The Penn Square Grille

My wedding was catered from here and EVERYTHING WE HAD WAS AMAZING. Best steak I ever had. Mashed potatoes WITH CORN IN IT?! Appetizers were amazing, coconut shrimp, cheesesteak egg rolls, everything was just delicious.

The food was excellent, but the service not what I expected. We visited on Monday evening after a major snow storm so the restaurant was actually pretty slow overall I think I saw one large group and 3 other tables including us. That said to be clear my expectation were for a relaxed dinner with my wife, we were out for her birthday, and not fast or rushed service. However once seated we waited far too long for our waitress to arrive and ask if we’d like to order drinks, but we hadn’t been given the wine or drink list. She promptly supplied them when we asked what was available and then we ordered. My wife was able to order a martini without issue, but I ordered 2 different beers off the list that I was told they were out of before a third beer not on the list was suggested. Then we waited and waited finally our drinks were delivered quite a bit after we ordered our meals at the same time as the bread. Being in a bottle my beer was fine however quite a bit of my wives martini was spilled on the tray.
Next came the wait for our food, again way too long, the waitress did apologize about the delay and sort of blamed it on the large group. So I understand it wasn’t her fault however as previously mentioned overall the restaurant was slow, and if they are going to offer semi private areas for large groups, then they should have the kitchen properly staffed to serve them without affecting the rest of the guests.
Based on the other reviews we will likely give them another try since the food was very good, however I hope the service on our visit was an exception and not the norm.

One of the nicer places in Lancaster. The service is great and when staying at the Marriott its. Ice to be able to just walk downstairs. The drinks are served quickly and the menu is very wide ranging. Previous comments are correct, the plates are small for the prices the restaurant charges. I was surprised at how small my salmon was for what I paid. Nothing about the preparation of the salmon inspired me or led me to believe it was specially platted in any manner deserving of the steep price. The bar menu is also good and the flat bread tips are a solid choice.

My wife and I had dinner here prior to a show at the Fulton Theatre. The food was good, however the service was the worst I have had in awhile. It’s a shame because sometimes great service can make up for lousy food at restaurants. This is the opposite, the lousy service is bringing down the food experience.
The waitress did her best, but I think she was overwhelmed with 3 tables, one of which was a party of 12. She couldn’t keep up. Every step of the evening took forever. From receiving our initial drinks to receiving a check at the end. She asked if we’d like to see a dessert menu, 20 minutes later somebody else arrived with the menu because she was too busy to follow through with it. At this point, we skipped dessert and just asked for our check… another 15 minutes later we received our check. Luckily I had my credit card ready in the hopes that I could speed things up. When she came back with the receipt to sign, she forgot a pen. After 10 minutes of trying to track her down for a pen, I went up to the hostess and the manager and received one from them.
I really hoped for a good experience, but was denied. The interior is nice and the food was good. While there, I could see other tables waiting for their service as long as we did. I can only assume this is a management issue that needs to be fixed. I for one will not recommend this to others and will not be coming back. There are too many great restaurants in Lancaster with excellent food and exceptional service to waste my money on this place.

my boyfriend and I went there back in the summer for dinner to use up his double take deal. It started off great. We loved the potato chip cream cheese with blueberry sauce topping, we asked what type of microbrews they had, and she had no clue what we were asking, which is silly because we’ve the bar part of the restaurant many of times before and the bartenders are great for recommendations. I got a cheese and meat board-​it was ok, I really only liked the cheese and spreads. He got steak and it wasn’t medium rare, it was more on the rare side and to top it all off our server never came back to check on us once we got our meals. We both went to the restroom and back and she still never came back, we had to ask someone else for our check. So on that note the service for the restaurant is terrible. The actual Penn Square Grille bar is great, their mix drinks are one of my favorites in the city. I’d recommend just get bar snacks and not the dinner in the back seated area. Such a disappointment.

A complete surprise but my lunch was actually quite good, with a caveat or two.
The service was outstanding but I was there with some VIPs so I suspect we got a little more attention than might be typical.
I ordered a caesar salad and a crabcake. The crabcake was absolutely delicous, well cooked and did I mention, it was delicious? A really well done crabcake. The caesar salad had wonderful flavor but whoever dressed it thought dressing meant coating in a thick layer of goo. A shame because this small but important error meant four stars instead of five.
All that said, I’d go back again. The food was good, the ambience pleasant and the service very efficient.

Food was average. Enpenada’s were good but don’t get the steak. My wife had the salad and it was good she liked it. I eat the steak it tasted like old meat. The desserts were pretty good. It was very loud because it is close to the bar which is a big hangout joint in the city.

600 people here for a well advertised United Way event in addition to hotel guests. 2 bar tenders? Get a new manager. No wonder this place is losing money! Get your drinks elsewhere.

I get it, I see what your going for but the menu is over thought and the executive chef would have been kicked off Top Chef for this silly menu. Rediculousness like «brown butter aioli» (which amounts to butter flavored mayo) abound in the name of «jazzing up» an uninspired menu. If you cobble together something on the menu it is cooked well and seasoned to perfection. A good choice if your hotel bound, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.

Loved the atmosphere! Service was below average, not friendly or attentive. Food was below average– salad was not fresh and pretzel rolls were not cooked. It was convenient right inside the Marriott– not sure if I would return.

Food was excellent but service was sloooooow. We were the only ones in the restaurant and waited over 30 minutes to order. We weren’t in a hurry and it was nice to not be rushed, however, we did want to order and the waiter took his time to come back between bringing drinks and taking the order.

Date: 01/​05/​2013
ATMOSPHERE: Swank, posh, and modern. Great lights and seating options, from curved booths to bar tables to large round tables that hold parties of 8 or more. Love the windows and view of the Lancaster square. Decent electronic music being played in the background on weekend nights.
PROS: Atmosphere is great if you are looking for somewhere cool to hang out. I like the table service near the bar. Drinks are ok but I’ve had much better and they are pricey.
CONS: The food is, for the most part, bland and uninspired. The last time I was there, I tried the «vegetable lentil wrap» which was just awful… no flavor at all and the fries were soggy. I’ve had other meals here as well, and they were exactly the same.
I expect more from the Lancaster convention center’s flagship restaurant.
WILL I GO BACK: For drinks and atomsphere, sure. For food, probably not.

Decent lunch in hotel lobby. Reuben on housemade black bread was a nice St Pattys Day treat. Stupidly busy and loud at night.

Stayed at the Marriott on New Year’s Eve and stopped for a drink and an appetizer before heading elsewhere for our dinner reservation. We were shown a menu that consisted of soups, salads, and entrees. When we inquired about the lounge menu, we were told that it was not available after 5:00 that evening. We saw another customer with a plate of meat and cheese and asked if we could get one of those. Again we were told that it wasn’t available after 5:00 but a bartender named Kolby told us he would ask the chef. A few seconds later Kolby brought out a plate for us. It’s people like that guy that will go the extra mile that brings the customers back. I didn’t eat dinner there but they have a good looking menu. We will definitely be back.

As a seasoned business traveler I get to frequent some very nice restaurants often all over the country. I want the Marriott to be successful for Lancaster and have had a good experience there when it first opened.
That being said we dined there this week and it was the least amount of food for the highest price I’ve seen anywhere. $ 26 for 3 small scallops — and that’s a dinner portion? $ 32 for what amounted to about 3 small slices (I’m guessing 3 ounces) of roast beef, and maybe 8 french fries under the meat that arrived soggy?
The food was very good, so I can’t say anything bad about that (other than the fries).
I get this is a «nice» spot and prices will be higher, but this was abusive beyond belief and I felt completely «taken» when I left.
I cannot recommend you go unless money really is not at all important, nor is serving size.
If they want to turn the place around financially I don’t think they’ll get there through tiny portions and high prices.

Not bad. Service was good, except that I had to ask twice for my wine and the friendly waiter recommended the scallops to Linse, who was slightly disappointed in them. I ordered the striped bass, which was terrifically prepared. I would return for sure, especially because of the convenience factor with the Marriott.

Visually impressive, The Penn Square Grille boasts a trending seasonal menu, and a slick laid back dining experience. I have been here several times, and I’ve only had «bad service» (waiter was in the weeds, very apologetic) once. Located in the north east corner of the former Watt & Shand building, this restaurant yields an impressive openness, with walls that climb two story’s.
Every table is offered a pepper jam and goat cheese «mold» with house made crispy potato chips flanking the rim like Rutter’s on a boat. Oh so good. I was there last year on my birthday and had the Rib-​eye steak with caramelized honey Brussel sprouts and garlic mash. The steak was cooked perfectly and the Brussel sprouts were on point. The whipped garlic mash was amazing. My latest visit there,(the time where service was less than desirable), i started with and thoroughly enjoyed the goat empanadas. Braised goat with Linden Dale Farm goat cheese, local peppers, caramelized onions, romesco sauce and spiced almonds. They were just fantastic For my entrée, I had the local pork chop with braised broccoli rabe and oregano whipped mash potatoes. A beautiful cut of pork, meaty and unxious, was nearly destroyed by the (what i thought) overly salted broccoli rabe. The oregano whipped mash did serve as «chaser» for the extremity of the saltiness. Alas, the beautiful pinot noir i enjoyed pre-​dinner and during dinner washed away the mild disdain of the one faulted component of my dinner. I do enjoy the food and atmosphere here. It is a pricey evening, but i always seem to enjoy myself here as well as the food (minus the one overly salted misfire).

Great addition to downtown Lancaster. My meal is always excellent (I really enjoy their salmon and horseradish mashed potatoes) and I love their use of local fresh ingredients. The restaurant is beautiful and perfect for a dinner dates. Servers are always pleasant and professional. Only thing that needs improvement is bar service. At times, it takes a while to receive your drink order. For me it is not a problem because I take my time when out at dinner. Please stop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner when you’re in downtown Lancaster!

Wow, we were hesitant to come here based on reviews of slow service and the other complaints. But I’m so glad we did. Take it from me, GO. There are very few restaurants in Lancaster where I like my meal from start to finish. Something always stinks. Not here. Delicious delicious food. Our service was not slow, but I just didn’t vibe with our waiter. Something about him. He wasn’t exactly snobby, but sort of rude and rushed and didn’t seem to be interested in our questions about the menu. Whatever. I’ll definitely go back regardless if the waiters are rude.
I’m truly shocked at where this restaurant stands according to Unilocal reviews.

The food here never disappoints. We had seafood dishes, which were done perfectly. Drinks were just right and the dessert menu though sparse is sublime. For food, give this place an excellent!
That said the service is brutally slow. It took over two hours for entrees and desserts even when telling the waitress we were famished and hadn’t eaten for hours (we were setting up in the convention center).
Let me add that pricey doesn’t even really sum it up — almost $ 125 for 3 entrees and 3 desserts, two drinks and 3 coffees. Seriously.
If money and time aren’t an object though, this is one of the places to go in Lancaster.