Gracie's 21st Century Cafe is practically an institution. Around for well over 38 years, absolutely everything on the menu is five star delicious. Our party of four was seated next to the wood burning fireplace. This was nice on a cold winter night. I had the bacon wrapped shrimp for my appetizer and the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and sautéd carrots and green beans for my main course. The ribs were to die for, melting in my mouth. My wife had an elk chop as her entree with soup as an appetizer. We paced ourselves, eating dinner slowly followed by dessert. Highly recommend. It had been several years since we had dined here. The food, service, and ambiance are stellar. read more

Gracie's is my favorite restaurant. The food is incredible and I love the atmosphere. Gracie's a lovely person and always speaks to all customers. I have to mention that the food there is a step above every other restaurant that I have been to. It is a little pricey, but it is well worth it. I recommend going on Wednesdays when they have a special that is always different and delicious. And it is usually $26! read more

Gracie's 21st Century? Never again! I rarely write reviews, especially negative ones, but after witnessing how my companion was treated by the owner at Gracie's 21st Century Cafe, I hope by sharing our experience, others can be spared a similar experience. To be noted: I am sharing our story because no one--regardless of how they dress or present themselves--should be made to feel unwelcome, embarrassed, or lesser simply for expressing themselves with dignity and style. Hospitality should never come with humiliation. My companions and I made a reservation at Gracie's 21st Century Cafe to celebrate a special occasion. Although this restaurant is clearly touted as a high-end establishment, there was nothing classy about the owner's approach to hat-shaming my companion. Shortly after being seated and ordering drinks, the owner approached our table and singled out my partner - to admonish him for wearing a hat. There was no kindness in the approach and certainly no discretion. Her condescending tone and commentary, "Would your mother let you wear a hat at the table" clearly caused us all to feel unwelcome and uncomfortable in the middle of our evening. Moreover, there was another gentleman seated nearby who was also wearing a hat, but he was not subjected to the same treatment and it seemed that my companion was being selectively admonished by the owner. The funny thing is, we had reviewed the establishment's dress code policies at length online in advance (to see if there was any policy regarding hats), and my companion had even gone out of his way to buy a new outfit that day (including a new hat) just for (what was supposed to be) this special occasion. We felt unwelcomed, singled out, and judged in a space that markets itself as, "21st Century" and high-end. That kind of treatment doesn't belong in any restaurant, let alone one operating at this price point and reputation. What we encountered at Gracie's was unkind and beneath the standard of any restaurant that claims to value its guests. For an establishment that is supposed to be 21st Century, this was about as old-school as it comes - and in poor taste. In all honesty, after dropping hundreds of dollars, being hat-shamed, and going home hungry, you can rest assured, we'll never return. If there's a hat policy, that's fine - please state it clearly before people walk in. And even then, maybe consider applying it with a touch of class, discretion, and kindness. ### read more

It's time to say Good Night Gracie . The wait staff was the worse part of this experience, my waitress avoided contact with my table ( she was afraid I might need something? ) like an appetizer plate, or a knife to cut my steak, another drink perhaps? It was Date night, we heard it from another waitress after we ordered, But then the Chef had an issue because now we ordered from a different menu not the date night menu?? ( WGAF ? ) and it confused the kitchen staff, he sent the waitress to my table, to tell me what I could order instead of what I wanted to order?? This place is so Avant-garde you should be grateful they take your money !!! Cross it off your list. Not worth the hassle or the price.. read more

Atmosphere was great. Very nice inside and has a well done outside patio. Nice alcoholic drinks but way overpriced. Food was good, but again way overpriced. We went Saturday of Labor Day weekend and the place was basically empty. Not a problem but our dinners came out luke warm at best and before we got halfway through, everything was cold. Dessert was also good, but pricey. Overall, above average food but not worth the money. read more

We like to eat here on Wednesday's when Gracie features a blue plate special. We sat by the glass window that looks into the kitchen hoping to see the chef in action. However, he spent most of his time in the other section of the kitchen. Our table was private. The service by Ashley was right on. Gracie came by to chat as she always does. The food was good as always. We have never been disappointed. Eating here is a treat. The ambiance is cozy and makes it a great place for a date night. Later this summer, I want to go back and sit outside listening to the live music. read more

Went to Gracie's last night for dinner. We've been to an event there in the past that was lovely. The restaurant was almost empty, six people seated at another table, but OK it's midweek. Dining area with the bar was very warm, sweated through our meal. Front rooms seemed cooler. We waited over an hour for our appetizers. Bread didn't arrive until our entrees were served. My "chicken Breast" had a leg attached and was rubbery. Salmon and vegetarian dish were just"ok" . It was an unpleasant experience. Toward the end of our meal we found that the owner had been sitting at the bar the whole time, she came over not to apologize for the long service but because we had expressed an interest in having an event there before our meal. We will not be back. read more

Went to Gracie's for a private holiday party and it did not disappoint. What a fun experience! I would have never guessed that there was such a quirky, eclectic, and somewhat fancy place so close to me! The building was extremely interesting- definitely want to see it during the day. The entire staff was incredible and was very insightful all night. They also didn't mind our party having a little fun. Food was lovely and the menu was a selection from their overall dinner menu. I had the salad and the Thai noodle dish. The vegan option was flavorful and filling. Drink selection was lovely as well as the dessert take set up. Looking forward to coming back again on my own during the day time. Would love to see the building and outside when the weather is warmer. read more

Gracie's is a long time gourmet landmark for a reason, it's phenomenal for start to finish! For starters, try the Chef's Oysters w/ caviar and the She Crab Soup, which is beyond description good! I'm a fan of the Crispy Duck but recently enjoyed the Cowboy Pork Chop! For dessert, the Bob Marley chocolate egg roll is a must for 1st timers. The decor is artsy fun & service always on point! If you check online, there is often live music as well. read more

See all

Food was good. Service was very slow. 3 hours. Not kidding. Ambiance was very nice. We went for Valentines night later reservation. I suppose it would have been worth it if our waitress paid attention but she didn't and we won't go back. read more

We had an outstanding experience, the food was amazing and the service was well attended. We had a young child with us and they were able to accommodate. Drinks were delicious. Duck, filet, cod and shrimp/crab entrees all were well portioned and delicious. We will return! read more

Tucked away ain't tiny little Pine Forge, this place is amazing. Very welcoming and the food is to DIE for.

I like the ambiance and the service was great, however, the food I had was absolutely terrible. I eat out a lot and honestly this was the worst meal I've ever had from appetizer to dessert. I had the crab bisque - it tasted like a bowl of sugar with some pieces of meat or vegetables or whatever because all you could taste was sugar, I know is had coconut in it but this was way too sweet, it almost tasted like they used Coco Lopez as the base, never had anything like it before. Incredible. I then had the crispy duck as an entree and the same overly sweet taste that was in the soup was in the entree - the duck was dry, the gnocchi was undercooked, dry and tasteless. I had the baklava for dessert and it was so tough that I had to saw it with a knife! For the price that this meal cost, it was shocking considering the quality of the meal. Once again, I can honestly say it was the worst meal I've ever had out. read more

This restaurant is what I call " A Diamond in the Rough!" Instantly you are greeted with a warm inviting atmosphere, attentive staff and wonderful ambiance. My friend wanted to take me somewhere I'd never been before. "What's it like?" I asked. "You'll SEE!" He was absolutely correct. I was nervous about the menu, I have food allergies. Not a problem. The staff accommodates everyone. Food was awesome. Upon leaving, there was a lady sitting at a table outside, we were walking past to get to our car. (Outdoor dining area) She stopped us and looked at me. " did you enjoy your meal?" Oh YES. I did, thank you. (Slightly confused.. I thought she was a customer) She said "Don't be afraid to tell us what you want. We make everything special for all customers ". Turns out she's the owner, Gracie. I almost cried. How she knew about my dinner, I'll never know exactly. But I think she truly cares about every single customer. Food is prepared one at a time. Fresh, lovely. If you sit inside on the left you can see your chef preparing these lovely dishes. And just for YOU. If you live anywhere near here- (we drove a short 45 minutes to get there) you must experience Gracie's. Wear your favorite dress because it's just that special! read more

Finding gluten free options is a chore in itself but finding ones that are also vegetarian is nearly impossible. THANK YOU Gracie's for thinking of those with dietary limitations. I also appreciate the complexity of the menu and lovely cocktail options. Keep up the good work! read more

We've had many absolutely lovely dinners at Gracie's 21st Century Cafe, but our dinner last weekend bordered on "magical." Seriously good food. My husband and I both ordered the halibut. Now you're asking "how could halibut be that special?" You must try it to appreciate how good. And we finished by sharing their positively sinful "Chocolate Ganache Creme Brûlée, which was so delicious I regretted not having my own. Our server Morgan, perfect in attentiveness and professionalism, made us feel like old friends and Owner/Executive Chef Gracie herself stopped by every table to check on each patron's satisfaction with their meal. There's only one request we could think of when asked - another reservation! Charming restaurant, fantastic cuisine, excellent service, gracious owner . . . what are you waiting for? This place deserves to be packed (and I'm going to regret writing that!)! read more

I took my boyfriend here for his Birthday and we loved everything about our experience. He really wanted steak and was blown away with how perfect it was. I called ahead to ask if the menu offered gluten free items and Gracie made sure our waitress was aware of our allergies and catered to our needs. We loved the gluten free bread brought out special for us. We decided this will be our place to celebrate special events from now on. read more

Long story short: parents got yelled at by management after paying for an EXTREMELY expensive meal. Would give 0 stars if possible. Fully story: To start off my parents have been to this place 10 times before and decided it would be a great place to celebrate Mother's Day with our entire family. The afternoon started off great, but quickly turned once it took over 2.5 hrs to get our main courses, accompanied with little to no check backs by the wait staff. I should also note, we order strait off the menu, and hardly customized a thing. Once the food finally came my mother's filet ended up being undercooked, and even after sending it back for another 20 mins, it still was not done correctly. Management did end up comping the filet and offered dessert but still insisted that 20% gratuity be added to the check. Seeing as the experience we had so far did not warrant a 20% tip my father asked if something else could be done to accommodate the poor service, long wait times, and undercooked meal. At this point, the owner SCREAMS in front of the entire place that we should leave or she will add more money to our check for being a bothersome table. Never in my life have I heard of a business owner doing such a thing, especially on Mother's Day, and even after the waitress apologized for the bad service. What a complete shame. Was really looking forward to celebrating with a great meal but instead had it ruined by an obnoxious a$$hole of an owner. 0/10, would not recommend. read more

This has been our go to special occasion restaurant since we've lived in this area. I have been to Gracie's for a quick cocktail, romantic dinners, special occasions (she held a reservation for us after our daughter's graduation ran longer than expected ) and even a cooking class by the esteemed chef herself. Never have beeen disappointed! read more

My husband and I ordered takeout due to the coronavirus. We ordered takeout from another restaurant on Mother's Day and it was a disappointment so I was not sure what to expect this time. Well, we were pleasantly surprised at how delicious everything was from the small round loaf of freshly baked bread that was accompanied with olive oil, roasted garlic and butter to top it. My husband had the wedge salad and pasta with bolognese sauce which he really enjoyed and tiramisu which he loved! I had a Thursday night special of homemade meat balls with tagliatelle. OMG it was wonderful. The meatballs were plentiful and superb as was the marinara sauce. The pasta was delicate and delicious! I had key lime coconut pie that I enjoyed immensely. Takeout is definitely done right at Gracie's. Don't hesitate at all. You'll have no regrets, just a happy tummy. read more

It's over. It's sad, but there is nothing left of the original Gracie's. I think she is still there, but she has obviously lost her passion for restaurantuering. Don't second guess me on this one...you'll be sorry. read more

Ordered take out from Gracie's tonight, had never been here before but driven by many times. We got the blue plate special and it was extraordinary. Tasty, hot, packaged well for the ride home. I certainly will be back to dine in. The staff was super nice and the inside of the restaurant is beautiful. read more

Disappointed, frustrated, angry....that is just a sample of our feelings after visiting. My wife and I went for a special occasion and we were seated at a cozy table we thought great. Unfortunately the evening turned fast. The kitchen was extremely slow and the bartender continued to make drinks for a table of three couples adjacent to ours. As the evening continued one of the wives became belligerent, and down right disgusting. She screamed for food at waiter, and owner. Unfortunately they really did nothing for them, but get them another drink. The women began to engage my wife in conversation which is fine but when she asked about our relationship and what we were going to do after our dinner for "desert" in very graphic language and inappropriate for even a dive bar. I complained to the staff and owner, yet they took no action. After I had enough of the women's antics I approached her husband and while being respectful of others I asked him to please have his wife be quiet, at first he started to also be disrespectful and loud until one of the other couples that was with them was mortified said they would cull her behavior. Unfortunately the male was still loud and disrespectful. I spoke calmly to him and asked if he could please control his over served wife, or he and I could discuss the finer points of decorum outside! He apologized as did the other couple. While I understand this is an isolated incident, management needs to take appropriate actions for unruly customers. Yet they did nothing. The bill for our meal was well over $200.00, the food was overpriced and evening ruined by a highly intoxicated patron that management ignored. I found out later that the patrons were "friends" of the owner. With friends like that who needs enemies. We will never be back. read more

This was my post and response on last night This is my post on dinner last night Had Mardi Gras dinner last nightamazed that it was practically an empty restaurant. Food was good, some courses better than others. Did not like that the email promoting the night had a price listed as $36 per person however in the restaurant it was $40, did not question but don't care for the up charging. Overall ok not sure we will come back soon. **i did check and saw the small print information on charge change And this is her response So very critical during these difficult times in our human history, since 'judgement is your endeavor, you earned a C-for your opinion. . . and if you re-read the ad; it posted that the price was contingent on this years costs to us. . . Sorry ~ I'm sure you would be better served @ Appleby's Can't believe this was the response from the restaurant read more

Nice atmosphere although the food it's nothing special and is a waste of money. Jumbo shrimp appetizer $18.50 came with 3 shrimp. We were the only people in the restaurant eating in and got bread while the meals came out. The bread was probably the highlight of the dinner. That's about it. Our server said the owner likes the location of the restaurant and the minimum advertising to "keep it a secret" and that's good they should keep it that way. read more

Just incredible. Wonderful atmosphere, extremely comfortable, good wine, unique food combinations.

My husband and I ate there with some friends on February 11th. These friends had eaten there many times before and recommended Gracie's, though they warned us to get the Blue Plate Special as it was 'only' $15 while the regularly-priced menu was much more exorbitant. The side of brussels sprouts for $15 proved them correct. Our meals began with a salad, and instead of opting for the house vinegarette, we all paid $2.50 each to 'upgrade' to the blue cheese dressing. I struggled to find any hint of blue cheese in that dressing and found myself regretting paying the ridiculous upcharge for the apparent privilege of blue cheese. I should have just smuggled in a bottle of Wishbone as it would have been cheaper and more flavorful. Onto the entree. All five of us ordered the Blue Plate Special, which happened to be parmesan encrusted chicken breast on a bed of noodles. While the crust of the chicken was very flavorful, the meat itself was relatively dry and the 27 noodles on my plate were totally flavorless. I began regretting my decision to purchase this meal when I noticed something odd as I cut through my chicken breast: a piece of plastic wrap that the chef had probably used to flatten the chicken before frying it. As much as I like gagging on plastic wrap, I flagged down the owner and pointed out that I found a piece of plastic wrap in my food and returned the plate to her. She came out moments later with a newly-cooked breast sans plastic but at that point, I really wasn't in the mood to tempt fate. The $15 side of brussels sprouts which were brought out late (we were one of three occupied tables in the restaurant) were cooked well but like the noodles, totally devoid of flavor. For a $15 side of brussels sprouts that was no bigger than what I'd get at my company's cafeteria, I'd expect at least a modicum of flavor. As far as drinks, I stuck to water as I was pre-warned by my friends that soft drinks were expensive and there were no free refills. Quite frankly, after paying $15 for brussels sprouts and $2.50 for a drizzle of bland blue cheese dressing on my salad, I'm surprised that the tap water in my glass didn't cost me a kidney. Don't get me wrong, I've been to places that are MUCH worse than Gracie's, both in terms of service and ambiance. But for the prices the owner charges, we customers should expect FAR better products than completely bland food laced with foreign objects. Maybe we just came on an off night, I don't really know. But I'll never find out as I'm not going to waste my money on a return trip. read more

A friend of mine recommended Gracies so I booked a reservation to celebrate my birthday with my husband. I looked at the menu online but never read the reviews, huge mistake. I kind of wondered why no prices were listed on their online menu. The service was awful, I worked in fine dining while I was in college so I'm usually lenient when it comes to people making mistakes or being busy but our waitress never checked in on us - not once, our food took an hour to arrive and was bland at best. When we arrived there was only one other couple in the restaurant so I'm not sure why things took so long. I could have made a better meal at home in half of the time. I overheard the table next to us complaining about the portion and prices too, saying they were trapped onced they sat down. The vegetables were not even al dente but undercooked and charred. They were unappetizing to say the least, my fish and my husbands filet were mediocre at best and the size for the price is mind-boggling. I was so annoyed with the whole night out and wasting $100 on 2 entrees that I asked the first staff member I saw for the check. I had hopes of having a new fun place close to home but I should have known better from Berks county. We left after cutting our losses and I went home and had a bowl of cereal. Happy birthday to me. read more

This is the kind of place that you don't find in PA; This is the kind of place that you find in SF. They use unusual ingredients in creative ways. I have a love/not love relationship with Gracie's. I think it's very expensive for the portion-size, but other than the small amount of it, I've never been unhappy with my food. I would say that I love the place, except that I don't think I've ever left feeling full and I've definitely never left without thinking to myself 'well, that was pricey!'. It's a nice place to take someone for a celebratory meal when you are feeling flush with cash and you want to go out and have a good time. The service has always been good and they have a full bar. I haven't been for awhile, but I remember thinking the bathrooms were really nice; they had lotions and the like for you to use and the decor was striking. Gracie is actually there at the restaurant, or at least she has been more than once when I've been there. read more

Lovely dinner with friends by the fireplace. Food was great, as was the ambience and service. Worth the drive for us!

Clearly Berks County is not the culinary capital of the world, but Gracie's can be proud of their quality of food and attention to details. I wondered in reading the reviews why there was such huge discrepancies in the reviews because our experience was very good. I agree the prices are high, especially for a rural restaurant, but the quality is really quite good. Cocktails are expensive, but large...so I give them an A as the blue cheese stuffed olives for my martini are hand stuffed making gem fresh, not soaked in oil from a jar. Nice touch. Entrees were creative and tasty. From fish dishes at our table to their special filet steaks...quality was all there. Service from Bree, our service was spectacular and our table on the terrace was complete with live music from a two piece jazz group. Very nice. All in all, it's a special place with very good food and service. I can't afford to go every Friday night, but we'll be back for special events. Thanks Gracie and team for an enjoyable night. read more

I went here last night for their date night special. There were 4 of us and we sat outside on their beautiful patio. it was a great night for it! The date night special includes a bottle of wine, and appetizer to share, and two entrees. Everything was fabulous. I decided on the Filet and it was delicious. We then got the Chocolate Orgasm dessert which was amazing. I will definitely be back. Our server was also great! read more

Gracie's is awesome. I stumbled upon them accidentally - thought it was a coffee shop - and met a date there. Needless to say it was a most memorable date I ever had, so much so that I later proposed marriage there and my wife and I were even married in the garden behind the restaurant. Gracie, the owner, is super smart, a world traveler, and a loving owner who brings world flavors to the area in a truly unique setting. Almost always there's a place to sit for a wonderful dinner--its a well kept secret worth exploring at least a few times. And for a special event she is knowledgable and willing - she even planted her flower beds to match our wedding colors. Gracie has become a dear friend to us and even though we live in CA now we make time to stop by for dinner when we're in town. read more

See all

EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS! Yes, Gracie, Joel and the rest of the culinary and service team at Gracie's exceed my expectations. We hosted a surprise 90th Birthday Party for my grandmother. The execution of the event was flawless. Tara did a phenomenal job on the birthday cake, using my grandmother's own recipe. I cannot say enough good things about my experience at Gracie's. The energy of Gracie and her staff is infectious. Every trip I make to Boyertown will include a visit to Gracie's. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I recommend Gracie's to all! read more

See all

Gracie's is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Our server Amanda met us at the door and gave us a tour of the beautifully decorated dinning rooms I loved that. We sat by the fire place and there was a window to the kitchen where we could see the Chefs work . The restaurant itself is beautiful. The food was amazing. For our first course we had Oysters Andrew OMG they were so good the caviar was infused with a bacon flavor and the texture was perfect. For my second course I had the Mediterranean Branzino the fish was so good it melted in my mouth. and for dessert my boyfriend and i shared the bananas foster it was delicious as well. Thank you Amanda for great service on a special night for my boyfriend and I. Yes it is an expensive place to eat but well worth the money. read more

Gracies is our go to date night spot . Eat outdoors in the warmer weather or indoors next to a fire in the winter. The food and drinks are spectacular . The staff couldn't be friendlier or more helpful. They have an entire vegan vegetarian menu for those of us who don't eat me as well. read more

I don't mind spending $38 for an entree or $18 for a mixed drink but if I'm paying for it, you must deliver and unfortunately Gracie's fell far short. I guess we should have realized there may be an issue if we got a table for two at 6:30 on a Saturday's and shared the restaurant with maybe 3 other couples the whole night. I will say that the service was excellent, staff was friendly, attentive, and personable; I was concerned it would be overly slow based on other reviews but the pace of the meal was perfect ( it did take a while but we enjoyed our conversation and our glasses were full). The food was mediocre. It would've been ok if we weren't paying so much for it. It was definitely not worth it. Drinks were outrageous, martinis with bottom shelf liquor at $18/each is just not right. Beer was reasonable (but warm) and wine was steep ($12/glass for Malbec that goes for about the same price for a bottle). It's unfortunate because this place could be great if it just didn't try to be something it's not. Sadly, We won't be back read more

Gracie's 21st Century Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Pine Forge, Pennsylvania

See all

This place is amazing. The food and service are unparalleled by anything I've experienced anywhere in the country.

I completely agree with previous comments about Gracie's being pricey, sometimes I'm not sure how they're still in business because they completely outprice the area and the portions aren't huge, so Gracie's ends up being a place maybe where you go for your birthday or anniversary - except that it's not a romantic place. If they dropped their prices a bit, this would become more of a regular hangout for me. They have that private, cute setting in the middle of nowhere, the food is tasty with some great ingredients... it's really the very very high prices (entrees in the 30s!) that keeps me away. That being said, the food quality is fantastic, the place is quirky and fun (and yes, totally San Fran more than Pottstown area!). read more

After perusing the nearby restaurant options on Yelp for a birthday dinner I ran across Gracie's.  I consider myself a bit of of foodie (you can tell from my weight) and I don't mind paying a premium for a quality restaurant so the high dollar ratings on Yelp didn't scare us away. While not too familiar with the Boyertown area we did not heed the warning on the website regarding the proper way to address the location on the GPS. After a few course corrections we arrived to a quaint house like setting and were seated by a friendly and welcoming wait staff in a very cozy table nearby a huge fireplace.  The ambiance is a definite plus. We enjoyed our cocktails (that where spot on) as we studied the menu which had a nice selection; just enough while not overwhelming you with too many choices.  After review we decided to go with the wine paring menu which was a four course meal including a wine selection picked by Gracie for each course.   So this is all great but what about the food - right?  This is where my elation with going to a new place fades a bit.  In general I think Gracie's menu was interesting and creative. The problem was that our meal was just not executed very well. We started with Amuse-Bouche which was a potato cake and dill sauce. The dish looked good and had good taste but was cold and soggy. Then we had the pasta course which was a vegetarian ravioli which came out with the same lack of vigor - good taste, luke warm and limp pasta. Followed was the crab cakes which tasted ok after some seasoning. The Blood Orange Sorbet served before the main course was awesome (and frankly the best part of the meal). The main dish was a mixed grill and it was absolutely killed (and not in a good way). All of the meats were not just well done, they were practically burned so I sent it back to be re-fired. My wife had the same dish and although not destroyed like mine, the meats were also overdone. The wine was great and the server (Brandie) could not be more accommodating. Gracie's also made a point to stop by the table to check on the status of the re-fire (which came out much better).  For a high priced meal that it was the poor execution and lack of consistency between the dishes was disappointing.   All in all we had a great evening at Gracie's it's a very interesting place. We won't write it off right away but I think we will explore other places before going back. read more