REVIEW: Chi Mac Bar and Grill (Duluth, GA)

Hey readers,

If you're at all familiar with the Gwinnett area, then you probably know all about that extended shopping plaza that connects all the way from the Subway on Satellite Blvd to the PetCo at the other end right off the interstate. I mean, it's just way too long to miss, especially since it contains some of Gwinnett's most notable food worthy destinations, including Iron Age, Haru Ichiban, Zero C Frozen Yogurt, Mac Lab Bakery, Lattea, Cafe Mango Six, Cafe Top Cloud, Ming's BBQ, The Melting Pot, El Torero and more all within that mile-long stretch. You may have also noticed that one side isn't as busy as the other, since the side that is busy is typically overrun by teenagers and young adults hanging out at the dessert shops or waiting in line for a table at Iron Age. The "not-so-busy" side, the one that has Haru Ichiban, Melting Pot, El Torero, Zero C and Sweet Baby Jane's Home Cooking is still considered to be pretty busy, just not as busy as their other half. One particular spot is the one that Chi Mac now occupies. Before they purchased and renovated this spot, it used to be a Korean rice dessert shop (similar to Sweet Rice) before and a Chinese buffet before that. It's certainly seen quite a few changes over the past few year, while its neighboring restaurants have either just remained the same or changed ownership. Having stopped by the post office one random afternoon, I noticed Chi Mac and thought to myself "I wonder how long this place will stay open?" since it's considered to be an "unlucky" location due to its past history. Seeing that they serve some of my favorite foods, especially wings, I knew I had to come by and check them out since I was curious to see how they'd stack up to the pressure of breaking the curse that preceded them! 

Let's get started:

❀Exterior

❀Interior

❀Interior

❀Menu

❀Garlic Parmesan, Mild and Hot Braised Wings

❀Mango Habanero, Extra Hot and Chipotle Citrus Wings

❀Side Order of Fries

❀Buy One Get One Free!

❀FOOD (3.5/5): While the wings here were tasty and come in a wide variety of delicious flavors, they were on the smaller side and could definitely use a bit more sauce (ask for them "wet"). However, my guest and I really enjoyed the sauces, especially the garlic parmesan and mango habanero, which happen to be a few of their most popular options. What I like most about Chi Mac is that you can also order additional sides such as sweet potato fries and fried rice, as well as entrées like bone-in kalbi, salads, sandwiches, burgers and more. It's a great place to eat and have a drink with a group of your closest friends, without feeling like you're going to break the bank.

❀SERVICE (5/5): The service here is fantastic! Although I don't recall our server's name, she was very friendly and helpful in that she walked us through the menu and recommended a few of her favorite entrées, as well as some of her top flavors for wings, which included the mango habanero, garlic parmesan and chipotle citrus sauces. And thanks to her recommendations, we ended up selecting all three, in addition to a few more classic flavors like mild buffalo and extra-hot. As soon as she took our order, she brought over our drinks, plenty of napkins and wet wipes as we waited. Not much longer after, a different server had brought our order to the table since a few more tables had walked in after us and our server was busy. Despite being 1 of 2 servers that afternoon, she managed to check up on us several times to see how everything was and never once let our beverages be more than half-empty before bringing by an additional refill. We definitely commend her on a job well done because she certainly did her best to take good care of us from start to finish.

❀DECOR (5/5): The interior of Chi Mac is rather spacious-there's plenty of tables in the main dining area, followed by additional seating at the bar. Most of the tables are separated by a dark wooden divider, which is great since it provides a sort of privacy barrier between the tables. The plasma TV's, bright neon signs and branded alcohol signs give Chi Mac a typical bar vibe, which is what they're aiming for, but the gorgeous, vintage mural on the wall of the dining area, dark wooden furnishings and use of black chairs to accent that of the walls take it to the next level, one that is beyond your typical "bar." The music wasn't obnoxiously loud here nor was the TV, which I truly appreciated. On the other hand, if you're trying to go all "Wild 'N Out," especially if there's a big game on, I'd suggest going to Hooters across the street since this crowd may be a bit too mature for that, but that's just my two cents. Then again, our visit wasn't made on a day where a big game was showing on TV, so I can neither confirm nor deny the maturity level of the patrons here. 

Overall, Chi Mac is a great addition to the Gwinnett area and I'm truly hoping they'll stick around because Duluth needs a restaurant like theirs! My friends come here often to grab a drink and while I've never been able to meet them up here since I've been crazy busy lately, I hope to some day in the very near future! So if you're looking to grab some wings (or other!) and brew in a relaxing environment after a long day at work, then you've definitely got to stop by and check them out! My lips are already smacking at the sound of their homemade mango habanero sauce-YUM! Here's to hoping they've broken that curse for good!!

Have a wonderful day,

-Sandy

FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review. All reviews and opinions expressed are my onw.

If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere {at} gmail {dot} com-Thanks!