BLD: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner                BAR: Alcohol Served                $: Entrees under $10             $$: $10-$20  $$$: Above $20 The Oasis Lunch specials under $5, including burger and fries, 10pc wings, chicken tenders and salads. Also a daily special. LD • BAR • $ 580  Cherry Street The Downtown Grill Slightly upscale dining serving fresh fish, prime cut Black Angus and features it’s own humidor. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 562 Mulberry Street, 742.5999 5 Guys Burgers & Fries  The best burgers in Macon is what our readers say, serving dogs and peanuts too. LD • • $ 120 Tom Hill Sr., 474.0445 Luigi’s Bistro Casual Italian cuisine in a hip, swanky atmosphere. LD • BAR • $-$$ 401  Cherry Street, 743.4645 Margaritas I hear that camarones a la diabla doesn’t mean ‘shrimp of the devil’ but I don’t care—it’s hot and spicy, and probably is what Satan eats when he’s feeling a hankering for Mexican. LD • BAR • $ 6012 Zebulon Road, Macon 477.2410;  4696 Presidential Parkway, Macon 757.1300;  2400 North Columbia, Milledgeville 453.9547 The Shamrock It’s not just for St. Patrick’s Day anymore. Dargan and his crew cook up some of the best homemade meals in Macon, including his legendary Shepard’s Pie. Plus, he’ll surprise you from time to time with some interesting seafood selections. D • BAR $-$$ 342 Rose Avenue, Payne City 750.1555 The Tic Toc Room Contemporary setting with a sophisticated menu, great wine selection. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 401  Cherry Street, 743.4645 Adriana’s Gelato is Italian for “the best ice cream you’ll ever eat” and Adriana’s is the only place in town where you can find it. Also, quick & delicious cafeteria-style lunch. LD • BAR $ 359 Third Street Edenz’ Vegetarian Restaurant Fresh ingredients in a casual environment, all you can eat buffet upstairs during lunch. LD • $ 617 Poplar Street, 745.3336 Fresh Air Barbeque Enjoy award winning BAR-B-Q with a tangy tomato and vinegar style known around the country. LD • $ 3076 Riverside Drive, 477.7229 H&H Restaurant Family-owned restaurant with historic ties to Macon’s musical heritage. A must see for the Macon newbie, serving up the southern favorite, meat & three. BL • $ 807 Forsyth Street, 742.9810 Ingleside Village Pizza A big no-brainer. IVP has the best pizza in town and the best beer selection. Keep it classy with the white pizza and a Stella Artois or, keep it real with a slice of the ultimate and a 24-oz. High Life. LD • BAR $ 2396 Ingleside Avenue Jim Shaw’s Casual dining with Macon’s best seafood, tuna tidbits, scallops, wild Georgia shrimp. Seperate bar area with smoking. D • BAR $-$$ 3040 Vineville Avenue Fish n’ Pig Spectacular views of Lake Tobesofkee. Patio or inside seating serving both barbecue and seafood. D • BAR $-$$ 6420 Mosely Dixon, 476.8837 Dawson’s Kitchen You can’t beat southern cooking like this, not you can see for yourselves the fresh ingredients in their market next door. LD • $ 3360 Brookdale, Payne City Satterfield’s Serving hickory smoked meats, seafood, vegetables, daily specials and salads. L • $ 120 New Street, 742.0352 The Hangar Their Hangar Burger is already a half pound, but if you dare challenge the limits of your stomach, go for their signature 747 Double Cheese: two half-pound patties with the trimmings. LD • BAR • $ 5630 Houston Road, 781.9468 Caliente’s Burrito Shop We’ve all had this style of big burrito by now, but Caliente’s does them the best. If you can handle it, get the MOAB… if not, there’s always the Thrilla From Tha Grilla, which is just right. LD • $ 6255 Zebulon Road, 471.8110 The Red Eye Fried chicken sandwich, a bourbon chicken plate, chicken wings, beef tips, salads and wraps. Also serving late-night. LD • BAR • $ 401 Cherry Street, basement level, 722.0005 Market City Cafe Voted Best Lunch Spot by our readers, serving fantastic sandwiches, salads and pizza. Huge portions. LD • BAR • $ 502 Cherry Street, 257.6612 Giuseppe’s Pizza & Pasta Casual, fun atmosphere with everything from soup and salads to hot wings, pizza and their signature sandwich creation, the Weggie. Daily lunch specials. LD • BAR • $ 120 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd, 477.7400 Roly Poly A hundred different wrap creations to choose from with chicken, turkey, steak and seafood. LD • $ 624 New Street, 745.7659 White Lightening BBQ Open every day serving signature plates of pulled pork, savory ribs and the best chicken salad. LD • $ Corner of Walnut & Spring Street, 330.5635 Off-Broadway Delicatessen Serving hot and cold original wraps and sandwiches, quick and delicious. BL • $ 587 Cherry Street, 750.0551 Johnny’s New York Style Pizza Daily lunch specials from $5, excellent pizza, calzones, subs in a fun atmosphere. LD • $ 6255 Zebulon Road, 405.3232 Taki Sushi & Steakhouse If you get the itch for rice wine and raw fish this is where to go. $1 sushi specials on Thursdays and Sundays. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 6255 Zebulon Road, 471.0101 Nu-Way Weiners Open since 1916, this original store with its neon sign is one of America's oldest hot dog stands and they serve secret recipe chili sauce, famous hot dogs, hamburgers, and other sandwiches. BLD • $ 430 Cotton Avenue, 743.1368 Fondue Yes, the that family-friendly ‘70s cooking craze has become a more refined dining option for Middle Georgia. Plan for a two hour meal, but it’s well with it!  D • BAR $$ 3780 Northside Drive, 476.0554 Midtown Grill The amalgamation of a bovine and a crustacean is as delicious as it is hard to come by. We’re talking steak stuffed with crab and other artful dishes. D • BAR • $ 3065 Vineville Avenue Tuckers BBQ Leave it to Brad Evans to demand more than the regular menu offers. As the legend goes, he couldn’t decide between a couple hot dogs or BBQ. In a moment unparalleled by even Bill Brasky himself, he opted for both: a hot dog topped with BBQ. LD • $ 6012 Zebulon Road Rubys In A Rush You can never tell what’s going to be cooking at Ruby’s In a Rush. While all kinds of Sandwiches are a given, Ruby likes to mix it up a bit too with daily specials full of meat and threes.  BL -$-$$ 300 Mulberry St in Gateway Plaza  742-4643 The Capitol Theatre- Well the revolving door in the Kitchen of the Capitol Theatre has finally stopped spinning, and the result is some damn good pizza brought to you By Scott Currin.While there are some other items on the menu like Hot Dogs and soft pretzels, and subs. Where else can you have a beer and watch a great movie??  D-$-$$  382 Second Street, 257-6391 The Rookery- There isn’t a place downtown that has been serving us longer. The Rookery offers some of the best comfort food in Macon. Burgers, Nachos, Sandwhiches and daily lunch specials that can’t be beat.  Try the Hand Battered Fries.  LD-$  543 Cherry Street  746-8658

FOOD REVIEW

The Macon Diner
the best in greasy grub for the all-nite crowd
By Chris Horne 

Considering my antics in print, on TV and as emcee, it would seem that I have no shame. But, for some strange reason, I feel weird when I have to take a picture of my food on a restaurant spotlight assignment. I think people see me do this and wonder if I have any friends. Well, it’d been a while since I felt that awkward, so I drew my own name out of the hat for the Macon Diner, a new joint in the old bones of a long-vacant Applebee’s. My camera batteries died so not only was I the guy trying to take pictures of his food, I was the guy whisper-cussing at a camera as his girlfriend watched with amused sympathy.

But I digress.

Going in, I had mixed emotions. On the one hand, I’m trying to eat healthier—heart smart, if you will—and on the other hand, I really like grease and fat and things that taste like butter, which means I had a feeling that I’d like the Macon Diner no matter what. I say that because I’d already heard, despite their very recent opening, that they could be incredibly rude. That said, my favorite place to eat in Macon was once Denny’s. Obviously, good service doesn’t really matter to me.

As we waited to place our drink order, a guy—who I just realized may or not have actually been employed there (he had no uniform on)—came by with a “free sample” of chicken wings. In addition to being free, they were tasty but that kindness was wiped out when we learned they carry Pepsi instead of Coke, which I thought was illegal in Georgia. If not, it certainly isn’t good manners.

The menu is so gigantic that I’m quite nearly tempted to embarrass myself with that abused neologism adds enormous. In fact, swimming the menu’s vast sea of culinary options, its gathered smattering of international flavors, I was lost. It was both gigantic and enormous. And it took forever to decide.

My date, Doc Brown, ordered salmon over rice with a salad and lemon soup to start. She didn’t like the soup because it was tart, but I really dug it. She asked for another salad because the first was drenched in bad Ranch dressing with dead lettuce underneath. Not the best start. The waitress, by the way, wasn’t exactly rude, and she wasn’t extremely doting. She was, however, diligent with her service; she just didn’t seem very happy, which is certainly no crime.

My dish was one of the Greek sampler platters. It has a name—similar in nature to those named for Macon, Atlanta and Georgia—but I can’t remember what it is, and it isn’t listed in the expansive to-go menu. While the good doctor didn’t really enjoy her meal (and seemed grossed out by the amount of meat in mine) I gobbled away despite the fact some stuff was missing.

The dish was supposed to come with meatballs and gyro meat, but I had to ask for it, and when the waitress came back with the meatballs, she said there was no gyro meat. Though it’s rather inexcusable for the kitchen to send out a plate knowing they don’t have a crucial element of it, I soon forgave them because I was given beef souvlaki instead. (And my take-out box overfloweth.)

They also have massive desserts available, but you might want to take a second trip there for that. It looks sinful.

The Greek food wasn’t as good, in my opinion, as neighboring Papouli’s. The wings weren’t as good as nearby Rivalry’s. But none of these places is open for business at four in the morning. The Macon Diner is, and that’s its primary advantage. And there’s a bunch of different kinds of foods. There’s a lot to be said for that… especially at four in the morning.