Mike's Tavern - Chattanooga

**Service: Overall: 4/10** **Server: Peyton - 4/10** Upon arrival, we received a warm and friendly greeting, taking only a minute for the server, Peyton, to attend to us. However, despite checking in shortly after our food was served, we saw very little of her afterward. It took nearly 10 minutes for her to return while we had empty plates in front of us, leaving us wondering where she had gone as she seemed to disappear from the restaurant altogether. Our plates weren't cleared until the bill arrived, which made us feel neglected since any issues with our meals wouldn’t have been addressed until everyone at the table was finished eating. **Drink Refills: 6/10** Leif had his water refilled twice, but otherwise, he went without water for most of the meal, as Peyton didn’t return after the initial serving. Ethan and I also had to ask for refills at the end; she only offered them once when we first sat down. **Check-ins: 10/10** Peyton checked in right after we received our food. Unfortunately, there were no follow-ups after we had a chance to sample our meals, which earned a score of 0 in that category. **Hostess: 2/10** There was no greeting when we entered, despite two hostesses at the front. Eventually, I inquired about the wait for a party of four and was told it would be about 20-25 minutes. After putting our name on the list, I chose to stand inside while my family waited outside, but there were no seats available in either area, and standing inside was quite cramped. After about 30 minutes, we noticed that the hostesses seated two similar-sized parties who arrived after us, before finally sitting us next to a large, noisy group celebrating a baby shower with mimosas. This was frustrating, especially since five booths had been open on the other side of the restaurant throughout our wait.

We had the tavern shrimp appetizer, and it was fantastic—almost enough to serve as a full entrée! It was so delicious that I nearly forgot to take a picture before it disappeared! I ordered the Philly cheesesteak with onion rings, and it was quite tasty as well. The kids had the macaroni and cheese, which was basically easy mac, but for $6, I suppose it was a reasonable option (they didn't complain, haha). My husband chose the brisket nachos, and we were a bit let down because the brisket came in tiny cubes instead of being pulled or shredded, and there weren't very many pieces either. We also shared a brownie for dessert (which I didn't photograph because it disappeared too quickly), and it was incredibly rich, soft, warm, and absolutely delicious! Our server was friendly, but I did notice that one of her other tables kept her quite busy, which made her less attentive to us. Overall, we had a great time and will definitely return! We also found out that this restaurant is owned by the same Mike who runs the hole-in-the-wall spot near our home in Red Bank that we love, as well as the smokehouse near St. Elmo that we enjoy. I guess it's safe to say we're fans of Mike!

The restaurant offers a wonderful ambiance, with a beautifully decorated interior. The patio features nine tables complete with umbrellas and easy access through a roll-up door. The Brisket nachos are impressive in size and incredibly delicious. I also tried the Impossible Burger, which I had heard so much about, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I don't usually lean towards vegetarian or vegan options. The onion rings were perfectly seasoned with just the right touch of coarse salt. Additionally, the bread pudding and turtle cheesecake were exceptional. The atmosphere is fantastic! On a recent visit, I also had their Macaroni and Cheese, which was remarkable. You have the option to add chicken or shrimp to it as well.

Try the Blackened Mahi sandwich! Got mine with a side of grilled asparagus, which was also really good. Four of us were there for a business lunch around 11:30am and we got a table right away. I didn't catch our servers name, but she was excellent.Not much in the way of atmosphere, but our lunch experience was really good.

Who cares if I ate bangin' French Toast with Garlic Rosemary fries while sipping on a double mimosa for brunch? SO DELICIOUS!!!!