Hilltop Grille — Restaurant in Athens-Clarke County Unified Government

I have dined at Hilltop several times previously throughout the years and found the restaurant to be what I would consider average. However, my review today is not about the food. Instead, it is about the treatment we received upon our arrival for lunch. In the past the hostesses have told me that we could call ahead and reserve a table. So today I called ahead to reserve a table. The time of my phone call was 11:15am and it’s Friday. The hostess told me that it might be busy by the time of my arrival and that she would certainly have my name written down. We arrived by 11:30am. As we walked into the restaurant, several other patrons came in as well and were greeted right away by name and seated immediately. I waited for the hostess (a mature lady) to acknowledge me after seating all of them. I gave her my name and said I had called ahead. She responded that yes she was aware I had called and that she was not happy with the other hostess that had spoken to me and took my name. She said that they were very busy and didn’t have anything available. I said, ok, can you tell me how long our wait will be? She wouldn’t answer my question but instead said they were full, had two large groups and only 3 servers, AND, if I saw any empty tables they were reserved. In other words, she wasn’t willing to serve us (2 adults and 1 baby). I asked again about the wait time and she said, I am very sorry but…. And that was that! It was very obvious that we were not going to be seated at any time. I have never been treated this way in a restaurant. I do know that this restaurant has a huge following of regular patrons that eat here daily, with many of whom are well established in the community and have probably been frequenting this establishment for years. Still, I was stunned that she was turning us away with no plan at all to seat us at anytime. I understand also that restaurants are currently experiencing a severe shortage of workers. However, this is no excuse for the treatment we received today. I would suggest taping a note on your door that you’re only serving your regular guests. Absolutely ridiculous! I’m happy to say that I along with my money was more than welcomed at another well known...

I hate writing bad reviews for local restaurants - and I usually give at least 2 visits before doing so - but I just cannot recommend this place nor can I see myself returning for a second chance. The atmosphere is very cozy and nice and the staff seemed promising at first. Their drink selection is pretty lacking, but that's not a deal breaker. The entree selections weren't particularly creative, but based on the prices and the reputation, I was hopeful for an excellent meal. Our first issue was our server. We started out with a girl who said she would be our server and took our drink order. Then, without explaination, a guy brought our drinks and took over our table. I know everyone can have an off night, but this guy started out bad and only got worse. No personality whatsoever "do you need more time?", "what do you want to order?", etc. He neglected to bring my soup even though I asked him about it again after ordering. The kicker was when I told him it was my fiancé's birthday and asked if they did anything for birthdays. "Yeah, a free dessert." So, we did that. He couldn't even be bothered to say "Happy Birthday" when he dropped the dessert at our table. He just couldn't have cared less about us. The second issue was the food: I ordered the 7 oz filet mignon med-rare., fiancé ordered the special (black and bleu NY strip) the same way. Both seemed cooked as we requested, but I have never had a chewy filet and that's what this was. It tasted like the $5 manager's special sirloin at the grocery store. The strip wasn't any better - super fatty and tough. The brushetta and creme brulee were pretty good, but they didn't make up for the $60 wasted on the entrees. Maybe steaks just aren't their thing or maybe they were just having an off night. But if I can't trust their steaks to be fresh though, how could I ever trust their seafood to be fresh? It's a toss up at this point if I would ever give them another chance. If I do,...

Easter reservations, told we would be turned away if every last person wasn't there in time. The manager who said "have been doing this for 10 years, and have a system" was just off putting, and for real, call it a restaurant policy, don't get all high and mighty. I've worked in food, so I get that its tough, with big parties too, but you are in customer SERVICE. We pay you, not the other way around. Drink orders never taken, just assumed water for everyone. One meal just looked over by the kitchen, and when it came out, wasn't really all that great anyways. (French toast isn't supposed to be slopping soggy. Google it.) Water refills and condiments had to be asked for multiple times, and the waiter was nowhere to be seen for most of the meal. Never came back to check how things were. Just to give the check..... The check was just handed to one person. No asking to split. When we did ask him "They can't split checks on parties of 7 or larger". Really? Cause the waitress behind us is obviously taking orders on different checks. And one person was there the week before with a large party and it was no issue. Oh, its just an Easter policy? How about putting that somewhere. telling us. something. Then rather than have us figure it out for you, how about take charge, and ask who is on what check, then just go split the damn thing up. I get you don't want the staff to be screwed with smaller tips by doing that. But you still added your undeserved 18% on the separate checks when they came. You certainly lost business from 5 separate families today. That was just a bad experience. Unfriendly, uninviting, unwelcoming. Decent food. I mean, the burgers at Steak and Shake across the street are LEAGUES above what you served. Bland. Just boring.

All that said, your french fries, are EXCELLENT. Great job on those. Seriously. Kudos to the fry cook. That guy...