Forward Bound to the Ground Round
Written: Jul 31 '00 (Updated Oct 28 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good Menu Selection
Cons: No Theme
The Bottom Line: This is a good, all- around restaurant.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Ground Round |
Ground Round is a chain of restaurants that was founded in the late 1960's. It is owned by American Hospitality Concepts, Inc., a management company that also owns several other restaurants chains. Ground Round has approx. 120 locations, located primarily in the northeast and midwest.
Appearence/Atmosphere:
I live in southwest Ohio and the Ground Round restaurants around here are divided inside into two sections: a bar area and a dining area. The bar area includes a big screen tv, plus a couple smaller televisions, for sports viewing. There is also sometimes a video game or two, to keep you entertained. This area is a little on the cramped side, so it should be avoided if you don't want to get bumped into when you eat. It can also get a little noisy, so you should consider that factor, too. And, the bar area is the only designated place for smoking, so if you want to sit in this area, be sure to ask your hostess for the smoking section.
The dining section is larger and less crowded. And, it's designated as a non- smoking section. This is where you will usually find families and others who want a more relaxed atmosphere with less noise.
There is really nothing to speak of when it comes to decorations or decor. Ground Round is just a bar and grill, plain and simple. There is no theme to this restaurant.
Food/Drink:
Ground Round's strongest point is the large menu selection. They have appetizers, soup, salads, pasta, burgers, seafood, sandwiches, ribs, steaks, desserts, a kids menu, and more. They also have a lineup of specialty bar drinks that are quite good, but costly. Depending on the season that you go, Ground Round also has an additional "season" menu. As if they didn't already have enough to choose from, they add this seasonal menu which increases the menu options to the point that you will likely have a difficult time deciding what to order.
The portions served are pretty generous, so don't be surprised if you leave Ground Round with an extremely bloated feeling. Each dinner includes salad, and usually a baked potato, fries, or some type of substitute. My favorite dinner is a steak with baked potato and salad. If you don't want to get overly stuffed, I suggest requesting onion rings in place of the baked potato. Onion rings are one thing that they don't go overboard with. On the other hand, if you're appetite is really hearty, then substitute fries for the baked potato. The portion of fries they serve is very generous and, added to the large steak and salad, it will fill you to the brim and beyond.
Service:
The service at Ground Round is pretty good, although it can get a little hectic on busy days. The last time I was there, the waitress did mix up my order a little bit, but that's the only bad experience that I've had and she did correct it when I pointed it out. I can't hold one mistake against them. Other than that, the service had been good.
Closing Thoughts:
Ground Round is a pretty good restaurant. The food is good, and the selection is extensive. Prices are about what you would expect: $5 to $8 for a sandwich platter and $9 to $15 for a dinner entree. The only complaint that I have with Ground Round is the lack of any distinguishing atmosphere. It just looks like a typical bar and grill. I think the management could really improve the popularity if they would come up with a theme of some sort, to set Ground Round apart from all of the other bar and grill restaurants. Still, Ground Round is a good restaurant for families, couples, or friends. The food is tasty and the prices are fair.
Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read Reviews of Other Full- Service Restaurants:
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Mexican
Chi- Chi’s
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Recommended:
Yes
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