Planning a birthday or date night? These Macon restaurants can help you celebrate
Macon has a lot of great dining options when residents get ready to plan their birthday parties, anniversary dinners, date nights and other special occasions. Each place offers a different atmosphere and tasty food. Here is a look at some of the top places to celebrate in Macon.
Miramar Raw Bar and Tapas
Location: 4420 Forsyth Road
Hours: Monday-Thursday 4-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 4-11 p.m.
A pair of top bartenders and a diverse selection of food helps set Miramar apart when looking for a fun night out in Macon for any special occasion. Miramar is also able to accommodate parties of more than 10 people. The small plates dining offers a chance to try out things like oysters or their charcuterie board.
Oliver’s Corner Bistro
Location: 496 2nd Street
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-9 p.m; Friday-Saturday 11-2 p.m. 5-10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oliver’s Corner Bistro is perfect for a date or an anniversary as it offers a quiet, intimate atmosphere. The pesto cheese bread and tempura cauliflower are excellent starters. Diners can’t go wrong with salmon or steak with risotto or pasta. Finish off the meal with one of their desserts; the bananas foster cheesecake is a local favorite, when it is available.
Kinjo Kitchen + Cocktails
Location: 497 2nd Street
Hours: Tuesday- Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-9:30 p.m; Saturday 5-9:30 p.m
Kinjo has a little bit of everything when it comes to celebrating a special occasion. The food, atmosphere and drinks are hard to top. This is a restaurant that would thrive in a larger city like Atlanta or New York. The ramen is a go-to dish here but don’t sleep on some of the small plate offerings like the bao or wings.
Fish N’ Pig
Location: 6420 Moseley Dixon Rd
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 4:30-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 4:30-10 p.m.
It is tough to top the view of the water while eating seafood or barbecue at this restaurant by Lake Tobesofkee. The food is great too. The fried alligator is worth giving a try: ask to toss in buffalo sauce for a bit more of a kick. If you are more in the mood for traditional seafood or barbecue, this place has dishes that deliver like ribs and catfish.
Downtown Grill
Location: 562 Mulberry Street Lane
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 5-10:30 p.m.
This is a Macon fine dining staple. Downtown Grill has been a mainstay since the late ‘90s and remains a powerhouse today. The blue cheese stuffed filet mignon is one of the most talked about dishes by the locals. The steaks are some of the best in Macon but there is variety on the menu with other options like scallops, duck and veal. Downtown Grill also features an extensive bar menu.
Christian’s Fine Cuisine
Location: 1693 Bass Road
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 5:30-9 p.m.
Chef Christian Losito has been a significant part of the Macon dining scene, having opened multiple successful restaurants. After a short hiatus, he returned with this namesake restaurant in 2019. The salmon or one of the steak options are worth trying. There are also multiple standout appetizers, like the crab cakes or escargot.
Brasserie Circa
Location: 4420 Forsyth Road
Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2p.m. and 5-10 p.m.; Saturday 5-10 p.m.
Sushi is the name of the game at Brassiere Circa, which might be unexpected, but locals rave about the variety of rolls. If sushi is not your favorite fare, have no fear: Circa also offers other dishes like pasta, steaks and seafood.
Yollah
Location: 894 College St
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-8:30p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
One of the newest and hottest restaurants in Macon right now is Yollah, a social kitchen and garden space with a nice outdoor patio area that offers good vibes and good food. Some of the standout items include various tacos and empanadas. Diners may opt for a small plates approach, getting a little bit of everything; or you can go the other route, ordering a whole rotisserie chicken for the table.
Natalia’s
Location: 201 N Macon Street
Hours: Monday 5-9 p.m; Tuesday-Wednesday 5-9:30 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 5-10 p.m.
A list of restaurants that specialize in special occasions and great date nights needs Natalia’s on it. The restaurant was opened in 1984 by Natalia del Basso Orsini; she sold it to Betsy and Wes Griffith in 2018. The restaurant hasn’t changed much despite the change in ownership. Look for great pasta and steaks at this Macon staple. The desserts are also top notch.
The Back Burner
Location: 2242 Ingleside Avenue
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 4-9 p.m.
Chef Julio Rosas is an artist when he steps into the kitchen: he creates some absolute masterpieces. If you love a good steak, then this is the place for you. The New York strip covered in a pepper sauce is one of the best plates in Macon. The paella is another fan favorite.
Michael’s on Mulberry
Location: 588 Mulberry St
Hours: Monday-Thursday 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 5-10 p.m.
Another restaurant where steak reigns supreme. The steaks are cooked to perfection, but you can also find some underrated dishes like the chicken alfredo or the shrimp and grits. Michael’s has one of the more intimate settings on this list, which makes it great for date night. Also check out their specials around holidays, including Valentines Day
Dovetail
Location: 543 Cherry Street
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5:30-9 p.m, Friday-Saturday 5:30-10 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Dovetail offers one of the best brunches in Macon, and the dinner menu is no slouch, either. Their vegetable plate is one of the standouts; you can also grab the fried chicken with the goat cheese mashed potatoes. Call ahead for reservations, as Dovetail is one of the more popular dining spots in the city, especially for large groups.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 11:31 AM.