I actually liked this place. I ordered the burger with mashed potatoes. Appetizers were onion rings and wings. The onion rings are great! Burger was good and they have different kinds. Service was fast and attentive. My daughter ordered the macaroni and cheese and when I tasted it it was so good I ordered it to go I will definitely be back
(3)
Chataun D.
I was nervous to eat there last night after reading the review and seeing an average of three stars. I had eaten there on several previous occasions and really enjoyed my meals. Last night was no different. I had a burger, a grizzly burger I think it was, and a house salad. The burger was well seasoned, cooked perfectly, and was topped with an onion ring and barbecue sauce. Two thumbs up!
(5)
Sandi C.
This is a nice place, nice servers. We ordered chicken wings that were on the dry side. The fish and chips along with the Cuban sandwich was on the bland side. The sweet tea is more unsweet than sweet. The wings were a little over priced especially since they were dry and we had to add way more sauce to make it decent. Other than that it was a good eat. I would prbly come again and try something else.
(3)
Don M.
Another restaurant that won't guarantee any of their food to be allergen free. So if you truly have an allergy stay away
(1)
Gina G.
Sunday brunch on the roof top today. I've never been here before and I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered a Bloody Mary to start and asked them to load it up with celery, olives, whatever! When it came to the table it looked great! They even threw in a slice of crispy bacon! I ordered the chicken and pimento cheese panini and my friend had fish and chips. Both dishes were very good. I'll come back to try their beer selection, which, by the looks of it, looked great!
(4)
Joe L.
Food was good but the waitress got our bill all mixed up we had a party of six and the waitress had the wrong orders on the the bill and they put gratuity on your bill when it's party of 6
(3)
Melissa H.
Everything met my expectations, from the food to the beer selection to the service. I think McCray's gets a bad rap. Sure, the food selection is not insanely creative. It's typical bar fare, but it's done well. My beer arrived cold and crisp, my fish and chips were hot and tasty, and my server was pleasant. What more could you want?
(3)
Tara C.
Great place to eat on a nice day! Eat on the roof top! Super nice view of downtown Lville!
(4)
Wendy T.
Great food, service ok, very cool atmosphere!
(4)
M'Kaneghay H.
We have visited a few times with friends. Each experience has been about the same. Good waiters, average wait time for a party of 4, decent food. I really like the nachos however one time we went when I was pregnant and they didn't have chips. I don't understand how a tavern didn't have chips, don't care what time of day or day of the week it is. But I haven't been disappointed with the food or drinks. If you are in the area and want a cool tavern to hang out with friends, I know of another spot but if they are too crowded...make a trip to McCray's.
(3)
Berry G.
I honestly was expecting something to go wrong since the reviews here aren't that great. But I have no complaints. Parking was ample Waitress was attentive and quick Table of 8 and they didn't mess up a single order Turkey club sandwich was excellent I'm a fan! I wish I could speak for the roof top, but on a Saturday afternoon in August, it was far too hot out for that.
(4)
Sunna P.
The food and the service was great! I had the chicken and waffles and it was really good. The waitress was really sweet too!
(4)
Claudia C.
We used to LOVE this place! But, with new management taking over it has really gone downhill. Food is not consistent. We will go there for dinner and it's great, then brunch and lunch is not the same. We just left where we waited 50 minutes for a lunch portion sandwich and half salad that we didn't receive. Service was great! At least our waters were filled up
(2)
Daniel B.
McCray's Tavern on the Square is a traditional bar and tavern in downtown Lawrenceville. There's a second location in Smryna's West Village. I've been to both locations and they're essentially the same. McCray's Tavern on the Square is a popular spot for local Lawrenceville suburbanites. On weekend evenings, this place gets packed with twentysomethings to middle aged folks looking to unwind. The tavern is partitioned into a few different sections. On certain nights, one of the rooms has a DJ and live music. It almost becomes like a dance club, which I think is kind of strange for a tavern. Aside from that, McCray's is pretty much the typical American tavern. It's relatively new. The atmosphere is casual and the noise level is loud. If you're looking to have a meal without having to raise your voice to speak to another person at your table, you should look elsewhere. Also, there are several TVs mounted high for your sports viewing pleasure. I wouldn't consider this a sports bar though. McCray's food menu consists of standard "pub grub" fare including sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, and appetizers and entrees like chicken tenders, wings, fish and chips, shrimp and grits, meatloaf, and ribs. There are hardly any creative or original items, so the menu is straightforward and you know what you're going to get. At dinnertime, expect to spend about $10-15 per person for most entrees. Burgers are in the $10-12 range, which I think is a little expensive if you're not paying for a gourmet burger. There are weekday lunch specials (11am-3pm) for $6.95. I've tried a few items. They include: Fried Macaroni and Cheese - served with bacons, scallions, and a honey mustard dipping sauce "Flint" Fish and Chips - seasoned and lightly battered fried cod, served with French fries and tartar sauce (I subbed coleslaw in lieu of fries.) "Monford" Burger - 8 oz. ground beef patty topped with pimento cheese, bacon, and jalapeno on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onion I can't say I've been too impressed with the food, but it's not bad. At $6.95, the fried mac and cheese seems like a reasonable deal because of the portion size. It could almost be a meal unto itself. Four fried mac and cheese fritters come with each order. Each fritter is bigger than the size of a golf ball. It's basically balls of elbow mac and cheese, battered and deep fried, and topped with scallions and real bacon bits. The quality of the mac and cheese isn't very good, which is a big reason why this dish is mediocre. Not sure why the fish and chips have the moniker "Flint" in front of them because these fish and chips are generic. The fried fish filets are quite small and measly here -- just not a whole lot of meat. Maybe I just happened to be unlucky and get a lackluster batch, but almost every other bar I've ordered fish and chips at, the fish filets have been bigger. Taste-wise, it's good and what you'd expect. Four small fish filets are served with each order. If you want, you can sub a different side in place of fries. There are about 10 sides to choose from. These include pasta salad and sauteed spinach. I subbed slaw in and thought it was okay. McCray's slaw has a lot of mayo. I've also tried the pasta salad and liked it. Bowtie pasta are used and the side is tasty and refreshing. The burgers are big. The Monford burger patty is thick and hearty and is topped with a heapful of pimento cheese sauce and two strips of bacon. The red onion, tomato slice, and shredded lettuce are crisp and sufficiently fresh. Altogether, the burger is filling for sure, but not as appetizing as I hoped. Both the meat and bun are average. I think one of the biggest burgers on the menu is the Grizzly Burger, which one of my tablemates has ordered. The burger patty is served with a giant onion ring on top and a steak knife sticking down through the middle. Service is fine. Brittany is a good server. Parking in downtown Lawrenceville can be a pain, but there should be plenty of free parking spaces around the Square and on the street. Just be sure to obey the rules on the parking signs, especially during regular weekday business hours. You may have to park a couple blocks away.
(2)
Rebecca C.
Great beer selection. Fantastic food. Love the rooftop! The FBR is delicious beyond belief. Love the fried mac and cheese balls. The honey mustard dipping sauce was a surprise, since I didn't think those two combos would go together, but the flavors blend together very nicely. Service can be a little slow sometimes, but overall this is one of my favorite restaurants.
(5)
Michael C.
disappointing. really enjoy the slop flowing out the side door on to the sidewalk on to the street. everything they fry is greasy, like the floor to the restroom.
(2)
Brian D.
We've been here several times and the food and drinks have always been perfect. The Buffalo Chicken Panini was great. Great servers and staff.
(4)
Whitney L.
I'll start this review by saying I just left this place and I am so irritated. This is one of those reviews that couldn't wait until tomorrow. I'll start by saying the bartender here was awesome. And his entire tip tonight is the only money spent that was worth anything. He and another friendly server are the sole reason for 2 stars. Nothing else. All I wanted in my life on this gorgeous early spring Georgia afternoon was a patio, a drink and some decent food. So McCray's seemed like the perfect place, no? (No is the right answer, by the way.) So the hostess says "we're just waiting on a table to turn, it'll be about 15 minutes." Okay, cool, we'll be at the bar. 25 minutes later, and quite a few folks have left upstairs and...nothing. So my boyfriend goes to get menus for us to look at, and he let a very helpful guy know what we were waiting on, who said he'd take care of us. Meanwhile, the bartender has poured wonderful drinks and been very friendly. Finally more time passes and the hostess is near the bar so I ask "how long do you think it'll be for a table upstairs now?" Her response: "Well it's going to be a while... -insert resting bitch face mouth here-" Wtf. Not the right answer when it was 15 minutes, 30 minutes ago. So the friendly guy who supplied us with menus saw my face and politely said "I'll go see what we can do up there." Thank. You. He comes back to explain that we can have any of the two top tables up there, but it would be really helpful for us to order with the bartender and they'll bring our food up. That is perfect. Thank you for taking initiative and doing what you can. So we order with the bartender, who explains that management didn't plan on anyone wanting to sit up there today, and that the guy who picked up the tables is slammed. Sorry but this amazingggg weather was known by everyone who had been through this ridiculous Georgia winter lately. So anyway, those guys were great and the food was terrible. Terrible. Everything was cold, and bland. Our calamari was nothing but batter and 2 pieces of squid. The gorgonzola chips were like Kroger kettle chips and some bottled blue cheese, and the mac and cheese balls were just fried junk with no taste at all. They were served with honey mustard, of all things. Done right, these wouldn't need any mediocre sauce to dress them up. Everything just tasted like the McDonald's french fry grease and was just awful. $80 later and I felt really REALLY disappointed. I will not be returning. This has been a Lawrenceville staple for some time, but I think it's glory days are over. Go across the street.
(2)
Sharon H.
I called in a reservation for 12 for a Saturday night, which I knew would be busy because the Aurora Theater had a sold-out show. I didn't call my reservation in until Thursday, and then I had to call back and change the number to 16. McCray's did an awesome job seating us all (in the adjoining room, which gave us a little more room to stretch out,) and the waitress was awesome, esp. considering that we had several tickets within our group and that others showed up later, after some of us had eaten. Since this was a birthday dinner for my husband, I esp. appreciated the great service we got. The wings were great, too, by the way.
(5)
Queenie D.
The worst food I have ever eaten in a restaurant for a while. We had the cuban sandwhich and jesus christ, my dog can make it better than that. The sandwhich was half assed pressed, the ham in it tasted like something from walmart, and the quality all in all was ridiculously disappointing. I had the salad and had to ask for croutons and the waitress gave me ranch instead of bleu cheese. It took a long time for our food to come out and for my croutons to come out that I didnt bother sending back my salad, so I was stuck to scarf down a salad I didnt want to eat. Beer cheese soup was pretty good, but too salty that after half way of eating that thing, you may need to pop a couple of aspirins to get your BP down ... The croutons were the best tasting thing on my plate. Our server was nice, but it was obvious that the staff was not able to cope with the small crowd in the restaurant. They seemed to be struggling so we concluded that maybe someone called out? Either way, what a big disappointment. The place loked so nice and that wall of tap was so impressive. I guess next time, we will just stop by for a drink and skip the food all in all.
(2)
James L.
It's a great local bar to come to hang out watch the game. Right now with friends and a local Sunday, yes I'm doing today!
(3)
Jimmy H.
This place has been pretty amazing in my previous visits. Always tasty, always quick, but never rushed. I recommend the Tavern "Grizzley". It's big with a zesty kick, the onion ring toppings don't hurt either. The staff is always courteous and makes me feel at home. Great experience.
(4)
Andrea M.
Eh. This place is okay. My friend and I didn't have a good initial experience as we were put on the wait list for an hour. Thank goodness we decided to head over to the other restaurants in the area. The wait time was over an hour when we were given a time estimate of 30 minutes. Not a major deal because it's really difficult to estimate time frames of when a table will open up. BUT, we did come back for drinks. They have a pretty good selection of beer on draft. There's really no other drink specials other than 2 that involves, you guessed it, more beer--in pitcher form. There was also a guy jamming on his guitar singing covers and original songs he wrote. He had a really pleasant voice too, and I totally forgot to ask what his name was. Overall and despite the minor hiccup with McCray's, this is a pretty good place for drinks. My friend said their food is pretty good as well since she has been here before. Good music and good drinks; I'd definitely come back. There is also a rooftop area where it overlooks the cozy Lawrenceville Square.
(4)
Tonya B.
Celebrating a friend's divorce and having great food with cosmos. What could be better on a Friday afternoon. Thanks to a great staff.
(4)
Richard R.
Let's move past all my normal jibber-jabber and get straight to the point. I was far more impressed with McCray's that I expected to be. It was my first official visit but not the first time I've tasted their food. I had a plate of ribs once during a festival on the square and I must say I was not impressed. So tonight when we switched our initial plans from Local Republic to here, I was both excited for a second opportunity and reluctant because of the first. THE FOOD On the one hand. the appetizers were not that great. I ordered the calamari and shared them with several others at our table. In turn, I got a chance to sample the fried mac n' cheese (3 stars) and the hot pimento cheese dip (3 stars). The calamari was not particularly memorable, however, the saltiness of the marinara really helped boost the flavor of the calamari and saved it from being condemned to 2 star purgatory (3 stars). On the other hand, it could be because my expectations were low, but I found my entree to be very enjoyable. I ordered the Shrimp n' Grits and could not have been more pleased. Although I was a little leery of the tomato based sauce, the server assured me that everyone who's ever questioned the tomato sauce (instead of more traditional gravy) has loved it. I'll be dag-gum... she was right!!!! I'm hoping this was not just a one night stand sort of love affair, so I will keep my rating of this dish a conservative, yet enthusiastic 4 star thumbs up! The tomato sauce was perfect and the sausage & shrimp were very flavorful. This is a dish I order often, yet it was the first time I've ever had it prepared this way. It was certainly tastier than anything I was expecting. I also traded Lindy some of my S&G for some of her Fried BBQ Ribs and I only have two words to say about that: GET THEM!!! ------------- - - - - - THE DETAILS Date & Time: Friday August 23rd, 2012 @ 8:00pm Dining Companions: Tanya C, Lindy F, Jose O, Jamarcus T, Daniel B, Vyvy T, Toung Vi P, Michelle K, Christina T, Sean L and a bunch of +1's What to expect: Street parking, bar seating or table service, ROOFTOP Music: Live DJ Conversation: good noise level for talking in main area Decor: Pub-style Service: Brittany did a decent job with such a large group. Most of my complaint would be with the fiasco over getting our group seated. Liquid: coke ($2.25) Ordered: Calamari ($9.95), Shrimp & Grits ($14.95) LOVED: The S&G. The grits were good enough to order all by themselves, which is saying a lot since I'm not a big fan of grits. Dislikes: Calamari by itself was 'meh' Total: $33.68 w/18% added gratuity ------------- - - - - - THE VERDICT We had a group of 20 on a Friday night which presented all kinds of logistical challenges. Seeing as though it was very busy and they took our large group without reservations, I will avoid fussing about some of tonight's frustrations with seating and wait times. However, they definitely have some room for improvement. Bottom line: The Shrimp & Grits are worthy of more return visits by this picky yelper. Thanks Michelle K for a nice UYE night out. We made the best of it!
(3)
Alex H.
I love their rooftop seating. Thank you to all the servers that trek up and down those hundreds of stairs with trays of food and drinks and whatever else crazy guests ask for!! (Not really hundreds, but it might as well be!!) I've never had a bad meal here. It's always been simple and delicious. I've had bad service once, but ther other 7 times I've been there, A+++ service. So I chalk that one night to being a fluke and I haven't seen that server since. Their beer selection is vast and cold and their cocktails are so good! When my husband orders a cocktail instead of a beer!?! That says something. I'm so glad McCrays is in my neighborhood, thanks guys!!
(4)
Catherine B.
What can I say this place is awesome. They know me by first name and know my likes and my likes. So the foodie great service stupendous.
(5)
David H.
Great spot with a great patio with a nice view of downtown lawrenceville. I always feel bad for the servers because they have to climb two flights of stairs to get to the top. When I am looking for a cheat day I hit up this spot. The fried BBQ ribs is a must! They are tossed in a sweet chili BBQ sauce and served with an onion ring. The meat falls right off the bone. As a main course I got the grizzly burger with extra BBQ sauce. Consider it a challenge to finish after the ribs. I always get a side of onion rings as well. There is something about the way they fry their food but everything fried on that menu is delicious. This is a must try for those who are looking for a romantic date night.
(5)
Crystal M.
Love eating on the roof on a beautiful day. Eating at night inside has a great upscale bar feel. Great food drinks and location.
(4)
Shelbi D.
Came in for lunch on a Friday, I was excited to visit their rooftop patio. My experience was short of amazing. I ordered lunch special $6.95 for half salad and a side, California BLT & side salad. Once I received my check I saw a $1.00 up charge, which baffled me because I only ordered the Half Plate Special. I asked my server Ashley about the charge she stated there is always an up charge for a side salad. Note: 1) This was my first time at this restaurant. 2) The up charge was not stated on the menu nor did she say there will be an additional $1 up charge for a side salad when I placed my order. I know it was only a $1 but it was very inconsiderate and misleading of the server and restaurant. I didn't appreciate being treated as such, Ashley brushed my complaint off and kept walking. Sad to say I will never patronize this establishment again!
(1)
Kay A.
Nice view but the food was below average. We went there for a lunch and paid $30 for two. Average entree costs about $12-$15 and the quality of the food was terrible. I ordered the Mahi Sandwich. The fish was small and dry. The tiny amount of mayo was smeared just in the center of the cheap Walmart 8 for $1 hamburger bun with little bit of shredded lettuce. No tomatoes or onion or nothing! My friend ordered BBQ ribs and they were dry, way too sweet and tasted like Walmart BBQ sauce. It was total waste of money. The only good thing about that place was the attentiveness of the server. He was polite and friendly. I felt bad that my friend didn't leave a good tip because he was so unsatisfied by the quality of the food but it has nothing to do with the server. If I had cash, I would have left him more tip...sorry...but I probably wouldn't go back there anymore unless the management changes the quality of the food. The atmosphere was really nice wether you sit inside or outside which is on top of the building. If you just go there to drink and do not care about the food, then it's a nice place to hang out especially sitting outside overlooking the view of Lawrenceville Downtown. It is really sad that this place has a lot of potential and can make the business so much more successful if only consider customers' needs and wants more. Most people want to enjoy good food if paying $15 or more a meal especially for a lunch. I'm not certainly here to waste that kind of money to buy equivalent of first food restaurant quality that was exactly this restaurant 's food was...I would give 1 star but the extra star was for the nice male server there.
(2)
Ricky G.
The food is bar food and ok, drinks or the bar lousy so if you cant get in next door or down the street; it will work.
(2)
Taj M.
I would give this restaurant 0 stars if I could. The hostess passed over my party on the wait list three times, then gave me attitude when I brought it to her attention. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
(1)
Tiffany C.
OMG this place sucks. Went to the Easter Brunch there. The food was horrible. Waste of money, time and appetite. I have no desire to EVER go back. The wait staff was also not the most friendly. They offered us a high top table (seeing my 2yr old with me) UUUMMM LET ME THINK - NO! Then they offered the roof top deck - let me think again- it's only like 60 degrees outside. These were red flags that we shouldn't have ignored. My hubby came here the day before and had a burger- told him that it's hard to mess up a burger. Thank God I cooked dinner at home- lol
(1)
David S.
Good food, cool location.....absolutely HORRIBLE service!!! Been here numerous times and it never fails, the service is awful, especially if you sit on the roof.
(1)
James L.
Like many others reviewing this place I suffered terrible service here on more than one occasion. It seems systemic originating from poor management. They fill up on weekends so they do not have to perform well. Uncaring hostesses and terrible wait staff only skim the surface.
(1)
Scott H.
Went here on a Saturday night for a company Christmas party. I loved the atmosphere and the wait staff was good. But this review is mainly about the food. Let me clarify that I did not look at a normal menu. The one we had was set up for the options they offered for special events with limited choices. We started with appetizers. They had some jumbo shrimp cocktail that were very good. They also had some meat on a stick (I guess it was some kind of steak) that was pretty good and some home made chips that were ok. That was the highlight as far as food goes. Main courses- Between our table, we had prime rib, salmon and chicken marsala. All three were absolutely terrible. I would expect better quality from taco bell. I personally had the Marsala. It tasted as if they used the cheapest chicken they could find...almost synthetic. It was terrible. one star would be generous. The salmon was bone dry and the prime rib was so bad that the person who ordered it took one bit and refused to eat anymore. He got a takeout box which I can only assume was for his little dog that he was telling us stories about. All in all, I loved the atmosphere, but not well enough to go back and brave actually paying out of my own pocket for the food. If someone else wants to buy my meal there, then I may be willing to go back and try something else off their regular menu. Otherwise, I doubt I will ever go back.
(2)
Nichole K.
This is my third time dining here, both for lunch and dinner. The service has always been great, but the food is decent. I would recommend someone here for the good service, brew selection, and bar bites. If they were looking for a place to dine, I would suggest other places. Now, if they were looking to have unique beers with a rooftop patio. This is your place. I love the exposed brick and dark wood. If the food was kicked up a notch this place would be hands down the best place to visit Lawerencville Added bonus: they have Keno!
(3)
Anadora A.
Service is probably one of the only reasons I wouldn't come back here. The food was good but not great. Prices are reasonable. You get what you pay for.
(2)
Carolina M.
The worst customer service ever! I called a few days before to get information about how long of a wait would it be for a party of 15 on a Saturday night. I was told it would possibly be 45 minutes to an hour. I arrived an hour and a half earlier (7:00 pm) before the rest of my party so I could reserve the table. As I approached into the restaurant, the host, who did not greet me, gave me a snarky attitude and kinda mocked my request for a party of 15. She made is seem like it was utterly impossible to get what was requested and giggled at my request. At this point I found that she was being rude but I decided to take her up on the offer of 2 HOUR WAIT for 15 people. I waited outside and decided to walk around with my friend. Out of curiosity, we decided to go to La Cazuela across from McCray's Tavern. The host there said she would be happy to arrange a table outside for my party before they got there. At this point some of my friends arrived to McCray's Tavern and asked the host if there was a big party upstairs. She said she didn't know and that they never have bog parties upstairs. She then made my friends go look for me on the rooftop as opposed to offering to help. At this point we were livid, annoyed and tired of the poor customer service. We came to a conclusion that McCray's was not meant to be for a 21st birthday dinner.
I wasn't a big fan of this place, but I give them points for tasty bar food, a good selection of beer and having the right games on TV. We watched the UGA game last Saturday and I'm pretty sure we sat in the "off-duty employees" section because we were surrounded by a bunch of tattooed hooligans, all of which were glad to be over their hangovers from last night, but who weren't ready to start their next shift yet. It kinds felt like we had stumbled into a party of one of their houses, uninvited. It wouldn't normally bother me, but we were surrounded. Aside from the locals, the food was good. We got the gorgonzola chips, chicken tenders and onion rings, all of which made for great game-watching fare. The beer selection was good, but they're VERY proud of hat they serve. Pints ranged from $5-11, with a $1-upgrade to a 20-oz. They were "changing the keg" on the last beer I ordered, so I waited. Once it was apparent they were out, I got something else. The waitress was older and didn't seem to want us in her section. She wasn't unpleasant, but we were definitely getting the silent treatment for awhile. Give it a try, if you like, but I won't be driving back to Lawrenceville anytime soon to return.
(3)
Sande E.
This is the 2nd time I've even here, again I was disappointed. I was dissatisfied enough the first time but apparently I signed up for a birthday coupon and so we gave it one more try. The last time we were here was Mid-June and two months later their draft beer selections looks pretty much the same. They have some pretty good local stuff but it doesn't seem to change. Food is pretty bad. Fish and chips were soggy and not freshly cooked, which I don't get since they are NOT BUSY. They actually cooked the burger right (medrare) but it tasted weird? Hard to explain. Basically, there is nothing exceptional about this place. If you are looking for an uncrowded place to simply fill your gullet, this it.
(1)
Helen M.
Good service, food is so-so. Busy night so service was a little slow, but understandable. Love the bar, drinks are great.
(3)
Danielle T.
My husband and I went here on a Saturday night just for a few drinks and appetizers but when we walked in people just starred at us. After not paying that any of attention we proceed to the patio where we sat for at least 30mins before anyone came to ask us if we needed anything. We agreed to go elsewhere & just as we were about to leave, a host came to ask where were we going BC he was coming to assist us. Wtf? we looked at him & walked out to take our business somewhere else. This place seems racist & I will not be going again.
(1)
Josh B.
I'm not sure what i was expecting going into McCray's. I just started working in Lawrenceville so i didn't know much about it. I was pleasantly surprised. The place looks awesome, very comfortable, local pub type atmosphere with a great rooftop patio. The bar was comfortable and the staff was friendly. Beer selection centered on local breweries (terrapin, sweetwater, jekyll, monday night, etc.) with a few European drafts and a nice bottle selection. The menu was thorough and hit all the pub fare standards with a few neat addition (shrimp and grits). As i was just there for lunch, i decided that fish and chips would be the way to go. My order arrived promptly. I guess they're use to the lunch crowd with all the businesses on and around the square. The fries were very good and the spicy mayo sauce (not sure what they call it) was tasty. The fish was fried perfectly (crispy outside, moist inside) and looked great but was perfectly bland. Not much flavor at all. A healthy addition of malt vinegar and some of that tasty sauce and it was a good lunch at a reasonable price i just with there had been a bit more flavor with just the fish. Overall, i'm defiantly going to go back. 1) its super close to work, 2) it was a nice place to eat lunch. Perhaps the roof next time.
(4)
Richard M.
Went in with around 6 people or so on Feb 13 this year. Server did not come around for around 15 minutes so I went to the bar to order a drink. Bartender refused to serve me saying the server would come. After another 15 minutes I went back to the bar and asked what I should do if I did not want to wait for the server any more (I thought 30 minutes was enough). He reluctantly took the order for several of us. I do not understand why he was so opposed to working or earning a tip. He was doing nothing behind the bar so maybe he is just lazy. He is definitely rude. We were there for an hour and a half and did see the server twice. He needs to be trained to know that that is not enough for a table of 6+ people.
(1)
Beth B.
Such a great spot for dinner. My husband, who is the world pickiest eater, just sat back and said "That was so satifying." He'd ordered a burger with a fried egg.. the first egg was over cooked and our waitress immediately brought out a much better one. Mistakes happen... it's how they are handled that makes the difference. McCrays is, and will continue to be, a favorite date not spot!
(5)
Kristy O.
I love all of their food, I have been coming here for over 3 years and it's still as good as the first day. They have the best vodka pasta in town (believe me I have tried it everywhere), hot pimento chesse dip hits the spot every time and the wedge salad is awesome as well.
(5)
Texas G.
Bad service. Waited with menus for 25 minutes and only got water. But the Mexican place across the street was great.
(1)
Shawn K.
Food is great, especially the deep fried ribs! Good selection of beer. God awful server, had to have been her first serving job... Didn't even show an interest in building the check.
(4)
Kason M.
INCREDIBLY disappointed tonight with this place and it's poor management. My wife and our two other couple friends (all of which enjoy McCray's and have been there multiple times) all ate here tonight. The food was good-mediocre, as always. Nothing to get too excited about, but it's a fun and easy place to eat with really good panini sandwiches and typical pub type food. The real story was the service and unprofessionalism shown by the management. Our waiter was brand new, and wreaked of it! He had no drive, and was definitely not trained well. He was very slow to refill drinks, and didn't get our simple drink order right until about 15 minutes after being there. He then gave us our checks, we all paid and it was all a train wreck from there. When the checks came back, he had charged me for the entire ticket, cancelled it, then apologized, and then proceeded to give himself WAY too much gratuity, which he later blamed on the computer (really?). It took him about 30 minutes to get all this fixed, he cursed at our table (how professional), and the manager finally came out and helped him with the final bill. The manager was not apologetic, she had a snooty attitude, and seemed like she had better things to do rather than help us. Unfortunately for McCray's I believe our friend group will definitely find somewhere else to eat next time, and we will tell our many other friends about this terrible experience. Dear management, please take better care of your other customers than you did with us. You have a unique restaurant that would be so much better if you just cared about your customers!
(1)
Meredith R.
We had an hour to kill prior to a performance at the Aurora Theater. Wanted a non-chain place with ambience for lunch, and son-of-a-gun: McCray's is right in the neighborhood, and fit the bill perfectly. I had a cuban sandwich, with pork, ham and swiss. Coupled with a large side of cole slaw -- which I thoroughly enjoyed -- it was a perfect lunch. T's santa fe chicken sandwich was delicious. The pasta salad side --minimal if any mayo -- was a good choice. When we spotted $4 margaritas on the menu, we said 'why not?' and walked out happy, full and with a buzz..... Hey, it's Saturday! January 2013 Update: This time we came with a group. Again, tasty sandwiches -- but the $4 margaritas!!??? Where's the tequilla?? Guys, if you want to keep us -- and others comin' back -- a little more heavy-handed with the booze, please.
(3)
K L.
Solid traditional bar atmosphere. I came here with a friend for after work drinks. There's a decent selection of craft beers available and full bar. The service was very quick. I was greeted immediately when I sat down at the bar and the bartender was very friendly throughout our entire evening (3 hours at the bar). I didn't have lunch so I ordered the chips. It was covered in gorgonzola and bacon. The cheese wasn't overpowering and the chips stayed really crispy throughout the entire snack time. We also got some lemon pepper wings that were really good. Probably not going to find fine dining food and service here, but if you're looking for nice relaxed place to eat, then definitely worth stopping by if you're near.
(3)
Jimmy C.
McCray's is a great "in-town" dining spot. Today I had lunch and ordered the Tavern Wedge Salad with blue cheese crumbles, bacon, and tomato. It tasted very cool, crisp, and quite frankly delicious. The price was "just-right" at under $6 as well! My server "Katie" was very pleasant and attentive. She made sure that my drink never fell low and that my every need was met. She smiled and looked me in the eye when communicating with me. She didn't put off a "distracted" or other negative body language that can be commonplace in a Tavern atmosphere. I have visited McCray's several times and I have been impressed with the food and staff. Another member of the staff who is worth mentioning is Brittany. She is relatively new but really goes out of her way to make sure her guests are taken care of. I hope they keep up the good work!
(4)
Lindsay S.
Almost every time we go here I really enjoy myself. I love the new back room area where they have the stage for live music and seating away from the main crowds and hustle and bustle of the bar. The service is mostly good and the food is delicious. I love their kettle chips and the French dip with fries and honey. So good! Definitely give this place a try if you're at the square!
(4)
Frank M.
Soooo my original review of this joint was deservedly harsh. But due to such First World Problems like being in a local varietal funk, my lady and I decided to give it a try again. Then again. And again. And again. This place has improved. A lot. The current staff seems much more seasoned and the menu changed for the better (granted, I did like one or two things from the original). All in all I'm happy my McPub so close to home finally turned things around. Nothing mindblowing, of course. But it's certainly improved and has become a place I'll be happy to visit again.
(3)
Charlene T.
McCrays on the square has a magnificent view of the city square ...right up on the roof! Needless to say its seasonal but that's ok! When the blossoms are full bloom its just wonderful ..April May...fantastic. The service is ok and the fried fish is awesome.
(3)
Lauren R.
i like their house made soup, menu is alright, beer selection is excellent. The roof top seating is awesome, too bad when people get a spot up there they camp out, making it somewhat difficult to get a table. But hey that's part of it right?
(3)
Zee Z.
Been here many times...never really got impressed by food or service here. They serve basic bar food, very non-exciting. I feel the food is slightly overpriced, given the quality of food, ambiance and location. But whatever... This is a tavern and they have a decent selection of brews and spirits. Oh BTW, i hate sitting up top on the patio, service is so damn slow, makes me wanna cancel my order and go somewhere else. ugh Would i go here again? not sure...
(2)
Atlanta F.
Food is overpriced and average. Service is hit or miss and usually miss. It is a shame, great location and usually a good crowd but not a place we often want to go back to.
(2)
Paul R.
This place could be better but it is what it is. Luckily for me I sat at the bar. Sometimes if you're sitting at a table the service is slow. I know, because it was slow at the bar with only 3 people sitting there when I was there. I hadn't had the food in a while but going with some of my buddies experience I won't buy any. Don't take my review at face value but you can go try these guys out. The last time I tried the food out myself I wasn't really impressed. I had too much trouble trying to find a place to park then damn near have to walk a quarter of a mile to get there so that dropped some serious stars with me.
(2)
Cheyenne A.
great food, drinks and service! love the mccrays family :)
(4)
Paul A.
My wife and I dined at McCrays the other night and had a great experience. We were promptly seated and served. My son had a hamburger which was cooked to his liking. I had the Flint Fish and Chips, named after Larry Flint the porn mogul who was shot across the street at the courthouse in Lawrenceville, GA. The food was hot and fresh, and the fries were out of this world--crisp and flavorful. The service was excellent from beginning to end. We did arrive there on a Saturday evening but it was early, before 5:30 so I can't comment on how the service might have been better or worse when the restaurant was more crowded. overall, though, a great meal. paul
(5)
Julie S.
Food was decent. Service was horrible. Too bad there was an automatic 18 percent. Certainly will never be back. I had to go find our server to pay, to order, to get drinks. Even though the kitchen did ok, the service couldn't have been much worse.
(1)
Marcus C.
Stopped by with family after Sunday morning church service. We were immediately seated , but ignored for almost 10 minutes. The food was fantastic. I ordered corned beef Reuben, wife ordered chicken salad paninni. Will definitely return.
(3)
Kent K.
Stopped in today for the first time. Just had a few drinks and appetizers in the bar area. The food and the service was excellent (server was Tyler) and the prices very reasonable. Decor is very warm and inviting although could be a touch cleaner. Will definitely go back.
(4)
Dave M.
Bar food at best. Don't go expecting a great dining experience. Going on the roof and having an exotic beer seems to be what people like to do here. I suspect poor mgmt which is the difference between great restaurants and so-so ones.
(3)
Hunter U.
Mediocre burgers, which a place describing itself as a tavern should deliver in spades. Want it to be better than it is (ate on the roof a few months ago and came back as part of a business lunch...the best I can say is that it IS a nice view from the roof)
(2)
Kathy H.
So, the rooftop dining was a definite draw (had wandered into Local Republic on a recommend but wasn't captivated by the menu so the open air seating at McCray's was the next logical choice). The wine list was short, and the one pinot grigio was acceptable but not outstanding. The entrees (a prime rib sandwich which ended up being more like chipped beef and the beef tip salad) were just mediocre. Again, did I mention how lovely the rooftop dining was? And our server was so nice (Crystal - hope I spelled that right - kudos to you, you're the bomb!). Dessert was actually decent - the only one made in-house was the tiramisu, so it was an easy choice. Overall the experience was just OK - and the rooftop, lovely as it was, wouldn't have been enough of a draw to get me back there a second time. Add to that the fact that we were 2 people at a 4 top and were asked to move to a non-street-view 2-top table to accommodate a party of 3 who easily fit at the 2-top (I was on the phone or would have objected strenuously) but who probably just wanted a street-view table and who purportedly had reservations, yet not for that particular table, just general reservations for a particular time... that was a new one on me, being asked to move before we even got our dessert! I consider this a poor decision on the part of management and a bad way of doing business. Yes, they comped the dessert (their idea to offset their suggestion that we relocate, not our idea), but the whole snafu pretty much locked down my decision not to give this place a second try. Still, the weather was beautiful, no one went away angry, and I don't at all regret having given this place a try!
(2)
Jeff L.
Stopped in for some apps and a beer with my wife. App was OK, but when I got the bill I noticed that instead of free refills on diet coke, they charge same as the first. I think it was something like $2.50 each, so my two beers were almost the same as the two diet cokes! In this day of free soft drink refills, I always get the feeling I am being ripped off when a place does this. Left a bad taste in my mouth for the place.
(2)
Matt L.
I have been coming to this place before they officially opened. It is nice to have a local place down the street where everybody knows your name. Be sure to get a beer card and work to get your name on the wall. Food, service, atmosphere, are all top notch! When the weather is nice be sure to sit outside on the roof top patio.
(5)
Nicole M.
We ate here because you get to eat on the rooftop and anyplace that has a set up like that is going to get a visit from us at least once. Other than the view from the rooftop there was nothing special about this place. The service and food were average at best.
(2)
Jason M.
I was hoping that my first experience here was a fluke, but they proved themselves to be quite consistent with my second and final visit. I have never been to a restaurant until now that actually forgets that they have patrons there(unless your by the bar). This place wasn't even busy last night(there may have been 12 guests eating there) and my wife and I even had to walk our payment over to the hostess that went from greeting folks at the door to being on a computer oblivious to what was going on(we surprised her when handing her the payment). The waitress stopped coming to the table(we walked around and couldn't find her anywhere).We could've easily strolled out there without payment on both occasions(if we weren't good people) because the waiter/waitress never came back to the table after seeing how we were enjoying the food(on both occasions they were nowhere to be found). During our first visit here a couple of months ago there was a young man working as a waiter who served my wife and I(during prom season). He was doing fine until this prom crowd came in. Thereafter, it was like my wife and I didn't exist. He stopped coming to the table, heck, he didn't even acknowledge us on his way to deliver food to them as he walked by us with it. During our initial visit, I saw two couples walk into the restaurant and stood awaiting to be seated and then left back out looking upset be wise they weren't greeted, nor acknowledged as they just stood by the door waiting for at least two minutes( I actually timed the second couple) to be seated. Let this review serve as a CLEAR warning about this place. If you enjoy good service and good food, STAY AWAY from this Mccray's. My wife and I would rather inconvenience ourselves and drive 40 minutes to downtown Atlanta instead of this nearby restaurant.
(1)
Alex H.
There's a pretentious douchebag deep inside that really wants to hate this place. I have to tell that part to sit down and shut up. The food's good, the atmosphere's good, the beer selection is good, and the service is great.
(3)
J P.
First time I went, I had some great beer and service but then again I wasn't ordering food. The next time I went, I had the grilled chicken sandwich and it was very tasty. The third time I went, we didnt get a server for over 20 mins and it wasn't even busy....there were only 10 other ppl there and it was a weekday so I had to stand up and wave down a server. Once we finally got one, she was not attentive and did not come and check on us unless I waved her down and I hate to do that to ppl. Once we were ready to order (it was 10:05p), I was told that the kitchen closed. I was shocked that a place that is open until 2am and serves alcohol until that time would close the kitchen 4 hours before closing all together. I don't think that is very smart of them to do especially with serving alcohol THAT long without any food to absorb. That was a huge NO NO for us so we will not be returning.
(2)
Jo Anna M.
My boyfriend and I really enjoy coming to McCray's. Its usually on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon after doing a little flying. We just love their chicken tenders!! We both always order those- an order for each of us and he get a Yuengling and I get my usual Margarita! Our service is always great and we love sitting on the rooftop patio! Very friendly service and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend!!!
(4)
Dan O.
To sum up my experiences at McCray's Tavern in two words- not impressed. I've been to McCray's three times. The first time was after hitting the shooting range for lunch with a friend. I ordered the McCray's "classic" burger. It was not bad, but not great. Not really cooked to my specifications. Service was great. The second time I went to McCray's was after training off Winder Hwy with a few buddies. I ordered the California Turkey BLT. It was alright, again, nothing to write home about. Service was not that good and it was not particularly busy. The third time I've been to McCray's, and will most likely never go back, was for a Christmas party at the end of 2011 for my girlfriends job. The owner of her Salon, who is a very good friend of mine, reserved a table for 20 a month prior to the party. The arranged menu was either Chicken Cordon Bleu or a Beef Filet. There were three sides to choose from between potatoes, green beans or macaroni and cheese. I opted for the Beef, yum. When I ordered the beef meal with mac 'n cheese and green beans the waitress asked how I wanted it cooked. I advised I'd like it medium rare. When dinner was served only two people actually received the correct thing that they ordered. I received a burnt beef steak with two orders of potatoes. Yeah, I couldn't even eat the steak. I even tried using A1 sauce. Yuck. The waitress that served our party was alright, kind of ditzy. There was another food runner who was helping her that was a complete jerk. Overall, I think this place is overall a nice clean restaurant. However, due to my sub-par and bad experiences, I cannot in good faith recommend this restaurant. Especially if you're trying to book your office party.
(2)
Randy A.
Everyone... I mean EVERYONE was super friendly at this cool looking pub in old downtown Lawrenceville. Came in for a mid-afternoon (late) lunch and was immediately greeted by a awesome smiling hostess who was charming and funny. The bartender was cracking jokes with the early drinkers at the bar, and our server was awesome... down home friendly. This seems like the bar where everyone knows your name after 3-4 visits. The food was average... I mean it was pub food, what do you expect? The fried pickles were tasty, but my grilled chicken sandwich was merely average-- not bad, not good-- average. That may be my punishment for eating a non-fried item here. But I've got to tell you the customer service was OFF THE HOOK. If I lived closer I would make this my watering hole. BOTTOM LINE: Food was 2 stars-- Service was 5 stars = 4 stars.
(4)
Erik M.
Tons of great options for beer. I'm not a beer lover but this place is my "go-to" for a good time with friends. The wings are also REALLY good. Try the lemon pepper wings... you won't regret it ;)
(4)
Heather S.
Once again, I find myself OTP, but this time in Gwinnett with some friends who live out that way. The food here is bar food, but really good bar food. They had a ton of sandwiches and they had pasta options as well. Our group got a wide variety of food...burger, chicken sandwiches and different paninis. My Southwest chicken sandwich was really good. We got the potato chip appetizer and it was great. Tons of gorgonzola and tomatos on top of homemade potato chips that were perfect. Service was great and that's why they're getting the extra star. If you find yourself near the square at meal time, this would be a good option.
(4)
Anne B.
Had lunch there last Saturday with the entire motley crew of 4 kids, 2 adults. Kids menu was decent they had a burger and mac n cheese respectively, while the teens had a pimento burger and a buffalo chicken panini. Grown ups had wings. Hot wings, arent very hot, but that's ok, they were still good, but not make your nose run and eyes water hot at all, not even close. I like this spot for lunch, not so much for dinner, however am excited as Spring rolls around to enjoy a brew on the rooftop deck. It was cold and rainy when we were there, so no rooftop for us that day! They had a good number of brews on tap and the building itself with the exposed brick is really cool. We will go back again! BTW, you have to try Local Republic if you are near Town Square too, now that place gets 5 stars from this crew!
(3)
Derek L.
McCray Tavern on the Square is set up to be a great Bar - Restaurant. It's selling features are a great classic bar feel and their roof top deck that looks over down town Lawrenceville. The negative is that they have fairly high priced food choices with just Mediocre taste. Great place to meet up with some one and catch up.
(3)
Reepa P.
Roof top view is very nice however the food isn't my favorite I usually go to Local Republic and end the night here with a few drinks on the roof.
(3)
Gino M.
Standard bar service with substandard food. I haven't had much here that was palatable and it would be difficult to prove that most of the food didn't fall off the frozen ass end of a sysco truck.
(2)
Michelle S.
We went with a group of 6 people for dinner - had a great time, food was wonderful, service was good. They had a live musician playing which engaged with us - so that was fun. Had some drinks - just had a great time!
(4)
Tim G.
The wife and I have been here many times. Never disappointed. Food is always great and the employee's are friendly and attentive. Got to try the soups. Made fresh daily and amazing. They also run some great specials every day, from wings, burgers, or special drink prices. Many beers to choose from, I think 37 taps on the wall. Also, some really cool rooftop dinning. The KENO is fun also. Check out their web site for events that go on. Plus, lot's of large TV's with all the sports games on. I give this place a huge thumbs up !! Any negative comments in Yelp about this place are either from jealousy or some kind of personal vengeance, don't believe it for second. Go there at least once and make your own conclusion. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
William G.
This place used to be amazing - a group of friends of mine (usually 8 of us) would come every week for trivia night. We loved the food, the atmosphere, and most of the staff. Now, it's a totally different story. The menu changed, getting rid of several of their best items (including my favorite of theirs, the pulled pork BBQ sandwich), and didn't add much at all (if anything). Food takes forever to be served (we've been back a few times since the changes to make sure these issues weren't isolated), and isn't up to the same quality as before. Drinks from the bar made wrong, waitresses forgetting food/drink orders, and more. It sucks that this amazing place went downhill so fast...
(2)
Scott B.
I had a late lunch with drinks here while visiting some friends in the area. A nice break from seeing all of the chain restaurants around that part of Georgia. I had the Cuban and chips. The bread was really good, but the sauce that came with it was great. Lots of vinegar. The chips were very crispy, and tasted good dipping them in the sauce. Good beer selection. Prices were great.
(4)
Ashley A.
Good food and drinks. Ask for Tim he's super friendly
(5)
Michael L.
I've been here three times now. The food is always good and they do steaks very well. I love their beer selection, too.
(4)
Jeff R.
Awesome roof top view of the town of lawrenceville
(4)
Valerie P.
This place has gotten better over the years. They have a better vegetarian selection than they used to, and their beer selection is pretty darn impressive. The bar service is usually really good, but the servers on the floor take their sweet time. I think they are constantly improving their restaurant, and I continue to go back. It's a good place to meet up with friends or watch sports.
(4)
Peggy T.
Gave them 3 times at bat and this place struck out every time. Less than mediocre food and service. It is nice on the roof top unless your waiting on ketchup for your fries and the waitress has to go downstairs to get it; cold fries, yuk!
(1)
S W.
Sitting on the roof top and enjoying lunch with a few drinks on a sunny spring weekend is a wonderful experience. I felt safe on the roof, though others felt movement, I didn't feel like we'd fall through or anything. I had two fruity drinks, I liked the grape nehi but the cherry lemonade wasn't that great. The food was average, I enjoyed my Cuban sandwich with a side salad. The brunch menu is pretty small, most of us ordered from the regular menu. Service was friendly but a little slow, they do have to walk up the stairs to bring the food and drinks up. Bathroom was very clean and the whole atmosphere was nice, we'll be back for the sunshine.
(4)
Sarah E.
4 stars because our server was a sweetheart and the food was pretty darn good. And besides, beggars can't be choosers and this is a pretty decent spot compared to a lot of what the Lawrenceville and Suwanee areas have to offer. I stopped by here with a friend for dinner on Sunday night. There was a decent crowd but it wasn't packed. It's non-smoking inside so it's ideal for families with kids, and I did see a couple of those while we were there. There's also a pretty nifty rooftop patio, which I may check out someday when I'm no longer pregnant and can actually have drinks. As I mentioned before, the server was really nice. She checked on us often (but not annoyingly often) and got us our food and drinks pretty quickly. My water stayed full, which is pretty impressive because ever since I've been knocked up I suck down water by the gallon most days. For dinner, I order the shrimp and grits, which comes with two sides. Since I'd read on Yelp that the homemade chips were good, I ordered those as one of my sides (you can get them "loaded" so that they're topped with gorgonzola cheese, tomatoes and bacon just like the appetizer portion). My other side was the mac' n cheese. My friend ordered the ribeye with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad. When my food arrived, I did a double-take because there was so much of it. The portion of shrimp and grits was quite generous, and my plateful of chips was full enough that I had to share with my friend because there was no way I could finish it and eat much of my meal. I ended up with a to-go box at the end of the evening. The chips were really good. I can think of another place OTP that serves homemade chips (and also has a kickass rooftop patio... hmmm) and the running joke with my friends is always how awful they are. These weren't, and the fact that they were topped with bacon and gorgonzola really didn't hurt either. The shrimp and grits wasn't the best I've had, but it was solidly tasty. It was even better the next day when I ate it as leftovers. The low point of my meal was the mac 'n cheese. It wasn't awful and it didn't taste like it came from a package, but I prefer my mac 'n cheese with a crust on top and a thicker texture. Still, for a low point it really wasn't bad. My friend said that her food was good, although to me it looked like her ribeye was overcooked. But she was happy, so I'm happy too. Would definitely come back here. It seems like a great place for friends and families alike.
(4)
Dave P.
Outrageous burgers! I'm so happy we stopped here for lunch today and FINALLY gave McCray's a try. I driven past McCray's a thousand times but never really considered eating here for some reason. I guess I thought it was going to be a smoky bar or something. WRONG! It's wonderful. It's cool! I love it! I ordered the South of the Border Burger (or some such name). It had avocado and and fried egg on it. I'd eat an old shoe if it had egg and avocado on it, but this burger was cooked to order, hot and delicious and the roll was soft and fresh. Yum! My wife ordered the Black and Bleu Burger - she seemed happy with her choice but it was hard to pay attention because I was my own cloud of burger ecstasy. We both had the fries and they were good too. We had limited time, so we left after eating the delicious food, but now that I've read some other reviews, I know I must return and check out the roof top patio. If you are reading reviews because you are wondering if this place is any good, or if it is kid friendly, let me tell you to read no more and just go.
(4)
Jim O.
I like this place because it is a cool place to grab a few drinks with friends on the square in downtown Lawrenceville. The food has been hit or miss for me at best. I ordered the ribs once. They were the worst I have ever had. They were mostly cold and so that probably was enough to make the experience not good. Sure I could have returned them but I was well into eating them before I really gave up. I would never order them in either case. I have had their shrimp and grits and another dish or two that has been pretty good. The atmosphere is pretty cool and service is generally efficient and friendly. Their outdoor patio is actually on the roof of their building which is a pretty cool. However, realize the wait staff has to go up and down every time you send them for something, so it takes a little more time when you order your drinks, etc. Realize too that you will have to go up and down those same stairs to get to the bathroom. There is really nothing up there but seating and a little bit of a view. It's very nice option in the right weather but it is removed from the busier-ness of downstairs and inside.
(3)
Mike G.
I've been here twice now and I have to say, the place is pretty good! We went to the rooftop both times and it was great! The service was very good and the views were excellent. Definitely a good place for a date. As for the food, I would say that it's bar food and that you shouldn't have high expectations. On both occasions we ordered some apps, one was fried calamari which was okay, it came with a good spicy sauce, the other was the gouda home made chips which actually tasted pretty good! We also tried the vodka pasta, we ordered one plate to share and the waiter working the rooftop split it for us! The pasta was actually pretty good. The drinks are great too! My fiance has tried most of the mixed drinks on the menu and she said all of them were made very well. Overall, I would say that this place is definitely a nice place to have in town and I will come back again soon!
(4)
victoria f.
The wedge salad was really yummy and I'm not typically the kind of person who orders salads... I just saw it on someone's table and couldn't resist it. The pecan pie was super yummy. We had them add a scoop of ice cream to the side (yes, I know I "undid" my salad)...but they forgot to warm in up like we asked. I popped upstairs to the patio for a few minutes to see this view I had been hearing about for year, it was an OKAY view, but I wasn't sure why people were going nuts over it. I think the neatest part ab this place is that it is super old and the bricks are exposed. All in all, the food was good. I'll probably go back if invited back to Lawrenceville.
(3)
Michelle H.
Eh... It is was it is. Bar food. Reminds me of a chain establishment. I had the BBQ sandwich and it wasn't bad. When given the choice, i'm neutral about going back.
(3)
Mandy H.
My boyfriend and I were looking for brunch on a Friday afternoon, driving down 29 towards Historic Lawrenceville. We saw the sign for brunch and decided to give it a try. Well, they don't do brunch during the week, but whatever. We both got sandwiches and sat inside by the bar. My Cuban was delicious! It was still good when I reheated the second half later that night at home. My boyfriend's chicken salad was tasty as well, but there was too much lettuce for the serving size. The mac n cheese wasn't that great, but the fries made up for it. Mmm-mmm! Tastes like real oil to me. We'll go sometime to sit outside when it's warm, but we might be back to try the beer while it's still cold!
(4)
Barry A.
I am always one to support local businesses and it has become increasingly harder to find such places amongst the wake of urban sprawl. However recently there has been a surge of redevelopment in small town squares around the metro. I couldn't be more pleased with some of the restaurants that have come out of this movement. I was in Lawrenceville to celebrate Father's Day with my parents and they mentioned this place had opened up a while ago but just haven't been to it. Since my dad's favorite BBQ place was closing early that day we decided to try out this place. My mom touted they had around 39 beers on draft which is always a plus in both our books (I get my drinking habits from my mother). We were promptly greeted at the door and had a seat on the patio since it was a nice day outside and little chilly indoors. The patio deck is built on top of the restaurant that used to be an old drug store. It was a bit of climb to get up there but it was well worth it as you had a great view of the old town square. We had their Gorgonzola Potato Chips and ten of their Mild Buffalo Wings. The chips were fantastic and the wings were fair. I ordered the Tavern Dip with more homemade potato chips (I couldn't get enough of them) and it was one of the best French Dip sandwiches I have had in a long while. It was made with their hanger steak and served on a hoagie bun and both au jus and their horseradish sauces. It was quite delicious. My wife and my parents also enjoyed their entrees as well. The service was good and the waiter we had was quick witted and athletic. I think he must have made more than 20 trips up and down those stairs while we were there. One of the things that was a little unsettling on the patio was fact that every time he transversed the staircase the patio shook. I am sure the deck was structurally sound but probably could be reinforced a little more to get rid of the shaking. THE BOTTOM LINE -- If I lived in Lawrenceville, I would probably be at this place at least once a week enjoying the sunshine and having a couple beers with friends.
(4)
Nancy B.
I wanted to try out Local Republic across the street but the wait was long and the 6 year old was with us. I was a bit happy because I thought I could get Strongbow on tap here as on my previous visit. No such luck! They don't have it anymore!!! The best part though was my husband and our friend both ordered "fish and chips". It literally came with CHIPS as in Lays, Ruffles, etc. We pointed it out to another waitress (not the one we had) and she brought out fries. Service seemed a little too lax for my liking but I guess I am picky. I may go back if I hear they have Strongbow again. I also forgot to mention, it does get loud in there...just warning you in case you don't enjoy that sort of thing.
(2)
Rebecca W.
McCray's Tavern is a great local joint for good food and drinks. It's smoke free which is a huge plus in my book! The best thing on the menu in my opinion is the grilled three cheese sandwich on challah bread with either fries or pasta salad. On Friday and Saturday night they have live bands playing. McCray's also has an outdoor patio on the roof of the restaurant that overlooks Downtown Lawrenceville's square.
(5)
D M.
This place is just okay......I will definitely admit that I am giving them an extra star purely for the awesome roof deck and for me to be able to sit outside and drink one afternoon while visiting family in Lawrenceville. First off, the roof deck was nice and quiet upon arriving, and filled up towards the end of our Saturday lunch adventure. We were seated quickly, but it took a while for us to get brunch menus to go along with our regular menus. We ordered drinks (they found us a few drink/beer/wine lists hiding) and we ordered drinks. It took a while and we finally received our drinks, along with the brunch menus. First off, the brunch menus are nothing to speak of. Secondly, yes, I've worked in a few restaurants and services industries, and working in one with stairs sucks. It doesn't mean you should group orders together or wait to get something for someone just because you have to walk down the stairs. I know it's not fun, but you'd get bigger tips if there's a little more effort out in for customer service. Keeping a big party waiting for their afternoon liquids isn't cool. I ordered a UFO, and it came with no lemon, which was okay, as my sister's drink came with THREE lemons. I stole one of hers. Anyway, after looking at the menus, we were ready to order long before the waitress came back. We ordered, and the food came in a slightly more efficient time frame. My sandwich was just okay, and while I ordered it with cheese, it came with none. After asking, I was told they were out of the kind of cheese I wanted, but came back with a shredded mix....hmmm, things that would be good to tell the customer: "Hey, I couldn't give you exactly what you wanted-how about this?" The fries that came along with my sandwich were good and crunchy. We hung out and worked on our skin cancer for a while, and I ordered a gin and tonic, which is the perfect afternoon drink. It arrived about ten minutes later. SANS LIME. I had to ask, and send some sucker down for a lime.....seriously, who is tending bar that doesn't put a lime in a gin and tonic? The pour of gin was pretty generous, which was a saving grace, once I got the lime. :( So this place is worth going to purely for the outside seating....it's good for day drinking and watching people below. I would really suggest to the management to increase productivity and hire some more runners to fetch things for the waitresses and get them phones or walkies to get what they need so the customers don't need to wait. Also, some of the prices are a liiiiiittle bit more than I'd like to be paying, particularly for certain drinks and beers. My first beer was a 20 ounce and it was $6.50. I assumed it would be a larger size, but the drink menu didn't say the sizes on it. Also, in regards to menus, get all menus laminated and make the waitresses memorize or write down the specials (or get a specials board)-our waitress had to go downstairs to find out the omelet of the day. Sucks for everyone involved. Anyway, I'd be back for the outside day drinking and that's about it.
(3)
Ms F.
Not as impressed as I expected to be. Sure a million beers on tap. Ok- a roofside dining experience. I am going there to eat. The burgers were dry and tasteless. Granted, we called ahead and were seated right away. But I go out to eat for good food. I left disappointed and haven't been back since. The 3 children I took with me probably ate one kids meal between them. Maybe try something different next time? If there is a next time?
(3)
Alex C.
I came to this due all the traffic going to the location. I wanted to be part of the in crowd! It would have been better to be a leader and not a follower. The limited brunch menu led me to the direction of lunch, and with all the sandwhiches....why not!?! I ordered the salmon sandwich's with onion rings (a reviewer said they were GREAT), Margarita and some apps. We sat on the upper deck, to view the traffic, since there is no real view of anything, but the smoke from the vent over the fryer. I can say the chips were not bad, the cheese sticks were fried to the point the cheese had run out. And the sandwich was bland, at best. But the issue came from the onion rings, which were fried in old oil, or were put in cold oil. The onion rings, were dark, greasy, and nothing special. After lunch I was looking for Club Soda. The remainder of the evening, I was feeling like McCray's had set me up to fail!!!!! I will not be going back!!!
(1)
Vivian F.
Bar food is decent, atmosphere is great. I would prefer to hang out with friends there than eating dinner there.
(3)
Jodi N.
SO impressed. McCray's hosted a fundraiser for the Tutus for Tatas. I went to support them...I had never heard of the place. I was SO surprised. Really cool feel inside, and the top deck was a nice touch. Tons of cool beers on tap. WONDERFUL onion rings. I had a chicken dish that was fab. Everyone at the table was in love. We don't live near by, but I know we will be making the trip back to McCrays. Service was a little slow, BUT they were slammed with tons of Tutus for the event. Overall, great food and really different atmosphere. Not overly bar-ish. Great food, especially for a pub style restaurant.
(4)
Aleck B.
McCray's Tavern just opened at a new location in downtown Lawrenceville this past year, and so the wife and I decided to pop in for their Saturday brunch. Unfortunately, the experience left a lot to be desired. I ordered the steak and eggs, which was described in the menu as grilled hangar steak, two scrambled eggs topped with a chili hollandaise sauce, hash browns and fresh fruit. My wife ordered the Benedict, which was the traditional dish served with a chive hollandaise (also with hash browns and fresh fruit). My wife's dish arrived with the traditional hollandaise rather than the chive variant, and my dish arrived without *any* hollandaise, hash browns or fruit. I let the waiter know about the mix-up, and he went back to the kitchen with a copy of the menu in order to straighten it all out. He returned a few minutes later with the sides, explaining that the kitchen staff had no idea what a chili hollandaise sauce was, nor how to make it. He went on to say that the brunch menu was brand new, and that nobody had been informed by the management about anything on it. In fact, he complained that the menu they provided them lists an omelette with the price listed as "market price," so everyone was forced to ask the wait staff how much it was, and nobody knew the answer! "I mean, what is it, lobster???" he added. To make matters worse, the menu didn't even describe what was *in* the omelette. Just "chef's daily selection" with no indication as to what that might even *be.* On top of that, the eggs I received were overcooked, and my wife's dish was "eh...average; it's about IHOP-level" (to use her words). The hangar steak was acceptable; a bit on the bland side, but should have paired up nicely with a chili hollandaise sauce if only some were available! While I *might* try them again for something other than brunch, that's still a pretty big maybe.
(2)
Jodi G.
Well first of all unlike to start with the positive, the black and Bleu burger was good however Tony are waiter was horrible! He barely cared and he told us the wings were not the best and the burgers were good. He was right! However when we told him that the burgers were not cooked right he said " besides that , was everything ok? He really just didn't care. Customer service is everything. Even good food taste bad when service is good. Won't be back. It was loud and not many choices.
(1)
Lisa M.
This place has great ambiance. Great lunch specials. The buffalo chicken panini is to die for. .They also have fantastic fries... Great service each time we've went also.
(4)
Michelle M.
We came for lunch on a Sunday and we watch table after table received their food before ours came out. The server did not get me a refill on my drink until we reminder her a second time. We finally had to wave down the waitress and were told the made a mistake on my son's sandwich. A new one needed to be made this after sitting for 35 mintues. It took over an hour to get our food. The food was ok and they did try to make it right with a free dessert. I said fine but no ice cream. My son can't have it. She brought the brownie and ice cream was under the wip cream. I will never go again.
(1)
Kayleigh B.
Stopped into McCray's after having dinner across the street at local republic! Our group wanted to have another drink and the restaurant was closing! McCray's bar area wasn't calling last call until 1:30 so we had plenty of time there! We didn't have any food, but the bar service was great! Their selection of beer on tap is impressive! I like something with a little more flavor and they had plenty to choose from! The staff was polite and the bar service quick... there is nothing to complain about for this late night stop!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Liz P.
I actually liked this place. I ordered the burger with mashed potatoes. Appetizers were onion rings and wings. The onion rings are great! Burger was good and they have different kinds. Service was fast and attentive. My daughter ordered the macaroni and cheese and when I tasted it it was so good I ordered it to go I will definitely be back
(3)Chataun D.
I was nervous to eat there last night after reading the review and seeing an average of three stars. I had eaten there on several previous occasions and really enjoyed my meals. Last night was no different. I had a burger, a grizzly burger I think it was, and a house salad. The burger was well seasoned, cooked perfectly, and was topped with an onion ring and barbecue sauce. Two thumbs up!
(5)Sandi C.
This is a nice place, nice servers. We ordered chicken wings that were on the dry side. The fish and chips along with the Cuban sandwich was on the bland side. The sweet tea is more unsweet than sweet. The wings were a little over priced especially since they were dry and we had to add way more sauce to make it decent. Other than that it was a good eat. I would prbly come again and try something else.
(3)Don M.
Another restaurant that won't guarantee any of their food to be allergen free. So if you truly have an allergy stay away
(1)Gina G.
Sunday brunch on the roof top today. I've never been here before and I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered a Bloody Mary to start and asked them to load it up with celery, olives, whatever! When it came to the table it looked great! They even threw in a slice of crispy bacon! I ordered the chicken and pimento cheese panini and my friend had fish and chips. Both dishes were very good. I'll come back to try their beer selection, which, by the looks of it, looked great!
(4)Joe L.
Food was good but the waitress got our bill all mixed up we had a party of six and the waitress had the wrong orders on the the bill and they put gratuity on your bill when it's party of 6
(3)Melissa H.
Everything met my expectations, from the food to the beer selection to the service. I think McCray's gets a bad rap. Sure, the food selection is not insanely creative. It's typical bar fare, but it's done well. My beer arrived cold and crisp, my fish and chips were hot and tasty, and my server was pleasant. What more could you want?
(3)Tara C.
Great place to eat on a nice day! Eat on the roof top! Super nice view of downtown Lville!
(4)Wendy T.
Great food, service ok, very cool atmosphere!
(4)M'Kaneghay H.
We have visited a few times with friends. Each experience has been about the same. Good waiters, average wait time for a party of 4, decent food. I really like the nachos however one time we went when I was pregnant and they didn't have chips. I don't understand how a tavern didn't have chips, don't care what time of day or day of the week it is. But I haven't been disappointed with the food or drinks. If you are in the area and want a cool tavern to hang out with friends, I know of another spot but if they are too crowded...make a trip to McCray's.
(3)Berry G.
I honestly was expecting something to go wrong since the reviews here aren't that great. But I have no complaints. Parking was ample Waitress was attentive and quick Table of 8 and they didn't mess up a single order Turkey club sandwich was excellent I'm a fan! I wish I could speak for the roof top, but on a Saturday afternoon in August, it was far too hot out for that.
(4)Sunna P.
The food and the service was great! I had the chicken and waffles and it was really good. The waitress was really sweet too!
(4)Claudia C.
We used to LOVE this place! But, with new management taking over it has really gone downhill. Food is not consistent. We will go there for dinner and it's great, then brunch and lunch is not the same. We just left where we waited 50 minutes for a lunch portion sandwich and half salad that we didn't receive. Service was great! At least our waters were filled up
(2)Daniel B.
McCray's Tavern on the Square is a traditional bar and tavern in downtown Lawrenceville. There's a second location in Smryna's West Village. I've been to both locations and they're essentially the same. McCray's Tavern on the Square is a popular spot for local Lawrenceville suburbanites. On weekend evenings, this place gets packed with twentysomethings to middle aged folks looking to unwind. The tavern is partitioned into a few different sections. On certain nights, one of the rooms has a DJ and live music. It almost becomes like a dance club, which I think is kind of strange for a tavern. Aside from that, McCray's is pretty much the typical American tavern. It's relatively new. The atmosphere is casual and the noise level is loud. If you're looking to have a meal without having to raise your voice to speak to another person at your table, you should look elsewhere. Also, there are several TVs mounted high for your sports viewing pleasure. I wouldn't consider this a sports bar though. McCray's food menu consists of standard "pub grub" fare including sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, and appetizers and entrees like chicken tenders, wings, fish and chips, shrimp and grits, meatloaf, and ribs. There are hardly any creative or original items, so the menu is straightforward and you know what you're going to get. At dinnertime, expect to spend about $10-15 per person for most entrees. Burgers are in the $10-12 range, which I think is a little expensive if you're not paying for a gourmet burger. There are weekday lunch specials (11am-3pm) for $6.95. I've tried a few items. They include: Fried Macaroni and Cheese - served with bacons, scallions, and a honey mustard dipping sauce "Flint" Fish and Chips - seasoned and lightly battered fried cod, served with French fries and tartar sauce (I subbed coleslaw in lieu of fries.) "Monford" Burger - 8 oz. ground beef patty topped with pimento cheese, bacon, and jalapeno on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onion I can't say I've been too impressed with the food, but it's not bad. At $6.95, the fried mac and cheese seems like a reasonable deal because of the portion size. It could almost be a meal unto itself. Four fried mac and cheese fritters come with each order. Each fritter is bigger than the size of a golf ball. It's basically balls of elbow mac and cheese, battered and deep fried, and topped with scallions and real bacon bits. The quality of the mac and cheese isn't very good, which is a big reason why this dish is mediocre. Not sure why the fish and chips have the moniker "Flint" in front of them because these fish and chips are generic. The fried fish filets are quite small and measly here -- just not a whole lot of meat. Maybe I just happened to be unlucky and get a lackluster batch, but almost every other bar I've ordered fish and chips at, the fish filets have been bigger. Taste-wise, it's good and what you'd expect. Four small fish filets are served with each order. If you want, you can sub a different side in place of fries. There are about 10 sides to choose from. These include pasta salad and sauteed spinach. I subbed slaw in and thought it was okay. McCray's slaw has a lot of mayo. I've also tried the pasta salad and liked it. Bowtie pasta are used and the side is tasty and refreshing. The burgers are big. The Monford burger patty is thick and hearty and is topped with a heapful of pimento cheese sauce and two strips of bacon. The red onion, tomato slice, and shredded lettuce are crisp and sufficiently fresh. Altogether, the burger is filling for sure, but not as appetizing as I hoped. Both the meat and bun are average. I think one of the biggest burgers on the menu is the Grizzly Burger, which one of my tablemates has ordered. The burger patty is served with a giant onion ring on top and a steak knife sticking down through the middle. Service is fine. Brittany is a good server. Parking in downtown Lawrenceville can be a pain, but there should be plenty of free parking spaces around the Square and on the street. Just be sure to obey the rules on the parking signs, especially during regular weekday business hours. You may have to park a couple blocks away.
(2)Rebecca C.
Great beer selection. Fantastic food. Love the rooftop! The FBR is delicious beyond belief. Love the fried mac and cheese balls. The honey mustard dipping sauce was a surprise, since I didn't think those two combos would go together, but the flavors blend together very nicely. Service can be a little slow sometimes, but overall this is one of my favorite restaurants.
(5)Michael C.
disappointing. really enjoy the slop flowing out the side door on to the sidewalk on to the street. everything they fry is greasy, like the floor to the restroom.
(2)Brian D.
We've been here several times and the food and drinks have always been perfect. The Buffalo Chicken Panini was great. Great servers and staff.
(4)Whitney L.
I'll start this review by saying I just left this place and I am so irritated. This is one of those reviews that couldn't wait until tomorrow. I'll start by saying the bartender here was awesome. And his entire tip tonight is the only money spent that was worth anything. He and another friendly server are the sole reason for 2 stars. Nothing else. All I wanted in my life on this gorgeous early spring Georgia afternoon was a patio, a drink and some decent food. So McCray's seemed like the perfect place, no? (No is the right answer, by the way.) So the hostess says "we're just waiting on a table to turn, it'll be about 15 minutes." Okay, cool, we'll be at the bar. 25 minutes later, and quite a few folks have left upstairs and...nothing. So my boyfriend goes to get menus for us to look at, and he let a very helpful guy know what we were waiting on, who said he'd take care of us. Meanwhile, the bartender has poured wonderful drinks and been very friendly. Finally more time passes and the hostess is near the bar so I ask "how long do you think it'll be for a table upstairs now?" Her response: "Well it's going to be a while... -insert resting bitch face mouth here-" Wtf. Not the right answer when it was 15 minutes, 30 minutes ago. So the friendly guy who supplied us with menus saw my face and politely said "I'll go see what we can do up there." Thank. You. He comes back to explain that we can have any of the two top tables up there, but it would be really helpful for us to order with the bartender and they'll bring our food up. That is perfect. Thank you for taking initiative and doing what you can. So we order with the bartender, who explains that management didn't plan on anyone wanting to sit up there today, and that the guy who picked up the tables is slammed. Sorry but this amazingggg weather was known by everyone who had been through this ridiculous Georgia winter lately. So anyway, those guys were great and the food was terrible. Terrible. Everything was cold, and bland. Our calamari was nothing but batter and 2 pieces of squid. The gorgonzola chips were like Kroger kettle chips and some bottled blue cheese, and the mac and cheese balls were just fried junk with no taste at all. They were served with honey mustard, of all things. Done right, these wouldn't need any mediocre sauce to dress them up. Everything just tasted like the McDonald's french fry grease and was just awful. $80 later and I felt really REALLY disappointed. I will not be returning. This has been a Lawrenceville staple for some time, but I think it's glory days are over. Go across the street.
(2)Sharon H.
I called in a reservation for 12 for a Saturday night, which I knew would be busy because the Aurora Theater had a sold-out show. I didn't call my reservation in until Thursday, and then I had to call back and change the number to 16. McCray's did an awesome job seating us all (in the adjoining room, which gave us a little more room to stretch out,) and the waitress was awesome, esp. considering that we had several tickets within our group and that others showed up later, after some of us had eaten. Since this was a birthday dinner for my husband, I esp. appreciated the great service we got. The wings were great, too, by the way.
(5)Queenie D.
The worst food I have ever eaten in a restaurant for a while. We had the cuban sandwhich and jesus christ, my dog can make it better than that. The sandwhich was half assed pressed, the ham in it tasted like something from walmart, and the quality all in all was ridiculously disappointing. I had the salad and had to ask for croutons and the waitress gave me ranch instead of bleu cheese. It took a long time for our food to come out and for my croutons to come out that I didnt bother sending back my salad, so I was stuck to scarf down a salad I didnt want to eat. Beer cheese soup was pretty good, but too salty that after half way of eating that thing, you may need to pop a couple of aspirins to get your BP down ... The croutons were the best tasting thing on my plate. Our server was nice, but it was obvious that the staff was not able to cope with the small crowd in the restaurant. They seemed to be struggling so we concluded that maybe someone called out? Either way, what a big disappointment. The place loked so nice and that wall of tap was so impressive. I guess next time, we will just stop by for a drink and skip the food all in all.
(2)James L.
It's a great local bar to come to hang out watch the game. Right now with friends and a local Sunday, yes I'm doing today!
(3)Jimmy H.
This place has been pretty amazing in my previous visits. Always tasty, always quick, but never rushed. I recommend the Tavern "Grizzley". It's big with a zesty kick, the onion ring toppings don't hurt either. The staff is always courteous and makes me feel at home. Great experience.
(4)Andrea M.
Eh. This place is okay. My friend and I didn't have a good initial experience as we were put on the wait list for an hour. Thank goodness we decided to head over to the other restaurants in the area. The wait time was over an hour when we were given a time estimate of 30 minutes. Not a major deal because it's really difficult to estimate time frames of when a table will open up. BUT, we did come back for drinks. They have a pretty good selection of beer on draft. There's really no other drink specials other than 2 that involves, you guessed it, more beer--in pitcher form. There was also a guy jamming on his guitar singing covers and original songs he wrote. He had a really pleasant voice too, and I totally forgot to ask what his name was. Overall and despite the minor hiccup with McCray's, this is a pretty good place for drinks. My friend said their food is pretty good as well since she has been here before. Good music and good drinks; I'd definitely come back. There is also a rooftop area where it overlooks the cozy Lawrenceville Square.
(4)Tonya B.
Celebrating a friend's divorce and having great food with cosmos. What could be better on a Friday afternoon. Thanks to a great staff.
(4)Richard R.
Let's move past all my normal jibber-jabber and get straight to the point. I was far more impressed with McCray's that I expected to be. It was my first official visit but not the first time I've tasted their food. I had a plate of ribs once during a festival on the square and I must say I was not impressed. So tonight when we switched our initial plans from Local Republic to here, I was both excited for a second opportunity and reluctant because of the first. THE FOOD On the one hand. the appetizers were not that great. I ordered the calamari and shared them with several others at our table. In turn, I got a chance to sample the fried mac n' cheese (3 stars) and the hot pimento cheese dip (3 stars). The calamari was not particularly memorable, however, the saltiness of the marinara really helped boost the flavor of the calamari and saved it from being condemned to 2 star purgatory (3 stars). On the other hand, it could be because my expectations were low, but I found my entree to be very enjoyable. I ordered the Shrimp n' Grits and could not have been more pleased. Although I was a little leery of the tomato based sauce, the server assured me that everyone who's ever questioned the tomato sauce (instead of more traditional gravy) has loved it. I'll be dag-gum... she was right!!!! I'm hoping this was not just a one night stand sort of love affair, so I will keep my rating of this dish a conservative, yet enthusiastic 4 star thumbs up! The tomato sauce was perfect and the sausage & shrimp were very flavorful. This is a dish I order often, yet it was the first time I've ever had it prepared this way. It was certainly tastier than anything I was expecting. I also traded Lindy some of my S&G for some of her Fried BBQ Ribs and I only have two words to say about that: GET THEM!!! ------------- - - - - - THE DETAILS Date & Time: Friday August 23rd, 2012 @ 8:00pm Dining Companions: Tanya C, Lindy F, Jose O, Jamarcus T, Daniel B, Vyvy T, Toung Vi P, Michelle K, Christina T, Sean L and a bunch of +1's What to expect: Street parking, bar seating or table service, ROOFTOP Music: Live DJ Conversation: good noise level for talking in main area Decor: Pub-style Service: Brittany did a decent job with such a large group. Most of my complaint would be with the fiasco over getting our group seated. Liquid: coke ($2.25) Ordered: Calamari ($9.95), Shrimp & Grits ($14.95) LOVED: The S&G. The grits were good enough to order all by themselves, which is saying a lot since I'm not a big fan of grits. Dislikes: Calamari by itself was 'meh' Total: $33.68 w/18% added gratuity ------------- - - - - - THE VERDICT We had a group of 20 on a Friday night which presented all kinds of logistical challenges. Seeing as though it was very busy and they took our large group without reservations, I will avoid fussing about some of tonight's frustrations with seating and wait times. However, they definitely have some room for improvement. Bottom line: The Shrimp & Grits are worthy of more return visits by this picky yelper. Thanks Michelle K for a nice UYE night out. We made the best of it!
(3)Alex H.
I love their rooftop seating. Thank you to all the servers that trek up and down those hundreds of stairs with trays of food and drinks and whatever else crazy guests ask for!! (Not really hundreds, but it might as well be!!) I've never had a bad meal here. It's always been simple and delicious. I've had bad service once, but ther other 7 times I've been there, A+++ service. So I chalk that one night to being a fluke and I haven't seen that server since. Their beer selection is vast and cold and their cocktails are so good! When my husband orders a cocktail instead of a beer!?! That says something. I'm so glad McCrays is in my neighborhood, thanks guys!!
(4)Catherine B.
What can I say this place is awesome. They know me by first name and know my likes and my likes. So the foodie great service stupendous.
(5)David H.
Great spot with a great patio with a nice view of downtown lawrenceville. I always feel bad for the servers because they have to climb two flights of stairs to get to the top. When I am looking for a cheat day I hit up this spot. The fried BBQ ribs is a must! They are tossed in a sweet chili BBQ sauce and served with an onion ring. The meat falls right off the bone. As a main course I got the grizzly burger with extra BBQ sauce. Consider it a challenge to finish after the ribs. I always get a side of onion rings as well. There is something about the way they fry their food but everything fried on that menu is delicious. This is a must try for those who are looking for a romantic date night.
(5)Crystal M.
Love eating on the roof on a beautiful day. Eating at night inside has a great upscale bar feel. Great food drinks and location.
(4)Shelbi D.
Came in for lunch on a Friday, I was excited to visit their rooftop patio. My experience was short of amazing. I ordered lunch special $6.95 for half salad and a side, California BLT & side salad. Once I received my check I saw a $1.00 up charge, which baffled me because I only ordered the Half Plate Special. I asked my server Ashley about the charge she stated there is always an up charge for a side salad. Note: 1) This was my first time at this restaurant. 2) The up charge was not stated on the menu nor did she say there will be an additional $1 up charge for a side salad when I placed my order. I know it was only a $1 but it was very inconsiderate and misleading of the server and restaurant. I didn't appreciate being treated as such, Ashley brushed my complaint off and kept walking. Sad to say I will never patronize this establishment again!
(1)Kay A.
Nice view but the food was below average. We went there for a lunch and paid $30 for two. Average entree costs about $12-$15 and the quality of the food was terrible. I ordered the Mahi Sandwich. The fish was small and dry. The tiny amount of mayo was smeared just in the center of the cheap Walmart 8 for $1 hamburger bun with little bit of shredded lettuce. No tomatoes or onion or nothing! My friend ordered BBQ ribs and they were dry, way too sweet and tasted like Walmart BBQ sauce. It was total waste of money. The only good thing about that place was the attentiveness of the server. He was polite and friendly. I felt bad that my friend didn't leave a good tip because he was so unsatisfied by the quality of the food but it has nothing to do with the server. If I had cash, I would have left him more tip...sorry...but I probably wouldn't go back there anymore unless the management changes the quality of the food. The atmosphere was really nice wether you sit inside or outside which is on top of the building. If you just go there to drink and do not care about the food, then it's a nice place to hang out especially sitting outside overlooking the view of Lawrenceville Downtown. It is really sad that this place has a lot of potential and can make the business so much more successful if only consider customers' needs and wants more. Most people want to enjoy good food if paying $15 or more a meal especially for a lunch. I'm not certainly here to waste that kind of money to buy equivalent of first food restaurant quality that was exactly this restaurant 's food was...I would give 1 star but the extra star was for the nice male server there.
(2)Ricky G.
The food is bar food and ok, drinks or the bar lousy so if you cant get in next door or down the street; it will work.
(2)Taj M.
I would give this restaurant 0 stars if I could. The hostess passed over my party on the wait list three times, then gave me attitude when I brought it to her attention. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
(1)Tiffany C.
OMG this place sucks. Went to the Easter Brunch there. The food was horrible. Waste of money, time and appetite. I have no desire to EVER go back. The wait staff was also not the most friendly. They offered us a high top table (seeing my 2yr old with me) UUUMMM LET ME THINK - NO! Then they offered the roof top deck - let me think again- it's only like 60 degrees outside. These were red flags that we shouldn't have ignored. My hubby came here the day before and had a burger- told him that it's hard to mess up a burger. Thank God I cooked dinner at home- lol
(1)David S.
Good food, cool location.....absolutely HORRIBLE service!!! Been here numerous times and it never fails, the service is awful, especially if you sit on the roof.
(1)James L.
Like many others reviewing this place I suffered terrible service here on more than one occasion. It seems systemic originating from poor management. They fill up on weekends so they do not have to perform well. Uncaring hostesses and terrible wait staff only skim the surface.
(1)Scott H.
Went here on a Saturday night for a company Christmas party. I loved the atmosphere and the wait staff was good. But this review is mainly about the food. Let me clarify that I did not look at a normal menu. The one we had was set up for the options they offered for special events with limited choices. We started with appetizers. They had some jumbo shrimp cocktail that were very good. They also had some meat on a stick (I guess it was some kind of steak) that was pretty good and some home made chips that were ok. That was the highlight as far as food goes. Main courses- Between our table, we had prime rib, salmon and chicken marsala. All three were absolutely terrible. I would expect better quality from taco bell. I personally had the Marsala. It tasted as if they used the cheapest chicken they could find...almost synthetic. It was terrible. one star would be generous. The salmon was bone dry and the prime rib was so bad that the person who ordered it took one bit and refused to eat anymore. He got a takeout box which I can only assume was for his little dog that he was telling us stories about. All in all, I loved the atmosphere, but not well enough to go back and brave actually paying out of my own pocket for the food. If someone else wants to buy my meal there, then I may be willing to go back and try something else off their regular menu. Otherwise, I doubt I will ever go back.
(2)Nichole K.
This is my third time dining here, both for lunch and dinner. The service has always been great, but the food is decent. I would recommend someone here for the good service, brew selection, and bar bites. If they were looking for a place to dine, I would suggest other places. Now, if they were looking to have unique beers with a rooftop patio. This is your place. I love the exposed brick and dark wood. If the food was kicked up a notch this place would be hands down the best place to visit Lawerencville Added bonus: they have Keno!
(3)Anadora A.
Service is probably one of the only reasons I wouldn't come back here. The food was good but not great. Prices are reasonable. You get what you pay for.
(2)Carolina M.
The worst customer service ever! I called a few days before to get information about how long of a wait would it be for a party of 15 on a Saturday night. I was told it would possibly be 45 minutes to an hour. I arrived an hour and a half earlier (7:00 pm) before the rest of my party so I could reserve the table. As I approached into the restaurant, the host, who did not greet me, gave me a snarky attitude and kinda mocked my request for a party of 15. She made is seem like it was utterly impossible to get what was requested and giggled at my request. At this point I found that she was being rude but I decided to take her up on the offer of 2 HOUR WAIT for 15 people. I waited outside and decided to walk around with my friend. Out of curiosity, we decided to go to La Cazuela across from McCray's Tavern. The host there said she would be happy to arrange a table outside for my party before they got there. At this point some of my friends arrived to McCray's Tavern and asked the host if there was a big party upstairs. She said she didn't know and that they never have bog parties upstairs. She then made my friends go look for me on the rooftop as opposed to offering to help. At this point we were livid, annoyed and tired of the poor customer service. We came to a conclusion that McCray's was not meant to be for a 21st birthday dinner.
(1)Sydney G.
Service always has been slow here. Their food is good but very little to chose from, their prices seem a little high for what you get. I would give the food about 3.5-4 starts out of 5. Service is a dead 1. Its not just one staff member that is slow its majority all. By slow I mean letting drinks get empty and when they finally notice or you tell them you need another one they take their time getting you one. I would not take a large party here. They are even worse with large parties (6+). I will say I love the inside of the place, awesome décor, might be a little dark for others. I like the rustic look. Patio on top is awesome, really can't beat the view. Hope this helps y'all
(2)Jeff C.
I wasn't a big fan of this place, but I give them points for tasty bar food, a good selection of beer and having the right games on TV. We watched the UGA game last Saturday and I'm pretty sure we sat in the "off-duty employees" section because we were surrounded by a bunch of tattooed hooligans, all of which were glad to be over their hangovers from last night, but who weren't ready to start their next shift yet. It kinds felt like we had stumbled into a party of one of their houses, uninvited. It wouldn't normally bother me, but we were surrounded. Aside from the locals, the food was good. We got the gorgonzola chips, chicken tenders and onion rings, all of which made for great game-watching fare. The beer selection was good, but they're VERY proud of hat they serve. Pints ranged from $5-11, with a $1-upgrade to a 20-oz. They were "changing the keg" on the last beer I ordered, so I waited. Once it was apparent they were out, I got something else. The waitress was older and didn't seem to want us in her section. She wasn't unpleasant, but we were definitely getting the silent treatment for awhile. Give it a try, if you like, but I won't be driving back to Lawrenceville anytime soon to return.
(3)Sande E.
This is the 2nd time I've even here, again I was disappointed. I was dissatisfied enough the first time but apparently I signed up for a birthday coupon and so we gave it one more try. The last time we were here was Mid-June and two months later their draft beer selections looks pretty much the same. They have some pretty good local stuff but it doesn't seem to change. Food is pretty bad. Fish and chips were soggy and not freshly cooked, which I don't get since they are NOT BUSY. They actually cooked the burger right (medrare) but it tasted weird? Hard to explain. Basically, there is nothing exceptional about this place. If you are looking for an uncrowded place to simply fill your gullet, this it.
(1)Helen M.
Good service, food is so-so. Busy night so service was a little slow, but understandable. Love the bar, drinks are great.
(3)Danielle T.
My husband and I went here on a Saturday night just for a few drinks and appetizers but when we walked in people just starred at us. After not paying that any of attention we proceed to the patio where we sat for at least 30mins before anyone came to ask us if we needed anything. We agreed to go elsewhere & just as we were about to leave, a host came to ask where were we going BC he was coming to assist us. Wtf? we looked at him & walked out to take our business somewhere else. This place seems racist & I will not be going again.
(1)Josh B.
I'm not sure what i was expecting going into McCray's. I just started working in Lawrenceville so i didn't know much about it. I was pleasantly surprised. The place looks awesome, very comfortable, local pub type atmosphere with a great rooftop patio. The bar was comfortable and the staff was friendly. Beer selection centered on local breweries (terrapin, sweetwater, jekyll, monday night, etc.) with a few European drafts and a nice bottle selection. The menu was thorough and hit all the pub fare standards with a few neat addition (shrimp and grits). As i was just there for lunch, i decided that fish and chips would be the way to go. My order arrived promptly. I guess they're use to the lunch crowd with all the businesses on and around the square. The fries were very good and the spicy mayo sauce (not sure what they call it) was tasty. The fish was fried perfectly (crispy outside, moist inside) and looked great but was perfectly bland. Not much flavor at all. A healthy addition of malt vinegar and some of that tasty sauce and it was a good lunch at a reasonable price i just with there had been a bit more flavor with just the fish. Overall, i'm defiantly going to go back. 1) its super close to work, 2) it was a nice place to eat lunch. Perhaps the roof next time.
(4)Richard M.
Went in with around 6 people or so on Feb 13 this year. Server did not come around for around 15 minutes so I went to the bar to order a drink. Bartender refused to serve me saying the server would come. After another 15 minutes I went back to the bar and asked what I should do if I did not want to wait for the server any more (I thought 30 minutes was enough). He reluctantly took the order for several of us. I do not understand why he was so opposed to working or earning a tip. He was doing nothing behind the bar so maybe he is just lazy. He is definitely rude. We were there for an hour and a half and did see the server twice. He needs to be trained to know that that is not enough for a table of 6+ people.
(1)Beth B.
Such a great spot for dinner. My husband, who is the world pickiest eater, just sat back and said "That was so satifying." He'd ordered a burger with a fried egg.. the first egg was over cooked and our waitress immediately brought out a much better one. Mistakes happen... it's how they are handled that makes the difference. McCrays is, and will continue to be, a favorite date not spot!
(5)Kristy O.
I love all of their food, I have been coming here for over 3 years and it's still as good as the first day. They have the best vodka pasta in town (believe me I have tried it everywhere), hot pimento chesse dip hits the spot every time and the wedge salad is awesome as well.
(5)Texas G.
Bad service. Waited with menus for 25 minutes and only got water. But the Mexican place across the street was great.
(1)Shawn K.
Food is great, especially the deep fried ribs! Good selection of beer. God awful server, had to have been her first serving job... Didn't even show an interest in building the check.
(4)Kason M.
INCREDIBLY disappointed tonight with this place and it's poor management. My wife and our two other couple friends (all of which enjoy McCray's and have been there multiple times) all ate here tonight. The food was good-mediocre, as always. Nothing to get too excited about, but it's a fun and easy place to eat with really good panini sandwiches and typical pub type food. The real story was the service and unprofessionalism shown by the management. Our waiter was brand new, and wreaked of it! He had no drive, and was definitely not trained well. He was very slow to refill drinks, and didn't get our simple drink order right until about 15 minutes after being there. He then gave us our checks, we all paid and it was all a train wreck from there. When the checks came back, he had charged me for the entire ticket, cancelled it, then apologized, and then proceeded to give himself WAY too much gratuity, which he later blamed on the computer (really?). It took him about 30 minutes to get all this fixed, he cursed at our table (how professional), and the manager finally came out and helped him with the final bill. The manager was not apologetic, she had a snooty attitude, and seemed like she had better things to do rather than help us. Unfortunately for McCray's I believe our friend group will definitely find somewhere else to eat next time, and we will tell our many other friends about this terrible experience. Dear management, please take better care of your other customers than you did with us. You have a unique restaurant that would be so much better if you just cared about your customers!
(1)Meredith R.
We had an hour to kill prior to a performance at the Aurora Theater. Wanted a non-chain place with ambience for lunch, and son-of-a-gun: McCray's is right in the neighborhood, and fit the bill perfectly. I had a cuban sandwich, with pork, ham and swiss. Coupled with a large side of cole slaw -- which I thoroughly enjoyed -- it was a perfect lunch. T's santa fe chicken sandwich was delicious. The pasta salad side --minimal if any mayo -- was a good choice. When we spotted $4 margaritas on the menu, we said 'why not?' and walked out happy, full and with a buzz..... Hey, it's Saturday! January 2013 Update: This time we came with a group. Again, tasty sandwiches -- but the $4 margaritas!!??? Where's the tequilla?? Guys, if you want to keep us -- and others comin' back -- a little more heavy-handed with the booze, please.
(3)K L.
Solid traditional bar atmosphere. I came here with a friend for after work drinks. There's a decent selection of craft beers available and full bar. The service was very quick. I was greeted immediately when I sat down at the bar and the bartender was very friendly throughout our entire evening (3 hours at the bar). I didn't have lunch so I ordered the chips. It was covered in gorgonzola and bacon. The cheese wasn't overpowering and the chips stayed really crispy throughout the entire snack time. We also got some lemon pepper wings that were really good. Probably not going to find fine dining food and service here, but if you're looking for nice relaxed place to eat, then definitely worth stopping by if you're near.
(3)Jimmy C.
McCray's is a great "in-town" dining spot. Today I had lunch and ordered the Tavern Wedge Salad with blue cheese crumbles, bacon, and tomato. It tasted very cool, crisp, and quite frankly delicious. The price was "just-right" at under $6 as well! My server "Katie" was very pleasant and attentive. She made sure that my drink never fell low and that my every need was met. She smiled and looked me in the eye when communicating with me. She didn't put off a "distracted" or other negative body language that can be commonplace in a Tavern atmosphere. I have visited McCray's several times and I have been impressed with the food and staff. Another member of the staff who is worth mentioning is Brittany. She is relatively new but really goes out of her way to make sure her guests are taken care of. I hope they keep up the good work!
(4)Lindsay S.
Almost every time we go here I really enjoy myself. I love the new back room area where they have the stage for live music and seating away from the main crowds and hustle and bustle of the bar. The service is mostly good and the food is delicious. I love their kettle chips and the French dip with fries and honey. So good! Definitely give this place a try if you're at the square!
(4)Frank M.
Soooo my original review of this joint was deservedly harsh. But due to such First World Problems like being in a local varietal funk, my lady and I decided to give it a try again. Then again. And again. And again. This place has improved. A lot. The current staff seems much more seasoned and the menu changed for the better (granted, I did like one or two things from the original). All in all I'm happy my McPub so close to home finally turned things around. Nothing mindblowing, of course. But it's certainly improved and has become a place I'll be happy to visit again.
(3)Charlene T.
McCrays on the square has a magnificent view of the city square ...right up on the roof! Needless to say its seasonal but that's ok! When the blossoms are full bloom its just wonderful ..April May...fantastic. The service is ok and the fried fish is awesome.
(3)Lauren R.
i like their house made soup, menu is alright, beer selection is excellent. The roof top seating is awesome, too bad when people get a spot up there they camp out, making it somewhat difficult to get a table. But hey that's part of it right?
(3)Zee Z.
Been here many times...never really got impressed by food or service here. They serve basic bar food, very non-exciting. I feel the food is slightly overpriced, given the quality of food, ambiance and location. But whatever... This is a tavern and they have a decent selection of brews and spirits. Oh BTW, i hate sitting up top on the patio, service is so damn slow, makes me wanna cancel my order and go somewhere else. ugh Would i go here again? not sure...
(2)Atlanta F.
Food is overpriced and average. Service is hit or miss and usually miss. It is a shame, great location and usually a good crowd but not a place we often want to go back to.
(2)Paul R.
This place could be better but it is what it is. Luckily for me I sat at the bar. Sometimes if you're sitting at a table the service is slow. I know, because it was slow at the bar with only 3 people sitting there when I was there. I hadn't had the food in a while but going with some of my buddies experience I won't buy any. Don't take my review at face value but you can go try these guys out. The last time I tried the food out myself I wasn't really impressed. I had too much trouble trying to find a place to park then damn near have to walk a quarter of a mile to get there so that dropped some serious stars with me.
(2)Cheyenne A.
great food, drinks and service! love the mccrays family :)
(4)Paul A.
My wife and I dined at McCrays the other night and had a great experience. We were promptly seated and served. My son had a hamburger which was cooked to his liking. I had the Flint Fish and Chips, named after Larry Flint the porn mogul who was shot across the street at the courthouse in Lawrenceville, GA. The food was hot and fresh, and the fries were out of this world--crisp and flavorful. The service was excellent from beginning to end. We did arrive there on a Saturday evening but it was early, before 5:30 so I can't comment on how the service might have been better or worse when the restaurant was more crowded. overall, though, a great meal. paul
(5)Julie S.
Food was decent. Service was horrible. Too bad there was an automatic 18 percent. Certainly will never be back. I had to go find our server to pay, to order, to get drinks. Even though the kitchen did ok, the service couldn't have been much worse.
(1)Marcus C.
Stopped by with family after Sunday morning church service. We were immediately seated , but ignored for almost 10 minutes. The food was fantastic. I ordered corned beef Reuben, wife ordered chicken salad paninni. Will definitely return.
(3)Kent K.
Stopped in today for the first time. Just had a few drinks and appetizers in the bar area. The food and the service was excellent (server was Tyler) and the prices very reasonable. Decor is very warm and inviting although could be a touch cleaner. Will definitely go back.
(4)Dave M.
Bar food at best. Don't go expecting a great dining experience. Going on the roof and having an exotic beer seems to be what people like to do here. I suspect poor mgmt which is the difference between great restaurants and so-so ones.
(3)Hunter U.
Mediocre burgers, which a place describing itself as a tavern should deliver in spades. Want it to be better than it is (ate on the roof a few months ago and came back as part of a business lunch...the best I can say is that it IS a nice view from the roof)
(2)Kathy H.
So, the rooftop dining was a definite draw (had wandered into Local Republic on a recommend but wasn't captivated by the menu so the open air seating at McCray's was the next logical choice). The wine list was short, and the one pinot grigio was acceptable but not outstanding. The entrees (a prime rib sandwich which ended up being more like chipped beef and the beef tip salad) were just mediocre. Again, did I mention how lovely the rooftop dining was? And our server was so nice (Crystal - hope I spelled that right - kudos to you, you're the bomb!). Dessert was actually decent - the only one made in-house was the tiramisu, so it was an easy choice. Overall the experience was just OK - and the rooftop, lovely as it was, wouldn't have been enough of a draw to get me back there a second time. Add to that the fact that we were 2 people at a 4 top and were asked to move to a non-street-view 2-top table to accommodate a party of 3 who easily fit at the 2-top (I was on the phone or would have objected strenuously) but who probably just wanted a street-view table and who purportedly had reservations, yet not for that particular table, just general reservations for a particular time... that was a new one on me, being asked to move before we even got our dessert! I consider this a poor decision on the part of management and a bad way of doing business. Yes, they comped the dessert (their idea to offset their suggestion that we relocate, not our idea), but the whole snafu pretty much locked down my decision not to give this place a second try. Still, the weather was beautiful, no one went away angry, and I don't at all regret having given this place a try!
(2)Jeff L.
Stopped in for some apps and a beer with my wife. App was OK, but when I got the bill I noticed that instead of free refills on diet coke, they charge same as the first. I think it was something like $2.50 each, so my two beers were almost the same as the two diet cokes! In this day of free soft drink refills, I always get the feeling I am being ripped off when a place does this. Left a bad taste in my mouth for the place.
(2)Matt L.
I have been coming to this place before they officially opened. It is nice to have a local place down the street where everybody knows your name. Be sure to get a beer card and work to get your name on the wall. Food, service, atmosphere, are all top notch! When the weather is nice be sure to sit outside on the roof top patio.
(5)Nicole M.
We ate here because you get to eat on the rooftop and anyplace that has a set up like that is going to get a visit from us at least once. Other than the view from the rooftop there was nothing special about this place. The service and food were average at best.
(2)Jason M.
I was hoping that my first experience here was a fluke, but they proved themselves to be quite consistent with my second and final visit. I have never been to a restaurant until now that actually forgets that they have patrons there(unless your by the bar). This place wasn't even busy last night(there may have been 12 guests eating there) and my wife and I even had to walk our payment over to the hostess that went from greeting folks at the door to being on a computer oblivious to what was going on(we surprised her when handing her the payment). The waitress stopped coming to the table(we walked around and couldn't find her anywhere).We could've easily strolled out there without payment on both occasions(if we weren't good people) because the waiter/waitress never came back to the table after seeing how we were enjoying the food(on both occasions they were nowhere to be found). During our first visit here a couple of months ago there was a young man working as a waiter who served my wife and I(during prom season). He was doing fine until this prom crowd came in. Thereafter, it was like my wife and I didn't exist. He stopped coming to the table, heck, he didn't even acknowledge us on his way to deliver food to them as he walked by us with it. During our initial visit, I saw two couples walk into the restaurant and stood awaiting to be seated and then left back out looking upset be wise they weren't greeted, nor acknowledged as they just stood by the door waiting for at least two minutes( I actually timed the second couple) to be seated. Let this review serve as a CLEAR warning about this place. If you enjoy good service and good food, STAY AWAY from this Mccray's. My wife and I would rather inconvenience ourselves and drive 40 minutes to downtown Atlanta instead of this nearby restaurant.
(1)Alex H.
There's a pretentious douchebag deep inside that really wants to hate this place. I have to tell that part to sit down and shut up. The food's good, the atmosphere's good, the beer selection is good, and the service is great.
(3)J P.
First time I went, I had some great beer and service but then again I wasn't ordering food. The next time I went, I had the grilled chicken sandwich and it was very tasty. The third time I went, we didnt get a server for over 20 mins and it wasn't even busy....there were only 10 other ppl there and it was a weekday so I had to stand up and wave down a server. Once we finally got one, she was not attentive and did not come and check on us unless I waved her down and I hate to do that to ppl. Once we were ready to order (it was 10:05p), I was told that the kitchen closed. I was shocked that a place that is open until 2am and serves alcohol until that time would close the kitchen 4 hours before closing all together. I don't think that is very smart of them to do especially with serving alcohol THAT long without any food to absorb. That was a huge NO NO for us so we will not be returning.
(2)Jo Anna M.
My boyfriend and I really enjoy coming to McCray's. Its usually on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon after doing a little flying. We just love their chicken tenders!! We both always order those- an order for each of us and he get a Yuengling and I get my usual Margarita! Our service is always great and we love sitting on the rooftop patio! Very friendly service and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend!!!
(4)Dan O.
To sum up my experiences at McCray's Tavern in two words- not impressed. I've been to McCray's three times. The first time was after hitting the shooting range for lunch with a friend. I ordered the McCray's "classic" burger. It was not bad, but not great. Not really cooked to my specifications. Service was great. The second time I went to McCray's was after training off Winder Hwy with a few buddies. I ordered the California Turkey BLT. It was alright, again, nothing to write home about. Service was not that good and it was not particularly busy. The third time I've been to McCray's, and will most likely never go back, was for a Christmas party at the end of 2011 for my girlfriends job. The owner of her Salon, who is a very good friend of mine, reserved a table for 20 a month prior to the party. The arranged menu was either Chicken Cordon Bleu or a Beef Filet. There were three sides to choose from between potatoes, green beans or macaroni and cheese. I opted for the Beef, yum. When I ordered the beef meal with mac 'n cheese and green beans the waitress asked how I wanted it cooked. I advised I'd like it medium rare. When dinner was served only two people actually received the correct thing that they ordered. I received a burnt beef steak with two orders of potatoes. Yeah, I couldn't even eat the steak. I even tried using A1 sauce. Yuck. The waitress that served our party was alright, kind of ditzy. There was another food runner who was helping her that was a complete jerk. Overall, I think this place is overall a nice clean restaurant. However, due to my sub-par and bad experiences, I cannot in good faith recommend this restaurant. Especially if you're trying to book your office party.
(2)Randy A.
Everyone... I mean EVERYONE was super friendly at this cool looking pub in old downtown Lawrenceville. Came in for a mid-afternoon (late) lunch and was immediately greeted by a awesome smiling hostess who was charming and funny. The bartender was cracking jokes with the early drinkers at the bar, and our server was awesome... down home friendly. This seems like the bar where everyone knows your name after 3-4 visits. The food was average... I mean it was pub food, what do you expect? The fried pickles were tasty, but my grilled chicken sandwich was merely average-- not bad, not good-- average. That may be my punishment for eating a non-fried item here. But I've got to tell you the customer service was OFF THE HOOK. If I lived closer I would make this my watering hole. BOTTOM LINE: Food was 2 stars-- Service was 5 stars = 4 stars.
(4)Erik M.
Tons of great options for beer. I'm not a beer lover but this place is my "go-to" for a good time with friends. The wings are also REALLY good. Try the lemon pepper wings... you won't regret it ;)
(4)Heather S.
Once again, I find myself OTP, but this time in Gwinnett with some friends who live out that way. The food here is bar food, but really good bar food. They had a ton of sandwiches and they had pasta options as well. Our group got a wide variety of food...burger, chicken sandwiches and different paninis. My Southwest chicken sandwich was really good. We got the potato chip appetizer and it was great. Tons of gorgonzola and tomatos on top of homemade potato chips that were perfect. Service was great and that's why they're getting the extra star. If you find yourself near the square at meal time, this would be a good option.
(4)Anne B.
Had lunch there last Saturday with the entire motley crew of 4 kids, 2 adults. Kids menu was decent they had a burger and mac n cheese respectively, while the teens had a pimento burger and a buffalo chicken panini. Grown ups had wings. Hot wings, arent very hot, but that's ok, they were still good, but not make your nose run and eyes water hot at all, not even close. I like this spot for lunch, not so much for dinner, however am excited as Spring rolls around to enjoy a brew on the rooftop deck. It was cold and rainy when we were there, so no rooftop for us that day! They had a good number of brews on tap and the building itself with the exposed brick is really cool. We will go back again! BTW, you have to try Local Republic if you are near Town Square too, now that place gets 5 stars from this crew!
(3)Derek L.
McCray Tavern on the Square is set up to be a great Bar - Restaurant. It's selling features are a great classic bar feel and their roof top deck that looks over down town Lawrenceville. The negative is that they have fairly high priced food choices with just Mediocre taste. Great place to meet up with some one and catch up.
(3)Reepa P.
Roof top view is very nice however the food isn't my favorite I usually go to Local Republic and end the night here with a few drinks on the roof.
(3)Gino M.
Standard bar service with substandard food. I haven't had much here that was palatable and it would be difficult to prove that most of the food didn't fall off the frozen ass end of a sysco truck.
(2)Michelle S.
We went with a group of 6 people for dinner - had a great time, food was wonderful, service was good. They had a live musician playing which engaged with us - so that was fun. Had some drinks - just had a great time!
(4)Tim G.
The wife and I have been here many times. Never disappointed. Food is always great and the employee's are friendly and attentive. Got to try the soups. Made fresh daily and amazing. They also run some great specials every day, from wings, burgers, or special drink prices. Many beers to choose from, I think 37 taps on the wall. Also, some really cool rooftop dinning. The KENO is fun also. Check out their web site for events that go on. Plus, lot's of large TV's with all the sports games on. I give this place a huge thumbs up !! Any negative comments in Yelp about this place are either from jealousy or some kind of personal vengeance, don't believe it for second. Go there at least once and make your own conclusion. You will not be disappointed.
(5)William G.
This place used to be amazing - a group of friends of mine (usually 8 of us) would come every week for trivia night. We loved the food, the atmosphere, and most of the staff. Now, it's a totally different story. The menu changed, getting rid of several of their best items (including my favorite of theirs, the pulled pork BBQ sandwich), and didn't add much at all (if anything). Food takes forever to be served (we've been back a few times since the changes to make sure these issues weren't isolated), and isn't up to the same quality as before. Drinks from the bar made wrong, waitresses forgetting food/drink orders, and more. It sucks that this amazing place went downhill so fast...
(2)Scott B.
I had a late lunch with drinks here while visiting some friends in the area. A nice break from seeing all of the chain restaurants around that part of Georgia. I had the Cuban and chips. The bread was really good, but the sauce that came with it was great. Lots of vinegar. The chips were very crispy, and tasted good dipping them in the sauce. Good beer selection. Prices were great.
(4)Ashley A.
Good food and drinks. Ask for Tim he's super friendly
(5)Michael L.
I've been here three times now. The food is always good and they do steaks very well. I love their beer selection, too.
(4)Jeff R.
Awesome roof top view of the town of lawrenceville
(4)Valerie P.
This place has gotten better over the years. They have a better vegetarian selection than they used to, and their beer selection is pretty darn impressive. The bar service is usually really good, but the servers on the floor take their sweet time. I think they are constantly improving their restaurant, and I continue to go back. It's a good place to meet up with friends or watch sports.
(4)Peggy T.
Gave them 3 times at bat and this place struck out every time. Less than mediocre food and service. It is nice on the roof top unless your waiting on ketchup for your fries and the waitress has to go downstairs to get it; cold fries, yuk!
(1)S W.
Sitting on the roof top and enjoying lunch with a few drinks on a sunny spring weekend is a wonderful experience. I felt safe on the roof, though others felt movement, I didn't feel like we'd fall through or anything. I had two fruity drinks, I liked the grape nehi but the cherry lemonade wasn't that great. The food was average, I enjoyed my Cuban sandwich with a side salad. The brunch menu is pretty small, most of us ordered from the regular menu. Service was friendly but a little slow, they do have to walk up the stairs to bring the food and drinks up. Bathroom was very clean and the whole atmosphere was nice, we'll be back for the sunshine.
(4)Sarah E.
4 stars because our server was a sweetheart and the food was pretty darn good. And besides, beggars can't be choosers and this is a pretty decent spot compared to a lot of what the Lawrenceville and Suwanee areas have to offer. I stopped by here with a friend for dinner on Sunday night. There was a decent crowd but it wasn't packed. It's non-smoking inside so it's ideal for families with kids, and I did see a couple of those while we were there. There's also a pretty nifty rooftop patio, which I may check out someday when I'm no longer pregnant and can actually have drinks. As I mentioned before, the server was really nice. She checked on us often (but not annoyingly often) and got us our food and drinks pretty quickly. My water stayed full, which is pretty impressive because ever since I've been knocked up I suck down water by the gallon most days. For dinner, I order the shrimp and grits, which comes with two sides. Since I'd read on Yelp that the homemade chips were good, I ordered those as one of my sides (you can get them "loaded" so that they're topped with gorgonzola cheese, tomatoes and bacon just like the appetizer portion). My other side was the mac' n cheese. My friend ordered the ribeye with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad. When my food arrived, I did a double-take because there was so much of it. The portion of shrimp and grits was quite generous, and my plateful of chips was full enough that I had to share with my friend because there was no way I could finish it and eat much of my meal. I ended up with a to-go box at the end of the evening. The chips were really good. I can think of another place OTP that serves homemade chips (and also has a kickass rooftop patio... hmmm) and the running joke with my friends is always how awful they are. These weren't, and the fact that they were topped with bacon and gorgonzola really didn't hurt either. The shrimp and grits wasn't the best I've had, but it was solidly tasty. It was even better the next day when I ate it as leftovers. The low point of my meal was the mac 'n cheese. It wasn't awful and it didn't taste like it came from a package, but I prefer my mac 'n cheese with a crust on top and a thicker texture. Still, for a low point it really wasn't bad. My friend said that her food was good, although to me it looked like her ribeye was overcooked. But she was happy, so I'm happy too. Would definitely come back here. It seems like a great place for friends and families alike.
(4)Dave P.
Outrageous burgers! I'm so happy we stopped here for lunch today and FINALLY gave McCray's a try. I driven past McCray's a thousand times but never really considered eating here for some reason. I guess I thought it was going to be a smoky bar or something. WRONG! It's wonderful. It's cool! I love it! I ordered the South of the Border Burger (or some such name). It had avocado and and fried egg on it. I'd eat an old shoe if it had egg and avocado on it, but this burger was cooked to order, hot and delicious and the roll was soft and fresh. Yum! My wife ordered the Black and Bleu Burger - she seemed happy with her choice but it was hard to pay attention because I was my own cloud of burger ecstasy. We both had the fries and they were good too. We had limited time, so we left after eating the delicious food, but now that I've read some other reviews, I know I must return and check out the roof top patio. If you are reading reviews because you are wondering if this place is any good, or if it is kid friendly, let me tell you to read no more and just go.
(4)Jim O.
I like this place because it is a cool place to grab a few drinks with friends on the square in downtown Lawrenceville. The food has been hit or miss for me at best. I ordered the ribs once. They were the worst I have ever had. They were mostly cold and so that probably was enough to make the experience not good. Sure I could have returned them but I was well into eating them before I really gave up. I would never order them in either case. I have had their shrimp and grits and another dish or two that has been pretty good. The atmosphere is pretty cool and service is generally efficient and friendly. Their outdoor patio is actually on the roof of their building which is a pretty cool. However, realize the wait staff has to go up and down every time you send them for something, so it takes a little more time when you order your drinks, etc. Realize too that you will have to go up and down those same stairs to get to the bathroom. There is really nothing up there but seating and a little bit of a view. It's very nice option in the right weather but it is removed from the busier-ness of downstairs and inside.
(3)Mike G.
I've been here twice now and I have to say, the place is pretty good! We went to the rooftop both times and it was great! The service was very good and the views were excellent. Definitely a good place for a date. As for the food, I would say that it's bar food and that you shouldn't have high expectations. On both occasions we ordered some apps, one was fried calamari which was okay, it came with a good spicy sauce, the other was the gouda home made chips which actually tasted pretty good! We also tried the vodka pasta, we ordered one plate to share and the waiter working the rooftop split it for us! The pasta was actually pretty good. The drinks are great too! My fiance has tried most of the mixed drinks on the menu and she said all of them were made very well. Overall, I would say that this place is definitely a nice place to have in town and I will come back again soon!
(4)victoria f.
The wedge salad was really yummy and I'm not typically the kind of person who orders salads... I just saw it on someone's table and couldn't resist it. The pecan pie was super yummy. We had them add a scoop of ice cream to the side (yes, I know I "undid" my salad)...but they forgot to warm in up like we asked. I popped upstairs to the patio for a few minutes to see this view I had been hearing about for year, it was an OKAY view, but I wasn't sure why people were going nuts over it. I think the neatest part ab this place is that it is super old and the bricks are exposed. All in all, the food was good. I'll probably go back if invited back to Lawrenceville.
(3)Michelle H.
Eh... It is was it is. Bar food. Reminds me of a chain establishment. I had the BBQ sandwich and it wasn't bad. When given the choice, i'm neutral about going back.
(3)Mandy H.
My boyfriend and I were looking for brunch on a Friday afternoon, driving down 29 towards Historic Lawrenceville. We saw the sign for brunch and decided to give it a try. Well, they don't do brunch during the week, but whatever. We both got sandwiches and sat inside by the bar. My Cuban was delicious! It was still good when I reheated the second half later that night at home. My boyfriend's chicken salad was tasty as well, but there was too much lettuce for the serving size. The mac n cheese wasn't that great, but the fries made up for it. Mmm-mmm! Tastes like real oil to me. We'll go sometime to sit outside when it's warm, but we might be back to try the beer while it's still cold!
(4)Barry A.
I am always one to support local businesses and it has become increasingly harder to find such places amongst the wake of urban sprawl. However recently there has been a surge of redevelopment in small town squares around the metro. I couldn't be more pleased with some of the restaurants that have come out of this movement. I was in Lawrenceville to celebrate Father's Day with my parents and they mentioned this place had opened up a while ago but just haven't been to it. Since my dad's favorite BBQ place was closing early that day we decided to try out this place. My mom touted they had around 39 beers on draft which is always a plus in both our books (I get my drinking habits from my mother). We were promptly greeted at the door and had a seat on the patio since it was a nice day outside and little chilly indoors. The patio deck is built on top of the restaurant that used to be an old drug store. It was a bit of climb to get up there but it was well worth it as you had a great view of the old town square. We had their Gorgonzola Potato Chips and ten of their Mild Buffalo Wings. The chips were fantastic and the wings were fair. I ordered the Tavern Dip with more homemade potato chips (I couldn't get enough of them) and it was one of the best French Dip sandwiches I have had in a long while. It was made with their hanger steak and served on a hoagie bun and both au jus and their horseradish sauces. It was quite delicious. My wife and my parents also enjoyed their entrees as well. The service was good and the waiter we had was quick witted and athletic. I think he must have made more than 20 trips up and down those stairs while we were there. One of the things that was a little unsettling on the patio was fact that every time he transversed the staircase the patio shook. I am sure the deck was structurally sound but probably could be reinforced a little more to get rid of the shaking. THE BOTTOM LINE -- If I lived in Lawrenceville, I would probably be at this place at least once a week enjoying the sunshine and having a couple beers with friends.
(4)Nancy B.
I wanted to try out Local Republic across the street but the wait was long and the 6 year old was with us. I was a bit happy because I thought I could get Strongbow on tap here as on my previous visit. No such luck! They don't have it anymore!!! The best part though was my husband and our friend both ordered "fish and chips". It literally came with CHIPS as in Lays, Ruffles, etc. We pointed it out to another waitress (not the one we had) and she brought out fries. Service seemed a little too lax for my liking but I guess I am picky. I may go back if I hear they have Strongbow again. I also forgot to mention, it does get loud in there...just warning you in case you don't enjoy that sort of thing.
(2)Rebecca W.
McCray's Tavern is a great local joint for good food and drinks. It's smoke free which is a huge plus in my book! The best thing on the menu in my opinion is the grilled three cheese sandwich on challah bread with either fries or pasta salad. On Friday and Saturday night they have live bands playing. McCray's also has an outdoor patio on the roof of the restaurant that overlooks Downtown Lawrenceville's square.
(5)D M.
This place is just okay......I will definitely admit that I am giving them an extra star purely for the awesome roof deck and for me to be able to sit outside and drink one afternoon while visiting family in Lawrenceville. First off, the roof deck was nice and quiet upon arriving, and filled up towards the end of our Saturday lunch adventure. We were seated quickly, but it took a while for us to get brunch menus to go along with our regular menus. We ordered drinks (they found us a few drink/beer/wine lists hiding) and we ordered drinks. It took a while and we finally received our drinks, along with the brunch menus. First off, the brunch menus are nothing to speak of. Secondly, yes, I've worked in a few restaurants and services industries, and working in one with stairs sucks. It doesn't mean you should group orders together or wait to get something for someone just because you have to walk down the stairs. I know it's not fun, but you'd get bigger tips if there's a little more effort out in for customer service. Keeping a big party waiting for their afternoon liquids isn't cool. I ordered a UFO, and it came with no lemon, which was okay, as my sister's drink came with THREE lemons. I stole one of hers. Anyway, after looking at the menus, we were ready to order long before the waitress came back. We ordered, and the food came in a slightly more efficient time frame. My sandwich was just okay, and while I ordered it with cheese, it came with none. After asking, I was told they were out of the kind of cheese I wanted, but came back with a shredded mix....hmmm, things that would be good to tell the customer: "Hey, I couldn't give you exactly what you wanted-how about this?" The fries that came along with my sandwich were good and crunchy. We hung out and worked on our skin cancer for a while, and I ordered a gin and tonic, which is the perfect afternoon drink. It arrived about ten minutes later. SANS LIME. I had to ask, and send some sucker down for a lime.....seriously, who is tending bar that doesn't put a lime in a gin and tonic? The pour of gin was pretty generous, which was a saving grace, once I got the lime. :( So this place is worth going to purely for the outside seating....it's good for day drinking and watching people below. I would really suggest to the management to increase productivity and hire some more runners to fetch things for the waitresses and get them phones or walkies to get what they need so the customers don't need to wait. Also, some of the prices are a liiiiiittle bit more than I'd like to be paying, particularly for certain drinks and beers. My first beer was a 20 ounce and it was $6.50. I assumed it would be a larger size, but the drink menu didn't say the sizes on it. Also, in regards to menus, get all menus laminated and make the waitresses memorize or write down the specials (or get a specials board)-our waitress had to go downstairs to find out the omelet of the day. Sucks for everyone involved. Anyway, I'd be back for the outside day drinking and that's about it.
(3)Ms F.
Not as impressed as I expected to be. Sure a million beers on tap. Ok- a roofside dining experience. I am going there to eat. The burgers were dry and tasteless. Granted, we called ahead and were seated right away. But I go out to eat for good food. I left disappointed and haven't been back since. The 3 children I took with me probably ate one kids meal between them. Maybe try something different next time? If there is a next time?
(3)Alex C.
I came to this due all the traffic going to the location. I wanted to be part of the in crowd! It would have been better to be a leader and not a follower. The limited brunch menu led me to the direction of lunch, and with all the sandwhiches....why not!?! I ordered the salmon sandwich's with onion rings (a reviewer said they were GREAT), Margarita and some apps. We sat on the upper deck, to view the traffic, since there is no real view of anything, but the smoke from the vent over the fryer. I can say the chips were not bad, the cheese sticks were fried to the point the cheese had run out. And the sandwich was bland, at best. But the issue came from the onion rings, which were fried in old oil, or were put in cold oil. The onion rings, were dark, greasy, and nothing special. After lunch I was looking for Club Soda. The remainder of the evening, I was feeling like McCray's had set me up to fail!!!!! I will not be going back!!!
(1)Vivian F.
Bar food is decent, atmosphere is great. I would prefer to hang out with friends there than eating dinner there.
(3)Jodi N.
SO impressed. McCray's hosted a fundraiser for the Tutus for Tatas. I went to support them...I had never heard of the place. I was SO surprised. Really cool feel inside, and the top deck was a nice touch. Tons of cool beers on tap. WONDERFUL onion rings. I had a chicken dish that was fab. Everyone at the table was in love. We don't live near by, but I know we will be making the trip back to McCrays. Service was a little slow, BUT they were slammed with tons of Tutus for the event. Overall, great food and really different atmosphere. Not overly bar-ish. Great food, especially for a pub style restaurant.
(4)Aleck B.
McCray's Tavern just opened at a new location in downtown Lawrenceville this past year, and so the wife and I decided to pop in for their Saturday brunch. Unfortunately, the experience left a lot to be desired. I ordered the steak and eggs, which was described in the menu as grilled hangar steak, two scrambled eggs topped with a chili hollandaise sauce, hash browns and fresh fruit. My wife ordered the Benedict, which was the traditional dish served with a chive hollandaise (also with hash browns and fresh fruit). My wife's dish arrived with the traditional hollandaise rather than the chive variant, and my dish arrived without *any* hollandaise, hash browns or fruit. I let the waiter know about the mix-up, and he went back to the kitchen with a copy of the menu in order to straighten it all out. He returned a few minutes later with the sides, explaining that the kitchen staff had no idea what a chili hollandaise sauce was, nor how to make it. He went on to say that the brunch menu was brand new, and that nobody had been informed by the management about anything on it. In fact, he complained that the menu they provided them lists an omelette with the price listed as "market price," so everyone was forced to ask the wait staff how much it was, and nobody knew the answer! "I mean, what is it, lobster???" he added. To make matters worse, the menu didn't even describe what was *in* the omelette. Just "chef's daily selection" with no indication as to what that might even *be.* On top of that, the eggs I received were overcooked, and my wife's dish was "eh...average; it's about IHOP-level" (to use her words). The hangar steak was acceptable; a bit on the bland side, but should have paired up nicely with a chili hollandaise sauce if only some were available! While I *might* try them again for something other than brunch, that's still a pretty big maybe.
(2)Jodi G.
Well first of all unlike to start with the positive, the black and Bleu burger was good however Tony are waiter was horrible! He barely cared and he told us the wings were not the best and the burgers were good. He was right! However when we told him that the burgers were not cooked right he said " besides that , was everything ok? He really just didn't care. Customer service is everything. Even good food taste bad when service is good. Won't be back. It was loud and not many choices.
(1)Lisa M.
This place has great ambiance. Great lunch specials. The buffalo chicken panini is to die for. .They also have fantastic fries... Great service each time we've went also.
(4)Michelle M.
We came for lunch on a Sunday and we watch table after table received their food before ours came out. The server did not get me a refill on my drink until we reminder her a second time. We finally had to wave down the waitress and were told the made a mistake on my son's sandwich. A new one needed to be made this after sitting for 35 mintues. It took over an hour to get our food. The food was ok and they did try to make it right with a free dessert. I said fine but no ice cream. My son can't have it. She brought the brownie and ice cream was under the wip cream. I will never go again.
(1)Kayleigh B.
Stopped into McCray's after having dinner across the street at local republic! Our group wanted to have another drink and the restaurant was closing! McCray's bar area wasn't calling last call until 1:30 so we had plenty of time there! We didn't have any food, but the bar service was great! Their selection of beer on tap is impressive! I like something with a little more flavor and they had plenty to choose from! The staff was polite and the bar service quick... there is nothing to complain about for this late night stop!
(4)