Stanford Grill

These reviews are all out of date. The Grill reopened in 2013 (including to the public) after a closure for remodeling and change of management.
It is now run by the folks from «Coupa Café» and shares much with their eclectic menu. Pleasant, tasty, a bit noisy, and still working the kinks out with service.

Had a delicious fish taco there, and the service was friendly and excellent. I’ll definitely come back. Recommended.

The 2 stars are for the waitress who was very nice and attentive. I had the fish tacos, and after pulling out my microscope to locate the fish, was unimpressed by the lack of any taste.

You’d think that for a restaurant on the Stanford golf course, this place would be swanky. Not really. It feel like an old run down small town diner. The walls were quite bare and the furnishings quite old. I was disappointed by the ambience of this place. However, the service is impeccable. Our waitress catered to our every need and was very quick.
I ordered a salmon burger which was decent. I loved the fries.
If you’re on the course and you don’t want to leave just to get lunch, this eating here wouldn’t be completely bad.

Under new management not so impressed

Interesting that one reviewer gave it a one star review based on looking around and deciding he/​she didn’t like the look of the place? WTF? How can you review a place at which you haven’t even eaten???
Anyway — now that that’s off my chest, I went with a work colleague here twice, once for breakfast and once for lunch, so I guess I’m qualified. First, I agree that the décor is underwhelming — however, since I tend to go to a breakfast/​lunch place to stuff my face, and not take in the atmosphere, somehow I wasn’t daunted. I mean, this place is the clubhouse for a golf-​course, so I would be shocked if it weren’t decorated for the blue-​haired crowd…
The service is first-​rate. We had the same server both times we were there, and she was cheery and friendly and quick. Can’t get too much better than that. Also, both times, the food was on the table incredibly quickly, so I give full marks for service.
The lunch we had (I was with three other folks at lunch) I had the chinese chicken salad, another diner had the «bunker burger» and another had s deli sandwich. All of the food was more than adequate. Nothing «to die for», but all well-​prepared and fairly priced.
The next time, a colleague and I had breakfast. I had a breakfast burrito and I can’t recall what he had, but let’s face it: It was breakfast. It takes a lot to make me kvell or kvetch when it comes to eggs and bacon, etc.
Anyway — the really cool thing about this place is that both times we went, we were virtually the only people eating there (aside from aforementioned blue-​haired ladies who had obviously been there for quite a while and showed no sign of moving in the near future, or for that matter the next geologic age.)
I plan on coming back here again, because the combination of decent food with fast and great service with reasonable prices works for me. If it does for you, you may want to check this place out. OTOH, if you’re looking for ineffable atmosphere, breathtaking décor and heart-​stopping views, please proceed a few miles down the road to Rosewood. They will be more than happy to relieve you of your excess funds and it will ensure that there’s always room at the Grill for us…

My cheese on my cheeseburger wasn’t melted. This meant that the burger was lukewarm.

The Stanford Grill is an informal restaurant located at the Stanford Golf Course in an adobe sided, Spanish tile roofed building. It looks out on the practice putting green and beyond that, the first tee. There is a flat panel tv on one wall that almost always is carrying some sporting event (with the sound on mute I’m pleased to say). The food is good and reasonably priced (nothing over $ 9.50). I play golf at Stanford Golf Course and look forward to coming into the Grill after my round, having lunch and adding up my score (I enjoy the experience, if not always my score).

Bought a coupon on
and decided to go check it out. Do not be fooled, the Stanford grill that pops up in a google search is a fancy restaurant in Columbia, MD.
We were expecting a restaurant and were shocked to see a lunch counter. Really bad carpets, weird smell and a very strange choice of tiles in the bathroom.
We booked it out of there. Guess my $ 1 coupon goes to waste. *sigh*

Food surprisingly good 5, interior 2, service 3.5,

The food taste great and they take time on the presentation!
The staff is friendly and attentive

Hmmph. I read some of the reviews (e.g., «hidden jewels»), and tried this on Saturday. All I can say is… what were those reviewers smoking?
It’s a nice golf course, sure… but that’s pretty much the good thing about this place. The inside is like a school cafeteria, but no disrespect to school cafeterias. Given it’s location and Stanford’s endowment, you would think they have a bit of a budget to update its 60’s style bare minimum décor. Dishes look like they were 10 years old+ and came from the dorm cafeteria.
Food was okay. Way, way overpriced for what you get. I had a chicken pesto panini. Taste was okay, but presentation was underwhelming. The cole slaw looked and tasted like it came from a dorm cafeteria — purplish and tastes blah. My panini came in regular bread — isn’t it supposed to be panini bread? Wife had the fish tacos, which was essentially 2 finger sized pieces of grilled fish, slopped on an open soft tortilla with a lot of lettuce — stay away from that one. They had the gall to charge $ 8.50 for that.
Don’t go here unless you are a Stanford student and you came from out of the area, so your excuse is you don’t know better.

This place is hidden but not a gem, not recommended.

Stanford Grill is kind of a hidden jewel on Palo Alto. So SHHH!, don’t tell anybody …
The food is really good, not cheap but good, with big portions and it has a beautiful view of the putting green and first tee of the Stanford golf course. When I used to play golf, we used to play here a lot and also eat here from time to time. My favorites are the beef tacos and the fresh ground beef hamburgers ’cause they come with a mountain of hot, just oil-​boiled, french fries. A real stomach-​filler.
Plus, they have a TV going all of the time on the Golf Channel or some other sporting event for background noise and pictures of past and present Stanford golfers, like someone named Tiger Woods. Pretty cool!
So if you are ever in the area, drive up the short hill, park your car and check this place out. It’s a winner.
That’s it for my short, but sweet review as my right index finger has little electric shocks going through it as I type. Not good …

Dining «up on the hill»… when you want to get away from the usual hussle and bussle of the everyday Stanford eateries.
The website is promising, maybe too promising, leading you to believe there’s a gem hidden at the top of the golf course with a touch of class, just a touch.
Drab colors fill the outdated dining room, not exactly luring you in. Seat yourself at a table with a sparkling view over the golf course and a friendly server will be with you shortly. Lunchtime favorites and staples fill the menu: curried chicken salad, toasted rueben, burger…
Both the website and the waitress boasted the Niman Ranch burger. I’m sold. An option of fries, potato salad or fruit cup — the petite fruit cup stood lonely on the plate and the fries were your average soft on the inside, tender type (not for the crisp fry lover but plenty of ketchup is available to sauce things up). The tomato and onion were a little sad looking but all together the «toppings» held up. The bun, on the other hand, did not. Light as air, the sesame specked white fluff, collapsed under the weight and juices which were a’flowing. Sure, the beef is good. The burger is yummy but the sandwich as a whole needs a bit more attention.
Catering to the golfers, already a captive audience, the ambiance may not be all that important.
Lunch was fast and cooked as ordered. Going up the hill once in a while to soak in the view or a golf ball might be just what you need to break away from the norm, you just won’t see yourself rushing back.