Sullivan's Metropolitan Grill — Restaurant in Anderson

Anniversary celebration. A special weekend getaway. A trip down memory lane. All of the above.

For our second night out dining experience, my Fav Fab One chose Sullivan's Metropolitan Grill, based on the reviews and the photos of the intrigue of the building itself. We did the adult dress up thing we love so much...

We were lucky to be seated at a wonderful upstairs 2-top table right next to the railing overlooking the hustle and bustle of Sullivan's below. We watched diners dining, and servers serving. The atmosphere is a big part of the 'flavor'.

Our server extraordinaire was Ryan, who normally is wearing the shoes of Manager but tonight was eagerly tending tables. This young man gave us everything, and more, of his passion for his workplace. We sympathize for all of the staff that runs UP and DOWN a 2-flight staircase, to service the lucky upper level diners!

I started out with a cup of the Lobster Bisque. The flavor was on point with bits of lobster, no chunks. I love my soups.

Ryan then delivered our side salads, which were nicely plated and enjoyable to eat.

Fab One ordered the Twin Filets dinner, which is 2 filet mignon cuts served with fried tobacco onions, apple-bacon butter, truffle parmesan mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables. Ordered Medium Rare, she really enjoyed her menu choice. (And I know that look...)

I opted for what I felt would be a Masterpiece. The Horseradish Encrusted New York Strip Steak, accompanied by bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp, roasted fingerling potatoes, chiffonade spinach and a truffle-tomato demi. Ordered Med Rare.

Now, based on what transpired next, I truthfully was in a quandary as to whether or not to even write a review. BUT, responsible reviewing means the truth must prevail.

As for the presentation of my NY Strip, it was marvelous. (see photo). Once I cut into it, I noticed immediately it was rather bouncy and tough to cut. One bite and I was completely underwhelmed. It was quite chewy. There was little to no taste, even with the abundance of salt and seasoning rubbed in. And the 'encrusted' horseradish was merely a buttering of unmelted presence on top of the steak. The accompanying shrimp were nicely sized, but the bacon wrapping was almost raw, being completely limp and diaphanous, or see-through.

With virtual sorrow, I summoned our server Ryan. Understand that I NEVER feel the need to address issues with my food and I most certainly cannot remember when I've ever had to send food back to the kitchen. Ryan was quick to address my concerns and disappointment. We discussed some other options. Ultimately, I decided to try the Chargrilled Ribeye instead.

With swift priority I received my Med Rare Ribeye. Again, Ryan was the ideal combination of server, manager and veritable bon vivant. The Ribeye I got was cooked perfectly and had the proper chew and texture. I will confide that I did NOT care for the 'exotic mushroom saute' that was drizzled over my steak. I felt it was overpowering and it hid the flavor complexities of the cut of beef. But that was not a 'send back' offense.

Overall, THE saving grace for our celebratory evening was Ryan, my Fab One's Twin Filets dinner, and a slice of Key Lime Pie.

In closing, I come away with nice memories of ambiance, time spent with my lady and attention to detail a la Ryan. But, as other reviewers have stated, I too feel the prices are a little...

SPECTACULAR EVENING!!!! We have been to Sullivan's on several occasions and are always impressed with the servers, their service, the atmosphere, and most importantly, the food. Well, this time was a very special occasion (baby gender reveal for our first grand child!!!!) and absolutely everything FAR SURPASSED any previous visits...which I did not think was possible!!!!...how do you do that??? The answer is simple. Hire the best manager and everything else falls in place. I will touch on that later. Let's start with the phone reservation and I'll move in that direction. When I called, I spoke with Ryan. Polite, informative and a great personality...and he made us a reservation at the perfect time. Thank you Ryan! Second, moving on to the meat and potatoes (literally), the food and experience. Wow!!!!...on all accounts!!!! Our server, Amber, was the absolute epitome of what a server should be. Absolutely beautiful personality, very informative about the food and upcoming evening experience, and to top it off...flawless service!!! Amber you rock and they need to clone you!!!! Now, what you have been waiting for, the food. There were four of us in our party and each meal was perfectly prepared and extremely tasty (sorry, I'm having trouble concentrating due to my mouth starting to water!!!!). This was no accident. Once again, if you hire the right people, things typically fall into place. So let's talk a little about that. I did ask to speak with the manager after our meal. And the manager, Ryan (not the same gentleman as mentioned previously), came to our table. After several minutes of conversation about our positive experience at his restaurant (again, and again, and again) it was easy to see why. Ryan is obviously passionate about his craft and that appears to influece who he hires and how they perceive the customer experience. YOU ROCK RYAN!!!! If you desire the only the best of the best in food, service, dining experience and people...Sullivan's is the ONLY restaurant you need...

Absolutely wonderful! We are new residents to the area and was not familiar with Sullivan’s but are we glad we checked on Google to find good restaurants in Anderson. We were touring the area and called for a reservation and was greeted promptly and efficiently by Ryan who got us fixed up immediately. We arrived about a half hour early prepared to sit in the bar for a glass of wine but our table was ready when we arrived! Legacy (yes, that’s her name) escorted us upstairs to the balcony via elevator but stairs are also available. We were seated at a lovely small table overlooking the main dining area which was a perfect spot for newcomers. Avery appeared promptly with water service and the specials list for the evening. We both chose the pan seared salmon which was absolutely delicious! Prepared perfectly, moist, flavorful and sitting on a deep fried (it’s the South folks), grits cake with corn and artichoke, small shrimp and a lovely white sauce that brought the whole dish together nicely. Portions are more than generous and we had been advised to save room for dessert, so we brought home dinner for the next day and finished up with a wonderful coconut cake. Yum! Again! Our meal was enhanced by a very good bottle of French Bourgogne Pinot Noir from the ample wine list and excellent decaffeinated coffee. A wonderful experience in a charming old former hardware store with several original portions left intact which added to the ambiance for the evening. Sullivan’s is as good as most restaurants in Charleston, Savannah or Greenville and certainly unexpected in the Upstate area. Ignore most of the negative reviews on here as they are either not legitimate reviewers or just having a bad day. We will be returning to Sullivan’s...