Judith — Restaurant in Winchester

We came here to celebrate our anniversary, lured in by the hype, only to leave with regret and empty stomachs. This wasn’t a fine dining experience—it was an overpriced joke.

First off, no mocktails for non-drinkers and only tap water? In a so-called high-end restaurant, that’s inexcusable. Then we were told we must order everything at once—so much for a relaxed dining experience.

The $9 bread service? A disgrace. Stale bread served with rancid, chile-infused canola oil—who even does that? We asked for butter and got margarine, along with confusion, as if we’d requested something absurd.

Then came the $18 "Caesar salad," a wilted, borderline-rotten pile of greens drowning in salt and topped with cheap, shaker Parmesan. The lighting was so dim we needed a flashlight just to confirm how bad it looked.

The main course was the final insult. The so-called "butcher cut" steak—pre-sliced (who does that?!)—was raw and thrown on top of four sad, unseasoned, boiled potatoes. No flavor, no presentation, no respect for the ingredients. Michelin-starred chef? Please.

And the grand finale? A burned dessert made of what was clearly store-bought pudding and Reddi-wip. Absolutely laughable.

We dropped over $100 without drinks, left starving, and ended up salvaging the night with an actual edible meal at Sonic. Save yourself the disappointment—this place is a...

It was great!! I got Tavern Steak. It came a little rare but crispy bark! So good! Came with little potatoes. Delicious olive oil & seasonings & some type of leafy lettuce they call escarole. I added a smidge of pepper and it was just awesome. We also ordered a half loaf of sourdough bread and it was fantastic. They bring out chili olive oil with herbs & seasonings to dip & it is to die for. Wife got homemade tagliatelle (flat pasta noodles) and they were light & al dente. She LOVED it. To be honest we were on on our way to a concert at the Caverns and looking for a sit down restaurant, this had high marks but sounded a little too pricey especially given the tiny little town it’s located in. And believe me, we are in love with Sewanee, just didn’t think a restaurant like this could hold up to the hype. But it did just that. The bill wasn’t even bad, especially given our satisfaction. So it was such a pleasant surprise. If we made any suggestion at all, it seemed to be a lot of olive oil with both dishes. Might could cut back on that just a little, but otherwise absolutely blown away. Service was top-notch and our host was so nice and friendly. We felt special in our experience. Then I see at the bottom of the menu they are a sister restaurant to Henrietta Red. Well that makes perfect sense. That’s our favorite seafood spot...

This place is without peer within an hour's drive. It is as good as any restaurant in Nashville or Atlanta, and the fact that they've pulled this off in sleepy Sewanee, Tennessee is remarkable. The space is beautiful, the cooking is wonderful, and the service is very good. The wine list is eclectic, with options for everyone.

While there are options to keep costs in check, this place is not for the budget-conscious. If you're drinking wine, you can expect to pay $100+ per person. But the menu has something for everyone, and is worth the splurge.

I'm baffled by one recent one-star review - whoever wrote this either has no palate or was stung by the bottom-line (or both). Some people, I guess, deserve Sonic for their anniversary.

Folks - as I write this, we're talking about a restaurant that has been open for less than four months. The chef in charge cut her teeth working with Thomas Keller (yes, that Thomas Keller), and is one of the most celebrated chefs in Nashville. You owe it to yourself to seek this place out and see for yourself what all of the hoopla is about. You...