Tony's of Bowling Green — Restaurant in Bowling Green

Tonight my friend celebrated her birthday at Tony's. It was everyone's first time there. The first thing to know about this restaurant for most people is the price point; most entrees start at $35 and for Filet Mingon or Alaskan crab you can count on paying $70 or up for the entree. The sides are purchased separately and served family style. Each side can be split between 2 to 3 people. Plan to spend a minimum of $80 to $100 per person if you want to choose from their wide range of options. Plan to leave a generous tip, and I'll explain why below.

My party was assigned a lead server, a server trainee, and two assistant servers. Our party wanted for nothing during our two hour meal experience. While the server was away checking on our food and on other tables, the assistant servers made sure that our drinks were always full and that we had everything we needed. They had great timing and were never intrusive. They kept that table cleared of dirty dishes, and appetizers/entrees/desserts came out in a well timed manner allowing us to fully enjoy each course with time in between to digest and talk. I've been to restaurants both foreign and domestic, from exclusive to roadside shack. Tonight I experienced the best service of my life! To top it off, the serving staff was genuinely kind and we all enjoyed talking to them as well.

Now to the food! I took pictures of several dishes, and was able to try a few dishes that others ordered as well! Let's first talk about the appetizers. We were served bread and butter as a starter, with two options for butter. There was standard butter and a bourbon butter. If you don't try that bourbon butter you'll be kicking yourself! One couple ordered beef tartar and although I didn't taste it, they said they really enjoyed it. Beef tartar is not a dish I would enjoy based on texture. I did try the calamari and thoroughly enjoyed the dish; not only was the calamari cooked to perfection but the garlic aioli put it on the next level for me. It's a dish that I would absolutely order again. I also tried the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake which I ordered as my entree, it was so fabulously fresh. I enjoy crab the most out of all seafood and the crab tasted as if it had been caught within a day.

Other entrees that I tasted were Penne Carbonara and Pistachio Pesto Orecchiette. The Penne Carbonara was a light and mild tasting dish, and the pasta seemed to be fresh made; the person that originally ordered it said she wasn't that impressed with it, but I enjoyed it and would order the dish in the future. The dish I liked more was Pistachio Pesto Orecchiette; not only was this a Pistachio Pesto but there was a hint of mint and it really made the flavor pop for me. I'm not usually a person who enjoys mint in my food, but I really enjoyed that dish and will possibly order it next time.

One of the guys ordered Filet mignon and said it was one of the best steaks he's tasted. I asked him how it compared to Hickory & Oak and he said the taste was completely different but he enjoyed both steaks equally.

We ordered several sides. I only ordered a baked potato which was great, but standard as other places. I did enjoy all the toppings I received when I said "loaded;" they don't skimp!

Finally, I ordered the cheesecake and my God it was heaven! It was a perfect mixture of savory and sweet to me, but was nonetheless very rich. It was also a very generous slice so I enjoyed that at home while writing this review.

Overall, I would rate Tony's as one of my favorite dining experiences ever! Thank you to the truly lovely staff for ensuring that my friend had a memorable and...

Tony’s Steaks and Seafood in Bowling Green makes an immediate impression, though the online reservation system has quirks for solo diners. You’ll need to reserve for two and then clarify in person, otherwise your chances of booking are slim.

The welcome at the front desk is warm and effortless, and seating is quick. The hospitality feels distinctly Southern, with staff leaning into genuine friendliness.

There’s no printed mocktail list, but that turned out to be a perk. The bartender worked up a custom drink of honey, lemon, grapefruit, hibiscus syrup, and orange juice. It was balanced, bright, and a standout.

The space itself is stylish, with modern décor and a lively soundtrack. Chillhouse beats from Matthew Kramer set the tone, though the volume edged toward intrusive early on. Once the dining room filled, the music seemed more in step with the atmosphere.

Patrick, my server, handled the evening gracefully with support from Elli, who addressed me with a respectful “sir” every time. Zach, the general manager, made the rounds and stopped by to welcome me, a thoughtful touch.

The bread service is memorable, offering Italian sourdough with both whipped sweet bourbon butter and a salted variety. From there, the Seared Ahi Tuna Tartare arrived with a playful interpretation, soy, sesame, candied ginger, avocado purée, and a crisp cucumber carrot fennel salad. Not a traditional take, but well executed.

The New Zealand rack of lamb was the highlight. It came with roasted fingerling potatoes, a grilled romaine heart, and a rosemary mustard pan sauce. The kitchen scaled down the bourbon whipped sweet potatoes for me, but even the half portion was indulgent. The marshmallow topping gave it the decadence of sweet potato pie filling.

By dessert, I was already impressed, but the freshly baked chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream and chunks of chocolate was too tempting to resist. It landed with all the comfort and nostalgia you’d hope for.

Between the cuisine, the personality of the service, and the lively but polished atmosphere, Tony’s hits the mark. It’s the kind of place that leaves you smiling when you step out the door, and it deserves a spot on your dining list.

#BowlingGreenEats #SteakAndSeafood #SouthernHospitality #FoodieFinds...

I’ve dined at Tony’s once before this and it was great. Sadly, that wasn’t my experience this time. I was enjoying a staycation at the attached hotel and decided to order room service. I got the prime burger from the bar menu and a couple of sides. The mac and cheese and braised greens were excellent, highly recommend. Unfortunately, my burger and truffle wedges were practically inedible. Firstly, the burger was the texture of canned dog food, and had literally at least a half a block of pepper jack cheese oozing out of it that had gone all over the plate. Even the grease from all that cheese couldn’t make the burger juicy, though. Secondly, the truffle wedges were way overcooked and they were HUGE. I had to cut them with a knife in order to not chip a tooth on them, but the almost burnt flavor left much to be desired. There is also some kind of garlicky topping on the wedges that’s not listed on the menu and it permeated everything on the plate. All in all, I got about three bites total out of my main meal and just settled on only having sides for dinner, which was a real bummer to spend $60+ on a meal that was supposed to be a treat for me but was mostly inedible.

I will say, both staff members I spoke to on the phone were very pleasant and helpful, as was the person who delivered the food to my room. That reassures me that my issues would have been resolved had I been dining in. Not sure I will return, but if I do, I’ll certainly steer clear of the...