I wanted to like Block & Grinder, truly I did! Honestly, it's got potential, but unless we hear that some changes take place we probably won't be back...at least for dinner. The overall ambience is crowded. And loud. They pack far too many people into way too small of a space. I can definitely see this making sense as a lunch spot, but for dinner it was much too crowded to be comfortable. Case in point: the space between tables is so narrow that people trying to walk through can't help but make physical contact with each other. Maybe the servers have squeezing in between diners down pat, but the elderly ladies sitting at the table next to us did not. My idea of a good dining experience doesn't include having two elderly women's rear ends rubbed against my neck and shoulders as they try to squeeze by to exit the restaurant. We tried to give them as much room as we possibly could, but there's just no room to maneuver if you've got mobility issues, which these two women did. It was incredibly uncomfortable for us, and I'm sure the ladies weren't happy with it either.\n\nService was somewhat slow and there seemed to be confusion about what drinks were available (we ordered beer and wine - nothing fancy). We were disappointed they said they wouldn't be serving Oskar Blues since Oskar Blues now brews beer in Brevard, NC and we like to drink local if we can. After appetizers, a random server cleared some of our plates, but not all. Same with silverware. He never brought replacement silverware for those without, which seemed odd, and we were left with dirty plates.\n\nThere were high and low-points on the menu. High points - the charcuterie was good, and the deviled eggs were delicious. The mac and cheese and Brussels sprouts are also good. Low points? The burgers. Somehow they managed to overcook all three of our burgers. We all requested medium and everything came out well done. The shiitake and gruyere burger was delicious even though it was overcooked, which speaks to the quality of the meat. One of my friends ordered the scallops, which were the special of the day. The scallops were also overcooked (there's seared and then there's burnt) and outrageously expensive ($32 for 4 sea scallops with some fennel and red pepper sauce? Really?). I would have sent my burger back, but since our server didn't come by to check on us until well into the meal, there didn't seem to be a point in doing so. \n\nB&G has great potential. Our experience boiled down to wonderful ingredients, poor execution. I hope they can get it together soon!
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