Grouchy Gabe's Grill

User Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

On a great fall day, my family and I stopped in Croton-on-Hudson on the way back from Bear Mountain looking for lunch. We found the small downtown and saw Grouchy Gabe's Grill with kids at tables outside. Perfect for a 2 year old and 7 month old, we thought. We sat inside and the interior was just fine. Old diner booths, a few round tables. Local artists work on the walls. Almost quaint (if it weren’t for the lack of a customer restroom). We ordered 2 cheeseburgers done medium with everything, a grilled cheese, an order of french fries, and an order of mozzarella sticks. I got an Orngina and my wife got a bottle of water from the plentiful assortment in the drink cooler. The mozzarella sticks were OK. Probably from a frozen box, but you don't expect much from a mozzarella stick. The fries and grilled cheese came out and were very good, exactly right for a two year old. Then the burgers showed up mostly raw with old, half melted cheddar cheese on untoasted buns that were falling apart. No lettuce, no tomato, no onions. Maybe 6 ounces of meat. These were the $6.50 1/2 pound cheeseburgers from the menu. I took them to the counter to ask if this was what they meant to serve us and to let them know that we couldn't eat the raw burgers. Then all hell broke loose. Grouchy Gabe himself made it apparent how he got the name. He told me I didn’t have to eat his food and continued grumbling under his breath. I asked if this was how I should expect to be treated as a customer and he asked if he should be treated this way as an owner. His wife working the counter apologized for his behavior, the cook came out to apologize, and the other kid working the counter apologized. But Grouchy Gabe stared us down until we left the restaurant. I asked to pay for the drinks and food we had eaten, but the wife told us she was sorry for her husband’s behavior and that we didn’t have to pay and that she hoped we’d come again (but knew we likely wouldn’t). Bizarre and baffling. I could understand a grizzly old character with stories and a barking wit, but being unnecessarily attacked for not wanting to feed my toddler raw beef is just plain outrageous. The experience completely marred what had been a beautiful fall family outing. I would suggest avoiding Grouchy Gabe's Grill in Croton-on-Hudson at all costs.

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I go there often. The atmosphere is cozy and the people are friendly. If you're passing through Croton, be sure to stop by and try Grouchy's soup!

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