For those of us coming into the tournament - any restaurant recommendations?

I'm not looking for 3 Michelin stars... more something with solid local color, something that might be worthy of Guy Fieri's show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives".

The one place that is an absolute MUST is called "The Bear's Den". This is located just outside of campus a couple blocks from the main gate. It's only open for lunch til about 3:00. I think it's only Monday-Friday, but they might do Saturday. Trust me though, you have to make it here. It's "country cooking", great fried chicken and better sides (green beans, macaroni & cheese, potatoes, etc). It's gonna be packed and well worth it.
ADDRESS: 1191 Oglethorpe Street
Directions: When leaving the main gate (College Street), make a right on Oglethorpe Street. Then you will see the Bear's Den on your left.
Total distance from campus is about a half mile.

Now, that is head and shoulders above the rest, and if you go there on Wednesday or Thursday, you may end up there on Friday for lunch!

For dinner in Macon I went to a lot of different places, but most were chains. There's a nice hibachi Japanese steakhouse in town (http://www.shogunmacon.com/). It's off I-75 in between exits 167 and 169.

Exit 169 is packed with all kinds of chain restaurants, hotels, stores, and basically anything you would need or want. Also movie theaters. Exit 169 is north Macon, which is the good area of town.

I'm gonna keep thinking for you guys, but those are my top 2 recommendations for a unique non-chain lunch & dinner.

Nu-Way Weiners is only in Macon. Featured on travel channel for top ten hot dog places. One downtown on Cotton has best atmosphere. lunch of dinner.

Shamrock is a a bar with an outdoor patio. good food. live music normally. good atomosphere for those that are 30+ trying to avoid college kids. college kids go to cherry st downtown. only problem with shamrock is its off vineville which leaves you ten minutes from hotels off zebulon or exit 169 where most hotels are. seafood nachos are unbelievable here.

lots of chains like sticky fingers, 5 guys, hooters, etc up around exit 169 and 171(where outdoor mall is and bass pro shop).

S&S cafeteria is right off 75 at pierce ave exit(167). good southern food too if you miss out of bears den.

francar's wings right next to campus is great if you like wings. get them to go as well and eat em where you want too.

avoid macon mall area(which is same exit as Mercer). it has really gone downhill and isn't as safe as once was. anything south of the mercer exit should be avoided too. you need to go to the new outdoor mall at exit 171 and 173. or drive past the mall and go out toward zebulon road off 475. hotels and nice shopping and movie theaters out that way.

(02-21-2010 12:16 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  The one place that is an absolute MUST is called "The Bear's Den". This is located just outside of campus a couple blocks from the main gate. It's only open for lunch til about 3:00. I think it's only Monday-Friday, but they might do Saturday. Trust me though, you have to make it here. It's "country cooking", great fried chicken and better sides (green beans, macaroni & cheese, potatoes, etc). It's gonna be packed and well worth it.
ADDRESS: 1191 Oglethorpe Street
Directions: When leaving the main gate (College Street), make a right on Oglethorpe Street. Then you will see the Bear's Den on your left.
Total distance from campus is about a half mile.

Now, that is head and shoulders above the rest, and if you go there on Wednesday or Thursday, you may end up there on Friday for lunch!

For dinner in Macon I went to a lot of different places, but most were chains. There's a nice hibachi Japanese steakhouse in town (http://www.shogunmacon.com/). It's off I-75 in between exits 167 and 169.

Exit 169 is packed with all kinds of chain restaurants, hotels, stores, and basically anything you would need or want. Also movie theaters. Exit 169 is north Macon, which is the good area of town.

I'm gonna keep thinking for you guys, but those are my top 2 recommendations for a unique non-chain lunch & dinner.

This post makes me miss some of the restaurants I used to go to! mubear is right about the area south of Mercer, just shady. I agree that Zebulon was a great area for movies and food.

Top five local places: H&H/Bear's Den (tie), Rookery, Finchers, Fresh Air, Natalia's.
There are good places downtown (Downtown Grill, Luigi's, Tic Toc, Market Street, Greek Corner Deli, Lemongrass (thai)), midtown (Loco's, Back Burner, CJs (burgers, wings), Ingleside Village Pizza (many beers), north Macon by the hotels (Wagers (bar-good wings), Papulious (greek), El Azteca (mexican, cold beer, good deck), Cheers (burgers, some seafood, good wings), and assorted chains and quasi-chains.
Off 475: JLs Barbque, Johnny's Pizza, Buffaloes, Polly's (burgers, seafood), among others.
Chains worth noting: Bonefish, Carrabba's, Outback, Wild Wings, Mellow Mushroom, Hooters, Sticky Fingers, Chili's, Applebees.
For the open-minded - and sometimes patient - Macon has plenty of places to eat, like most cities. People complain but don't go to the local places. Almost anywhere, you're five minutes from decent choices.

(02-21-2010 05:38 PM)mubear Wrote:  Nu-Way Weiners is only in Macon. Featured on travel channel for top ten hot dog places. One downtown on Cotton has best atmosphere. lunch of dinner.

Shamrock is a a bar with an outdoor patio. good food. live music normally. good atomosphere for those that are 30+ trying to avoid college kids. college kids go to cherry st downtown. only problem with shamrock is its off vineville which leaves you ten minutes from hotels off zebulon or exit 169 where most hotels are. seafood nachos are unbelievable here.

lots of chains like sticky fingers, 5 guys, hooters, etc up around exit 169 and 171(where outdoor mall is and bass pro shop).

S&S cafeteria is right off 75 at pierce ave exit(167). good southern food too if you miss out of bears den.

francar's wings right next to campus is great if you like wings. get them to go as well and eat em where you want too.

avoid macon mall area(which is same exit as Mercer). it has really gone downhill and isn't as safe as once was. anything south of the mercer exit should be avoided too. you need to go to the new outdoor mall at exit 171 and 173. or drive past the mall and go out toward zebulon road off 475. hotels and nice shopping and movie theaters out that way.

(02-21-2010 12:16 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  The one place that is an absolute MUST is called "The Bear's Den". This is located just outside of campus a couple blocks from the main gate. It's only open for lunch til about 3:00. I think it's only Monday-Friday, but they might do Saturday. Trust me though, you have to make it here. It's "country cooking", great fried chicken and better sides (green beans, macaroni & cheese, potatoes, etc). It's gonna be packed and well worth it.
ADDRESS: 1191 Oglethorpe Street
Directions: When leaving the main gate (College Street), make a right on Oglethorpe Street. Then you will see the Bear's Den on your left.
Total distance from campus is about a half mile.

Now, that is head and shoulders above the rest, and if you go there on Wednesday or Thursday, you may end up there on Friday for lunch!

For dinner in Macon I went to a lot of different places, but most were chains. There's a nice hibachi Japanese steakhouse in town (http://www.shogunmacon.com/). It's off I-75 in between exits 167 and 169.

Exit 169 is packed with all kinds of chain restaurants, hotels, stores, and basically anything you would need or want. Also movie theaters. Exit 169 is north Macon, which is the good area of town.

I'm gonna keep thinking for you guys, but those are my top 2 recommendations for a unique non-chain lunch & dinner.

Hey maconmall3661 -- welcome to the board. Are you a fan of Mercer? I see u root for "wolverines"? Please explain!

If I had to go to one bar to have a beer with a Belmont crew after the game, which one would it be?

(03-01-2010 03:27 PM)SNIURB06 Wrote:  If I had to go to one bar to have a beer with a Belmont crew after the game, which one would it be?

Also, in the small chance of a Belmont loss (optimism everyone, optimism!), what would be a good bar to have A LOT of beers with a Belmont crew after the game?

Bears' Den (lunch only) and Ingleside Village Pizza are places you shouldn't miss on a trip to Macon. H&H is a little hole in the wall downtown that serves up a good breakfast. Downtown Grill, Natalia's (Italian), and Jim Shaws (seafood) are nicer dinner choices.

As for bars, Tic Toc room downtown is really the only nicer bar in Macon. But Shamrock's or the Rookery would be great places for Belmont fans to drown their tears after a loss to the Bears.

Good luck!

I'm with Toby except for Ingleside pizza, was never a fan!

First question: Rick Byrd drinks?
First point: are they really going to want to drink with people after a loss? or a win? In a noisy or busy bar? Best place to drink to be left alone and just talk about what happened is a hotel bar or chain bar. They are more prone to pay attention to out-of-towners.
North Macon Hotel Area: Wagers, Outback, El Azteca. More North Macon: Wild Wings. Downtown/midtown: Shamrock, Rookery.
They play at 9 on Thursday, win and play at 9 on Friday, win and play at 6 on Saturday. They'll be nice and busy, or leavin early the next day.

And IVP is a little overrated. Hear lots of people liking Johnny's Pizza near Zebulon. Old Mercer assistant women's coach runs it. Not that you can go wrong with either.

Is there an expectation of Byrd and Staff asking one to go for a beer?

(03-04-2010 03:07 AM)justathoughtok Wrote:  First question: Rick Byrd drinks?
First point: are they really going to want to drink with people after a loss? or a win? In a noisy or busy bar? Best place to drink to be left alone and just talk about what happened is a hotel bar or chain bar. They are more prone to pay attention to out-of-towners.
North Macon Hotel Area: Wagers, Outback, El Azteca. More North Macon: Wild Wings. Downtown/midtown: Shamrock, Rookery.
They play at 9 on Thursday, win and play at 9 on Friday, win and play at 6 on Saturday. They'll be nice and busy, or leavin early the next day.

And IVP is a little overrated. Hear lots of people liking Johnny's Pizza near Zebulon. Old Mercer assistant women's coach runs it. Not that you can go wrong with either.

Is there an expectation of Byrd and Staff asking one to go for a beer?

Byrd and Staff, probably not. The students hopefully down for the games, absolutely.