New restaurant and bar near the Macon Mall seeks to become a private club. Here’s more
A new restaurant and bar near the Macon Mall wants to become a private club.
Full House Tavern opened last month in the former Olive Garden spot at 3709 Bloomfield Road in the Summit at the Mall shopping center.
“We are primarily a restaurant right now,” said co-owner Kevin Smith. “We have an active bar at night.
“Our menu has everything from wings to ribeyes. We offer oysters, a salmon dinner … Really our big sellers are our oysters and wings.”
Hookah is also offered.
What’s proposed
Within a nearly 53,000-square-foot building with multiple spaces, Full House Tavern as a private club would be able to have special events and charge a door fee, Smith said.
Smith is seeking a conditional use permit Monday before the Macon-Bibb County Zoning Commission for the restaurant to become a private club.
According to what’s been submitted to the commission for consideration, the private club would operate from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m., charge a door fee and only admit customers who are 21 and older.
“The business will have pool tables and multiple spaces to host events such as birthday parties, corporate events and fundraisers,” according to a planning and zoning staff summary of the request. “There will be no live entertainment or coin operated equipment.”
Smith was issued a permit to operate the Full House Tavern as a restaurant with alcohol on Sept. 30.
Since the new application for conditional use as a private club was submitted, Smith said Full House Tavern would also like to be able to have live entertainment.
“When I say live entertainment, we’re talking about maybe having a DJ here. You know, something along those lines. Nothing major, he said.
Smith said Full House Tavern is ideal for private events.
“The amount of space we have here is ridiculous honestly,” Smith said. “So, we have space for where we’re able to hold private events.
“We’ve had various charities reach out to us and ask if they could rent a couple of our rooms and use it for their own personal whatever,” he said. ”So, we’re not opposed to that.
“That’s another something that we want to be able to do by becoming a private club to be able to rent out these private rooms for whatever organization wants to use it.”
Smith added:
“As we’ve been here for the past month, it’s kind of evolved as we’ve learned Macon ... Our intentions and what are plans are ... have kind of evolved. But our initial intention when we sought the special permit was just so we can have private events for various organizations and we were told through zoning that we wouldn’t be able to do that as a restaurant ...
“Since then, we’ve decided, well shoot, if we’ve got all this space, why not try to use it? … Get a DJ ... Just utilize the real estate here as best as possible.”
The Facebook page for the establishment notes, “Full House Tavern and Live Bet have partnered together to create a premier location for individuals.”
Live Bet, with the same address, bills itself on its website as “central Georgia’s premier place for charity poker.”
“Our staff consists of friendly and well-trained members of the community. Professional dealers, knowledgeable staff, and armed security for your comfort.
“We believe in giving back to the community beginning with our first responders. Patrons can partner with us to raise money towards their local causes as well. Our mission is to make a lasting positive impact by raising money for charities that contribute to our health and wellness, safety, education, veterans’ wellbeing, etc.”
Full House Tavern currently is using the 3709 Bloomfield Road address, which is the same address that was used by the former Olive Garden. But planning and zoning documents also lists a 3630 Mercer University Drive address for the establishment, which is how the space is listed under online property tax records.
