Seven Gables Restaurant Review (The Palmetto House)
Austin Taylor May 4th, 2008
The Palmetto House is an upscale restaurant set in the beautifully restored Seven Gables lodge, and features wonderful ambience and excellent food.
Friday evening, the missus and I took dinner at the recently restored and re-opened Seven Gables, now known as the Palmetto House. The exterior is beautiful- the lodge has a English Georgian look to it, with exposed timbers and stucco, and a beautiful patio with lots of tables so you can enjoy the open air. The inside is even more delightful- rich wooden paneling on the walls, elegant wood detailing in the ceiling, and even those great wooden floors that ‘klunk’ delightfully as your heels drop down on them. Giant fireplaces and antique fixtures and fans tastefully finish out the decor. Even some of the windows still have the ropes inside for the window weights. I haven’t seen that in years. And if you look carefully, you can see that some of the older panes of glass have that rippled look from age. The tables and chairs are an eclectic match that don’t quite match each other but fit the character of the room right on. New owner Robin Dunn has done a magnificent job restoring and tastefully decorating the exterior and interior.
Now let’s get to the important part - the food. A sly glance in the kitchen revealed that it was sparkling clean, and the menu was simple with just enough variety to satisfy most and keep it easy on the chef. We were expecting big things, and weren’t disappointed.
Lydia opened with fried asparagus, a glass of the house Riesling, and I had a plate of steamed mussels with the house Merlot. Both of us were very pleased with the quality of the wine and the appetizers. I had two mussels that didn’t open, which did kind of surprise me since they were arranged in a circle pattern on the dish, so surely the kitchen had to notice.
For dinner, Lydia had the surf and turf special, which she again reported was delightful. Initially intending to have red meat, I instead chose to have the stuffed flounder, which absolutely blew me away! It was delicious! Why go to the Bonefish in Augusta when you can get fish like that? I’ve not had an entrè quite that good in recent memory.
For dessert, Lydia had the Key Lime Crush, and I had fun watching her rave about that too.
There were a few flaws, though. The table cloths on the tables weren’t ironed, a fixture by the doors had a light bulb out, and a utility closet by the bathrooms was just hanging open, with bric-a-brac stacked all over the place. The men’s bathroom looked like it was still stuck in the Buffalo Room days, with rusty fixtures and dingy tile. The wait staff too, weren’t quite dressed the part either, wearing khakis and golf shirts with aprons that looked out of character with the rest of the room. They need something just a touch more formal for evening dinner.
One thing I need to mention here is that the Palmetto House is up-scale, fine-dining, and the wait staff needs to be more formal. I hate when a waitress has to write down the orders for only two people, but when she leans over and uses your table to write on the ticket, that’s going too far. And my wife isn’t doll, we aren’t guys, and we don’t need you to interrupt to ask how are we doing in the middle of eating. That’s fine for a casual place like Outback, but then again Outback doesn’t charge $35 for a steak either.
The total bill for dinner for two came to just over $100 before gratuity, which is a bit steep for North Augusta, but I think it’s a fair price for the ambiance and the food, both of which are difficult to be matched in the Augusta area.
Owner Robin Dunn really needs to get the word out. I think if she could hire away a popular bartender from downtown and maybe get some of the young yuppie crowd in there she could really crank up the business. The bar looks like it would be one of the finest watering holes in the area but it was empty Friday night. Here is hoping she succeeds because the Palmetto House is definitely worth a visit.
The Good:
- The historic building is delightful and tastefully decorated
- The food is outstanding, and with a new menu, should only get better
The Bad:
- The wait staff needs some polish
- Work on the bathrooms and hide the utility rooms
- Get the wrinkles out of the tablecloths!
- You probably haven’t gone there and should!
If it sounds like this is a negative review, it’s not my intent. The restaurant has just opened, so you expect a few start-up problems. The negatives are all small touches that I am sure will get smoothed out over time. It’s incredibly hard to get a restaurant started, and seeing what a great job she did with the building -and is doing with the food- I am very confident Robin will get it sorted out.
Last word: I will definitely be going back to the Seven Gables, I mean Palmetto House, again.
For more information, and pictures, you can check out their website: Palmetto House at 7 Gables
- Local Interest
- Comments(10)
I’ve been to the 7 Gables 2x for lunch, and was NOT impressed both times. The first time the soup was way too salty, and 2 other dinner companions said the bread was hard on their sandwiches, and the meat was dried out. The second visit showed the same result with the sandwiches-old, hard bread as well as dried out, chewy lunch meat. I skipped the soup this time, but my friend got it with her sandwich and said the soup was quite salty. The waiters on both visits needed a little more education on the menu, and on their attitude; they definitely looked like they would rather be somewhere else. I’ve been there twice and felt like I have wasted my money. I doubt I will try it again.
I loved the Palmetto House. Lunch was elegant but not intimidating and the price was reasonable. The house makes you feel as if you’ve stepped onto the set of a movie. Absolutely beautiful. I have met Robin and she and her staff are warm and inviting. I had my wedding there, and I could not have been more pleased. The chef catered the rehearsal dinner and I am still craving a repeat of the chicken marsala that was served. I just can not say enough good things. I have not yet been there for dinner, but definitely plan to do so soon. I heard they are having live music in the evenings this summer. I know that nothing is perfect, but a beautiful setting, soft music, and a delicious dinner sound close. The website has a copy of the menu and pictures that are nice, but do not do the place justice.
www.palmettohouseat7gables.com
Jennifer, I am sorry that you had a disappointing time there, and twice at that. I tend to agree with you on the wait staff, they do need a little bit of instruction.
Linda - thanks for the comment, and I’m glad your wedding was such a success. I hope your marriage brings many happy returns to the Palmetto House!
My husband and I are retired and enjoy eating out at lunch-an economical option for dining out. We have lived in North Augusta for years and longed for someone with vision to bring the 7 Gables back to life. Robin has done just that and the Palmetto House restaurant is a winner!
We both had the Palmetto Burger with the potato slices. Incredible. Juicy and char-broiled on a soft Kaiser style role. The potato slices are a special treat, beautifully crisp, hot and freshly sliced.
My suggestions are minor, but I know feedback is critical to any business willing to listen to their customers.
The elegance of the setting is not complimented by the wrinkled tableclothes and I agree the uniforms need to be a little more formal for dinner service-perhaps black pants?
Back of house is going to make this a serious contender for the dining dollars to travel over the 13th Street Bridge. Please revise the wine list to include prices and origin of wines listed. Carry over popular items from the lunch menu could add variety and pump up the dinner menu.
Let people know you’re here! We will be back!!
My lunch experience was ruined by the loud-mouth manager. Talk about needing some ed-u-ca-tion and class! This girl will run this place in the ground. GET RID OF HER. I know I won’t be back. The food was decent, prices not too bad but a little high compared to across the river at lunch. I prefer Sixth at Watkins or Patridge Inn, anyday!
My husband and I are both from North Augusta. We were so pleased to hear that Robin had purchased and opened such a part of North Augusta’s History. We were also pleased to see that she had Tara working for her. We know both Robin and Tara as well as their families and have visited them a number of times and was made to feel quite at home and special by not only them but thier staff. The food is terrific and we plan to return and hope that the rest of North Augusta will support The Palmetto House. Thumbs up to Robin, Tara and the staff of The Palmetto House.
I think that maybe Mommabird is Laura Key Weatherford and is just a little upset that she was let go because she was to stressed out when she was asked to help pour tea and water. The public loves Tara and Robin…. Get over being mean and cruel to people who tried to help you out when you came begging for a job. Continue to seek help… o.k.
We will be praying for you.
I also am very pleased that such a vital part of North Augusta’s History was brought back to life. I hope that North Augusta will come out and support The Palmetto House. I eat their atleast twice a week. The food is outstanding and the atmosphere is just breathtaking. I would also like to say that I enjoy talking to Tara and Robin whom make me laugh. Keep up the good work Palmetto House.
Well, let me start off by saying that The Palmetto House is awesome!!! The food is great and my family and friends will be visiting as much as we can. I have only heard just a couple of small complaints from people which is expected from any business. But, I will say that mommabird has got to be kidding…..oh no…..I mean CRAZY!!!!!! You couldn’t ask for more down to earth of a person than the manager Tara. She & Robin are quite hilarious and most of all friendly and caring… My hat is off to them and I wish them all the luck in the world!!!!
Hello to all!!! I have visited the Palmetto House twice and will be back. I will say that the staff that I have come across are very inviting and friendly. The hostess Cassandra is very outgoing and the server I had both times I was in there was Marissa, I believe she is from New Jersey and she is just as nice as anyone could be. North Augusta needed this and anyone who has such negative comments as mommabird does, has just got to have a reason to be so ugly… Anyone is open for suggestions and mine have been welcomed with open arms by the management and ownership. Get off that soapbox you are on mommabird!!!