The Back Burner Restaurant

Wooooow! JUST WOW! A coworker of my husband's recommended that we try this restaurant so we decided to go tonight for our Valentine's date. Reservations are preferred here so we did call earlier today to make one. Upon pulling up we didn't know what to expect as the location is kinda ducked away. There is a patio outside which I'm sure would be nice between the Spring and Fall. We were just a few minutes past our reserved time when we walked in. We were greeted by our waitress Melanie by name and she already had a table fully prepared for us waiting. This kind of service caught me off guard in all honesty as I've not experienced anything like this since moving here. We had lots of questions about everything and Melanie came through on it all! We let her choose our drinks (Fully stocked bar), a cocktail (You had me at Basil) and a mocktail (Nojito) and they were perfect. Her menu recommendations were spot on for us as well. I can be pretty "picky" or particular about my food since I'm a pescatarian. If she didn't know she asked the Chef/Owner Julio and was right back with an answer. The Chef was very accommodating with my requests for no meat or meat products (no sausage or chicken broth in my Spanish Paella) and the dish still tasted amazing! My husband also loved his NY Strip and sides. Melanie said the sauce was sooo good and it was! He couldn't stop eating it, even once he was full. We both had leftovers for another meal as the portion size was well worth the price of each entree. Lastly we shared a slice of strawberry cake and it was🥰🔥🔥🔥👌🏽. Literally the perfect close on our meal and a big enough slice that we easily shared it and even though we were full we made room for every bit of it! Close quartered intimate settings but they do have a large area for bigger parties/events for 40-50 ppl. Again it is wise to make a reservation here, especially for a holiday or the weekends. It maybe slightly hidden but is a well known diamond in the rough. The absolutely only thing that I seen that may hinder someone from enjoying themselves here is that the walkway to the restroom as well as the doorway into the restroom are fairly narrow as the building itself is historically older. A wheelchair or walker may not fit into these areas. Our usual anniversary spot (N.O.L.A. seafood restaurant starting with a P and ending in eaux) in Atlanta has fully been replaced. We will FOR SURE be repeat customers here. We loved it from beginning to end.

We had such an amazing experience from start to finish! Melanie was attentive, friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu and all her recommendations were spot on. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. It's worth every penny if you haven't been to this restaurant you should go!

You need a reservation but we arrived almost an hour early and we were sat immediately on a Saturday. We sat in a private corner and enjoyed this place so much we will be back. It's a little pricy but the food is excellent! We decided to get a special for an appetizer and the prime rib for dinner as it's their special on Friday and Saturday night.

This was our third time here. We had amazing experiences the past two times. This time (Friday 13th Feb. 2026) was not so good. Took awhile for our bar drinks..did not recieve bread until after our entrées arrived (watched the table next to us who was sat 10 minutes after us get bread before us). My fiancée loves the steak oscar..but it came out cold this time. I ordered the NY strip medium rare..it was medium well or more. Could have probably gotten over ALL of that..but when our server asked us about dessert we asked for a slice of cake to go. She said she would be right back with the cake and check. We then didnt see her for 10 minutes. She came with the cake but not the check. Another 10 minutes passed before bringing the check. We are not waiting on food to cook here.. we are waiting on a pre-made dessert and the bill We are ready to leave. It felt like being held hostage lol. Maybe we will try again but it won't be for a little while.

Food and service was good. The place in rundown and drafty. Homeless cats outside the restaurant. No real waiting area. We thought we came in the wrong entrance. We were walking past dining tables where people were eating, then came up to a very small bar, asking the bartender if we came in the correct entrance. She said yes. Strike 1! Not a warm welcoming entrance. Our driver got there much faster than expected so we were early, no bar to sit at and gave a beverage before dinner. The bar we saw near the entrance was just for making drinks for people at the tables. Strike 2! We get sat down and we could feel the heat on - thank goodness, but wait, it turns off and since our table was a straight shot to the entrance- it was extremely drafty. Strike 3. The server came to our table and the first thing he checks is the sturdiness and balance of our table! Weird! As we looked around we could see the place quite rundown. Because that sat us early, we were done early. But our driver had other clients that evening. So we had to wait. Our server said we could wait outside. What? It’s 20 degrees outside! We loitered at our table as long as possible. Then stood near the entrance on in inside waiting for our driver. During this time we noticed 4 different cats outside. Seemed like a lot considering we saw that many in a short time. We were relieved when our driver arrived! As mentioned there’s no entrance with comfortable waiting area. We might try this place in the summer. As it might feel more comfortable and inviting in warmer weather. I’m going to say I’m on the fence about Back Burner. Good food is only half the experience. Sitting at old tables in a drafty rundown room, no real entrance waiting area, no real bar to sit at before or after dinner… it’s really missing the full dining experience.

After a long, exhausting day at work, I was seriously craving seafood. I randomly came across this spot and decided to grab their seafood trio to-go since I was too tired to dine in. Usually, takeout from other places feels like an afterthought, but The Back Burner did not disappoint. Everything was on point—flavor, presentation, all of it. Perfect way to end the day! 🤤😋

Justin was an excellent host/waiter. He knows his stuff. I was a lil disappointed because i actually went for the lobster dinner but that is only on Thursday. We had crab cakes, which wasn't that good. A bit too fishy for me. They also lacked seasoning. The lobster ravioli was good. Chris had the lamb chop dinner which was okay. Overall it was a nice spot for date night. I'll be returning to try the lobster dinner.

I had a fabulous time at the Back Burner! The food was wonderful, the service impeccable. We had reservations and was seated immediately. The design of the seating allowed for intimate conversations in a non rushed environment. The plating and presentation of the food was very appealing visually and the appetizer and entrée superb. Added to my favorite places for a great meal.

The ambiance is interesting to say the least as the restaurant is in an old house with tables on the original front porch. Check in desk is hidden around the front door and small tables are everywhere. The service was great and the food was excellent! My wife had the sirloin steak bites and I had the seafood trio! Definitely a do-over!

My fiancee and I went to this restaurant yesterday evening, as we had been anticipating going out for Valentine's Day all week. Unfortunately, we could not go out on the actual day since both of us work in medical and our hours are crazy. To say that the meal was a disappointment was an understatement. She and I don't go out to eat often, because I cook well at home. We go out to eat for the experience and to prevent the need to clean afterward. When we happen to go out, we expect a certain type of experience from what is expected from a restaurant of the caliber for which it stands. For example, if we were to go out to eat at Olive Garden (seldomly happens, just on a random night when both of us are exhausted and just need to get dinner somewhere), we understand that we will get food at said place and the service will be par or sub-par. However, when you go out to a place like Back Burner which has had amazing reviews for years in Macon, you expect a certain level of food quality and service. Unfortunately, The Back Burner just didn't hit the mark. My fiancee got crab cakes, and I must say that the chef knows how to prepare them because they are amazing. Fresh lump crab meat, pan-seared appropriately and served with an excellent sauce, the appetizer was the highlight of the meal. I got the duck breast appetizer which was ok, however, the chef needs to learn how to put an appropriate sear on the duck before slicing and serving to enhance the flavor of the meat. It seemed as though they may have sent it through a salamander to heat the meat, but this dish requires a sear. Lastly, the duck was served in a sweet and spicy chili that I get from my local Asian grocer. For a restaurant of this caliber, I expect a sauce to be prepared from scratch. My fiancee ordered the Chilean Sea bass Nicoise. This caliber of fish is amazing, however, the chef found a way to prepare it like you would get from a middle-of-the-road chain restaurant. Food can speak for itself, but if a chef is incapable of elevating the food to the stature it deserves, the dish falls flat no matter how much an attempt to elevate the fish is dressed with an amazing sauce. Sea bass should flake as soon as it is touched with a fork. A knife ought not to be required. It's a shame this poor fish died to be prepared tough. I ordered the Black Angus New York Strip au Poivre, which should have been prepared over a wood-fired grill, or at the very least seared on a flat top. I had it cooked rare to mid-rare, as a steak of this caliber deserves to be put together. When the food comes out to the table, both meals are to be prepared appropriately so sendbacks are unnecessary. Unfortunately, I had to send mine back because the steak was tough to cut into with a steak knife, which revealed the steak was cooked medium to medium-well. Anytime this happens in food service to a restaurant with a lofty reputation (not to mention a price point to match), the meal needs to be comped. They attempted to recook my dinner, as I sat watching my fiancee eat her dinner, only for the dish to come out cooked inappropriately again. My steak came out a second time and fired to the right temperature, but the steak was tough to cut into with a steak knife. I'm not sure if they microwaved it or if the steak came from an inferior source, but it didn't seem like it was seared at all. The au Poivre was ok, however, it was smothered all over the steak as though to hide the lack of meat quality. They also used ginger at some point, and ginger doesn't go into au Poivre. Justin was very nice, he just needs some re-education on service. I can understand restaurants get busy, but to serve wine to my fiancee by presenting her wine glass over her shoulder from the back side of the booth because it is convenient rather than coming to the front of the table to present the wine glass according to proper steps of food service is inappropriate. Rather than recognizing issues that needed to be addressed, he was more concerned with cleverly checking that the 2 one hundred dollar bills I used to pay for my dinner were real and returning with a dessert that "we needed to try" and never ordered. It seemed like a good-faith gesture, but I've been around once or twice, and his insistence on us "staying for just a sec" to return with a dessert that they were going to throw away at the end of the night didn't fool me. If the same effort was put into making things right so the restaurant would produce return guests, the business may be able to thrive. Overall, the server was a nice guy and needed a job to take care of his family. Unfortunately, the quality of the establishment he works for is slowly slipping away. I would have left one star, but Justin brought the level up to 2 stars because he was as accommodating as he could be considering the business for which he works. I'll keep my ear to the ground to see if they improve. Til then I'll just visit Natalia's or Downtown Grill.

Great service, our server Justin was amazing and the atmosphere was quaint. 10/10 all the way through, can't believe we found this gem in Macon on a whim, I don't know what all these 1 and 2 star reviews are about, this place rocks. I looked at the profiles of some that rate this place poorly and it seems like this historic little Macon spot has been the victim of habitual yelp-complainers that want free meals. Highly recommend!

We had last eaten at the Back Burner at least 20 years ago, a good experience then, so when we planned to meet another couple for dinner yesterday we invited them here. It amounted to a tab of about $175 per couple, plus tip, and was a very disappointing experience for this price bracket. Must be different management. I started with an Old Fashioned (so-so) and escargots. The latter were served agreeably sizzling in their ramekin, but practically flavorless. These poor snails had died without ever making the acquaintance of a garlic clove, and were served with crostini that was so hard I wasn't sure what would break first: the toast or a tooth. I reegretted not having a pair of pliers with me to break the crostini into edible pieces. Terrible appetizer for my $16. I followed with the $48 rack of lamb, likewise undistinguished and not at all up to what I expect of this dish. This came, like about half of all the entrees on the menu, with new potatoes and asparagus that seemed as if cooked en masse three days earlier to be slapped on everyone's plate. No side dishes with any creativity were in evidence on the bill of fare. No price-worthy presentation or flavor in this dish. Wine by the bottle was outrageously priced, so I asked for a glass of merlot. They didn't have any, so I settled for a bland shiraz that tasted like it would have cost about $8 elsewhere. My wife and I shared a similarly disappointing bread pudding to bring an end to things. Only a good conversation with our dinner companions saved the evening, but the dining room we were in (farthest back) was so noisy it was hard to converse. My wife, observant of decor, remarked that the framed pictures on the wall looked like they'd come out of the parlor of some decreit old aunt who never had time for dusting. For me, the chairs told a story. Draped in black cloth when we were seated, these covers soon slid off to reveal seats iof garish red vinyl that looked like they'd come out of a lowbrow chophouse. It seemed symbolic of a restaurant that presented itself to us as mostly facade without the substance to back it up. We won't be back. If I want to spend this much money in Macon again for dinner, I will go to Christian's or Natalia's, where we've had far better dinners for a little less money than this one.

Charming small restaurant (bistro) with great service and food. Priced as a special meal, vs. everyday lunch or dinner, but service, food and ambience make the cost reasonable. I was traveling through for work and my only regret was my wife wasn't with me to enjoy a wonderful, romantic meal. But this was a really nice solo dinner surprise after a long workday and long drive from south Georgia.

My husband and I decided to have our Thursday night date here at The Back Burner, thanks to the awesome yelp reviews. We drove right past the parking lot and had to turn around to find it. When we pulled up, I was not sure if we were at the correct place,it looked like the outside of someone's house. When we walked in, we were greeted by a gregarious host whom we informed we had reservations. We were seated immediately in the dining room with the bar. The music was light, and the atmosphere had a quaint, cozy vintage feel. Our waiter was amicable and attentive. We both ordered drinks. I had a Peach Bellini while my husband had the Southern Baptist,both drinks were adequate. We shared the Pan Seared Scallops for an appetizer,they were cooked to perfection and came with an aioli and teriyaki glaze that paired perfectly. My husband and I both wanted to try several menu items, so we both went with the Seafood Trio. The Crab Cake was decent, I'm from Maryland, so it would not be fair for me to compare, but it was good for the area. The shrimp and seared grouper were cooked well, and the sauce was unique and flavorful. The sides were fresh and cooked appropriately. Our meal ended with a yummy slice of strawberry cake that we shared. The cake was moist, the icing was creamy not, too sweet, it tasted homemade. We enjoyed our food as well as the excellent service. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just want to impress someone with a nice upscale experience, this is the place to dine.

So nice! Justin was our waiter and he was amazing! The food was perfect! We went there on our wedding anniversary and it couldn't have been better. Turned a special day into a spectacular evening. We will definitely return. We had the Lobster Bisque and Seared Scallops for appetizers. For our entrées, we had the grilled Salmon with lobster risotto and Cajun Grouper. Of course we had the caramel cake and the strawberry cake for dessert.

Service was very slow-Could not get a drink , Diner came before salad-sent back , when food arrive it was cold and overdone ,had to cut fish with a knife-way overdone ! Dinner on 2/13/2024 Harold R.

My partner and I adored this restaurant. The food was exquisite -- perfectly seasoned and accompanied. He was speechless at the short rib, and I was in heaven with the sea bass. Our cocktails -- a modified old fashioned and a gin-based drink -- were also fantastic. The strawberry cake tasted like home. The ambience, inside of an old house, was intimate and lovely. The service was excellent. We would have preferred just slightly slower pacing of meals, but otherwise, we cannot wait to return to this hidden gem.

The food is good but it's not great. Yet they charge "great" prices. I had the escargot for a starter and the lobster ravioli for my main. It was all fine but I left disappointed because I paid a premium for "just fine." Look, there are much worse restaurants in Macon and the food was not bad but I paid an arm and a leg here for perfectly fine food.

Finally made it to the Back Burner and we were put on the back burner. When we arrived and gave them our name and they acted like they didn't know where to put us. Finally got seated in a back corner. About 10 minutes in a young man brings us butter, no bread 10 more minutes and bread still no server. 5 more minutes A server stops at our table and says he'll be right back. 15 minutes later he comes through the room and gives us a wave. Another 10 minutes and the server at the next table finally ask for our drink order and says our waiter has a large group that is slowing him down. Now we probably should have just given up and left but it's Saturday night and we really want to try the food. Finally the food comes and it was fantastic and really large portions , only could eat half . So our server asked if we'd like there rest boxed to go we say yes, thank you. And that was the last we saw of our food. Did not bring it back when she brought the bill. Should have asked about it but after 2 hours we were ready to get out. As for our corner, I spent 2 hours looking over my wife's shoulder at a poorly repaired wall.

It was my birthday and I definitely chose the best restaurant for this evening. The cocktails, service, ambience and food are top notch. Escargot was my favorite but all the appetizers were delicious. The Brie was a close second. My husbands steak au poive amazing ! All our diners and cocktails were perfect!

Were staying in Forsyth for a few months theres no really good restaurant to go for a celebration. We are celebrate my birthday and need to find a really nice place. I was looking for a restaurants that have seafood and steak. So when I was yelping I found this place. There menu is small and limited selection but enough for me to try. It was weird where it is located we actually drive past it so we had to turn back around. Inside there are few different small rooms with seating. It looks like it use to be a house? The atmosphere is romantic the servers are all same uniformed and very professional. So we order our drinks. They serve fresh bread and it was really good and hot. I had the prime ribs and a side of lobster tail my husband had the Chilean sea bass. All the food was really! really! good! I took my prime ribs home because it was too much for me. It was nice I got a free cake for my birthday. Our dinner came to around $200 with tips which it was not bad for us because it was a real nice experience and would love to come back.

This place is wonderfulI love the spicey shrimp with lingini noodles with a cheese sauce,their service is above most restraunts. And it away from the mainstream ,its very cozy to where you never feel rushed out the door. Just good times great food.

Food was good, very slow service, we came here to celebrate Mother's Day and it was crowded. The staff was very friendly.

Absolute great experience! The food is amazing! Service is attentive, and welcoming. I will definitely visit again!

Outstanding menu variety. We had the crab cakes for appetizers, salads, and the grouper special. Justin our waiter was knowledgeable and accommodating. The lemon drop martini and Manhattan were testy. Highly recommended. The great weather allowed an outdoor dining experience. Found the place while passing through Georgia. Hope to frequent again on another day!

Love this place!!! Service is excellent. The lobster was amazing!Pan-roasted Wild Sea Bass

We have went here several times and are never disappointed. I had the shrimp and grits and my husband had the prime rib special. We finished with the triple layer strawberry cake. This is a quiet restaurant and excellent for date night. We will definitely continue going here.

Our friends, another couple, asked us if we wanted to try this place and we definitely did after hearing such good things about the food here. He made reservations for a Thursday, which is Lobster Night. We had trouble finding it, even though the GPS took us there correctly, but the sign is at the bottom under other business names so we didn't see it before we passed it. Also the building is at the back, behind another larger one. But don't let the modest outside put you off; from the moment we were seated, this was an elegant and classy dinner. Our server Dustin confirmed that we had also made reservations for a lobster for each of us, although we didn't have to order one if we wanted something different. Our friends ordered a bottle of wine, which was served iced in its own bucket on a pedestal, and placed tableside. We were also brought chunks of bread with dishes of cold butter that were presented in such a way that I thought it was sliced cheese at first, LOL! For starters I had the Escargot de Bourgogne, which is snails in a garlic butter sauce, served with crostinis. Mark got the special, Coconut Encrusted Shrimp, and our friends shared the Pan-seared Scallops. Everything was outstanding. The shrimp were huge, the size of a large chicken wing, and it took three bites to eat just one. For our entrees, everybody but me had the Lobster Special which was served split, in the shell, and stuffed with Avocado Salad. They were humongous! The plates must have been 14 inches long and the claws were the size of my hand. The avocado salad was delicious, creamy yet crunchy from celery and cucumber. There was clarified butter on the side. I ordered the Spanish Paella which came in its own little paella pan, and had a baby lobster (a big baby), mussels, clams, shrimp, fish, and sausage, cooked with rice. It blew me away. Dessert was a Twelve-layer Caramel Cake with Caramel Sauce, and a Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake drizzled with Strawberry Preserves. Both decadent. My friend asked if they had Crème brûlée, but Dustin said if we call at least a day ahead, the chef can plan for it. We all had leftovers, which were packed up for us. We expected the bill to be high, but on Lobster Night it turned out to be about twice what we expected. It was well worth it, though, when you consider the overall experience. From the impeccable service from Dustin, to the size of the portions, the presentation of the dishes, and the perfectly-cooked meal, this a occasion dinner, and definitely a place for a special night. If we'd had white napkins, we would have have waved them in surrender, because they won us over for sure.

Went on a Tuesday and it wasn't too busy. Great food at a pretty good price when compared to my hometown (Miami/FLL). Crab cakes were amazing (no carby fillers) and I had the short rib w/au jus. Wow! Definitely coming here again when I come back to Maconga for work.

Great food done really well. You will not be disappointed. Please give the place a chance next time you are in Macon

I was skeptical about finding good seafood in Macon however I was open to give a restaurant my wife found on the internet a try. We drove down from Atlanta to try Back Burner. Given the time of our reservation, we were able to be seated in the back room that we ultimately had to ourselves. Mary was our server. We can't say enough good things about her. She saw to our every need and willing answered every question we had about the menu items. After reviewing our thoughts with Mary, we decided to have the crab cakes and scallops as appetizers. My wife had the Chilean Sea Bass and I had the Spanish Paella for the main course. We shared the strawberry cake for dessert. The food was outstanding with good portion sizes. Needless to say, we could not eat it all and took some home with us. The combination of great food and service will influence us to visit Back Burner again and try other items on the menu.

Good food and great service. Tucked away behind Ingleside avenue... you'll miss it if you're not oaging attention. We were seated outside, which was fine... but it was literally the table right next to where you enter the restaurant. From what I could see, it's very small on the inside. While we waited for our food, we saw two cats and a raccoon hanging out in the parking lot... we couldn't help but laugh! I ordered the paella it it definitely did not disappoint. It was enough for me to have another meal. My wife ordered a special for the day, but unfortunately didn't like it very much.

Just ok. My fish was undercooked twice so I ended up just eating bread and the sides.

Great food great service great atmosphere. Chilean sea bass was delicious. Black angus steak was pricy but very good. I thought the mixed drinks were overpriced, but were made well. We had a party of 8 and the server Israel was very attentive to our needs.

The Food was terrific, taste and presentation were perfect! The service was the best part. Our 34th wedding Anniversary was perfect thanks to Melanie Diehl who worked so hard to fit us in on a busy Valentine's day weekend. She went above and beyond the service required. Our server Tiffany was knowledgeable and informative her suggestions were spot on. This secluded little gem is a must try for any foodie or connoisseur. Listen to the specials and take direction from the server they know what the chef has planned out and can lead you in the perfect direction.

I found this on Google while searching for restaurants near Macon, GA for my sister's birthday, celebrating her wedding & our wedding anniversary. This place did not disappoint. Small, warm cozy atmosphere & delicious food from our appetizers to main courses and a great waiter "Justin". I will be sure to visit again when in town. The noise level can get a little high but there is outside seating if weather permits.

We've dined here probably 6 times over the past few years and they've NEVER disappointed in food or service. Everything has been top notch. I will say it is one of the pricier restaurants in the Macon area, but if you want a special dining experience, this is the place. We dined there last night to celebrate our anniversary. I had the seafood trio and my husband had the prime rib. Both were excellent. We cleaned our plates. I always forget to snap a pic of my food before digging in, but I can honestly say the pics on their website accurately represent the dishes they serve. The restaurant is small and they do a good job of separating people due to covid. All of the staff wore masks.

A quaint little place that's a tad pricey for a split/shared dish of paella. Our paella that was split in half down to half of the lobster tail...should've been $36+$8=$44 (told by server) but ended up being $50 instead. Lobster & some mussels were overcooked too. Although pricey it was tasty/flavorful. The other person in our group got the ribeye special that looked good and said it was good. Just saw the escargot appetizers charge of $16 that should've been $10 was good but not as good as the ones we had at Santioni's Italian restaurant in Jax FL and a lot cheaper too. And just a heads up, if you like the "old fashion" drinks, they do not use the dark cherry nor cubed/blocked ice. You would think the prices they were charging the service would be more on point too. Hubby had to stop another server for a throwaway plate for the seafood that our server should have given us but didn't...not a very attentive server. They at least did have some gluten free items though.

Best dining experience in years! Hostess and seating : perfect. The hostess gave us an outdoor table as requested and we were seated almost immediately upon arrival, even though we had no reservation. The hostess and bartender were both wearing their masks correctly and the hostess kept a respectful distance while seating us. Wait staff : Our waitress came quickly but was not pushy. She had perfect timing from ordering through payment, wore her mask correctly throughout the evening, and was very polite and respectful. We also noticed that all the wait staff kept their masks covering both the mouth and nose throughout the evening. Drinks : We tried an unknown cocktail with basil and found it refreshing, and Glenlivet speaks for itself. The drinks were generous and arrived promptly. Appetizer : We shared a baked brie with grapes, walnuts, and honey served with crusty bread slices. It arrived quickly and was fabulous. Entree : The paella was perfectly seasoned and cooked and a very generous portion. The desserts were not on the menu, so we asked the waitress what they were before ordering. We wanted the bread pudding she described, we decided to share an entree to save room. Two shared the paella and had some left over to take home afterwards! Dessert : This was the absolute best bread pudding I've ever had in a restaurant!! Ever. Better than Atlanta, New Orleans, St. Augustine, Pensacola, Greensboro, or Richmond. It's amazing. You should eat it if you ever get the chance. Price : Worth every penny for a relaxing and delicious dining experience. Entertainment : We were seated outside and enjoyed watching the cats in the parking lot while listening to Sirius instrumental versions of big band and classic pop music. Overall the best dining experience I've had in years. P.S. regarding the yelp reviews : We spoke with the chef Julio after dinner and he told us that he purchased this restaurant a few years ago after spending 15 years as head chef in another Macon restaurant. It looks like all the low reviews are from before Julio took over.

Excellent service, food was great and waiter very kind and helpful ***** Love to be back soon. Definitely recommend this place.

Another great little gem in Macon. Great rustic outdoor seating and food. Service was good and the wait staff friendly. Good choice of food with nightly specials.

This truly is a gem of a seafood restaurant nestled in a neighborhood of Macon. Even a gem when compared to Atlanta restaurants, since not many other restaurants will fly in Maine lobsters once a week! Between the two times that I've been, we tried quite a few things off the menu (in no particular order): 1. Lobster special: highly recommend getting one for the table to share especially for the experience! If you plan to do so, definitely let the restaurant know ahead of time so they can reserve a lobster for you. So these are 3 pound lobsters that also come with sides that changes, mashed potatoes, green beans, avocado and lobster salad, or lobster mac and cheese. You can definitely tell that these babies are fresh, because they're juicy, sweet, and you don't even need the butter / lemon kind of fresh! I would highly recommend only getting one to share since you get plenty of food, they will even separate out onto two different plates 2. Home-smoked maple leaf duck breast: this was better than expected, it had a Smokey and sweet hoisin taste. The surprising part was these were very delicate and light, highly recommend 3. Jumbo lump crab cakes (2): sweet, savory, amazing crab cakes... you can definitely tell they do not skimp on the crab meat. 4. Pan-seared sea scallops: perfectly seared, you get 4 scallops, amazing with the sriracha aioli. A little salty for me, but would definitely get again 5. Chilean Sea bass: our server mentioned that they also get fresh Chilean sea bass once a week flown in, and you can definitely tell the fish is fresh! Smaller portion considering the other plates, wish I had a little more seasoning / taste to the fish. 6. Escargot de Bourgogne: escargot, butter, crostini ... great appetizer to share with the table. The butter was garlicky so, it made it that much more delectable! 7. House salad: simple, fresh, full of flavor and texture between the apples and the caramel ones pecans 8. Braised beef short ribs: this must have weighed a couple pounds, it was definitely a healthy serving! The meat fell off the bone, but really wish that there was a little more flavor or an additional component to help with texture since it was pretty fatty 9. Bread pudding: delicious 10. Chocolate cake: be warned these are a healthy serving of dessert, so more than enough to share. This was good, but loved the spice and gooey ness of the bread pudding more All in all, amazing fresh seafood in the back of an office building in the middle of Macon with great service, easy parking lot. Would go back again!

What a great find. Been through Macon GA many times. First time to this quaint and amazingly good restairant. Variety awesome. Everything is made in house. Service was efficient, friendly and helpful. They have only been back open for a week. We felt safe. Clean and all procedures followed. We will be back. Hope you follow our lead and get back to this restaurant that has been serving Macon since 1996 We had: Shrimp and Mozzarella Cakes, Lobster Ravioli with Shrimp Cream sauce, Braised Pork Belly Shrimp and Grits and Classic Bread Pudding with Hard Sauce.

Wow, then just because they deserve it another wow. I was in Macon for business and decided to give this a try based on other yelp reviews. I went with a group of 5 on a week night and had no trouble getting a table on short notice. The menus was large with a lot of good choices and the server did a great job of taking care of us without constantly interrupting our business dinner. Our orders included filets, Ribeye and grouper and they were all delicious. The prices were fair considering the quality of food and I will be back the next time I am in Macon.

The best food AND service in Macon! The thing I love most about work trips is trying next places! And here, the food never falls short. I have ordered the paella previously, but this time I order and the Trio, and let me say, I was highly impressed - but what's new, this place is amazing!! The grouper was the most delightful fish, I've ever tasted. The pan-seared scallops, which are cooked to perfection, were paired with a sweet teriyaki sauce - again, yum! Lastly, the key lime pie was such a great ending to the night, I truly enjoyed it.

We had a great meal at a great place, The Back Burner Grill in Macon GA for our 12 year Anniversary. This is not the place to go everyday because your wallet would cry but for special event, it's perfect. The food is the highlight of the place but the staff is a close second. What can I say about the food, everything came out great, especially the yummy dessert. You really need to try their chocolate cake, none was left lol. Their lobster bisque was to die for plus they gave us free bread that are cooked fresh every night. We Actually got to see the same chief that cooked for us on our rehearsal dinner 12 years ago. He is now the proud owner of the restaurant; great guy. If you are in Macon and really want a great meal with great service, go here. The only thing that they didn't have is a kids meal, but my daughter was ok with eating her pasta.

Best gourmet restaurant in Macon!! The menu it's really good and the food taste awsome. And very clean too! Cheff Rosas

This place is a a TREASURE. Don't let the (very few) grumpy comments below scare you away, this dinner was a dream. Justin was our server, he was so helpful and had great recommendations. He seemed just as excited about the menu as I was! I had the braised rib and my mom got the lobster special, flown in from Maine the same day. Certainly on the pricey side, but in my opinion, well worth it. Each bite was magic, and I was so full when I left I was nearly in pain! I couldn't stop eating. The drinks were fabulous and we even got desert to go, as it was baked fresh in-house and we couldn't resist. We will certainly be back.

The most amazing seafood cooked perfectly. Low key Restaurant with excellent service. A little pricey but expect this with the tucked away location. A great location for a private dinner for two. Traveled from Atlanta to Macon just for the private dinning.

We recently moved to the area just a few blocks away, and unaware of what type of restaurant this was, dashed in for what we assumed would be a run-of-the-mill casual dinner; we were pleasantly wrong. What greeted us instead was a world class meal that could stand up to any highly rated big city restaurants. I had the lamb, and my wife had the filet. The mains and sides were done absolutely perfectly, and the wait staff was professional and attentive. This place takes their craft very seriously and it shows on the plate.

The food is delicious, the fish, seafood trio, was cooked perfectly.... Short ribs fell off the bone and tasted spectacular. Every entree and appetizer could not have been better. The only negatives, even though I still rated this restaurant a five, the wine selections were very overpriced, the background music was a bit outdated, the decor could have been nicer and the outside needed some curb appeal. My husband and I will definitely be back...soon.

My food was under-seasoned and overcooked. I politely asked for another entree instead. I was informed by management because the food was a bit expensive, I would be charged for both entrees despite not eating the first. Instead they offered to "re-season" my already cooked meal. I was taken aback. I declined. I felt degraded. Poor, poor customer service. This will be my last visit. Would not recommend.

The food is not worth $$$. Outside dining area not clean. Salads were good. But the lump crab coat had no lumps of crab meat. Shrimp and Crits just ok.

I LOVED my meal here. We came as a large group and they did such a good job making us feel accommodated. I ordered the trout and it came with a crab cake and shrimp. There were people at our table who ordered paella (this is a thing that you have to call ahead for) but boy, it's WORTH IT! The paella at the table was ordered a few times--some seafood and some vegetarian. Almost all people had to have their wrapped up to go because there was so much--even with sharing! And the seafood in the dishes was plentiful and fresh. My dish was delicious...lemon on the seafood, cooked potatoes, and asparagus. I just enjoyed it so much.

The Back Burner is an experience. It is among Macon's finest dining with simple, unpretentious, expertly crafted dishes. There is nothing superfluous on the plate, nothing inaccessible on the menu. To start, I had the special, three Cajun seasoned scallops in a lemon caper sauce. Though one of the three giant scallops was slightly underdone, the color was beautiful and the sauce was perfectly tart and light. The Seafood Trio Almondine is a generous medley of trout filet, three butterflied jumbo shrimp, and two of the hands-down most delicious lump crab cakes I've ever had. (Just lump crab seasoned to perfection and seared perfectly. Nothing better.) The service is first rate. The servers are attentive and extremely knowledgable without a hint of pretense. The atmosphere is surprisingly laid back for the type of fare. The prices are higher than many Macon restaurants but fair for the offerings. This is certainly a hidden gem.

Food is exceptional. Lobster was superb but pricey. Seafood Trio is highly recommended. First trip and we will be back.

Always wonderful. We had not been here in years. Small and quant atmosphere. Came here with our two daughters 13 and 9 and all enjoyed the experience. The food was over the top. Amazing entrees and deserts. If you have not been here ...YOU MUST NOT MISS THIS WONDERFUL ESTABLISHMENT!!

Hidden gem. Call ahead for reservations and to inquire about lobster night. Deserted are some of the best I've had anywhere. Staff and chef are exceptionally friendly.