Bank Street Grill — Restaurant in Decatur

Came here for a late lunch today and had a very positive experience.

Nestled in downtown Decatur, this restaurant is kind of small but it's cozy and the vibe is very welcoming. They weren't super busy but I didn't expect a large lunch crowd at 1:30 on a Thursday and hey, just means faster food and service for me!

They have a fairly simple but thoughtful menu with lots of American favorites -- think burgers, sandwiches, steaks and chicken. As a result of their more steak-oriented dinner menu, they also have a few more upscale / less fried options as sides like asparagus or broccoli if that's more your speed.

I went with the Buffalo chicken wrap and French fries, with a sweet tea to drink. Overall, I was quite pleased with my meal. The sweet tea was delicious, and I was especially thirsty, so that was a huge plus! The French fry portion looked a little small at first but I was plenty full by the time I finished. The fries themselves were crisp, very hot, and the sprinkle of peppery seasoning gave them a little extra pizazz. The cup of ranch I got for dipping was great ranch, too. The wrap was nicely griddled, with lots of crispy chicken. It actually had some heat to it, too -- which I enjoyed (and I was doubly glad for the good ranch, lol!). The lettuce inside was maybe a little anemic, but honestly I didn't order the wrap to eat lettuce, so whatever, right? Haha.

My food was certainly enjoyable, but the real reason behind my 5 star rating has to be the service. Call me dramatic...but it was like, fine dining level of good service + some extra on top. I never caught her name, but my waitress was a taller woman with bright blonde hair and blue eyes and she was working at 1:30 today (Thursday, February 1). I think her daughter was seated at a table and coloring quietly for a few minutes early in my visit. If the owner happens to see this...please know you have a true gem on your team.

To start, she was great for just me. Always prompt with a refill (and I needed several), brought ketchup without me even having to ask, knew intuitively when I was ready to order and when I was ready for my check, brought me a to-go drink because she remembered I laughed and apologized over how thirsty I was, and just made me feel right at home and very welcome.

But even more important than that, she showed true and genuine kindness to multiple guests, going above and beyond the call of duty. A few minutes after I sat down, an elderly gentleman came in, seeming confused and a little worried. He was looking for directions on how to get to the social security office. He had the address and knew it was nearby but didn't know how to get there. My waitress spoke with him at length and tried to explain directions she pulled up on her phone. When that didn't seem to help enough, she painstakingly wrote the directions down for him, step by step, on a piece of paper -- Mapquest style! This seemed to help him a lot, and he left smiling and visibly relieved.

And THEN, toward the end of my visit, two gentlemen sat down behind me. When she came to their table, it became clear quickly that English was their second language. Nevertheless, she took extra care in ensuring they were taken care of just as meticulously and carefully as they deserved: making recommendations, asking thoughtful questions for clarification, etc.

Make no mistake: everyone deserves to be treated with the level of dignity and respect she gave to these other guests. But it would have been beyond easy to shrug them off or get away with giving them minimal care or attention. She didn't, though, and her care really did move me. Kindness matters more than anything, and she was truly kind.

So kudos, Bank Street Grill, and biggest kudos to your waitress who was working today! Her good deeds did not...

We are newer to the area and wanted to go somewhere for our anniversary dinner. My husband found this place and wanted to give it a shot. Make no mistake, this is less of a restaurant and more of a bar. We got two small ribeyes that were poorly seasoned. My husband got tater tots that tasted like they were previously sitting in a vat of grease. The onion rings and sweet potato fries were ok but nothing special. Our waitress took our drink order and food order, someone else brought our food and we didn’t see her again till I asked for the check. She was sitting at the bar flirting with a guy the entire time we were there. We should have gone to chain restaurant where we could have each ordered a cocktail, food, dessert and had decent service for the price we paid for this meal. Incredibly disappointing. All about supporting local but this isn’t the place to do that.

Editing to respond to whoever responded to the location: First why would I take pictures of unimpressive food, I only take pictures of food that looks amazing. I spoke to three people while there. First the waitress who took the drink and food order and brought the check. Second the person who brought the food. Third the girl with multi colored hair in before any food came. She thought I had asked for her to come over so she did and I told her that I didn’t call her over and we laughed about it. A little while later she came by with an appetizer and asked us if we ordered it, which we didn’t. That’s it. There was some guy floating around sitting at random people’s tables and talking to them- he seemed like a manager but I wasn’t sure. I honestly was so over the whole thing and just wanted to leave. I also did not tip 15% so not sure why they said that I did. I usually tip well over 20% but did not on this occasion. I don’t want a refund because it was our mistake to even try this place. That’s not what it’s about. It’s about the fact that the food sucked, atmosphere sucked and the waitress sucked. I’ll give it to them, maybe it was an off night but it was so bad that we would never go back or recommend. Plenty of other great...

Take a moment and picture this: your life is in the dumpster. You’re desperately searching for a glimmer of hope, your faith in the universe hanging by a thread. Finally, you find yourself at the Bank Street Grill, drawn in by the intoxicating aroma wafting through the air. You spend what feels like an eternity pondering the menu, and the burgers call out to you, a divine whisper urging you toward this sacred dish.

You place your order, anticipation building as you wait for your meal. When the waiter arrives, he presents a juicy, perfectly seasoned patty nestled on a golden bun. You can hardly believe it—this is the sign you’ve been waiting for, the proof of goodness in a world gone dark. Life is worth living, and this burger is your salvation.

But then, horror strikes. The waiter pulls a wad of shredded cheddar from his pocket and slaps it onto your beautiful creation. Your jaw drops, and the vibrant colors of the world fade to grey. What madness could compel someone to commit such a culinary sin? You glance at your sad salad, complete with its photoshopped onions, and tears well up in your eyes. How could this happen? Why must the universe toy with your...