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T-Miller's
A sports bar in a downtown hotel? You’ve heard correctly,
and T-Miller’s Sports Bar and Grill in the Downtown
Marriott, is just one of the changes to what is essentially
a totally renovated, from top to bottom, hotel. (See
Choices; page 28, for more information on the driving
force behind the “new” Downtown Richmond Marriott).
The new restaurant, so named to pay homage to Thalhimers
(the T) and Miller and Rhoad’s (the Miller), the
two grand department stores that once stood just across
the street from the Marriott, creates an entirely new look
and feel to the main level of the hotel. The previous incarnation,
a more typical hotel restaurant, had a somewhat
staid, uninviting feel. That was then. What is now is a
lobby area that is beautifully decorated and very inviting.
This includes the bright, open, spacious T-Miller’s, which
seems to be constantly bustling with guests.
And, it’s not just guests at the hotel who are discovering
T-Miller’s. “We’re getting a lot of traffic from many
who work downtown,” says Tom Underwood, General
Manager of the Marriott. As word spreads, I’m guessing
T-Miller’s will become a destination location for folks
from all over the Metro area.
“We wanted something that would bring people in,”
Underwood explains. And, it appears he and the folks
who own and operate the hotel are getting just what they
wanted. While T-Miller’s is a great sports bar, providing
lots of TVs, great food, and friendly service, there’s also
an area that provides, for those who might so desire, a
sports-free, quieter dining area.
But, we’re talking sports bars here, so let’s elaborate.
First the sports – With 27 high-definition TVs, and all
the televised sports packages one could imagine, you’ll
always find “your game” on at least one of the screens.
Then, there’s that state-of-the-art TV wall. Usually, we’re
told it’s tuned to one event, one huge event, but with
nine separate screens, there’s always the possibility of
having the wall displaying any number of events.
And, if that isn’t cool enough, there are the private
media centers, offering HD TVs with your own remote.
With these media centers, T-Miller’s can become your
news bar, or your HGTV bar, or virtually whatever you
desire.
When it comes to food, not all sports bars are created
equal. At T-Miller’s, the food is exceptional. The Marriott
is inarguably one of the city’s finest convention and
banquet hotels. The kitchen staff can do it all, and their
expertise shines even on traditional sports bar munchies,
such as the chicken wings. Choose from either classic
spicy, or mild Southern BBQ.
There are also some great appetizers that you won’t
likely find in any other sports bar around. Take, for instance,
the Frito Pie. If you’re from around these parts,
you may not know that in Texas no self-respecting sporting
event would be complete without a Frito Pie, available at the concession stands. “In Texas,” says the Marriott’s
food and beverage director, Pablo Zuniga, “when you
order a Frito Pie, they tear the top off a bag of Fritos,
pour on the chili, cheddar cheese, and hot peppers,
and away you go. At T-Miller’s, it’s served a little more
delicately, on china, with utensils, but it’s still a delicious
treat. There’s plenty to share, so make sure you and your
party give it a try.
Even if you’re more into healthy dining, T-Miller’s
serves up a variety of fresh and delicious salads. My personal
favorite is the Asian Chicken Salad. And, while it
may not exactly be health food, the brownie sandwich is
worth an occasional deviation from the diet.
It’s all served up with a smile, by what may be the
friendliest, most accommodating waitstaff in town. And,
if you’re wondering about prices, Tom Underwood offers
this bit of welcome information, “These are sports bar
prices, not hotel restaurant prices.” Enough said.
T-Miller’s and the Marriott have proven that when
you combine the elegance of a great hotel with a cool
sports bar, you can come up with something very special.
I could have said, T-Miller’s knocks it out of the park, but
a sports analogy would be just a little too easy.
Gus'
There’s something kind of special about a neighborhood
hangout, even if it’s not in your own neighborhood.
And Gus’ Bar and Grill has that special feeling.
It’s a great sports bar, but it’s more than that. It’s also a
great restaurant. It does both the sports and the food
well thanks to the two people
who own and operate the place, Josephine Flemotomos and
Rafid Stanley.
Flemotomos’ family (the Giavos
family) has been delivering
the goods for decades, when it
comes to serving Richmonders
fantastic food. It was her family
that opened, and for many
years, operated Athens Tavern
on Robinson Street. Her
brother, Johnny, runs two of the
city’s most popular newer dining
spots, Kitchen 64 and Gibson’s
Grill.
The family tradition of fine
Greek food continues at Gus’.
“This is not your typical bar
food,” raves Flemotomos’ partner, Stanley. “We do have
the more typical items such as chicken wings, but we also
offer gyros and our Flaming Saganaki.”
Flemotomos lists other items on the menu reflecting
her Greek heritage, including hummus platters, lamb
burgers, and, as she says, “a Mezzaluna Ravioli to die
for.” It’s clear the lady knows and loves the food side of the business, and for that alone, Gus’ easily distinguishes
itself as much more than just a neighborhood sports bar.
But, let’s talk sports bar for a moment. Gus’ has the
requisite number of large, flat screen TVs, along with
private TVs in many of the booths that line one of the
walls in the place. But Stanley’s
presence takes things up a notch
or two. Sure, Gus’ has your entire
favorite sporting events being
aired throughout the day. So,
whether your sport of choice is
football, basketball, baseball, or
even NASCAR, there’s a place
for you at Gus’.
But, being a soccer player
himself, Stanley has definitely
made Gus’ the place for that
sports’ growing legions of local
fans. “This is the only place in
town to watch soccer,” he says.
And, truth is, there’s probably
not a televised soccer match being
played anywhere on earth that
you can’t watch in Gus’. That
may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one.
In addition to fabulous food and enough sports to
please the most avid fan, Gus’ also offers poker on
Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesdays, a DJ on Thursdays,
and live bands on Fridays. And no matter what day of
the week, it’s a great place to meet up with neighborhood
friends, or make some new ones. |
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