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We came here for an early dinner on a Monday. We were seated immediately and received our drinks. It took a bit for them to take our order and it took a while to get our food. We did share appetizers with the table. The hush puppies with honey butter are truly amazing! The chickens wings were different but good. The steak frites did not disappoint and that garlic aioli is divine! The pork chop was very good but not cooked to temp at the bone. The service was pretty good but not great.
Bergen was our waitress On top of things had refills before even asking Food took a little while to get but once it came out let me tell you it was delicious also the sweet tea was yummy
Photos on Yelp led us to believe the establishment is more upscale than it seemed as we sat for lunch. My fried flounder sandwich was very large, easy to split, but I really didn't care for the overall taste of the fish. The fried green tomato's were nice as was the fried okra w pimento cheese.
Our experience here was more than 5 stars. Imagine there are a couple more stars there. Seriously, it was that good! I live in a foodie city (Asheville) and I'm spoiled with at least good and often great food. But the meal and service at 1885 Grill were among the best I've had in years. It's located in the cute little historic St. Elmo area of Chattanooga, near the base of Lookout Mountain (the incline is a couple doors down). This place is not fancy by any means. The atmosphere is homey. But what it might lack in ambiance, it more than makes up for in great food and service. We were there on a Monday night for dinner. Every inside table was full and despite looking like rain, even a few of the patio tables were occupied. At one point there was a wait. Our meal was not rushed at all, the pacing was perfect. There's a small bar inside, and the bartender was on the ball. They have a good wine list and several interesting cocktails (we had the Parkside Paloma - very nice). We were intending to order a vegetable-based appetizer, but our server noted they were having a special on chicken wings with their award winning bbq sauce (they have several trophies on display). We're not fans of sweet bbq sauce, but on the advice of the server, decided to give theirs a try. The wings were excellent. The sauce, while not spicy at all, was also not especially sweet. It was just very tasty. For entrees, we chose mushrooms and grits (with a stone ground grit cake in the center, surrounded by creamy grits) and a blackened trout filet. We were told the grit sauce was "very lemony", which it was indeed, but in a great way. It really took the grits, the mushrooms, the wilted baby kale, red peppers and capers all up to the next level of good. The NC trout was grilled about as good as you could ever grill a piece of fish. The outside was crispy (even the skin on the bottom was wonderful) and the inside was cooked through but still tender. I chose the two sides of french green beans (seasoned to perfection) and mashed potatoes with scallions and feta cheese (those literally took me to potato nirvana). Both entrees, well priced, with good portions, left us full, but still something on the dessert menu called to us. We decided a little slice of pie would be a nice way to end our wonderful menu (see the photo, "little" did not come into play at all). Our server told us they make everything there, including the key lime pie, which was served surrounded by raspberry sauce. We had never seen that before (it seemed more like what you'd do with a cheesecake). I love key lime pie so I wondered why surround it with raspberry sauce. Now I know why. It took everything I love about key lime pie and made it even better. In summary, this was fantastic food and service we will remember for some time at a restaurant that made us feel welcome and repeatedly exceeded our expectations.
Don't sleep on the 1885 burger! Everything about it is amazing. From the creolaise, to smoked beef, pimento, and fresh beef. It was sooo good. The Mac and cheese was delicious too. Love how big the outdoor patio is, great for bringing a dog. Staff was friendly and food came out quickly.
We stopped here on a Saturday for lunch and were seated right away inside. The restaurant was small and quaint, full of local history and decor on the walls. Service was veryyyyy slow considering they weren't too busy. We waited 20 min or so for drinks and for someone to take our order. But once the food came, wow! Excellent! We ordered the burger and fries and the BBQ chicken entree with macaroni and cheese. All fantastic! The sauce on the chicken was phenomenal; it was on the mustardy side but still sticky like BBQ. We would definitely come back here, and it was nice that it was close up Ruby Falls since we went there after lunch.
Wings - pretty good but I wouldn't say the best ever. I love the crunchy-ness but the ranch left some to be desired. Pimento dip appetizer with fried okra - the fried okra is longer than the typical okra but still decent, especially with the pimento cheese! Hangar steak with fries - liked the garlic aioli, was a little overcooked but overall a decent choice with the flavoring on the steak. Parking is tough (location) and friendly service.
We were at the top of Lookout Mountain in the area of the incline railway and decided to find someplace to grab an early dinner. We did a quick search and found 1885 Grill, which was very close to the bottom of the incline railway. We liked that the menu we looked at online reflected a nice variety of entrée selections. We initially called to double check if we needed a reservation, but we got a recording and thought since it was pretty early for dinner, we should be okay. We drove down the mountain to the St. Elmo area since we were not riding the railway. My wife and I were able to find parking in the lot next to the building and our friends found street parking. We were unsure of the ability to park in the lot so we inquired with the young lady at the hostess table. She was very helpful and friendly. She asked us for our license plate number and was able to validate our parking directly through the tablet she had with her. We really appreciated this service, it was the easiest parking validation we have experienced. We then provided our name and number and she told us there was a 10-minute wait for a party of four. We were very surprised to see how busy it was at 3:30pm on a Saturday. We only ended up waiting about 5 minutes before we were taken to our table. We were provided menus and our server Cheyenne stopped in and took our drink orders. When she returned, we were able to ask Cheyenne questions about the menu. She was happy to share her favorite items and was very friendly and helpful. My wife chose the Shrimp & Grits, ("half and half" as suggested by Cheyenne, Adluh stone ground grit cakes and creamy style grits). I chose the 1885 burger, when I inquired about the option of "beef bacon" described on the burger, Cheyenne told us it was beef brisket, which sounded intriguing, I also chose the mac n cheese as my side. Our entrees arrived in a timely manner and looked delicious. We dug in and were really impressed, everything tasted delicious. My wife is new to Shrimp & Grits and really enjoyed them especially the suggestion of "half and half" which provided both styles of grits. My burger and mac and cheese were equally delicious and I enjoyed the beef brisket on the burger which is not something I've tried before. We also noticed multiple awards displayed in the dining room and learned 1885 has won many awards for their wings. Cheyenne explained to us the wings are double fried and served in a Carolina gold sauce. Yum, sounds really good. We also learned that on Monday night they offer six award winning wings for just $5. We also learned the name 1885 reflects the founding year of the St. Elmo area of Chattanooga. Overall, this was a fantastic experience start to finish and we would highly recommend to others!
We came in late afternoon which was pretty busy. It seemed like there were only 2 servers running the dining area. Our server was very nice but she took an order from the table that got seated after us and left us waiting. It happened again when we were ready to check out. She saw us but she decided to take an order from other table and then, gave us a check. We were waiting for about 10 minutes for nothing. The 1885 burger was delicious.The country cuban was alright. I would come back for the burger but I will do a takeout instead.
This is the first restaurant where I have cleaned my plate. I left nothing. That means that the food was so very good, AND that they serve reasonable portions. I hate restaurants where a serving could feed an army. For appetizer, I got their plate of freshly made pimiento cheese (white cheese), fresh fried okra, and flatbread. I will admit, I didn't eat all the pimiento cheese and flatbread, because it was meant for two people. But I ate all of the shrimp and crawfish étouffée. Oh man! How was this Chattanooga? Tasted like N'Awlins! Bread pudding for dessert was oh-so good. Service was also superior. Nick was my server, and Tim Harris the "how are things tonight" checker-upper . Both made me feel welcome. Tip: Public parking next door is prohibitively expensive. But as soon as you walk into the restaurant, there's a QR code that credits the entire amount. Be sure to use it!
The food was excellent. 1885 offers a delightful dining experience with its inviting ambiance and exceptional service. The menu features a range of delicious dishes that highlight fresh, local ingredients. Each bite is a testament to their culinary expertise. A must-visit for food lovers!
Amazing fried chicken and more ! The best fried chicken breast I've ate in a while, crunchy , not oily nor dry - Loved it ! Grits cake is a must try along with shrimp and creamy grits . Our waiter Timmy was wonderful - he made great recommendations. Thank you, everything was delicious !!!
We happened to swing by as we were checking out another local attraction and I am so glad we did! We sat outside on the patio and we were greeted by Alan. Alan was excellent! So friendly, provided some great suggestions and very attentive. Great customer service! I had a peach sangria - delicious! Along with the fried green tomatoes. So good! My husband tried the empanadas and it was very good. We only stopped by for a drink and appetizer but I would definitely go back next time I am in the area.
3 years ago
Filet mignon was exceptional. Grits and mushroom was not good because it was too much lemon lobster was salty. We had to return that. We had a group of 19 people. Everyone else was really happy. With the exception of those few mishaps. Lovely place great service and ambience was good too.Grit Cakes read more
I was super excited to try this place....and when we got our food it was super good but that's the catch, "when we got our food". I bet we waited at least a good solid 50 minutes for a salad and étouffée. It was absolutely ridiculous!! read more
4 years ago
We were excited to try this restaurant after our Airbnb host suggested it. When we arrived we were told it would be a 45 minute wait even though they had 7 tables empty that we could see from the hostess stand. We waited the 45 minutes and then I asked how much longer. The hostess said we were next. However we actually weren't next she still sat another family ahead of us. After we ordered we waited another 55 minutes for our food to arrive. We understand it's not a fast food place but that is a really long to wait for food after you order it. Especially when they are not at full capacity. If your willing to kill 2-3 hours at dinner it's a good place. Waiting for a table for that long didn't bother us it was after we were ordered that it seemed to take a really long time. The place is cute and I'm sure during the summer it would be nice to sit on the patio. read more
2 years ago
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1 year ago
Absolutely incredible. Went here based on reviews and it did not disappoint. Got one of the crab cakes. It was larger than typical and the crab was super fresh. Great balance of crab and other ingredients. I got the shrimp and grits. The shrimp was under seasoned, but cooked well. The gravy had good flavor. I personally don't like capers so I would have asked to remove those if I'd known they would be on the dish. I got the grits both ways. Really liked the grits cake. Another person at the table had Scottish salmon. Very good flavor. Cooked well. Fried okra was cooked in a way I hadn't seen before. The okra was cut down the middle and fried that way. Large pieces. Excellent. The absolute best part was the dessert. The key lime cheesecake was the best I've ever had. It had the perfect amount of tart and sweetness. The crust was thick, but not overpowering. It had homemade whipped cream and a real key lime slice for garnish. I honestly would come back just for this cheesecake. Like this is the key lime dessert you dream about. No joke. The place was clean and decorated/ lit nicely. Staff were delightful. Would highly recommend stopping by. read more
5 years ago
I came here during our trip to Chattanooga and this was one of the few restaurants open on a Sunday morning. My friends and I had a wait time for 1 hour and 30 minutes so you know we came at a very busy time. Food: During the time, we were here the physical menu prices are outdated so you will need to scan the QR code to see their updated menu and price. Most of the dishes were 2 or 4 dollar increase. I went with the Fried Chicken & Waffles ($14). The waffles was a great combination with the fried chicken - I did regret not trying the spicy chicken, but instead I chickened out and went with the basic. Overall it was delicious, but was annoyed that I did not get a knife included. Service: The service was average and it was pretty busy. Overall: Great place for brunch at Chattanooga! They have live music as well, but only if you get the outside table. read more
5 years ago
Wow. Just wow. My friends and I settled on this after a very long hike, and we were blown away by how good everything was. Our server could not have been more thoughtful and spot on with every suggestion. (One of the things she had said was she'd been serving a long time and unlike other places she'd worked, there wasn't a thing on the menu she would hesitate to recommend.) I ordered Rainbow trout at her recommendation. It was very tender and not very fishy I was amazed at how the chef veggies came out. I mean, squash and zucchini aren't usually a point of excitement for a meal, but these were beyond words delicious. I snagged some of my friend's Mac and cheese and it was just as perfect. They got a steak, which they said was cooked perfectly (medium) as requested. 100 percent will return there the next time I'm down around St. Elmo. read more
1 year ago
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2 years ago
Randomly decided to stop here after touring Ruby Falls. Best decision ever! The food is great. Tasty, well flavored, makes you want to order everything from the menu. Arrived at 3pm & was immediately seated outside. We ordered Hush puppies w honey butter, the Crab & sausage gumbo, fried chicken wings, Mac and cheese, both the fried and creamy grits with shrimp, the cuban sandwich with rosemary fries and cole slaw, the Kale salad w pickled beets, apples and goat cheese with maple vinaigrette. And for drinks we each got something different: the Blueberry mojito, the cherry flavored dirty Elmo, the Cucumber mojito & the sweetened Arnold Palmer. Our server Brie was upbeat, knowledgeable & added to our great experience. If you're in the area, give this spot a try! read more
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Food was great and service was great! We ordered the steak and mashed potatoes. The hush puppies were great also! read more
2nd time here -- had been a while since the first. The place was busy so that was a good sign! The menu has coastal options, as well as steaks burgers and something for everyone's liking. I opted for the Scottish Salmon. It was topped with an herb compound butter, and it was delicious. I honestly wish I had a bigger piece! read more
The food and service were great. Loved the atmosphere. Even though the food was good, I was a little disappointed with the crab bisque. It was delicious, but arrived at the table cold. I believe it sat out for a while. My second complaint is that the kale on my shrimp and mushrooms were not wilted as described in the description. My last and biggest complaint is that all of our food items arrived to the table at the same time. I tried to delay submitting our entrees but the waitress wanted everything at one time. I always try to delay placing my entree order to prevent this from happening. I was not successful this time due to the waitress asking for our entire order. If the procedure is to take the customers' entire order, then the kitchen and server need to develop a system that will allow guests to enjoy their appetizers before their entrees arrive at the table. Also, serve hot soup. I will give this place another chance, but I hope my second experience is better. Highly recommend making reservations. read more
We needed to find something outdoors, kid-friendly, and outside the "bustle" of the downtown area, so off we went to St. Elmo for dinner. The wait was scheduled to be 45 minutes so we took a walk around the block, and lucky for us (and our hungry kids) the wait ended up being only 20 minutes. We started things off with a ginger beer and hush puppies. The ginger beer was... fruitier... than usual, and not quite as spicy as other ginger beers, but still good. The hush puppies, though: those were fantastic. Perfectly crisp on the outside, slightly seasoned and full of corn flavor on the inside. Yum. For an entree, my general rule is anytime étouffée is on the menu, I get the étouffée. Instead of rice, I substituted grits, which comes with a further option: fried, or creamy. Both intrigued me, so I got half and half. I am happy to say that dish delivered on all fronts. The creamy grits were perfectly rich and coarser than usual, but soft throughout. The crispy grits had the look and exterior of a hash brown, but the interior of... rich and creamy grits. I have no idea how they did it, but it was delicious. On top was crawfish as well as large and mini shrimp. These were tender and cooked perfectly. Finally, the roux was well-browned and brought it all together; it comes regular and spicy, and the regular has just a bit of a "kick" to it. If you have lowcountry familiarity, consider adding a bit of spice. Overall, a satisfying Southern food experience. read more
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If I could rate this place with 10 stars... I would! Live music, check. Outdoor seating, check. Friendly staff, check. Reasonably priced, check. Clean and quick service, check. GOOD FOOD, all the checks! Lol If I lived a little closer, I'd frequent here often. There wasn't a single item I ordered that was not incredible. I started off with a yummy orange and pineapple mimosa, an order of hushpuppies, and chicken and waffles as my main meal. I also tried my boyfriend's mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. Honestly people, nothing touched my tongue that wasn't packed full of perfected flavors. The chicken was perfectly crispy, and the waffle was soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, just the way I like it! The hot sauce syrup, I could drink, and the sauce for the hushpuppies... so good! What can I say... I'm a fan, job well done! read more
Business owner information
Leslie M.
We're so happy to hear that you loved your visit with us! We…
JA-Shrimp & creamy grits (very good); M-Burger & rosemary fries (he liked); JO-Beef empanadas (he liked; I thought it was tasty but not the best I've ever had) & crab bisque (he liked); T-Wings (liked a lot), crab cake & crab bisque (both all good & I'm very picky about these 2 things); K-salmon (need well done if order again), mashed potatoes (so so), & grilled veggies (squash and zucchini). 5% military discount. We called a little before we got there and they seated us right away, but it was after 2pm, which was probably a good time to come. We sat outside in March, so it was nice. It's right across the street from the Incline Railway. read more
4 years ago
First I want to be clear - My meal was ok but not 5 stars. I got the 1885 burger and the meat quality was good but in the effort to be fancy with the sauce, it was very salty. Next, I got the fries but they were cold and soggy but not as salty as the burger ironically. My wife got the filet and she said it was good. The ceilings are very high and the floor plan is open so it can be very noisy. The service was good. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Stopped by for a late lunch today and had a very nice meal. Started off with the beef empanadas which were slightly underwhelming, excellent chimichurri sauce but the empanadas themselves seemed like all fried wrapper with little taste. Plus you only get two which was somewhat disappointing. From there however, the new got much better. I had a Caesar salad with a crab cake. Loved the dressing and the sauce that came with the crab cake. The crab cake itself was all crab meat and very tasty. My husbands southern fried chicken was very pretty when it came out, much more refined than expected. The gravy was delicious, just the right amount on top. All and all a solid lunch and we plan to give it another try in the future for sure. read more
3 years ago
The food is delicious & we'll definitely come back here! We had just finished going through a tour of Ruby Falls & my bf said a friend told him to try this place. The service was great & our waiter was in training, which meant he came off as not confident, but he did an excellent job. For an appetizer, we decided to try the wings & they were messy but so so good. We will definitely get those wings again when we come back to Chattanooga. For entrees, my bf ordered the hamburger that they're known for & I ordered Steak & Frites. He said his burger was great, just didn't like that it was so messy. I had told the waiter that medium rare was fine for my steak, but it came out a little too rare for me. It also came out ice cold. I asked the waiter if they could do medium well instead & the waiter gladly took it back & the next time they brought out the steak it was done just like a medium well should be. It was also not ice cold anymore. The flavor was delicious & my food was cooked perfectly the second time around. This place is a must & we'll definitely be coming back! read more
2 years ago
More info about 1885 Grill
3914 St Elmo Ave
Chattanooga, TN 37409
Directions
(423) 485-3050
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http://1885grill.com/contact
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Ask the Community - 1885 Grill
Is it loud when crowded?
I did not consider it to be loud. We went when it was fully packed and even standing around the bar and were able to have a conversation at normal levels with no issue. They didn't have any loud music and it wasn't a wild crowd.
Are Reservations required?
No they are not required. Be prepared to wait though. It gets very busy.
Are they dog-friendly on the patio? My friends from out of town want to try this place, and I thought they were, but wanted to double check.
Yes
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