Hotel Griffou (CLOSED)

I have been to Griffou a few times, but most recently I brought my parents for their anniversary. They were visiting and wanted to go somewhere sceney - this was the perfect choice. The very handsome Maitre'd made sure we had a great table and charmed my mom with his British accent. The food was delicious, not a super obscure menu, but simple and wonderful flavors. The grilled Tuna was cooked just right. Definitely not a heavy meal and my water glass was never empty (always a good sign). I liked that although this is a trendy spot and you sit quite close to your neighbors, it was comfortable. I would definitely go back - if I can get a reservation!

I'm new to NYC so I naturally get suckered into going to "it" restaurants and bars only to find that they are over priced and not worth the money. Hotel Griffou is no exception. The food is mediocre at best and the rooms are filled with soul-less model and celebrity obsessed hanger-ons.

They should decide if they are a club or a restaurant and pick one. The food is an after thought and while the drinks are great, this is not a spot for dinner, especially an expensive dinner. I would not recommend this. In fact I would avoid it.

after hearing various mixed reviews, my expectations were fairly low for this spot. however, much to my surprise the food was outstanding. we ordered the steak diane, the short ribs, the tasmanian trout and the homemade fettucini, all of which were outstanding in quality. The hamachi appetizer was amazing. Presentation was nothing extraordinary, but the food was great. further, the waitstaff was extremely accommodating.

Only one negative - the Pink Room is LOUD

i've been here a few times simply because i've been forced to go with friends who apparently think that this place is incredibly hip. its not. its a basement full of sycophantic dbags. the service was excellent the first time i went, however the two other times i went our appetizers were brought out before our drinks! granted i didn't really want to be there in the first place but once i'm there i think its normal to want to enjoy the experience and not rushed out like a herd of cattle, i mean at least give me a chance to change my opinion! i know that this is nyc and sometimes the service sucks, however that is only acceptable when the food is good, and that is not the case with the hotel griffou. the food is average to sub par and tries much too hard to be something its not. the chef needs to simplify the menu or at least change it so the food actually corresponds with the season- even the salads are heavy! the spinach salad has escargot in it and an egg! this would be good if it weren't august and i weren't in a basement- a smelly basement decorated with fox pelts and playboys. ok the pelts ARE kinda cool, and it is nice that there are different rooms that all have different vibes. it is not cool, however, when you are seated in the studio. the studio room is set p to look like an artists studio with a bunch of stupid fake paintbrushes and everything. theres no carpet in there so the acoustics are unbearable, it gets so loud that it is impossible to enjoy your company. this is true even if there are only eight other people in the room. there's also a fake hallway. wtf. basically this whole joint it trying way too hard to be something its not, and maybe thats a good thing. ny is full of people pretending to be better than they actually are, so i guess griffou can be their clubhouse- a clubhouse with $14 cocktails and a trashy waitstaff.

I have to say it is one of the few times I have been blown away. There was an hour's wait and it was well worth it. The food was amazing, and the atmosphere just had its own unique rich character.