Yes, yes and yes! This impromptu dinner did it for me. We were able to walk right in and asked for outside seating. The weather was perfect with a tad bit of rain in the air. Since it was our first time we decided to try a bunch of smaller ideas. My husband ordered the wings, and I went from the grilled romaine and pimento cheese dip. Both were top tier. He enjoyed the smoked wings and end up returning the crispy wings. We later found out the wings were made with rice flour. That made them resemble Tyson wings . However the smoked wings were great and he ordered a second order of those (6) in an order. I definitely would recommend this place to watch foot traffic, enjoy some fresh air & some fun creative dishes. Would I be back? Yep! But next time I'm not sharing my pimento cheese read more

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We tried out this downtown Clayton restaurant Friday night. Had reservations. They actually sent a text saying our table was ready earlier which worked out well for us. Menu is very small. Not a lot was jumping out for either of us. We both went with the Salmon Burger. And shared the Grilled Romaine salad to start. The salad was really good. Neither of us was overly enthused with the Salmon Burger. The Salmon itself was good, but it could have used some texture and acid or spice. Pickled onions perhaps? And for a restaurant of this caliber to serve potato chips out of a bag...well, that's hard to understand. Menu said "kettle chips", we both assumed they would have made them. Full redemption was with dessert. The pecan pie was outstanding, and so was my dessert drink of an espresso martini. Loved that they have the decaf option. Also was a fan of my wine choices with dinner. Service was fine. read more

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This restaurant is located downtown on a main street in Clayton, NC. There is ample parking nearby. The stuffed oysters were the best oysters that I have ever eaten. On the flip side, I did not enjoy the fried chicken. The modern ambience is attractive. Staff were friendly, and knowledgeable about menu items. I recommend this restaurant. read more

A solid "Americana" style cooking restaurant in downtown Clayton. A good idea to make reservations for dinner, especially if you have a big group. This place gets packed. The staff is friendly ans efficient, no issues. Good size venue with a modern chic minimalist decor. I'm certain the entire interior was redone. #Adult Dranks: ~ GARDEN PARTY - 4/5 Tasty refreshing fruity drink for those toasty & humid southern summers. STARTERS: ~ BACON CHEDDAR CORNBREAD - 4/5 Tasty little appetizer. Good flavor; cheesy, warm, moist and Bacony (if that's a word). ~ GRILLED OYSTERS - 3.5/5 These were OK. I think I'm just spoiled when it comes to Oysters. Nothing stood out about them to me. ~ HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD - 4/5 Hard to mess this up...just a solid Heirloom Tomato Salad flanked with morsels of bread & cheese. ~ PIMENTO CHEESE - 4/5 I didn't really know what to make of this...it was tasty, but deceptively heavy. I get it...its cheese, but it feels light while going down. ~ BEEF TARTARE - 3/5 I didn't care for this... I reckon its their interpretation of Beef Tartar. An unsuccessful one for me... it doesn't taste bad, it's just missing a lot of flavor Sando: ~ CRISPY CATFISH SANDWICH - 4/5 A very good Catfish Sandwich. I'm not a fan of Tartar sauce, and this had a bit more than I wanted...took it home, deconstructed it and added salsa...turned out brilliant! #SweetTooth: ~ CHOCOLATE POT - 4.5/5 Don't let the size fool you, it's in a small pot. But it's chocolatey, rich and hearty. ~ WARM PEACH COBBLER - 2/5 This is NOT Peach Cobbler...be prepared to be disappointed if you are expecting Peach Cobbler. This should be called Peach Oats Granola! because that's what this is... ~ WARM BREAD PUDDING - 4/5 A very good bread pudding topped off with Ice Cream. Small, but hearty. read more

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One of Clayton's newest arrivals, the Crawford Cook Shop felt like a "must visit" since seeing its vibrant storefront from the street and hearing of its many accolades over the past months. They apparently bring "Americana" style food from a wood-fired grill to good old Main Street Clayton. this method of cooking allows certain nutrients and antioxidants to be retained in the food, which would otherwise be lost to slower cooking methods. The vibrant and bright U-shaped bar seems to be the centerpiece for the modern dining room, which by design feels very clean and upscale, it felt a bit like dinning out in a few of my favorite Manhattan spots. Clearly a popular destination since there were very few open seats, even at the bar. The bar makes a great drink, but the food menu doesn't have a lot to offer, especially to vegetarians. The pimento cheese is a good starter option, obviously house made and comes with slight kick, unfortunately it only comes with four small slices of brioche toast and 1 very unpopular vegetable. Although I do understand portion control, I don't understand the need to charge for another starter instead of just bringing a few more slices of toast to finish off the cheese. There doesn't seem to be any negotiating here and since certain sandwiches, like the grilled cheese, are pre-made, you either take what you get or order off the kid's menu. The kitchen is apparently too busy to provide a freshly made grilled cheese, and I am sorry, but the kids menu grilled cheese is not worth 14 dollars. The beef and cheddar didn't come with a lot of cheddar, or flavor of cheddar, and for some reason it came with fried onions? Since there is a great restaurant right across the street that will accommodate most customers' requests without hesitation, I would return here for drinks at the very most. Cheers! read more

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Nice spot for modern American food on a cute little Main Street area. I like that there are options for classic dishes as well as an adventurous palate Food: the Ahi Tuna app was delicious and the mini cornbreads were eaten quickly! I enjoyed the rub sandwich but it wasn't outstanding. The Salmon burger was yummy and Fish & Chips too. The Desserts were 10/10 delicious Service: friendly service Ambiance: the space is cozy, and clean and modern . Bar area, booths and tables available Parking: public parking area right across the street and street parking read more

Crawford Cookshop - Delicious dessert - Desserts Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

Crawford Cookshop is the Clayton gastronomicoutpost of Raleigh chef Scott Crawford , announced this week that the Main Street restaurant has been sold to the Mezcalito group of Mexican restaurants. read more

I love this place. I have gone now, many times and I have never been disappointed. The food is amazing. We have had every appetizer, side and every plate on the menu. So happy to have a nice place to go without having to drive to Raleigh. Love the outdoor seating. Always a go-to place for us when family visits from out of town. Really like the Wednesday fried chicken take out, too! read more

Crawford's Cookshop was great! A very nice addition to downtown Clayton. The dining room was alot smaller than I thought, full open concept. There is a u-shaped full service bar in the middle of the space. We started with the smoked wings with Alabama sauce... Very flavorful, light smoke on the chicken. They sauce was unique, slightly savory, a little citrus, maybe a butter base? We also started with the grilled oysters - these were a little disappointing - there is a crispy bread topping that overshadowed the actual oyster. Dinner was great, I ordered the wood roasted trout that came with a sweet potato puree and topped with brown butter, kale and walnuts. The trout had a strong and wonderful smoke on it (fruit wood?) And the butter and bitterness from the kale was a perfect companion to each bite. My wife for the catfish sandwich. It was huge, fish was cooked perfectly. Only complaint was the bread was a little too tough, however, it was very fresh and flavorful. The kids chicken was expensive for what we got They have some nice cocktails too, I had the cookshop old fashioned. Brown butter and spiced cane bitters. It was nice. read more

Crawford Cookshop - Cookshop old fashioned was very good - orange and bitters - Desserts Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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Restaurant was very good! The only thing that was a little not great was how salty half the dishes were. If I were to go back (and we likely will because we have good friends in clayton and this is the best restaurant there) we would probably just do small plates/starters and cocktails and forego the mains. We loved the grilled romaine salad, the beef tartare and baked oysters. The mushroom pudding, steak and cavatelli were super salty. Their Cookshop Old Fashioned is really syrupy/sweet (if you like that try it!) and the Style Bender was awesome. Perfectly balanced. The interior feels a little Scandinavian in design. Minimal but it works. Parking: street parking or a nearby lot 2 blocks away. Bill came out to $135 per couple for entrees, starters and drinks. Mains are $22-$34 and drinks are $11-13 each. read more

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This is by far the best restaurant in Clayton. The food, drinks, and service is spot on. Love the short rib and pork chop entrees. Look forward to the next seasons menu. Old fashion cocktail is delicious. Modern and clean decor. Reservations are recommended. read more

A very cute place on Main Street in Clayton, NC. The staff was extremely friendly and well-trained. The food was very good! The oysters and smoked wings were our favorite. read more

Crawford Cookshop - Oysters - Desserts Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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The food was amazing. We ordered the oyster Rockefeller as an appetizer, which were amazing. My husband ordered the trout with tomato butter. The portion was huge and he loved it. I ordered a special feature with Kobe and scallops. This was also delicious and a nice size portion. We got the bread pudding which was delicious but different. We were expecting a "wetter" dessert but the included ice cream was a nice surprise. A relaxed atmosphere was very welcomed, and we saw several families. read more

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This spot is a gem, in downtown Clayton. The atmosphere is classy, upscale yet cozy! The service was great, professional with a smile and knowledgeable. The food was excellent as were the cocktails! I recommend the bone marrow....meat butter at its finest! Great for a date or a catch up with friends! read more

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Wow Crawford Cookshop was truly a 5 star experience! Everything was incredible from start to finish - the service, the ambiance, and every single dish. First off, service was amazing. We had a great waiter and I regret not taking note of his name! He was very friendly, attentive, and kept the water refills coming which I always appreciate. As far as food and drink goes, we enjoyed every single thing. My husband got a Mango Margarita as they have Margarita Thursdays (which are not discounted, but they are not usually on the menu on other days). The Fried Green Tomatoes were phenomenal and I loved the pimento cheese underneath. The Nashville Hot Catfish Sandwich was good, but be prepared for some grease! It was served with some amazingly spiced fries. My favorites were the Smoked Wings and the dessert that we got - the Salted Caramel Bread Pudding. I would get both again on a heartbeat. The wings were so smoky and fall-off-the-bone tender. The bread pudding was sweet, salty, and just the right texture. Crawford Cookshop is such a lovely addition to downtown Clayton. I'm so excited to go back, sample more of the menu, and introduce plenty more people to it. Go, go, go! read more

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The food is excellent, service is friendly. And honestly when you go out to pay for a meal you want fresh, consistent quality. Crawford does that. Across all the Crawford locations I've tried. I had the tomato tartare and that was perfect with a glass of wine for a light dinner. I'm a regular repeat - because I love fresh quality food. Note - Friday through Sunday the have "features" not on the menu so ask about them read more

Got sucked into work so it was too late to head into Raleigh for dinner. With low expectations, searched for a solid dinner choice for us in Clayton. When Crawford Cookshop came up, I literally did a double-take to make sure I didn't put in the wrong Clayton. The reviews were solid and I called to make sure we could be seated. The person answering the phone told me it wasn't busy at all and we could be seated right away. So we headed over. We were seated outside under a spacious covered roof. The menu was lovely and everything sounded great. We indulged in a couple of cocktails to start the meal, both of which were creative and tasty. (The Old Fashioned leveraged some NC-local Cheerwine as simple syrup base). For dinner we had the fried oysters and fried green tomatoes appetizers. Both hit the spot. For the main meal we had a lovely boneless pork chop (super thick and tasty) over grits and a perfectly cooked steak .To round out the evening, we shared the bread pudding desert. Other than me talking too much about work and getting myself worked up and stressed out, nothing could have made this meal better. Even when the torrential summer downpours started we were comfortable. Loved the service, the quality of the meal, and pricing was spot on for a nice upscale but not overbearing restaurant. Very happy to have found this gem in Clayton. I'm pretty sure we'll be regulars, and hope they do exceptionally well. read more

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The food was good, I will give it that. I'd looked online at their menu ahead of time before inviting my dad to come out with my husband and I. My dad and step-mom both enjoyed their catfish dish. My husband loved his grilled cheese. I found my salmon burger to be lackluster and cold, which I'm not sure if that's intentional or if it was left out for a while but cold was a weird choice. The reason I'm only giving 3 stars is the service was TERRIBLE. Our server was a tiny little thing who seemed to be struggling with her section. It took her 15 minutes just to greet us and then 15 more for us to get our drinks to the table. When my husband ordered another beer, it took another 20 minutes to get it. My dad was charged for a glass of wine he didn't get until after we paid and were standing up to leave. I feel like this place could be great if they had more staff to handle all of their tables. It felt like our server was covering the entire right side of the restaurant and was, justifiably, overwhelmed. She didn't smile once, barely talked to us, didn't check on us to see if we were liking our food, and always seemed like she was in a rush to get as far away from us as she could. As for ambiance, it's a pretty brick and mortar. I like the mix of mod and barn they did with the décor. The tables felt cramped, like the people next to us were right on top of us. We could barely hear each other because between the LOUD music and the close proximity of the tables around us, there was just too much going on. I was looking forward to going here because I've heard so much about this place and its amazing chef, but as curious as I am about their other menu items I don't think I'll be back. It isn't worth it to be yelling across a table just to be heard and then served a cold fish patty. read more

Love this place. The food is always great and the staff is amazing. They offer a seasonal menu that doesn't change much but lately they have offered a few off menu specials which have been a nice change of pace. One of them is fried chicken which is to die for, also their Thursday special is currently a Beer, Bourbon and Burger and the burger is off the charts. Very nice place with modern decor. I highly recommend checking them out if in the area. read more

First time here: great atmoshphere and ambience, server was friendly but a little slow, food was very good and tasty. We had a multitude of entrees and appetizers amongst the 8 of us. This is a great option in the quaint town of Clayton! read more

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Scott Crawford has done it again! To start we ordered cocktails, it was the Sandman with tequila (this is a mocktail turned cocktail) for my husband and the Kid Dynamite for me. I also tried the Cookshop Old Fashioned. To start we split the pimento cheese and butternut squash soup. Next it was the venison meatloaf for my husband and the bone in pork chop for me. Lastly, we split the bread pudding and I had a glass of port. The service and all of the food and drinks were fantastic. This is a must visit in Downtown Clayton. read more

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Cookshop is without a doubt a welcome addition to the Clayton food scene. Crawford is one of the most innovative and talented chefs around, and the fact that he's been able to execute on this new concept in a global pandemic is beyond impressive. I have a feeling some of the people who have left 1 and 2 star reviews have never worked in the industry and have no clue what it takes to open/run a restaurant even in "normal" times. My friend and I came here on a Tuesday night and sat at the bar. It was so lovely to meet several people from around Clayton throughout the evening as we enjoyed our meal. The bartenders took great care of us all night mixing up several cocktails - I'd recommend trying the Cheerwine sling mixed with rum. We knew we wanted to try a bunch of things, so we ordered several appetizers. It's hard to choose, but the favorites would have to be the mushroom ragout (DO NOT MISS THIS), rabbit rillettes and steak tartare. We also had the duck wings (messy but so delicious and unique) and the peanut butter chocolate pie (SO indulgent and yummy but no longer on the menu). Everything we tasted was incredible, so we were glad we decided to order a good variety. We received fresh plates and silverware after our first course of dishes which was a nice touch. Despite this being a very new restaurant I thought the service was excellent. I will absolutely make the trek from RTP to try more from the menu - I've heard the crispy wings, pot pie and venison meatloaf are amazing! read more

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Scott Crawford does it again! Last week I got a chance to eat at Crawford Cookshop and it didn't disappoint. Here's some things we ordered: Grilled Duck Wings with hot honey & brown butter Spicy Boiled Peanut Hummus Grilled Oysters with chorizo butter and sourdough crumbs Caramelized Winter Squash with truffle risotto Grilled ribeye with mushroom bread pudding and broccolini read more

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So, on food quality, ambiance, service, cleanliness, all 5s. It was really well made and tasty food. I had venison meatloaf which was awesome, wife had duck pot pie. Duck pot pie, while tasty and good, was essentially a biscuit over duck stew, small portion. Portion size was on the lower end, which is generally understandable given the quality. Appetizer was a well-titled ritz crackers and hummus. Disappointing except for the exotic vegetables. Those were awesome. Value-for-money hurts them. Big price, evident a couple corners were cut on preparation. Hurts me to say that because the service, decor, ambiance were all outstanding. The venison meatloaf was outstanding. The low overhead of Clayton, but the higher prices of Raleigh. Drink heavy, eat light. read more

We went Friday, December 15th for a girls night out. Jenna was our waitress. She was so attentive and informative on the specials. We enjoyed her fun spirit, which lent whimsy to our evening . Our glasses stayed full and the food was hot and fresh. I enjoyed the BBQ RIB sandwich with seasoned fries. Other guests tried the nightly special and the Brie and Apple grilled cheese. From the cocktails, I recommend the Oh Pear! The restaurant has lovely interior decor. Clean and simplistic and not overstimulating. Our party all agreed that we cannot wait to return to this location, and hope to have Jenna as our waitress again! read more

What a treat to have something that's at this level of culinary excellence without having to fight traffic and head to Raleigh or Durham. The service has always been incredibly friendly and attentive. The ambiance is relaxed but still feels elevated - with zero touch of superiority or arrogance. Favorites so far have been the charred oysters, the steak with mashed potatoes and corn, the corn chowder, and bread budding. The cocktails have been very good as well! If you're not close by, it's worth the drive and extra nice not to have to fight traffic if you're near! read more

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Food was inspired southern cuisine. It was very busy so make reservations, but our waitress took great care of us. Definitely has the upscale bar vibe. read more

I was visiting my family in Clayton NC, and we all went out to dinner to celebrate my nephews birthday. The restaurant uses all local grown vegetables and sources local meats as well. We had the She crab soup, Duroc Pork with caramalizes onions and cheese grits, Oyster Pow Boy, Burger with fries and plenty of adult beverages to wash it all down. Our waitress was Lisa D. And she was great! Took really good care of us and explained some of the unique dishes they have like the Duroc Pork and She Crab Soup which is made with only female crabs so they can use the Roe (eggs) in order to give it a great flavor. Please visit this local restaurant in downtown Clayton, read more

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Ate here for the first time and was pleasantly surprised to find such a trendy place in downtown Clayton! You can eat inside or outside on the covered deck area. We made reservations but were notified that we could come early so we did. They have a great drink menu as well as food menu. Our table had a grilled cheese sandwich, chicken sandwich, grilled pork chop over cheddar grits, and homemade cornbread - all were delicious. The portions were large and everyone took home leftovers. Will definitely be back! read more

Crawford Cookshop - Menu - Desserts Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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An event brought us to Clayton and that evening, we went out and found this place. Food was awesome! I had the smoked wings, best that I have had in a long time! Staff was super friendly--from the host to our server! Great night out-we will be back!! read more

As far as Clayton restaurants go, this is the best. 3.5 stars Cocktail and appetizer menu is great! If you want crispy gluten free *as long as you don't have Celiac disease - the sauce is fermented* chicken wings, the crispy wing variety is amazing - rice flour is used to get the perfect puffy coating. Other menu items change seasonally. The grilled oysters were perfection! And the stranger the cocktail sounds, the more delicious it is. Our last outing fell flat after appetizer course. The Heirloom Tomato had a few chunks of good tomatoes tossed on a plate with some decent heirloom grape tomatoes. Hubby said the basil drizzle was delicious, and there was enough buratta (sp) cheese on the plate for a family of 8. Kind of strange. There was a mess up (that wait staff admitted) with my salad. I ordered the peach salad, but the waitress entered the grilled romaine (without croutons - but why? GF folx don't want grilled lettuce. Actually, who does?). To "rectify," a salad was made in about 3 minutes. Menu states grilled peaches (and table next to ours confirmed this - juicy quarters); I had about 6 slim slices of hard fruit - I seriously had to keep looking at the menu (which the waitress left after she marked GF optios) to remember if it was pear or peach. Anyhoo... that's when service went south. Wait and support staff all over the restaurant were watching me be confused, whispering to our waitress, etc, but nobody ever asked directly how my salad (uneaten besides 4 bites to figure out WTF was going on) was. Even the bartender came to refill our waters and ask how the food was --- after our plates were cleared! Here's the thing: mistakes are fine. But rushing to make something right is not. And we saw half the kitchen and a few front staff at the bar next door afterward. Cool. But not Crawford cool. read more

My family and I ate here tonight and we were impressed with the menu. My MIL has a gluten allergy and we were surprised that at least half the menu was GF. We ordered the sloppy joe, Brie grilled cheese, braised short rib, crispy chicken confit, and the pork tender loin. The pork tender loin was the best entree. The potatoes offered with the braised short rib could of been seasoned more. All the entrees were still very good. To end the evening, we ordered the warmed bread pudding and holy moly, it was AMAZING. We'd come back. Also the drinks were so good too! read more

Crawford Cookshop - Crispy chicken confit - Desserts Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

Excellent food excellent service. I had a great time there server was excellent and the food was outstanding. Not sure what else to say about this one. read more

This was our first time at the restaurant and we met several friends for dinner. First impressions were great. The ambience looked nice and we were greeted warmly by the hostess. Unfortunately, it went mostly downhill from there. Our waiter took our drink water quickly but then we waited for about 15 minutes to receive simple drinks. It was not that crowded. Our dinners were lackluster and fairly overpriced. The sandwich options were a good price; however, $25 for fish and chips seems a little pricey compared to other pub prices. The oysters were served on a giant platter of salt, which was strange and mistaken by one of our guests as rice . The fried green tomatoes and hanger steak were excellent. While other wait staff appeared to be working hard, our waiter spent most of his time on the phone/cash register and we had to send for him twice. I doubt if we will return but would probably try other restaurants in Clayton. It looks like a very nice place to spend an afternoon and evening. read more

First time visiting this place. The company I work for put the A/C and kitchen hoods in during the building process. The food was pretty good. I found the prices to be a little high for what you get. Not sure why you get water without ice. Well, I wanted to try it out and see how it was. Might come back, might not! read more

Crawford Cookshop - Grilled Oysters - Desserts Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

Best drinks in town! The menu is small and doesn't rotate too often , if there were more options then we would come more often.

This would be 5 stars if it wasn't for the flies. I was swatting 3 flies away from food the whole time we were there. If I was at a food truck this wouldn't bother me. Any place that has a fine dining menu as nice as this, I feel like there should be a solution to this. The menu is Americana and changes quite a bit from other reviews I've read which is great. I had my heart set on the venison meatloaf I saw in a review but it wasn't on the menu. I got the pork Duroc which was excellent. The hanger steak as well was very good. We started with oysters which were breaded and also delectable. It was an interesting take on the breading that stood out. Great wine menu also a lot of select taps from local breweries for beer. Servers were great an attentive. Reservations had us seated with no wait at all. I would totally recommend. read more

Very fresh food , great service. I love that they have a rotating menu but small portions and high cost. I would return tho.

I love Crawford Cookshop and have to stop by for a bite to eat whenever I'm in town! All the servers are so friendly and the food is delicious. It's a beautiful space and is great for families and group dinners. I highly recommend! read more

We made the trek from Apex to Clayton to try Crawford Cookshop last night and we were not disappointed. We started with the grilled oysters and the beef tartare. Both were fantastic. My friend and I both loved the salad with peaches and 3 of us enjoyed the corn chowder. My DH had the BLT which he loved, and the fries were nice and crispy and hot. My only slight disappointment was that I didn't really see any entrees that sounded interesting, and I don't want a sandwich for dinner. That didn't stop me from having enough food to be stuffed though and enjoying everything I had. What made this a 5 star experience instead of a 4 star experience was our server, Jenna. She was an absolute delight! She was witty, charming and so funny. Anytime we go back we will definitely request to be seated in her section. read more