I was pretty psyched to see that Morton’s Grille NYC opened up on Park Avenue South. The location at 233 Park Avenue South needed an exorcism after the prior steak joints that had inhabited the space. Well the space has definitely been cleaned of any demons and what remains is such a nice option for a stretch near Union Square Park.

The space at Morton’s Grille NYC is pretty cavernous. Similar layout to Sarabeth’s, which is further north on Park Avenue South. There is a bar right at the entrance and a big open dining area in the back with a semi-open kitchen area off to the side. What I like about the dining area is that the tables have some room from one another so you don’t feel like you are participating in the discussion of another group.

Corey, our awesome waiter at Morton’s Grille NYC, gave us the heads up that they have live music at the bar at around 7pm which was fine with us. The musicians actually started a little early but they were a nice accompaniment to the vibe of the restaurant. We were given a rundown of the Grille menu which is definitely a bit different than a standard steakhouse menu. The menu has a more fun and casual feel than your old school steak place. There really are options for everyone on the menu.

The Starters at Morton’s Grille NYC

So we gave Corey our Eat Up New York list of appetizers to get the party started. We went with the Tuna Poke, Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos, Tot’Chos, and the Veal and Mozzarella Meatballs. The Tuna Poke is Spicy “ahi” tuna, fresh avocado, Sesame and soy caramel. We eat a lot of tuna out and about in NYC so it is hard to wowed with this dish. Morton’s Tuna was good but I liked some of the other appetizers better. The table favorite was the Veal and Mozzarella Meatballs, which was a shocker. I wasn’t expecting the Morton’s Grille NYC meatballs to have been that good. The meat was excellent and the cheese in the middle was pure joy. We could, and should, have ordered another round of meatballs but we had plenty more food to get through.

The Tot’Chos is a hot mess version of Nachos with Tater Tots. This would be my “go-to” choice for a Sunday Brunch post Saturday hangover. If you are going with a group of friends and need a belly bomber for a long night ahead than by all means…tot away. We liked the Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos but they did pack a bit of a spicy punch. The appetizers were all pretty solid but the Veal and Mozzarella meatballs would be our definite recommendation.

The Meat Portion at Morton’s Grille NYC

Our main courses kept pretty tight with the whole Steak thing. We were at Morton’s Grille NYC for goodness steak (see what I did there?). Two of us went with the Filet Mignon and one went with the Bacon Fat Braised Ribs. The Filet’s were delicious. I was actually really surprised at how good they were. Perfectly seasoned and cooked dead on the way I had requested. The matchstick fries were fun at first but I could have used some big old steak fries because I just don’t have time for matchsticks. The ribs were quite a portion and carried with them a bit of heat. I am thinking it was the Southern Style Soppin’ Sauce that was the kicker. The ribs were good, and plentiful, but I liked my Filet better.

We also had one outcast who had a Beet Salad but we did not pick on her for going meatless. She did say that the Beet Salad was one of the best she had ever had, and we took her word for it. The matchstick fries were as far as we were going to venture away from the meat.

Morton’s Grille NYC also has a pretty extensive wine list which spans over 35 pages. Pretty impressive selections and price points that were totally workable depending on what you are in the mood for.

So it is safe to say that you should feel confident that you can return to Park Avenue South for steak. Don’t let bad memories, of steakhouses gone bad, ruin your expectations for the new kid on the block. Our whole crowd was pretty pleased with their experience at Morton’s Grill NYC, on Park Avenue South, and we look forward to a return visit soon.

For more information on Morton’s Grille NYC check out their website