‘Trappeze’ Review: Prime location, eclectic pairs, exceeded expectations

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

By Jameson Keasler

If it is known for anything other than the University of Georgia and football, Athens, GA is known for its food and unique restaurants. There are many options for food in town. Whether you want something familiar or new, there is something for every mood or appetite.

Trappeze Pub is located in the ideal location downtown for a game day meal, date night or family visits. This restaurant rests on the corner of Washington and Hull streets just a few blocks away from campus and the rest of downtown life. 

Downtown Athens is one of the most diverse places in the city for food and this little corner is no exception. 

While the downtown scene can often include packed bars on the weekend, Trappeze is an option for a nice dinner and a drink with a less crowded space.

Location is not the only factor that makes this restaurant stand out as a fantastic dinner option but this pub style restaurant offers an eclectic menu with unique takes on some classic meals and dishes.

A staple here that should be mentioned in the unique category  is not even a meal but a sauce. Trappeze has a raspberry ketchup sauce that compliments any salty dish. The sauce became the most important piece of the meal.

For the main course, there are burgers, sandwiches, among a few other main dishes. Instead of going for a main entree, I decided to go with the wings with pineapple habanero sauce and a side of fries. There are many places in Athens to get wings, but I have not been to a place that had wings as fresh as these. The blend of sweet, spicy, and salty was unmatched against anything else I have tried.

Food and location might be some of the most important aspects to a restaurant but the atmosphere can definitely make or break an experience.

On my recent visit to Trappeze Pub, I was immediately struck by the atmosphere of the restaurant. The space was clean and had a style similar to the rest of downtown with an elegant edge to it. The service is noteworthy as well as my party was greeted and seated right away; then before ordering we were offered water and the choice of another drink.

With this city being a college town, many restaurants focus on the sports they can play on their TVs and less on the food they put in front of you to eat while you watch. If a game is what you want, you can sit on the right side of the restaurant but the left has no TVs. The restaurant is almost split down the middle giving its customers the decision for what kind of meal they want. 

While there are a few TVs there, the food remains the most important piece of the experience and an experience this place is. 

If we can judge a restaurant based on how much care they give to the food above other things, and I think we should, Trappeze gets a high rating from me. Some places try to make food combinations that no one has tried before but they often end up being too much. Simple and unique is possible, Trappeze has proved that.

If there was a drawback though, it might have to be the prices. I mentioned that this place was great for date nights and family visits partly because frequently visiting here might leave most people’s wallets feeling a little light. 

If this place is not a frequent visit, it should be on everyone’s list for the occasional dinner. 

Click to view restaurant website and full menu! https://www.trappezepub.com/

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Chuck’s Fish: Bringing the Beach to Athens

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

By Jamie Miller

Athens, Georgia is not a beach town, which might explain why there are only a handful of seafood restaurants in the city actually worth going to. Chuck’s Fish is one of these. 

The dinner-only menu is a mix of Gulf seafood classics, like Gulf seafood gumbo and grilled oysters, and asian fusion, like spring rolls, kimchi brussels and a wide selection of sushi. They also have a large selection of wines and house cocktails.

The restaurant is chic, with dark wooden tables, blue accents and a charming outdoor patio twinkling with string lights. There is a welcoming, upscale beach atmosphere, but perhaps that is unique to the southern college town of Athens, where it is typical to be seated next to sorority girls wearing long dresses on one side with a couple wearing t-shirts on the other side. 

As a sushi-lover, I was thrilled about their extensive selection and had a difficult time deciding which to order. Luckily, my well-informed waiter pointed me in the right direction and our table ordered a variety to share: the uptown chicken appetizer, sesame-seared tuna, back-down roll, TNT and the BFF roll, the special of the day. I was really looking forward to the red snapper special, but unfortunately it sold out before we could order it.

The freshness of the fish might trick your tastebuds into thinking you are at a restaurant on the Gulf. The ingredients come straight from Harbor Docks seafood market in Destin, Florida three times a week – and you can tell. The sushi was not only stunning in presentation, but tightly rolled with no shortage of filling. I especially enjoyed the heaping pile of crab salad on top of the back-down roll.

The uptown chicken was comparable to sesame chicken but with more of a tang. But surprisingly, the seared tuna was the first clean plate on the table. It was exceptionally tender and well cooked. 

I also ordered the greyhound cocktail, which is a combination of vodka, grapefruit and lime served with a dried grapefruit garnish. I find that cocktails with quality ice cubes are much more satisfying than those that do not, and this one passed the test with large, square, clear cubes of ice. But beware…this cocktail is so crisp that you will be tempted to order a pitcher after the first sip! 

The price point is the biggest flaw of Chuck’s, with the average price of a sushi roll hovering around $16 and entrees around $30. It certainly does not cater to the large community of Athens college students. It is possible that shipping costs from Athens to Destin are to blame for the hiked up prices, since Harbour Docks, it’s sister restaurant in Destin, carries a very similar menu for cheaper. Perhaps Chuck’s will expand and begin providing lunch deals, like in the Tallahassee location, to make the restaurant more affordable and accessible to lower income groups. 

It is also important to note that this restaurant does not take reservations, which I personally find irritating, especially in a college town where there are parents’ weekends, graduation and other events that require advanced planning.

Overall, I found Chuck’s to be a great place for college students to go for special occasions, but I do not think it is a practical restaurant to attend on a weekly basis. Although the price can be justified by the excellent quality of the food and cocktails, it is simply too expensive for your average college student budget. Despite this, I think the Athens seafood scene desperately needed another contender and Chuck’s is certainly giving other restaurants a run for their money.

Click below to view restaurant website and full menu! https://www.chucksfish.com/athens/

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