"Downtown Culver has been waiting for a place like Laurel Grill since the The Wizard of Oz cast was hanging out at The Culver Hotel. With its warm glow and polished wood decor, this splashy “neighborhood grill” from the Laurel Hardware people looks like a high-end spa, though we can’t name many spas with a grand piano in the dining room, an open kitchen with roaring wood hearth, and a $22 wagyu hot dog. The crowd-pleasing food draws from the Houston’s playbook, and that’s no slight, especially for picky studio execs who demand a good caesar. Start with the gooey mozzarella cheese bread, refreshing mango-salmon ceviche, and grilled ribeye seasoned by someone who knows what they're doing, then order a nightcap on the fire pit patio." - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder, cathy park
