Athens, Georgia is well-known for its music. Bands like the B-52s, the Drive-By Truckers, and R.E.M. call Athens home, and the live music scene continues to grow. One of the original clubs that helped make Athens what it is today was The Last Resort, where you might have heard acts like Towns Van Zandt, Doc Watson and Jimmy Buffett. Today, the music club has turned into a local restaurant called the Last Resort Grill that focuses on fresh farm Southern cuisine.
It's Georgia, so you have to start your meal off at the Last Resort Grill with Fried Green Tomatoes with Last Resort's signature Vidalia bacon dressing. Or get the Carolina Crab Cakes (garnished with balsamic salad, red pepper aioli and chipotle remoulade) and the potato onion pancake (potatoes stuffed with roasted five onion salad & feta cheese, topped with bacon vinaigrette and a fire-roasted tomato jam). There's a soup of the day and black bean soup, plus a garden salad, Caesar salad and kale salad with gorgonzola dressing, jalapeño honey mustard dressing, Vidalia bacon dressing or balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
For your main entree, try the hanger steak crusted with with piloncillo and black pepper, or the beef short rib, both served with sour cream mashed potatoes. Or the fresh Atlantic salmon with horseradish, topped with a fennel-cucumber salad and served with sautéed kale seasoned with lemon caper over mashed sweet potatoes. If you like bbq, try the New South Tostada, chicken confit and pasilla bbq served over black beans with green chili grit cakes and sauteed greens topped with cilantro crema, salsa fresca and tortilla strips.
If chicken is your thing, try one of their signature dishes, the Last Resort's Praline, which is plump double chicken breast stuffed with a medley of cheeses, topped with a walnut-honey drizzle. If it's pasta you want, try the New Struggleville, which is plump tiger shrimp sautéed with rich bacon lardons, and then tossed with fresh pasta ribbons in a black pepper cream sauce and romano cheese.
We should note that right now, the Last Resort Grill is only serving dinner (instead of their usual brunch and lunch as well) because of restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They also have takeout.
The Last Resort Grill is located at 184 W Clayton St. in Athens.
