may be more expensive than buying your own steaks and grilling them in your backyard, but at grill'em you dont have to prep the ingredients, set up the grill, clean the house or wash the dishes.
Hmmm...let see...Bomb burgers, bad ass happy hour, and the best part, a perfectly cooked steak. Wait, it's because I made it. This place is the awesome. Pretty low key, fun, interactive and the service is second to none. They definitely make you feel at home. You cant go wrong here. Great date spot too. Every guy know that a way to a womans heart is through her stomach :-P
Review for Appetizers and Drinks Only
We always order app's at their awesome bar and they are the BEST! Potato Skins are addictive! I love the chicken wings (got to try them). Chicken quesadilla was one of the better Chick Queso's I've had around. I've never eaten their steaks or any entrees, but assume their meats must be pretty good as the appetizer's were not standard by any means. The quality of meat used was better then most.
Inside is dark and very nicely decorated. The perfect steakhouse ambiance. The waiters, waitresses and bartender are super cool. A guy got a drink thrown in his face and the staff reacted in such a professional way that I barely was aware of the drama that happened literally right behind me. Great happy hour,! Been back several times!
Food: 3.5
Service: 4
Price: 3.5
Decor: 3
This place is more a 3.5 but it's closer to a 4 than a 3.
Anyway, came here with a group of random friends one Friday night after one friend suggested this place. The place literally follows its own name: you grill your own meat.
Weird right? I'll admit, at first, I was a little turned off to the fact that I had to pay to grill my own meat. However, I was pretty impressed by how well the meat turned out (I'm gonna credit the restaurant for good meat because I'm a horrendous cook, even though all you do is slap it onto the grill) I ordered the 8oz rib eye, which comes out as a big, but thin slice of meat. I also liked their selection of spices and sauces that you could put onto your meat, especially the sweet sauce. Definitely made my steak a lot better tasting than ones that I've gotten at fancy restaurants.
I really like the down-to-earth feel of this place. The servers are really friendly and laid back, and apparently the happy hour deal is good (it ends at 7 so we just missed it).
Good place if you feel like having an indoor bbq with friends. At least you don't have to clean up after yourselves.
I was hyped up to come here but the experience pretty much fizzled away. I came here tonight (Friday) around 8 and it was pretty crowded as expected for a Friday. The service however, was quite slow. The owner was very nice but they seemed understaffed for the amount of people in the restaurant. We even saw one couple leave very pissed.
So once things got rolling a bit and we received our steaks, i was hoping the experience would improve but it really much stayed the same. I thought the steaks were of decent quality but nothing great. Their sides were nothing special either. My grilled corn on the cob tasted like it was previously frozen.
As for the pricing, I remember the prices being a bit lower when I first heard about this place. However at the current prices, I don't see any real reason to go here (besides the one time experience factor), when you can get a delicious steak cooked for you at a close if not better price. Mind you their prices are for the steak only so once you add on the sides, its not any cheaper than a steak at lets say Outback.
I guess it was a cool idea but I won't be back for any steaks; maybe happy hour though.
Cooking your own steak is fun! Our were just right. Be careful ordering too many sides, they are more abundant than $1.99 might suggest. We got a lot of the same sides at the table and we could have easily shared and tried other different ones.
The room is small, but inviting. They have a big bar and lots of cushy booths. The grill is right in the middle and not only does it make the whole place smell great, but as my wife suggested, it would be a great way to have a BBQ if it's raining out.
Happy hour is good. $3 beers, cocktail specials, appetizers. I was recommended this place by my good friend Nate Dizzle. Good job Nate. I will definitely have to go back and try the burgers, the cheesesteak, etc...
This is a cool place with a hot concept... grill your own steak! I've noticed this place before driving by, but didn't know it was a restaurant. I thought it was a place that sells bbq grills. Haha! I came here for a family birthday dinner and was not disappointed!
Although this can be considered a steak place, there are a variety of sandwiches and burgers on the menu. Half of our party ordered steaks and the other half ordered burgers or sandwiches. The only thing that's GIY (Grill It Yourself) is the steak. Everything else is prepared.
We started with appetizers of buffalo wings, firecracker shrimp and calamari. I recommend the firecracker shrimp. The buffalo wings were pretty good too. However, the calamari was in little pieces. I don't think I had a full calamari ring, and the breading was not crispy. There are a lot of appetizers on the menu, so it's really hard to narrow down an order.
When the steaks make it to the table, they are huge! Everyone rushes to the grill and seasons them with the various condiments available. It was a good thing we came here mid-week, since we were the only large party that night. So we were all grilling together. Yes, it's a community grill. There are instructions on the wall behind the grill to help you decide how long to keep the meat on the grill, depending on how you want it cooked.
I didn't order a steak this time, but I did have a taste of my dad's and it was seasoned and cooked perfectly! There is a section on the menu called "hungry man", and those steak sizes can be shared by two people. Otherwise, be prepared to take some food home. Those of us that ordered sandwiches and burgers were also not disappointed. The sides were decent in size and filling. Most of us ended up taking half of our food home.
The dining room is not very big. Large booths line the perimeter of the room, and the middle has several tables which are joined together for large parties. Our party of 16 barely fit. There was a large party that came in an hour after us and had to sit in booths next to each other. So if you're coming for an occasion make sure to call ahead!
Overall, we had a great time, with great food and conversation!
Went here with some friends to celebrate once more. 2 of us go there super early so we had drinks until the rest of the party arrived. Needless to say I was toasted.
The waitress was cool and the food is priced decently. It gives you something to do and talk about over the meal.
Mine was cooked perfectly of course! And I had the mushrooms as a side. They had a red wine vinegar in them that was a little strong but complimented the steak just fine.
They have specials and happy hour, they even have a Sunday game day special. Check them out! We will be back!
Camey by for dinner on a Friday evening. The restaurant is definitely off the beaten path as the inside of the restaurant was maybe 25% full.
Ordered a meatball sandwich which was alright. I've had fresher and tastier meatballs but it did fill me up for ~$8, along with a side of french fries.
Note: This is a grill it yourself place, apparently! ;)
Wow! I love this place! It's so different and awesome! The crowd is nice, friendly and fun! I had a great time here! The bartenders are freaking awesome! Great place to hang out and eat! They have an awesome beer pong table for you and the best part is you can grill your own food! Cook your own steak to your own liking! It's so good and fun! Their baked potatoes are huge! It's stuffed with cheese, bacon, scallion with sour cream and butter on the side. I like my cheese melted so we put the potato over the grill to melt the cheese...MMMmmm!!!! You need to get the potstickers and the potato skins!
I heard this place was pretty good. My husband and I were lookin for a good new burger joint to try, we looked up the reviews on our phones from Yelp and were pretty impressed.
There wasn't much parking, we ended up parking on the street. We walked in and were told it would be a 20 minute wait. We were like ok, we will have a drink at the bar until then. The bar service was good. They had Blue Moon on tap which my husband likes but they served it with lemon and it should be served with orange. I ordered a vodka-cran and it was good. Then about 20 minutes later the hostess came up and said our table was ready.
We sat and waited and waited and waited and waited......did I say we waited??? We seriously waited like another 20-25 min or so. We noticed there were like 2 servers working and both walked by us several times, looked at us and didn't bother to say "I'll be right with you" or make the motion or anything. We took off.
The Steaks and burgers COULD be awesome but I wouldn't know that because I wasn't served here. I won't be coming back, Ever.
Usually, when I think of "cook-it-yourself" restaurants, Shabu Shabu and Korean BBQ comes to mind. But grill-it-yourself? Pure awesome unadulterated deliciousness.
I love food: both eating AND cooking. And by cooking I actually mean baking desserts and BBQ'ing meat. So when my friends told me we were going to Grill 'Em, I got excited. Grill 'Em is actually a restaurant and bar. Walk in and the bar is one your left, tables are on your right, and the grill is in the back.
I decided to order on of the "Hungry Man Specials." It was $17.95 for a 16 oz. New York Bone-In with a side salad and garlic bread. I know, it's a bit expensive but yummy and a decent amount of food. So here's how it works:
They bring you out the raw steak. It's already seasoned, but nothing wrong with adding a little extra flavor! I'm personally a fan of a nice dry rub. They've got a wide selection of dry spices and wet sauces to flavor to your liking.
The coolest part is that there's a big clock on the wall next to the grill. They've got it down to a science. You couldn't mess it up unless you tried. Want it rare? Leave it on for 2-3 minutes per side. Fan of medium rare? Try 4-5 minutes per side. Hate blood and like it medium? Give it 5-6 minutes per side. Like the taste of well-done charcoal? 7+ minutes per side.
You can also cook the garlic bread on the grill. But honestly, it's not that good. It's kind of bland and difficult to keep from burning actually. Unfortunately, Gilroy Garlic Festival garlic bread is my gold standard. Other garlic bread just kind of pales in comparison.
Oh and I asked the waitress what's better seasoned fries or garlic fries. Seasoned fries was a bad choice :(
We wanted to try something different than the old standby Outback Steakhouse. This is where Grill 'Em comes in since it's just down the road. I think they had a great idea when they thought of this concept but it wasn't executed properly. First off they bank on a family style bbq experience but the ambience and the prices indicate otherwise. On our visit there was no parking (small lot) and we had to park in the neighborhood. I'm sure the neighbors love that. There is patio out front but no one was outside enjoying the nice evening. When we showed up our group was already sitting so we got stuck with crappy seating. A look around you will notice quite a mix of loud patrons. Our waitress was nice and bubbly but she looked like a total mess. This was everyone's first time so we didn't really know what to expect. We were instantly drawn to the drink specials which on this night were $4 mojitos. They were good. I ended up ordering the bacon wrapped filet mignon which was probably my mistake. Why you say? I'll get to that later. After we placed our orders the pieces of raw meat are brought to the table. We were like "uhm what do we do now"? We didn't know what the procedure was so we waited for our waitress. She told us you just get up and cook it when you're ready. Keep in mind it's only 1 large grill and people are hovered around it non-stop. We waited until the giant party was done and we quickly moved up to the grill but so did all of the other patrons. There is not enough space as some of the tables and chairs are set up along the grill. Then there is a station with condiments and spices but the setup is cluttered and it didn't seem sanitary. Don't count on a thermometer or a timer to help you cook your meat. All you get is a tacky clock on the wall and a sign with cooking suggestions which by the way sucked. This is where my filet mignon went wrong. First off filet mignon should be baked and grilled. Not just grilled. Since there was no thermometer I couldn't tell if my meat was cooked through properly. My first attempt I had to go back and continue grilling it because it was too bloody. Second time it was still too bloody. Then by the third time it was overcooked and too dry. My bacon didn't even get cooked correctly. I was definitely disappointed but there was no one to complain to since I'm the one that cooked the meat. The garlic bread and salad that came with the meal were fine but they are stingy when you ask for a potato with all the fixings. Apparently their idea of all the fixings is different here. We did order buffalo wings and I do remember those along with the ranch being the highlight. At the end of my meal I regretted picking this place. Since you're doing all the cooking you'd think the prices would be cheaper but they really aren't. All I kept thinking about is how we should've just gone to Outback. Oh well, now we know and next time we will. This place is better for just drinks/appetizers. Sorry Grill 'Em thanks for trying but we won't be back for dinner.
*Thursday Nights $4 Mojitos
Yelp Rating 2.5 Stars
Headline:
Wow...this place was so good it made me want to write my first review ever on Yelp, and I've been using it for 2 years, that's how memorable of an experience it was.
First Impression:
I went on a Friday night with my gf and a couple college friends, and it was a great atmosphere. The bar was full and the music is cool but not pretentious, just like the decoration. It all adds to the unique ambiance of the place, unlike anything in the South Bay for sure. I am so having my birthday here.
Starting Off the Night:
Started at the bar with a Mojito, solid.
Got some Short ribs and mushroom skewers for appetizers. These are must have I tell you, I repeat, SHORT RIBS AND MUSHROOMS.
The bartender and owner are super easy going and friendly, really makes you feel welcomed and chat all night. Hard to find those kind of places these days.
The Main Course:
Moved on to our sweet plush booth seats, swanky, great intimate feeling for a group ya know.
I had the rib eye and my girl friend had the Jalepeno Jucy Lucy burger. My god, the rib eye was tender as hell and juicy. There were people grilling with me and it was fun just chatting with strangers. There was this nice older couple and a group of pretty girls (I didn't check them out in front of my girlfriend). There are some tips on the wall, but people around you help you out too so it all adds to the killer social atmosphere. Sip a drink and grill, doesn't get better than that.
I had a couple bites of the Jucy Lucy and man, it was crazy good. The jalepenos are ground into the meat and every bite had this great zing to it.
Sides: got some fries, pretty standard, but can't complain they were 2 bux a side dish. These are great deals, I think for any one on a budget, the burgers and side dishes is the way to go. If it's a decent night out, have a steak, it's fun grilling actually. Better deal than fondue. No matter what though, get a mojito any night (especially happy hour), top 5 mojito places I've been to, and I get a mojito every where.
Bottom Line:
I really do think this is a must visit in San Jose. If you're like me and tired of going to pretentious places in Santana Row for a night out... I would way rather go to a place that actually has good food and affordable drinks. I plan on taking all my out of town friends here. I just got to spread the word for awesome local hidden gems.
I think the concept is fun and interesting but not quite done right.
It is a medium sized restaurant, complete with bar, huge booths, small tables and a very large grill in the middle of everything. The ambiance is somewhere between the 70's, classy steak house and a sports bar. From the great paintings of different cocktails, to the luxe lined booths to the giant screened TVs playing sports - it just didn't really all go together.
The waitress and waiter were super friendly, attentive, explained the menu and set up perfect and were spot on. But with all the tattoo's showing it was more like a sports bar than steakhouse. Great service though.
The food: So yeah . . . . it took forever to get our potato skins that were ok, not amazing but like bar food. Our salads were tasty but the lettuce wasn't super fresh. I liked it though just wish the ingedients were a bit more lively. The steaks were a bit fatty and chewy. You do get a darn good sized steak but the cut isn't great. The grill it yourself concept is interesting but really everyone, EVERYONE, touches all the sauces, rubs, salt . . . so it doesn't seem sanitary in that way. But hey, you'll be fine. And well, hopefully you like the guy next to you grilling his steak too.
I think it is a great place for parties with the everyone grills thing and large selections of shooters, cocktails and drinks.
When my mom first suggested coming to Grill 'Em for a family lunch, I was a little wary of the idea of our family (including my grandma and my seven-year old brother) eating lunch together at a sports bar, and when less enthused when she suggested arriving at 11:30 to "beat the crowd."
The cooking/grilling process for the steaks was very doable, which I appreciated, since I've never made a steak before, and my family had a good lunch together. Our waitress was great too; she was very friendly and answered our numerous questions. Near the end of the meal, my brother was getting a little restless and started hiding behind booths, trying to sneak up on us and scare us. Instead, the waitress snuck up on him from the side and scared him, which was hilarious.
I'd like to go one more time with friends and go to see if the picture of my family grilling steaks is up on the wall :)
I am giving 2, maybe 2.5 stars simply based on the food. Great service, everyone is very friendly and a fun atmosphere, but the food just isn't up to pare.
I read the reviews with people raving about the pot stickers and frankly, not so good. We also got the calamari which seemed to be all the crumbs at the bottom of the bag and not very yummy dipping sauces. One more: hot wings, not much taste, too much skin/fat and all "wings" no little drumsticks.
We all ordered steaks and they were so so but you grill them so can't blame the restaurant on that. I got the baked potato, which was good and the fried onion strings, not so good. Other people at our table didn't really care for their sides either, mushroom skewers and veggies. Garlic bread is just so so.
They do have beer pong - cool idea and a full service bar, which is nice, probably my fave part of the whole night. Don't think I will return unless friends are going for a special event.
My first visit to Grill Em was with an old friend and we enjoyed the $3 mojitos served in 16 oz. pint glasses! We tried the potato wedges and the pot stickers which were both good. The pot stickers were surprisingly spicy, and delicious.
The bartender and the owner were very nice and chatted with us all night. They even offered some spicy shots but we had to pass on a work night.
The 2nd visit to Grill Em, I went with my husband. The place was practically empty but I have NO IDEA why!!!
We arrived at 6:30pm on a Tuesday night, just in time to enjoy $3 Stella draft beers and $5 potato wedges which I already knew were good.
So far, so great!
For dinner I selected the firecracker shrimp sandwich w/ no coleslaw and fries. It was served on garlic bread and omg was it good. Very SPICY but in a great way.
My husband ordered the western burger w/ fries for $8 and it was huge; and delicious. He said it was far better than any burger he's had in the South Bay and well worth $8.
Everything was delicious! We were very impressed. Service was great and we will definitely be back. In fact, I plan on hitting up Grill Em this Thursday with some old co-workers for Happy Hour. The mojitos keep me coming back. Maybe we'll actually grill our own steaks this time?
$5 Amf's, long islands, and Tokyo teas on Wednesdays! Fuck yeah!
I like this concept- Raw meat, fire, and booze. You can end up with a nice steak dinner or buzzed watching your own pyrotechnic creation.
good:
-Nice cuts of meat- I got the rib eye and it was just like any steak restaurant
-community grill station, you can chat it up with others or just observe
-Drinks are strong
-Yummy garlic fries
-Good selection of condiments and rubs
not so good:
-garlic bread was a simple margarine/garlic salt spread that you grill yourself
-firecracker shrimp- breaded shrimp tossed in buffalo wing sauce- aite
-Service was friendly but forgot utensils, forgot to put in our side order
-they charge our table of three 20% gratuity on top of total with taxes and alcohol because we used the http://restaurant.com gift certificate
This place is pretty cool. Grilling your own steak is fun. My date said his steak was one of the best he's ever had.
I had a big salad...not bad. I'll go back for sure.
Came here for dinner tonite and I must say that I was quite impressed.
I like that you get to cook your own steaks and even season them. That means if you don't like the way it's prepared, it's your own fault. The steak tasted very fresh and good quality, not tough at all. Not badly priced either. The garlic bread was also very good.
The server was also very nice and friendly along with the rest of the staff. Because it was our first time, she told us everything about grilling the food and how it works up there. Really nice.
Another plus is the happy hour. From 2 through 7. Not a bad deal. Cheap well drinks, beers, and appetizers. I ordered a cranberry vodka, and they must've only heard vodka because it was strong. I'm not gonna lie, I like my drinks nice and weak. I know, biiiiitch
All in all, a very good time. Will be back
Such a great idea, get a slab of raw meat and grill it on their open BBQ with all the spices, seasonings and sauces you like. If you don't like how it turned out, you're to blame. :) They have instructions posted for a properly cooked steak, so it's hard to screw up without trying really hard.
The first time I came here I had a beer with Syndee to talk business. She's all business and a great host. You can tell that she is really passionate about the restaurant she started and I hope they keep seeing a lot of success.
Grill your own steak while supporting a local business. You can't loose.
Just a service update. My girlfriend lost her wallet after eating here a few nights ago. If anyone has lost their wallet, you know how bad this sucks. After tearing the house apart, going through her cars a few times and then crying she figured that the last resort was to call here.
The owner said that she got in about 2 hours before the place officially opened (4pm) and that she would let my girl know.
Wouldn't you know it, not only did she find it, but she called right away and there was nothing at all missing, including cash. I thought this was worth mentioning, since it is really rare to have someone find your wallet and for you to get it back as you left it.
OK, so we get invited to a Mormon wedding. You know what goes into a Mormon wedding? A reception at… Read more »
I went to this place with a few co-workers. We got there roughly around 5:30 PM on a Wednesday night. I wasn't impressed when we first drove up. It seemed dead with only a few people in there when we walked in. The place wasn't that big. I can see the "grill" across the room. The walls were decorated with Pin-Up Art. I really like that this place is casual. It wasn't too bad.
We were seated and the waitress was really nice. She took our drink orders. I was glad she didn't ask for my ID. I hate showing my ID when I am with "older" people. I ordered the 8 oz. rib eye and the sautéed vegetables. The group ordered hot wings, firecracker shrimp, and chicken quesadilla for appetizers. I didn't get to try the hot wings but the firecracker shrimp wasn't too bad. It was more like breaded shrimp with hot sauce all over it. The chicken quesadilla was decent.
My meat was pretty good. Not too bad for grilling it myself. With a wide array of sauces you really can't go wrong. They got A-1. They got sweet and tangy. They got BBQ sauce. They got whatever you want.
The drinks were cheap. I guess we came at happy hour. Yippie!!! Saving money in a tough economy. The appetizers were $5 each. That's awesome!!! I had the AMF drink because my co-worker wanted me to try it. Let's say.............everything went blurry after I finished the drink. If you want to get f*ck up, then try the AMF.
The skewer mushrooms was okay. I didn't like that it was really heavily marinated in balsamic vinegar. The balsamic was very overpowering that I really didn't get to taste the mushroom. The sautéed veggies were okay also. Not to die for. The broccoli and the cauliflower was still crunchy like the way I like it but the sauce that it was in tasted like a teriyaki sauce. So I don't care much for that. But it wasn't at all bad.
Now the garlic bread needs some work. I love garlic bread and I don't think I am a garlic bread snob...okay..maybe I am. But it was definitely not up to my standards. I had better garlic bread.
Overall I would come back again....at the prices from happy hour, you really can't complain. Good food. Good company. Good drinks.
I haven't given five stars in a long time but this place is high on my list. We decided really last minute to celebrate a few birthdays here. I called the day of to make reservations for a party of 15 people which is usually tough. Each time we come here, we eat good and have a good time. This is a must try for the price, food and casual environment.
Our group ordered a bunch of appetizers, various steaks on the menu and lots of beer. Some new stuff we tried were the firecracker shrimp and potato skins. They were both tasty. Our steaks were just as good as the last few times we were here.
Overall: Great experience. They even gave bday people some huge drinks. I have no idea what was in it. It tasted yummy and it was strong haha
Service: Consistently good
Food: Thumbs up
Thanks Grill'em, we like you and we'll be back for more!
4.5 stars
...
Finally! After a few bad restaurants (*ahem* Palo Alto...Los Altos...) we hit a good…
Read more »
The name of this place says it all --- Grill em... yourself! ;) Ever had an issue of asking for a medium rare or rare steak and getting it overcooked at restaurants?! Well, this won't be the case here; if so, you'll be the chef to blame ! ;P
It's an awesome idea... The meat is of great quality and is a very large slice! Order your ideal cut of meat, along with some sides.. and you're set!
The waitress was very nice. Told us how to proceed with everything. There were a bunch of dry rubs and seasonings next to the grill... and the instructions on how to cook everything was very easy to follow.
We also tried the garlic fries and mushrooms, which were okay. The garlic bread was good though, and tasted even better later on... after we had a few drinks! Did I mention they have a full bar?? ... And the owner, Syndee, which we had a pleasure of meeting (thanks to Bong!), was super nice and drank with us too!
I just hate how this place is soo far, or else I'd def celebrate my birthday here or come visit more often!! ;D
We serve corn fed, black Angus, USDA Choice, minimum 28 days aged steaks. They are full of flavor and extremely tender.
Our Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich is made from paper thin rib eyes to give it plenty of flavor and tenderness . The bread is soft and the cheese is mixed into the meat. Just like how they make it in Philadelphia.
We even have stuffed burgers. Our burgers explode in your mouth....oozing with blue cheese OR bacon and cheddar OR jalapeño and cheddar.
Our short ribs are hands down the best in town. That's why we go through hundreds of pounds a weeks.
Established in 2008
Grill 'Em Steakhouse and Bar is owned and operated by Chuong and Syndee Nguyen, husband and wife. Chuong grew up in Campbell and is a 1993 Del Mar graduate, while Syndee has had over 15 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry. Together they started Grill 'Em in hope that it would eventually become a local neighborhood hangout where friends and families can meet up and enjoy a high quality steak at an affordable price.
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
Cupertino, CA
Santa Clara, CA
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite places to park my butt in a…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
