GV Hurley’s Restaurant & Bar

CLOSED. Soon to reopen as Red Lotus.

Been here a couple times for late night good times, and well, consider me a fan.
I like places that are clean, have a decent bar setup, pour pretty decent drinks (Don’t know what Jennifer S was talking about — I have bar experience, and their pours seemed pretty good — 4 count to an ounce pours to me). My Bombay Sapphire Gin and Tonic was a Bombay Sapphire G/​T, and I know my gins… so I have no experience of them subbing their liquor .
All in all, I’ll be back.
It gets 4 out of 5 for the following:
Nice looking interior
Late night menu
Nice Atmosphere, and decent crowd.
The only thing that’s missing for me (in terms of late night) is that it could use another bartender or 2, and maybe a couple more servers… but hey, that costs money and we’re still technically in a recession.

I wish I could give this place negative stars, but alas, Unilocal won’t let me. The only thing I hate more than this place is the fact that so many of my friends have fallen for this place’s bs.
The service is terrible. As an ex bartender with a pretty perfect pour, this place pours their drinks extremely weak. At first I thought it was the one bartender, so I switched and had the same problem.
And the manager is a total d-​bag. He ran into me and my friend causing us to spill our drinks. Not only did he not offer to refill our drinks or even apologize, he also yelled at us and said we were drunk ran into him, even though we weren’t moving.
AND this place was recently busted by ABC for pouring cheap liquid into the expensive bottles. So not only are you paying $ 9 a drink, but you’re buying popov when you’re supposed to be getting grey goose.
On a positive note, the food is edible.

I’ve been to GV Hurley’s a few times and have only experienced the back patio.
Bartenders were friendly and attentive. Good cran-vodka’s.
Just a cool place to hang out with friends and have a drink.
I did order the potato skins on Saturday night. Never can go wrong with potato skins!

I won’t be back to G.V. Hurleys.
On a Saturday evening in Midtown it’s tough to get immediate gratification. After arriving at Zelda’s at 7:00 pm to a swarm of hungry waiting folks that included some kids on their Prom Date (who takes their prom date to Zelda’s?) and being told after a ten minute wait that it would be an hour till pizzatime, we fled the vicinity in two cars, bound for the 26^th to 28^th street block of J Street, confident that the plethora of restaurants there would yield something immediate and gratifying.
Chicago Fire had a 45-​minute wait so we ventured to G.V. Hurleys, which was fairly empty. My husband and I had tried it early on and been impressed, so I was advocating a second try.
We waited in the lobby of the mostly-​empty restaurant for about five minutes while listening to incredibly loud jazz music that, unfortunately, wasn’t loud enough to drown out the screaming d-​bags at the bar. YOU HAVE A GREAT ASS, one of the girls slurred/​slobbered at the waiter. Her companion was pumping his fist in the air and shouting (yes, shouting) something unintelligible. Typically this is enough to make me turn around and walk out, but at that moment someone finally noticed us and readied a table for our party of four — far from Team D-​bag. Once we were seated we quickly selected our beverages (martinis (3) and a manhattan (1)) and waited.
…Waited…
Waited…
Waited…
When a server finally came back to our table, approximately 20 minutes after we’d ordered our drinks in the now-​nearly-​empty-​bar, we were informed that they’d run out of martini glasses and they were trying to find some. I commented that perhaps they could borrow some from one of their many competitors. I wasn’t kidding — how TF do you run out of martini glasses in an empty bar? We were again almost ready to walk out, since we had no drinks, had been seated for now thirty minutes, and no one had even asked us if we wanted food (or perhaps wanted to order a different drink). One of our party managed to flag down a different server to try to order some appetizers. The appetizer came before our drinks did. Potato skins. Not my choice… but they were decent. A bit greasy from the cheese, but topped with onions and tomato — tasty.
FINALLY we got booze in hand and were briefly sated. But, once we ordered another round and waited another ten minutes, GT noticed the bartender saying «I don’t have any martini glasses» and so he took our used glasses to the bar — please just fill these, he said.
At this point the manager stepped in. He came over to our table, said they next round of drinks would be on him since it had taken them so long to make our drinks, and then he disappeared and returned with four martini glasses. Holy Christ, THANK GOD someone competent was present in the restaurant.
Our entrees were surprisingly delicious. I ordered a Ceasar salad topped with a dungeness crab cake, and a side of green beans (which are cooked with bacon and onions). The salad was fantastic, and the beans were a solid hit with everyone at the table except for the vegetarian. Other entrees included a Ceasar salad with calamari (I found the calamari fry to be too heavy but others disagreed) and two french dips. The guys loved the french dip sandwiches, and they were only $ 10 — and came with a side of potatos cooked your-​way.
After all was done, our ticket was just under $ 100 for four people, excluding one of the drink rounds. I guess that’s what a night out in midtown costs these days, but I felt the overall experience was worth about $ 50 total. Or maybe they should have paid us to run the D-​bags out of the bar and wash some glassware.
With the ever-​increasing choices in Midtown, particularly on this block of Midtown, if G.V. Hurleys doesn’t step it up, train the staff, and buy some damned glassware, it will continue to be the nearly-​empty restaurant amidst a sea of crowded, more popular establishments that are far worthier of your hard-​earned dollars.

This place is alright. In all fairness, I’ve never had a bad night here. It’s a nice looking place with a cool outdoor patio, complete with heaters that are actually effective. The place is also packed with good lookin people, and that’s never a bad thing. Plus I’ve never had to pay a cover there, so bonus points for that.
But damnit, the place gets crowded, and unless you’re one of the few that showed up early enough to snag a booth or table, you’re gonna be on your feet for the night. Not always a bad thing, but the way this place is laid out, it seems like wherever you stand is right in the middle of a thoroughfare. Mean looking drunkards are gonna be pushing through your group, bumping you in the back, and spilling your drink on your loafers. (Last night’s quote of the night: «You don’t go out unless you’re lookin’ for a little bumpin.») You’ll get some bumpin’ at this place, just not the bumpin’ you’re hoping for.
Oh, and the drinks are ridiculously overpriced. Last night they charged me $ 6 for a Coors Light. I can only assume this was some sort of ungodly mistake, because that is laughably ridiculous (especially in these economic times). Heck, I could buy a foot-​long sandwich for less than that. And don’t expect to get it very quickly. If all the bar seats are taken, you’re not gonna be able to get any of the bartenders’ attentions, and even if your right up front, you seem to be right in their blind spot.
Guess that’s what paying $ 6 for a cheap beer gets you these days.

The menu and website looked promising — unfortunately the food didn’t deliver. I went with a large group of people. The venue was really nice. Open, modern space. We ordered most of the appetizers. We were really looking forward to the lobster corndogs and mac and cheese but when we tried it the food was really bland.
I think I would only come back for the open patio out in back…

Soooooo this place, next door to Aura I guess wins in my book — the real difference is that Aura actually has non-​white people and GV Hurley has mainly white people… the reasoning for that? simply, Aura plays dance music and this place doesn’t.
That aside it takes FOREVER to get a drink here, but I was made happier here because why my friend Erica and I were getting flustered waiting, this really super drunk guy offered to buy us drinks and he just threw money at the bartender and we finally got served! The best part? After our drinks were paid for, the guy left! So we weren’t even forced into being fake nice with him after shelling out some of his money! Hence the three star rating.
Overall the crowd is pretty social here, and this place gets crowded early, and especially if you are a guy you should get here on the earlier side because by 11:30 or so, the line outside of here is just dudes. The girls are all pretty attractive here, and so are the guys, but the front corner section of this place seemed to be unofficially reserved for the «older» people at the bar, and by older I mean mid to late 30’s. There are some booths and some tables if you can get them, and a nice outside patio with another bar out in the back, which is where i would suggest getting your drink, so the layout is another bonus.
Oh ya and there is a really awkward security man that runs back and forth making sure there is a walkway clear, but the drinks are made strong here so no one pays attention to him… kinda sad… but what are ya gonna do???

This bar is OOOOKAY. Came in with friends while in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. We had a decent time, no serious complaints.
Pros — Large space, outdoor area, large bar with many cocktail tables and booths, decent wine list.
Cons — the bartenders act as though this is a college beer garden, serving beers and cocktails in plastic cups with serious attitude. If you’re going to charge me $ 7 for a draft beer, I’d like it in a pint glass, please. And no need to act like a jerk to pretty girls and think you’re cool because of it. In case they didn’t notice, 70% of the people in there were men. If you’re hoping to attract women, try being polite.
I’ll only come back if there is peer pressure involved.

I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller…
Taller — As a woman over the «average» height of 5’6 I would like to thank GV hurley for it’s accomdating places to sit. For one, I like that GV has a way of puching my two favorite seasons together, summer and winter. I walk outside expecting a cup of hot chocolate while I sit next to the fire place, then oh no… spoke too soon! Where’s the limbo line? Where’ my pina coloda? I’m diggin’ the tiki bar.
Baller — Why yes, thank you for asking! I would love to sit in what I like to call the «VIP booth» which is just the long booth over looking the bar. «Come to me my jungle friends»
Overall I like GV. The past few weekends that I’ve gone has made a very big fan out of me. Although, the last time «Al Borelan» or who ever that guy in the flannel was told me his favorite movie was «Texas chainsaw massacre» Um. How is that socially acceptable? Did they ever find Tim Bundy cuz…

I wanted to like this place… it’s a short bike ride from my home and does indeed, look very appealing inside. So, when my husband declared he wanted a more low key and casual dinner for his bday, we decided to give this place a try. It was clear that the waiter was instructed to go all out to please the customers and garner return business… he was very attentive and came back to the table (probably at the chef’s request) to 1) bring my husband a larger helping of his side dish and 2) ask how we liked the food as several of our dishes went back to the kitchen full of food.
The kitchen had just started its fall menu which was a bit of a disappointment as I had already reviewed their old menu on the website. We started with the antipasto which was served salad style with a BUNCH of lettuce and pickled veggies, one piece of cheese, and a few shreds of some sort of salami. My husband had the pork chop which he enjoyed and was tasty, but also something I could (and have) cooked at home. Nothing special. I had the duck which was not cooked right at all… it was rare and had a ton of the fat still on it. It also came with pomegranate risotto which was gummy and some sauteed greens. As I type this I’m kicking myself for not sending the inedible plate of food back to the kitchen for a refund. I guess I’m just too polite for my own good.
I could see maybe stopping in for a drink on a weekend afternoon (from what I read the crowds are too much for me during the evening)…but we won’t be returning for dinner.

I’ve been to this restaurant three times. Each time the service sucked! The food is way too greasy, too expensive and the portions are very small. I also don’t like that most of the small plates include three items each — what about my party of four? The «new» menu is so like the «old» menu — don’t be fooled.
And the wine — after waiting for 20 minutes, a random server brought our party of four ONE glass of wine. Our biggest mistake was turning that down as it somehow cancelled the entire bar order. Dumbass — maybe if she gave us four straws we could have coped.
Don’t even get me started with «where is Coleman?» I guess our waiter was too busy ‘talking’ to other customers that he forgot about us.
The worst part is the owner is a hugh DICK! He was so rude to our group and wanted to know if we were «done complaining.»
Do yourself a favor and go to a restaurant that deserves your business. I will NEVER go back to that loser establishment.

Just received a bit of information on my visit here for a nice lunch on Sunday. They have a brand new menu with all sorts of new items. They still have a few of the favorites (Deep Fried Mac & Cheese), but a good portion of the old menu is gone Including my favorite «Cob Salad». I had the «Buffalo Chicken Salad» and it was pretty good. My wife tried the new «Chicken Tacos» which she enjoyed. With the firing of the head chef and the hiring of a new chef a completely updated menu was no suprise.
Oh yeah and I still dig it!

The food is fun, especially if you order small plates. The service however, is slow and extremely rude.
The cocktails at GV Hurley’s are great. I wish they didn’t serve the beer in chilled glasses. That’s only for cheap domestic beers so you don’t taste them…
My sister and I were waiting at the bar to meet somebody else for dinner. The bartender greets us, but we weren’t ready, so he says he’ll come back to us. We try to get his attention for 15 minutes, but he’s definitely ignoring us. During that time, the 2 bartenders dropped and broke 4 glasses. Maybe they were drunk?
When they seat us, we ordered a bunch of small plates and asked our server to bring them out in 2 rounds. They bring all of the dishes out at once. We’re told that «they» made them all at once.
After finishing our meal, they bring our check. Nobody asked if we wanted dessert. We continue talking at our table, and a man that appears to be the manager comes over and asks us to hand him the dirty dishes that are on the far end of the booth… He was trying to get us to leave.
The food was surprisingly good for a trendy place. The chef has some fun concepts which actually taste good, but unfortunately with bad service, the place isn’t going to last long.
Had the service been halfway decent, we probably would have stayed and had dessert and a couple more drinks. I agree with some of the other reviewers, the evening crowd is totally douchy. I felt like I needed a shirt with a dragon on it or something.

I’m putting GV Hurley’s under the bar category because the food is off limits at all times. Don’t be fooled by the allure of pulled pork spring rolls or deep fried mac and cheese balls. The food at Hurley’s is more suspect than Michael Jackson at a sleepover.
The good news, however, is that the bar is fantastic! GV Hurley’s employs a bevy of beauties, and pours a full bar’s worth of alcohol. Every drink I’ve had has been stiff as Viagra with just the perfect amount of mixer. I traditionally stick with the classics at Hurley’s (vodka ton, 7 & 7, rum and coke, etc) but am happy to say their more elaborate drinks (cosmos, mai tai’s, etc) were also met with much enjoyment.
I prefer drinking indoors at Hurley’s on weekend nights, but their amazing patio is the perfect setting for after work. The running waterfall and outdoor bar is a lethal culprit when paired with beer goggles. Be forewarned.
It’s also worth noting the owner rocks red shirts with black ties, and slightly resembles Paulie from The Sopranos. Instant cool factor, or a reason to sport a diaper? I almost shit myself and still thought he was cool.

I stumbled upon this restaurant on Saturday night. We did not have reservations so they sat us on the back patio — I had no clue so many people drank at the back patio — it was packed!
My roommate and I had dinner. During dinner my roommate went to the restroom and told me that some young girl was puking in the bathroom (real classy). We kind of laughed about it and commented how early it was… I went to the restroom about 15 mins later the girl is still in the stall but she is now passed out. I think she finally got escorted out at 8:20 pm on a Saturday night…
The food was decent but i think it was way overpriced and it is almost the exact same menu as Bistro 33. We asked our server if they owned it but he told me it was a different own than the Bistro people.
Not sure if I would go back…

I don’t think the food is quite worth the prices, but OH the ambiance, and the cocktails!
The place itself is a little stark, but very nicely appointed. The back patio is THE place to be in the whole joint. Misters during the high heat, the bar is out there, you really feel like you’re out of the way there.
The cocktails list is imaginative and bright, if brief. Cucumber gin thing, a tequila cilantro mojito, a blood orange martini (that goes down a little too smoothly, ifyaknowwhatimean).
The food is pretty good, upscale fusion with a little too much padding. The pork tacos could use less cabbage, and the sliders are on comparatively GIANT brioche. Feels a little like a fluffed up 7^th grade final paper, or when you receive a shipment of a USB key in an 8×10 box filled with air bags. Regardless, the food is pretty decent, and that’s what you want to soak up those cocktails.
The PEOPLE, however. The people who work there are darling and charming, if a little inexperienced. They work hard, I think Hurley’s would do well to hire another server or two for the busy hours. The people I am referring to are the CUSTOMERS!
I had no idea that these people existed in the wild, but as it turns out, Hurley’s is their native environment, and I just never knew. My friends and I took great, distracted pleasure in watching the elaborate mating rituals go down on that patio. Spray tan is alive and well here in Sacramento, and yes Virginia, there are plastic surgeons here. Lest you think of Sacramento as a bastion of natural beauty, Hurley’s has another story for you. It’s incredible, the effort that has gone in to some of these women. I hope they’re happy. They make me happy on countless levels. I am glad they exist in the world, because they make the concrete landscape of the back patio of Hurley’s just a little more colorful– orange, to be exact.

I thought I would hurl
So I went to the bathroom
Cherry in the sink
It didn’t make any sense to me, much like the restaurant. Why is there a cherry in the sink? What was Kevin Johnson doing there? Is that lady wearing a potato sack? Do guys really go out to dinner to talk through their mid-​life crisis? What the hell kind of vibe does this restaurant have?
As for the food, somewhat tasty in heavy sauces. It didn’t sit too well with me.

I have mixed feelings on this place. The first time I went, they had two bartenders for about 150 people. That was lame. Not only was that a negative, my friend had been trying to order a drink for about 10 minutes and casually was resting her hand on her hip. The female bartender finally came up to her, took her drink order and then rudely said, «I’ll serve you if you take your hand off your hip.» Uh. Get over yourself, chica. Wrong side of the bar to be throwing out cheap insults.
I went there on Saturday night with some friends. The place was packed but things seemed to be moving a lot better. I will say that our round of Greygoose shots we ordered were definitely not Greygoose. Strike for that. However, their nachos and egg rolls were amazing. Fresh ingredients, nice presentation and a great taste.
I think the whole bartender/​patron ratio thing will get worked out soon, but overall I’m sure I’ll go back.

First the good; they were open for lunch on Monday, unlike the Italian spot next door we actually wanted to dine at. I liked the look of several of the menu items, so we took a table on the back patio despite my wife’s misgivings about the place having only opened a month earlier. So technically the following disaster of a meal is completely my fault.
The décor is nice without being ostentatious, with just a few tables on the back patio and a second bar. Since the staff outnumbered the patrons by over two-​to-​one it wasn’t surprising that several of them were hanging around the patio bar gossiping, but it did annoy my wife. It would have bothered me as well if I had been able to hear anything over the Beatles Greatest Hits blaring over the sound system. After the third or fourth time I asked our server to repeat herself because I couldn’t hear a word coming out of her mouth they either turned it down or my eardrums shut down in self defense. Add the fact that my wife is a Stones fan anyway and the atmosphere didn’t please either of us. Drink service actually came from the main bar, and was surprisingly slow for a mostly empty restaurant.
I wish I could say it got better when the food arrived, but sadly not. My wife wanted the calamari, but they were sold out by the time we sat down just after 1pm. Our server recommended the Crab Cakes (at $ 14 one of the pricier lunch items), and I guess we should have looked over the menu once more to see that it was served over some sickly sweet concoction of prunes or dates. On their own the cakes were a bit oily and heavily reminiscent of a lime wedge.
I had the pulled pork sandwich, quite tasty if thin, but I don’t ask for the world at $ 7. What I do ask for if that my side of fries be cooked all the way through, not hard in the middle. And when I send them back I expect a fresh batch cooked properly, not the same plateful re-​cooked and returned to my table. It doesn’t take a member of CSI Sacramento to identify my teeth mark’s on a potato wedge (at least I hope they were mine). My wife wasn’t pleased by the idea of anyone’s half eaten food going back into the fryer, no matter how hot the oil is. And when you decide to serve the side of ketchup in a demitasse instead of bringing a bottle to the table, make sure that the result doesn’t remind one of a Pollock painting. Wiping the spatters off the edge of a dish with a clean cloth is a simple step that speaks volumes about your kitchen staffs attention to detail.
I should mention that our server was friendly and professional, especially when we sent the Steamed Mussels back. The mollusks were mealy, the sauce bland. If I had been able to eat the dish I would have liked a larger bowl for a bone yard, and if he sauce was worth savoring a spoon and a side of bread would have been welcome. As I said, our server was pleasant as can be about removing the item from our table and the bill.
It’s worth noting that a fellow in a Chef’s jacket was sitting just inside the restaurant off the back patio working on his laptop. I don’t know if he was the person responsible for our meal, but when one of your tables has to send two dishes back to the kitchen then the member of management sitting within earshot should make it his business to find out what the problem was. But then again, he might not have heard anything over the concert-​level sounds of «Penny Lane».