The Grind — Restaurant in Martin

This was my second time visiting The Grind and, while we were happy overall with our waitress, there were a few issues with our food and the server (a different person from the waitress) that were frustrating. We went for my daughter's 16th birthday and ordered a burger and tots, a child's chicken tenders and fries, and their Apple Pecan Chicken salad. The burger was good, and the fries suited my 7-year-old (he ate a bite of the tenders and didn't finish them). However, when we got to my salad, it was horrible. They waited until the other food was almost ready (leaving me without time to change my order, or my food would have come out much later than the rest of my family's order) and told me that they ran out of the spring greens they use as the base and asked if I had a problem if they gave me Romaine instead. I didn't really want it, because it made the salad taste entirely different, but with no time to have a burger made, I agreed. They brought the salad and I quickly saw that they also left off the pecans, red onions, feta and grape tomatoes. (I had lettuce and apple chips.) The salad was ok, but with the greens switched out and the toppings left off, they should have been embarrassed to even bring it to the table. After our meal, my kids wanted shakes. (Of course! 😄) My daughter ordered the special Easter shake, which was good, but sooo sweet. She drank less than half, then said she was nauseated from all the sugar. My son as I shared the Chocolate Freak. When it was brought to us, 10 minutes after my daughter's came out, it was nothing but shake and chocolate whip. Our waitress noticed, and met the server bringing the shake. After whispering together for a moment or two, they turned to us and our waitress told me she accidentally hit the "no toppings" button. She asked if we wanted it remade, but the server who brought it quickly corrected her and told her it would be best if she brought us the toppings on the side. It wouldn't be a big deal but, if I'm paying $15 for a milkshake that's made incorrectly by mistake, why were we told that the best they could do is bring us the toppings on the side? They weren't busy, so remaking it shouldn't have been an issue. They did tie a balloon to my daughter's chair and come out and sing to her (No free desserts on birthdays at The Grind like everywhere else!) but I felt that our meal was a little lackluster for $100. At the very least, they could have knocked a couple of dollars off for the mismade salad and the milkshake without the toppings. (Without the toppings, you're essentially paying $15 for what amounts to a half cup of milkshake) One thing I forgot to mention: We ordered the Fried Mac & Cheese Balls as an appetizer. They were amazing! Probably the best part of our meal. I definitely recommend them - just be aware that it's three pieces (approximately golf ball size) for $10 so it's definitely not a plate you share with anyone else. Will we be back? ...I don't know. The Grind is such a hotspot, and the owner definitely knows how to cook (Sammy's sandwiches can't be beat!!!) but I think the atmosphere is what brings the crowds more than the food. I'm sad to say that I wasn't very impressed. As a reminder, this was my second visit. The first time, I had The Luther. I had been told how good it was but I didn't like it at all. Everyone has different likes and dislikes, so I gave The Grind another chance because I really wanted to find a reason to like it. Unfortunately, I haven't...

Our visit was at 1pm on a Wednesday. The good: The atmosphere is cute and would be a great place to eat outside on a nice day. The bad: I’ll start with the food since it’s really the priority. We ordered deviled eggs to start. The eggs were not freshly boiled or even same morning boiled. Think day two or three after thanksgiving when the eggs are all dehydrated and rubbery, standing in watery/ liquid on the plate. The filling was sweet but lacked flavor beyond that. I had two before I gave up, a third person had none. The individual that ate the rest got sick the day/ night of and was throwing up and exhibiting signs of food poisoning all night into the next morning. As for the main dishes, we had fried Mac burgers and a chicken sandwich. The Mac burger was good on the flavors but bad on the execution. Instead of a fried Mac patty they just used a ball on top. Which means you only get two-three max bites of fried Mac with the burger but it’s like 2 extra dollars. 14 vs 16 I believe. The burger patty its self has good flavors. This is personal preference but again if you are gonna load toppings on a burger make it a thinner (not less meat just thinner) patty so all the topping can be enjoyed in each bite. I want to eat something delicious that I can actually bite into to. The chicken sandwich was great. It was a great ratio of toppings to fried chicken patty. The fries were cold. They came out with the sandwiches. I can only assume they cooked them first instead of dropping them so that they would time up with the completion of the rest of the food. Bad fries with a mediocre burger is the death of a burger place. Again this was like 1pm on a Wednesday so the place was dead. Really no excuse for the poor experience. Now we can talk service. She didn’t introduce herself so I don’t have her name. She was nice enough but not super interested in being a server. The food was dropped and she didn’t come back to see if we needed anything. We flagged her down to ask for something. She brought it right back. We had to ask for our drinks to be filled. She did. Again she was nice enough she just had to be asked for obvious things like refilling waters when that’s all we were drinking. She stood over in the little nook (to the left when you walk in) talking to the hostess. One time she walked by towards the end of lunch and commented how one of us sucked down our water really fast we were confused because all 3 cups were empty and had been for a while but she was trying a joke so we awkwardly laughed. She walked away. She didn’t even refilled the cup she verbally acknowledged was empty. We were there to catch up with a family member. We were definitely there for an hour at-least. Our waters cups got filled 1 time, while eating burgers and salty fries. Again she was nice but it was obvious she wasn’t properly trained to be a server or she just isn’t interested in doing a good job. This place isn’t bad enough to write off after the first experience. I would suggest other places first but if the party I’m with really wants to go here I will. I will just be more particular about my choices and hope they took the eggs off the menu or changed up the way they prepped them. It would definitely be on the bottom of my list, unless we wanted only shakes and to sit outside on the deck. I didn’t try the shakes but I would go back to try them...

As much as I hate to post this I am. Our family has been a patron since the doors opened at the Grind. However, after my experience tonight with my family I highly doubt we will be back at least not anywhere in the near future. 4⭐️ food.. First of all our food was delicious kudos to cooks on that, the only kitchen concern there was that 3 of the 7 orders came out about 20-25 minutes before the last 4 orders and 2 of which were not the special that was shared to us. Now there were some items missing and the order was fixed. Taste was great-having incorrect sides and condiments missing is only reason 4 here! 2⭐️ service… Our Waitress is new and I’m all about patience and understanding. I’ve been there and I was NOT upset with her at all. I even spoke to her as I left and told her before I left most of happened tonight was NOT her fault. She was very attentive with refills asking about orders and polite. Just needs to become familiar with the menu and as I told her “fake it until you make it. Food Service is hard work. I have an older kid that has been where you are” 1⭐️ atmosphere due to…. *management Time It took from time we were seated ordered and finally received the corrected food 1 hour 45 minutes. Not 1 but 2 tables in eye view had their food before our full table did and we ordered long before they were even seated. When the ordered food came out incorrect, I asked to speak to a manager, who came out with a menu, in hand took a negative tone about how we had picked the wrong special number, as if the special shared with us was correct and we ordered wrong, then stating our waitress was new so the special changed 3 days ago and we needed to understand that. They ordered the other special number and just accepted that. Keep in mind what we thought was ordered was loaded tots/fries with Philly Steak but received sourkraut/corned beef and as I spoke he cut me off. Now, I’ve worked in food service, so I know how hard it is. I was Serve Safe Instructor Certified for almost 10 years and currently teach food safety and sanitation standards to high school students. So I’ve been observing since I walked in the door. Now, that I’ve met the manager on shift it seems he is the same gentleman who as we we waited to be seated before dinner came out from back shoved trash that was over flowing from the trash can elbow deep with hands and then NOT wash his hands at the above sink. I gave him the benefit of the doubt he did when he returned to the kitchen. Still this is an atmosphere issue sanitation is key. As I close, I know we live in a time where people are always looking to get something free but I assure you that was not at all our intention in fact we were charged for a side that should’ve been included with one of the burgers because the wrong side was first included. I didn’t say anything just paid it and took it off the tip. So if Management reads this the least they can do is give Heather her $3.25 extra from that to add to her tip because she is likely doing her best with the training she...