The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
The famous American fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has accumulated a dedicated following over the years. In fact, the restaurant even has a 1950s-themed diner called Truett's Grill and it is extremely elusive.
The diner was created by Chick-fil-A's founder, Truett Cathy, to celebrate his 50th anniversary in the restaurant industry.
There are only three locations placed in the Atlanta metropolitan area, and they feature rare menu items that can't be found at traditional locations.
So, when we came across the restaurant's neon lights during a recent road trip, I decided to try it out and see first-hand how it compares to typical Chick-fil-A provisions.
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is much different than your average Chick-fil-A. The milkshake bar with red vinyl stools and tables that are situated inside a trolley give it an old, eccentric feel.
The vintage diner aesthetic and throwback tunes made me nostalgic for a time I wasn't even alive for. To be honest, it was extremely cute, and I bought into the 1950s, soda-pop shop vibe.
The Service
One thing that makes Truett's Grill unique is that you can actually experience sit-down table service from their wait staff.
Our server at the McDonough location was extremely friendly and attentive, and the food came out quickly.
Chick-fil-A is famous for having exceptional service, and this experience was no exception. While the drive-thru option was available, I really enjoyed the experience of actually sitting down and dining in.
The Food
Rare menu items from Truett's Grill.
I opted to try menu items that can't be found at traditional Chick-fil-A locations.
We started with their loaded fries appetizer, which takes their usual waffle fries and tops them with bacon pieces, pimento cheese sauce and chicken nuggets. They were extremely rich and savory, so much so that it bordered on overkill.
The cheese sauce was very runny and overall everything mostly tasted like salt, but I could appreciate the decadence of it all.
Next was the grilled cheese platter with sides of sweet potato casserole and fried okra. The grilled cheese was very average, just American cheese on white bread, you can't really mess that up.
The fried okra was also standard. It's a greasy Southern staple food that carries on the tradition of masking vegetables with breading, oil and, of course, salt.
The sweet potato casserole was delicious and tasted more like a dessert than a side. The brown sugar crust was crispy and the texture of the sweet potatoes was both fluffy and smooth. It reminded me of my childhood Thanksgiving meals at my grandma's house in the nearby town of Forsyth, GA.
Finally, we get to the most perplexing and famous menu item: The Hot Brown. Traditionally, the Hot Brown is a sandwich created in a hotel in Kentucky in the 1920s. I am not sure what exactly Truett was going for but this dish was neither a sandwich nor was it brown.
The dish consisted of chopped-up Chick-fil-A nuggets, doused in a questionable white cream sauce, topped with shredded cheese, two slices of bacon, dry toast, and a whimper of paprika.
Most of the elements of the dish were overpowered by the gravy-like sauce which was shockingly flavorless. The chicken nuggets were drowning in a giant pool of blandness, without a life jacket in sight. Not even bacon and shredded cheese could redeem them.
Texturally, the dish was upsetting. It was more like a soup than a sandwich, and it was not a soup I would ever want to cross paths with again. This is one dish I think is best left in another century.
Overall Verdict
Truett's Grill is objectively cute. Everything was reasonably priced and the experience of sitting down in a kitschy diner made the whole experience worth it.
Most of my favorite elements of each rare menu item were things you can find at traditional Chick-fil-A, like their chicken nuggets and waffle fries. All of these items are available on the Truett's Grill menu.
Overall, I would definitely come back the next time I am passing through town, however, I think I'll stick to the tried and true classic menu items that I know and love.