Randy McCray got tired of having to drive for
a nice meal. Already the owner of a few
popular restaurants (The Mill Kitchen
and Bar in Roswell and McCray's
Taverns), he wanted something closer to his home in Marietta. He had always eyed the historic Marietta Square for a restaurant space and there sat 40+ year mainstay Shillings on the Square, a long-time fan favorite. When he
heard that the owner was struggling with some health issues, Randy inquired
about the space (the owner, Dave Reardon, passed away in March 2021). So, in late 2019, McCray took over the two-story shotgun space and started transforming it. Then the pandemic struck. But in spite of all that, Mac's
Chophouse opened with a mission to elevate the dining around Marietta.
Mac's feels like an instant classic; fresh
energy beams from the moment you cross the threshold (which still has Shilling's
spelled out in tiles at the base of the door) but also feels like a hundred-year-old
icon. The building, originally a hardware
store during the Reconstruction, goes back to the late 19th century
and some of the brick and floors are original. Combining touches of art-deco and mid-century
flair to the existing brass fixtures, exposed brick walls and antique wooden
floors, the design simultaneously feels brand new and retroactively hip at the same time. A glance at the bar on the first floor almost feels like at looking at a sepia tone photo from the Roaring 20s (as in the 1920's). The dining room upstairs offers elevated
views of Glover Park and the patio outside are a way to immerse yourself into
the Norman Rockwell-esque town square while you dine and imbibe on McCray's
great offerings.
Cooking in the kitchen is Chef/owner
Michael Fuller formerly of Ray's at Killer Creek so he knows how to execute
center-of-the-plate classics with just enough flair to be interesting as he
plays the hits. The menu is American-Southern
with New Orleans accents along the way. Roasted
Alabama oysters with andouille, blackened shrimp in beer butter and Brunswick
shrimp with Carolina grits are a few of the hearty noshes that troll the low
country and the gulf.
And naturally, as Chophouse is in the name,
bovine at Mac's is the game. The steaks
are upper Midwest "corn belt" certified Angus prime steaks, butchered in-house
and prepared in a 1700 degree infrared broiler.
Filets, ribeyes, and NY strips as well as a Colorado lamb rack will
satisfy the carnivores out there. Add
carmelized foie gras, stilton bleu cheese or a lobster tail for the over-the-top
effect.
Indeed, those living near the Marietta
Square do not have to drive far for a great meal now. Mac's Chophouse is quite special and could
easily thrive in Buckhead, Midtown, the French Quarter or even Manhattan for
that matter. Whether you live near the Square or not, it's worth a drive
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