The Bryant Park Grill: Outdoors and Overrated

Many Manhattan restaurants receive a lot of hype. For some, this hype is warranted; for others, it is simply hype. This week I dined in a restaurant that, unfortunately, falls into the latter category: the Bryant Park Grill.

With an expansive, umbrella-covered patio, classy wicker chairs and forest green awnings, a sleek European-style dining room, a rooftop garden, and – most importantly – a choice location perched atop Bryant Park, the Bryant Park Grill certainly has a lot going for it. And, like the smooth-talking banker you’ll often find positioned in the most visible spot on the restaurant’s patio, it knows it. Thus, the well-heeled hostesses who greet you with a glare, and a menu featuring fare that costs more than double its worth.

I stopped at the Grill for the first time a few weeks ago, for after-work drinks on the rooftop garden, an endeavor that required me to fight my way through a standing-room-only crowd of aspiring young business-folk eager to see and be seen. Though the view of the park was grand, I was too busy guarding my glass of wine from the elbow-rubbing – and often elbow-bumping – circles to take the time to enjoy it. Needless to say, I was not impressed.

I decided, however, to give the Grill a second chance this week. Attracted by the peaceful twilit patio and lush, summery setting – and not sure where else to go – my friend Kristin and I stopped in for a late dinner on Tuesday night. And I must say that this experience was much better than the last in most ways. The patio was quiet and not at all crowded, which meant that we were seated right away and received prompt and attentive service all night. And we were treated to views of the park, alive with the buzz of a summer evening, and the fully-blooming flower baskets situated around the patio. For the duration of the evening, these highlights did not disappoint.

But when it came to the menu, the Bryant Park Grill just did not measure up. Featuring an array of salads, seafood, pasta dishes, and other traditional American cuisine, the Grill doesn’t offer anything especially unique, yet they charge quite a price for their very standard fare. The stir-fry that I chose featured ginger shrimp, Portobello mushrooms, and white rice, and, while it was definitely tasty, I could easily have made a similar dish at home for much less than the $27 the Grill was charging. Kristin’s penne primavera was similar; featuring shrimp and an array of vegetables, it was good – but I don’t know that it was quite worth the $24.75 she paid for it.

One could argue that the outdoorsy atmosphere and park views are worth the extra cost, and for some they very well may be. But, next time, I think I’d rather grab a sandwich and just sit in the park instead.