Downtown Grill — Restaurant in Macon

I was so looking forward to an awesome evening and dinner with my boyfriend and his daughter to celebrate her acceptance to Mercer med school. What a big, big, big, did I say big disappointment? Atmosphere is okay. It goes downhill from there.

So let's start from the beginning... For appetizers we had two orders of the tuna ahi and fried artichoke hearts. The tuna was lukewarm and flavorless. We should have sent it back but because I'm a wimp and don't like conflict, we didn't. The artichoke hearts were decent. Actually they were the second best item we had that evening.

Salads were adequate portions but not fresh. Almost soggy. Bread was stale.

Drinks - service was very slow and they were not that crowded. My boyfriend had to go to the bar to get our drinks.

And the main course which truly is the reason we chose to go to Downtown Grill - we ordered two filet mignons, the 24 ounce T-Bone and the imported lamb. Not sure where to start because none of it was cooked correctly. Everyone ordered medium rare and it came out rarer than rare. My boyfriend sent his T-Bone back and it came out rare again, yet so tough he could not eat it. I could go on but the bottom line is no one finished their plates. With the exception of the cheesy potato/grit which we all fought over because they were the best thing of the evening. Oh I forgot the steamed broccoli was cold and undercooked.

One kind of off-the-wall thing - they allow smoking in the bar area which you walk through to get to the dining room. Not a big deal to me but it was to my boyfriend who is an ex-smoker.

I have learned my lesson... Will now start reading the worst reviews about a restaurant first because after I read the first three or four positive ones we made a decision and should have scrolled...

Here goes. Ok, the fare: My Husband's rib eye was cooked to order, med rare, but he described it as "fatty and grisly." He said his rib eye was well-seasoned and somewhat satisfying, but not remarkably so. My entree was a very simple grilled chicken with a scant, marsala-type dressing. It was SO over cooked that each bite, in spite of the sauce, was like endlessly chewing sawdust. I drank more than my usual share of water, trying my best to enjoy the fairly expensive, simple as could be, grilled chicken breast. How do you mess that up?? Def NOT a pub-like feel, more of a dark, uneven floored (very old/quaint) interior with a few wooden, shabby-chic, painted coat-of-arms hung about very dark walls. Candle lit tables, close in proximity to one another, with a hint of elevator style music in background. Translation: Others' conv easily overheard & you feel the need to very quietly speak with your date, so as not share your own conv with others. The order took far too long to arrive on a less-than-crowded evening. While our waitress was polite enough, my Husband had to find her, to inquire about our beverages. She seldom followed up. Nonetheless, we tipped well, thinking perhaps it was just an off night for our waitress. Envious though, of the tables in the very back, just behind us, that appeared to have more attentive waitstaff In summary? After 3-4 bites of my entree, I was so ready to leave. Just not a great atmosphere, vibe, and CERTAINLY not worth the cost. I.E. My super dry, overly-cooked chicken breast was $26.00. Had it been moist, flavorful, cost wouldn't remotely be an issue. Oh, the button mushrooms & grilled spinach were fine. Lol. Love what they're reaching for? But will not be dining...

A local bartender that day during lunch told use to go there for food and drinks that evening. After circling the block with Google maps I finally just parked, a tad bit away because of the Christmas spectacular. Switched to walking and was still confused because the pin drop was showing the entrance and/or building in the middle of the block... which was slightly correct. A couple yards down the well-lit alleyway was the entrance. Seemed a bit 9 ³/⁴ with an actual door. Hostess asked if the two of us had a reservation. We did not but were sat just upon arrival. Worthy to note, was asked if smoke may be an issue for barroom sitting if available, cigars and cigarettes permitted in that area, though as smokers we did not nor did we notice anyone else partaking. We did request the barroom considering drinks typically come quicker than the main dining area. The menu was page length full of delightful options of a more fine dining variety accompanied by a drink menu including signature cocktails, wine, and beer. Ordered a craft draft amber and dry vodka martini with a twist. Both arrived promptly from our wonderful server (I'm hard of hearing on side she spoke and didn't catch her name) and were exactly what we anticipated. She told us the specials and we ordered from those options. A tasty salmon with pesto mashed potatoes and sauted spinach, two bone in perfectly cooked pork chops, more mashed and a side of almond green beans. If you're ok with the slight creep of the alley, this is a must do for dinner. Wonderful food and service thats on point but let's you sit back and enjoy your time and meal....