MJ Grill

[oakapple]

MJ Grill (110 John Street, just west of Pearl Street) is the casual sibling of MarkJoseph Steakhouse. I dropped in last night, and from the thick crowd at the front of the bar I thought I might have trouble getting seated. Once past the mass of people congregating near the open-air storefront, I found a different story: the dining room was practically empty.

MJ Grill really is two places in one: the bar, which is unremarkable; and the dining room, which is surprisingly stylish, with its elegant light fixtures, artwork, and a working fireplace. Unfortunately, I was about the only one there appreciating them. The manager conceded that the dining room draws more of a lunch crowd. He's been there only a month (promoted from the mother ship), and he promised a renovation in the next few weeks that'll make MJ Grill more of an evening destination. Or so they hope.

The one thing he's not changing is the food. I tried the MJ BBQ Spareribs, which is a bargain at $15.95, or about the same price as Houlihan's. They were achingly tender, fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. The dish was served with mixed seasonal vegetables (carrots, beans, mushrooms) and french fries. Another day I'll have to try the burger, which has received plenty of praise here.

The MJ Grill menu hasn't decided what it wants to be. As you start reading, you think you're looking at enhanced barfood: burgers, salads, sandwiches. Then you get to some mid-priced entrées, like ribs, chicken, and fish. Last, you find the $40 filet mignon and the $39 28 oz. bone-in ribeye, which are high-end steakhouse prices for a house with decidedly casual aspirations. There are daily specials written on the blackboard outside, which yesterday included a black bean soup, baked salmon, and a veal chop.

[Suzanne F]

MJ Grill has been around for about/at least a year now. By now the owners HAVE decided what they want it to be. And that is indeed that mix of bar food and upscale.

While I've been to MJ for steak several times, the only thing I have had at MJ Grill is the burger: Too big in general, too big for its baguette chunk of bread. Good meat, though. (My report was on a thread now disappeared.)

[oakapple]

MJ Grill has been around for about/at least a year now. By now the owners HAVE decided what they want it to be.

I based the comment on the fact that the manager told me they're renovating to bring in more business, which suggests the original concept hasn't lived up entirely to expectations.

[coughy]

My husband has hosted two holiday parties at MJ Grill. We used the entire back area curtained off for privacy. The food was absolutely top shelf (for parties they do have porterhouse steaks), and the service impeccable. When dining out we go to Mark Josephs, which I think is the best steakhouse in NYC.

[tommy]

i've been wanting to try the burger here and finally made it recently.

the bar in front is obviously a meat market catering to wall-street types. although there was nary a girl to be seen. once you get to the back dining room, it's much more quiet and pleasant.

the room seemed a bit "corporate" to me. a bit contrived. but, it was comfortable enough.

MJ Grill certainly has one of the most pleasant hostesses that i've ever come across. i mean, this girl was just really lovely. as i was dining alone that evening, she really made a difference with jokes, stopping by to pour my wine and chat, and more importantly to give me something to look at.

at any rate, the burger was pretty damned good. i wouldn't put it up there with S&W, but it's certainly good. i was afraid the bread would chewy and tough, but it was soft and supple and perfect for the burger. and the fries were good as well.

regarding their steak offerings, to me, it makes sense that they're offering steak at that price. i have to assume they're serving the same steak as MarkJoseph, and at the same price. i don't see why they'd serve an inferior product at a lesser price. that said, the menu did seem a bit schizophrenic. certainly a good stop for a burger and some red, although my plan of sitting at the bar for that meal was certainly silly given the afterwork crowd.

Edited May 13, 2004 by tommy (log)

[Pan]

While I've been to MJ for steak several times, the only thing I have had at MJ Grill is the burger: Too big in general, too big for its baguette chunk of bread. Good meat, though. (My report was on a thread now disappeared.)

Are you looking for the Burger Club thread?

But if so, since it's 57 pages long, on which page did you post your report?

[Suzanne F]

Oh, so I'm supoposed to read through all those 57 pages?

Never mind; what I said here is the most important bit, anyway.

[tommy]

Oh, so I'm supoposed to read through all those 57 pages?

Never mind; what I said here is the most important bit, anyway.

on or about nov 11, you said the burger was worth a trip. you were right.

[oakapple]

MJ Grill is under new management. Although the signage and decor remain the same, it is now an Italian place. Within the next 2-3 months, it will be renamed Amici.

One thing that hasn't changed is the lack of a dinner crowd. Just like every time I've been there, you find oceans of empty tables once you get past the bar. You've got to wonder if an unremarkable Italian place is going to have any more luck at attracting patrons.

The menu doesn't break any new ground. I had a rather dull crab cake caesar salad, although my friend loved the veal parmagiana. There is still a cheeseburger on offer, but I have no idea if it's as good as MJ Grill's version. On the whole, it's a menu that could have dropped in right out of Little Italy—which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing, but it's not going to turn many heads.

Service was extremely slow, despite the lack of patronage. We were offered complimentary after-dinner drinks, which unfortunately we had to decline.

Edited April 19, 2006 by oakapple (log)

[phaelon56]

Service was extremely slow, despite the lack of patronage.

←

Interesting comment and perhaps good fodder for a separate thread. This is an odd phenomenon that I've noticed in a number of restaurants in NYC and elsewhere.

[Sneakeater]

As we now know Lucille Ball (of all people) once said, if you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it.