Overpriced mediocre food, staff was friendly. Wanted to update since my review was aggressive. Order your wings, they were pink inside. I would of asked for new ones but decided it wasn't worth it as I observed the gentleman next to me eat his whole meal before he was given the broccoli he asked for originally instead of the double mash potatoes he received. When the broccoli was finally brought to him, he told the bar tender his steak was over cooked.Speaking of the bar tender she's very pushy with her up sales and when it's clear she won't make her 20% on a 150 l dollar order with your bill, she ignores you and the service will drop greatly. All in all I feel your the worst tasting, over priced restaurant in the state. Hope this review was less aggressive as you said in your response.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Michele Seymore
This restaurant was very uniqueThe waitress was so nice and friendlyThe food was good… the devil eggs were fried a lil too much and the waffles had too much syrupThe Mac and cheese was nice and cheesyThe Brussels should should have had a lil more color to themThe cornbread was deliciousI love catfish… but the corn meal was throwing me off I didn’t like that muchOver all the experience and the food was great! I’m so glad we got a chance to come dine there
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Wings, Corn Bread
shanae Rice
The food was amazing 12/10! The scallops and smac n cheese were my
I haven't been to 1861 since 2016 and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is new ownership and a new menu. We had a party of six and everyone enjoyed their plates. The staff was attentive and we never waited too long to get anything that we needed. This is a very family-oriented restaurant and we enjoyed talking to our busboy Liam who stole the show for us. Great job Liam, you are wise beyond your years! We will see you soon.
The food and the presentation were 10/10. very good, service everything came out fast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chez El G
My husband surprised me with dinner here, and I must say, I am looking forward to repeating the experience as soon as possible. We had a reservation for our anniversary, and were seated in a nice corner by the bar. It was quiet and slightly secluded so it was perfect. The vibe feels very prohibition era, speakeasy, which adds to the overall flair of the place. It almost feels like you’re in a different time/place. We ordered the Duck Wings, Chicken & Waffles, smothered Salmon and Grits, an Old Fashioned, a glass of Riesling and for dessert, their Beignets (more on that later). Everything was seasoned to perfection, perfectly cooked, and positively divinely delicious. The Duck Wings were a tougher bit of meat, so going forward, I probably wouldn’t order them again, but the sauce used on them was fantastic. The Old Fashion came out with a show (smoking a cedar plank table side) which was brief, but unexpected and enjoyable. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his Chicken & Waffles, and my Salmon and Shrimp were perfectly cooked, smothered beautifully, and the grits were creamy and delightful. The highlight of the evening, however, were their beignets. I could not possibly do them justice by describing them, so just try them. It was an experience to say the least! I hope to visit again soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eryn B
Food, atmosphere and service are fantastic. We’ve been a few times and tonight was no different, on a busy holiday weekend. Our server Murphy was super personable, professional and sweet. The owners sat near us during dinner with their family and I got a chance to speak with the wife. She was also friendly and fantastic, she seems to have a great relationship with staff, very tuned into the business. The food was amazing. We ordered twice what we could eat and look forward to having lobster pasta and salmon with grits for breakfast tomorrow. Also, order the beignets, you will not regret it. 10/10 all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Catherine Buchanan
We love it here! Atmosphere is wonderful and the food is great. The cornbread is to die for! The only reason why I gave it a four star is there’s not much on the menu that I can eat, which is a personal thing but the couple of items that I can eat when I go, I know will be good! Drinks are well crafted. This was our third time here; second time under the new management it is a gem, of course will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Wings, Corn Bread
A H Davis
My husband took me to a surprise lunch here and we had a great time. The atmosphere was cozy as we sat by the fireplace. Our server, Olivia, was phenomenal, cordial and so sweet. Her presentation of the smoke old fashion was wonderful. She was timely and attentive to us throughout with her service. We had the deviled eggs, friend green tomatoes, catfish sliders and brisket with mashed potatoes. Everything was seasoned well, cook thoroughly and totally enjoyable. The hubs and I will definitely be back. Ohhh and the drinks were great I had the Bee Knees and would recommend. Thanks to Olivia for that suggestion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeanine Davidson-Walker
Had brunch today with my girls. Olivia was our server. She was attentive not intrusive. The food was ok. I had the fried chicken Benedict. Eggs were cold but the chicken was good. The rest of the table liked their food. Catfish and grits, salmon and grits, and shrimp and grits had great reviews. Definitely try the French toast puffs. Great atmosphere. Will definitely come back again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Catfish and Grits, Shrimp & Grits, French Toast Puffs, Fried Chicken Benedict
We stopped in on Sunday for brunch and the staff was amazing great customer service from the moment we walked in till we left ! We made a reservation and were seated immediately our server was Sydney and she was super sweet and efficient. As far as the atmosphere goes I loved the ambience very cozy. As far as the food options go, I ordered the chicken and waffles which are pretty pricey in my opinion normally that option tends to be on the less expensive side compared to other dishes. All you get is two waffles and a chicken thigh for the price point I would have love to see a side of eggs added. But as far as the main dish it was wonderful ! 10/10 the chicken was seasoned perfectly and waffles were soft and fluffy. Very pleased with that option. I did add on a side of eggs with cheese ($4 and a side of bacon $5) the side options and prices are not on the menu which is disappointing no one wants to ask for pricing of items when ordering. They do not offer a traditional breakfast option with eggs meat and pancakes or something so a suggestion would be to add maybe a 3 egg breakfast with potatoes and meat choice ( you can name it the speakeasy platter lol ) otherwise people have to order everything a la cart.We also ordered the catfish and grits and a side of scrapple - again the fish was fried and seasoned to perfection the grits could have a larger portion and were a bit bland but over all the dish was 8/10.We ordered the topless mimosas and the presentation was 10/10 super cute. I also tried the old fashioned and I loved it ! $15 for makers mark also a bit pricey I would have like to see it made with woodford for that price point personally .I am absolutely going to revisit to try lunch or dinner out. I wish they would offer a happy hour midweek.Overall my experience was amazing and will definitely be referring everyone to try it out !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Catfish and Grits, Lucille's Chicken & Waffles
theodore pavkovich
So my wife and I wanted something different for breakfast/brunch today. We did a quick search and found 1861 does brunch on the weekends so we decided to try it. The entrance is in back of the building and a little confusing to find at first as we didn't park in their lot but across the street so we ended up walking in the front. The server we had was Sally and she was amazing. The bloody Mary's we had are the best in Middletown, the food was amazing my wife had the chicken and biscuits which she said were the best she's ever had. The praline pancakes I had were absolutely the best I've ever tasted in the country. The other restaurants in Middletown better watch out if everyone figures out the breakfast here is the best in town and most likely the state. Kudos to the staff and owners for one of the best restaurants we've ever had the opportunity to eat at.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Biscuits and Gravy, French Toast Puffs
yaseli tejada
Saw one of the waitresses cut an orange with no gloves and grab them and put them in drinks. The other employee was filling a cup up with soda nd some dripped down the glass and they licked it off. The glasses in the table were disgustingggg! Had to get them changed. Also the customer FRANKKKK is annoying as hell. So dam loud. Im just tranna eat in peace bruhhh? all thoo i was disappointed based off of what i have noticed, the food was amazing truly! The flavors were there and the way it was cooked was great. We got a alcoholic beverage, and it was made to perfection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Davida P. Jones
This was our second time visiting 1861. We attended their New Year’s Eve prefixed menu. The food was pretty good; however, they ran out of certain dishes, and we did not receive the champagne toast.The customer service needs the most work. It appears to be a higher-end restaurant, from the atmosphere and price points, but the customer service doesn't match. A couple of examples: I had to use the same utensils for all four courses until I finally asked for new ones.The server or the kitchen messed up our order a few times, and no one came to apologize or acknowledge it.I would say go there for the food; I enjoyed the short rib egg rolls and beignets. However, if you want a fine dining experience, they have much work to do.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Beignets
Joel Ataviado
Extremely disappointed in the food, exorbitant pricing for low quality ingredients and poor execution. The thought behind the dishes was there, but the dishes were very disappointing. We were charged $80/person for a NYE four course meal, when you could get the same dishes at standard restaurants for $80 total. Everything was extremely over-seasoned, and store-bought ingredients were used. Notably, potato rolls were used for the lamb sliders. The experience was highly disappointing, and in our section, all the other patrons did not finish their food and seemed unhappy with the experience as well. For $200, it was highway robbery in plain sight - I unfortunately cannot recommend this place, especially to any "foodies".
Overpriced mediocre food, staff was friendly. Wanted to update since my review was aggressive. Order your wings, they were pink inside. I would of asked for new ones but decided it wasn't worth it as I observed the gentleman next to me eat his whole meal before he was given the broccoli he asked for originally instead of the double mash potatoes he received. When the broccoli was finally brought to him, he told the bar tender his steak was over cooked.Speaking of the bar tender she's very pushy with her up sales and when it's clear she won't make her 20% on a 150 l dollar order with your bill, she ignores you and the service will drop greatly. All in all I feel your the worst tasting, over priced restaurant in the state. Hope this review was less aggressive as you said in your response.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
This restaurant was very uniqueThe waitress was so nice and friendlyThe food was good… the devil eggs were fried a lil too much and the waffles had too much syrupThe Mac and cheese was nice and cheesyThe Brussels should should have had a lil more color to themThe cornbread was deliciousI love catfish… but the corn meal was throwing me off I didn’t like that muchOver all the experience and the food was great! I’m so glad we got a chance to come dine there
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Wings, Corn Bread
The food was amazing 12/10! The scallops and smac n cheese were my
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wings, Fried Catfish & Grits, Lucille's Chicken & Waffles
I haven't been to 1861 since 2016 and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is new ownership and a new menu. We had a party of six and everyone enjoyed their plates. The staff was attentive and we never waited too long to get anything that we needed. This is a very family-oriented restaurant and we enjoyed talking to our busboy Liam who stole the show for us. Great job Liam, you are wise beyond your years! We will see you soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fried Catfish & Grits, Lucille's Chicken & Waffles, Bourbon Peach Beignets, Jerk Short Rib Benedict, Soul Bowl
The food and the presentation were 10/10. very good, service everything came out fast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My husband surprised me with dinner here, and I must say, I am looking forward to repeating the experience as soon as possible. We had a reservation for our anniversary, and were seated in a nice corner by the bar. It was quiet and slightly secluded so it was perfect. The vibe feels very prohibition era, speakeasy, which adds to the overall flair of the place. It almost feels like you’re in a different time/place. We ordered the Duck Wings, Chicken & Waffles, smothered Salmon and Grits, an Old Fashioned, a glass of Riesling and for dessert, their Beignets (more on that later). Everything was seasoned to perfection, perfectly cooked, and positively divinely delicious. The Duck Wings were a tougher bit of meat, so going forward, I probably wouldn’t order them again, but the sauce used on them was fantastic. The Old Fashion came out with a show (smoking a cedar plank table side) which was brief, but unexpected and enjoyable. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his Chicken & Waffles, and my Salmon and Shrimp were perfectly cooked, smothered beautifully, and the grits were creamy and delightful. The highlight of the evening, however, were their beignets. I could not possibly do them justice by describing them, so just try them. It was an experience to say the least! I hope to visit again soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food, atmosphere and service are fantastic. We’ve been a few times and tonight was no different, on a busy holiday weekend. Our server Murphy was super personable, professional and sweet. The owners sat near us during dinner with their family and I got a chance to speak with the wife. She was also friendly and fantastic, she seems to have a great relationship with staff, very tuned into the business. The food was amazing. We ordered twice what we could eat and look forward to having lobster pasta and salmon with grits for breakfast tomorrow. Also, order the beignets, you will not regret it. 10/10 all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We love it here! Atmosphere is wonderful and the food is great. The cornbread is to die for! The only reason why I gave it a four star is there’s not much on the menu that I can eat, which is a personal thing but the couple of items that I can eat when I go, I know will be good! Drinks are well crafted. This was our third time here; second time under the new management it is a gem, of course will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Wings, Corn Bread
My husband took me to a surprise lunch here and we had a great time. The atmosphere was cozy as we sat by the fireplace. Our server, Olivia, was phenomenal, cordial and so sweet. Her presentation of the smoke old fashion was wonderful. She was timely and attentive to us throughout with her service. We had the deviled eggs, friend green tomatoes, catfish sliders and brisket with mashed potatoes. Everything was seasoned well, cook thoroughly and totally enjoyable. The hubs and I will definitely be back. Ohhh and the drinks were great I had the Bee Knees and would recommend. Thanks to Olivia for that suggestion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had brunch today with my girls. Olivia was our server. She was attentive not intrusive. The food was ok. I had the fried chicken Benedict. Eggs were cold but the chicken was good. The rest of the table liked their food. Catfish and grits, salmon and grits, and shrimp and grits had great reviews. Definitely try the French toast puffs. Great atmosphere. Will definitely come back again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Catfish and Grits, Shrimp & Grits, French Toast Puffs, Fried Chicken Benedict
Restaurantji Recommends
We stopped in on Sunday for brunch and the staff was amazing great customer service from the moment we walked in till we left ! We made a reservation and were seated immediately our server was Sydney and she was super sweet and efficient. As far as the atmosphere goes I loved the ambience very cozy. As far as the food options go, I ordered the chicken and waffles which are pretty pricey in my opinion normally that option tends to be on the less expensive side compared to other dishes. All you get is two waffles and a chicken thigh for the price point I would have love to see a side of eggs added. But as far as the main dish it was wonderful ! 10/10 the chicken was seasoned perfectly and waffles were soft and fluffy. Very pleased with that option. I did add on a side of eggs with cheese ($4 and a side of bacon $5) the side options and prices are not on the menu which is disappointing no one wants to ask for pricing of items when ordering. They do not offer a traditional breakfast option with eggs meat and pancakes or something so a suggestion would be to add maybe a 3 egg breakfast with potatoes and meat choice ( you can name it the speakeasy platter lol ) otherwise people have to order everything a la cart.We also ordered the catfish and grits and a side of scrapple - again the fish was fried and seasoned to perfection the grits could have a larger portion and were a bit bland but over all the dish was 8/10.We ordered the topless mimosas and the presentation was 10/10 super cute. I also tried the old fashioned and I loved it ! $15 for makers mark also a bit pricey I would have like to see it made with woodford for that price point personally .I am absolutely going to revisit to try lunch or dinner out. I wish they would offer a happy hour midweek.Overall my experience was amazing and will definitely be referring everyone to try it out !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Catfish and Grits, Lucille's Chicken & Waffles
So my wife and I wanted something different for breakfast/brunch today. We did a quick search and found 1861 does brunch on the weekends so we decided to try it. The entrance is in back of the building and a little confusing to find at first as we didn't park in their lot but across the street so we ended up walking in the front. The server we had was Sally and she was amazing. The bloody Mary's we had are the best in Middletown, the food was amazing my wife had the chicken and biscuits which she said were the best she's ever had. The praline pancakes I had were absolutely the best I've ever tasted in the country. The other restaurants in Middletown better watch out if everyone figures out the breakfast here is the best in town and most likely the state. Kudos to the staff and owners for one of the best restaurants we've ever had the opportunity to eat at.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Biscuits and Gravy, French Toast Puffs
Saw one of the waitresses cut an orange with no gloves and grab them and put them in drinks. The other employee was filling a cup up with soda nd some dripped down the glass and they licked it off. The glasses in the table were disgustingggg! Had to get them changed. Also the customer FRANKKKK is annoying as hell. So dam loud. Im just tranna eat in peace bruhhh? all thoo i was disappointed based off of what i have noticed, the food was amazing truly! The flavors were there and the way it was cooked was great. We got a alcoholic beverage, and it was made to perfection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was our second time visiting 1861. We attended their New Year’s Eve prefixed menu. The food was pretty good; however, they ran out of certain dishes, and we did not receive the champagne toast.The customer service needs the most work. It appears to be a higher-end restaurant, from the atmosphere and price points, but the customer service doesn't match. A couple of examples: I had to use the same utensils for all four courses until I finally asked for new ones.The server or the kitchen messed up our order a few times, and no one came to apologize or acknowledge it.I would say go there for the food; I enjoyed the short rib egg rolls and beignets. However, if you want a fine dining experience, they have much work to do.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Beignets
Extremely disappointed in the food, exorbitant pricing for low quality ingredients and poor execution. The thought behind the dishes was there, but the dishes were very disappointing. We were charged $80/person for a NYE four course meal, when you could get the same dishes at standard restaurants for $80 total. Everything was extremely over-seasoned, and store-bought ingredients were used. Notably, potato rolls were used for the lamb sliders. The experience was highly disappointing, and in our section, all the other patrons did not finish their food and seemed unhappy with the experience as well. For $200, it was highway robbery in plain sight - I unfortunately cannot recommend this place, especially to any "foodies".
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3