If you’re looking for a restaurant with delicious food and great service, try downtown Greenville’s “sophisticated burger joint,” Grill Marks.
Founded and owned by Mark and Larkin Hammond, Grill Marks is the couple’s fourth (second in the Greenville area) and newest restaurant, having opened just over a year ago. David Moseley, assistant general manager of the restaurant, said Grill Marks strives to be different from every other burger place. “All around, we’re trying to be as creative as possible,” he said.
According to Moseley, part of that creativity is trying things that aren’t necessarily typical of a burger place. Several menu items showcase this creativity, including the “Low Country,” a burger topped with pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes and coleslaw, and the “Firehouse” burger, which has pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, jalapeños and homemade chipotle ketchup. Moseley said that it’s delicious and also very hot.
Most of the burgers cost around $10, because they are, after all, gourmet. These large, juicy Certified Angus Beef burgers are well worth the price, though. The chefs brand each bun with the restaurant’s name, “Grill Marks.” Sides such as sweet potato fries or traditional fries seasoned with salt and pepper are offered separately.
Grill Marks also provides a wide selection of alternative options for those who don’t prefer gluten, red meat or meat in general. Burgers can be ordered without a bun, or with a lettuce wrap or with a gluten-free bun. The menu also has an entire section of “UnBurgers,” including veggie burgers, turkey burgers, salmon and marinated chicken sandwiches.
Don’t forget to save room for dessert because Grill Marks has great shakes. According to Moseley, Grill Marks makes all the ice cream used in their shakes in-house.
Grill Marks’ atmosphere also shows its creativity by adding a modern flair to the traditional Greenville brick wall and open-ceiling style with large flat-screen TVs showing games and with comfortable, casual indoor and outdoor seating. Large glass, garage-style doors and windows give the inside an open-air feel. Light fixtures hanging down among the pipes in the open-ceiling and a colorful painting of Chef “Mark” positioned over the fireplace also add character to this burger joint.
Grill Marks is a great place for a dinner date or if you’re just craving a delicious burger. Stop by between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to get the City Hall Special, which includes a burger, drink and fries for $9. Located right across the street from the Courtyard Marriott in downtown Greenville, Grill Marks is open Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.