A Higher Standard

No secret that I, along with half of New York, love the Standard Grill, located under the High Line in the Meatpacking District. Usually it would take all sorts of things to get me over to the Meatpacking District, but as of late I've been actually making up excuses to head that way. The Standard Hotel is not my dig; it's super-modern, very clinical, and a little raunchy. However, the Standard Grill looks like something off of a Disney set of Main Street, USA. What makes the Standard so great is that it's back to simplicity and back to gimmick-free food and atmosphere. That might explain how a hipster, a Euro, a good ole' boy, an older couple from Montana, and 21 year olds can all find their place.

A quick overview of the "sections" of the Standard Grill that make it so appealing:

THE BEER GARDEN: This. is. awesome. Enter from the side of the Grill and you'll be in a very unique, dark, but open-air space with tall bar tables, hot bartenders, beer pong tables, and KEG SERVICE.

THE PATIO/FRONT ROOM: Nothing, and I mean nothing, beat a summer day out on this patio, facing of all things, Washington St. Suddenly, with the Standard rising up from the 14th street ashes, there are interesting people roaming around the West Side. The food is fresh - I've had everything from the halibut to the chopped salad. Some are better than others, but all come with these amazing potato hash aioli things that I devoured like I had been on a 30 day famine.

THE DINING ROOM: Very hard to get a reservation, hence why I haven't eaten in the back yet. Apparently it's a who's who of New York back there, rivaled only by The Waverly and Monkey Bar in terms of the withholding of reservations. I've peeked my head in there on the way to the very complex but cool maze they call the bathroom, and the entire floor of the dining room is covered in pennies.

Give it a go for yourself and let me know what you think - but I guarantee there's something for everyone. Well done you, Standard Grill, for getting me back to 14th street.