A Palm Beach Institution

Photo: Palm Beach Grill


The Palm Beach Grill is one of the few things on this tiny toothpick of an island that everybody can agree on - the old guard stalwarts and the young transplants; the Jews and the WASPs; the moldy old money and the parvenu arrivistes - mostly because the food is simple and delicious. The restaurant is actually a somewhat tweaked Houston’s, but the PBG is known as such because of the restriction on chain restaurants in Palm Beach proper. Had the restaurant been named Houston’s, I can’t believe it would have been nearly as popular with the moneyed locals. And popular it is. In season (that would be late November until late April) the place is booked solid a month in advance. A friend said her parents have a standing reservation for every other night at the place, which probably isn’t an exaggeration. Even the bar area, which is really just an extension of the dining room, usually has it’s own waiting list stretching to an hour or more.

The energetic dining room, open kitchen, and great menu are a welcome respite from the other culinary options on the island: upscale Italian, with varying degrees of success (Bice, Renato’s, Amici, Trevini, the list goes on) and bland country club food that one would expect in a country club town. Once you get a reservation or score a seat at the bar, dig in to a grilled artichoke with house-made remoulade ($12) or a chicken Waldorf salad with bacon and egg ($15) before your main dish, which could be anything from a silver-service hot dog ($12), the delicious and moist rotisserie chicken ($18) or a center cut filet ($35). Dessert offers the usual options, but ask for the tres leches cake. It’s an off menu item, but when they have it, the sweet milky concoction usually sells out fast. Service is delightfully free of the usual PB ‘tude; the servers, clad in Ralph Lauren oxfords, are affable and eager to please. Next time you’re heading this way, it’s probably a safe bet to book a res at “the Grill” before you book your plane ticket. Just don’t call it a Houston’s.

Palm Beach Grill, 336 Royal Poinciana Way, (561) 835-1077