This small throwback to a time when diners truly enjoyed their meals, not just for the food, but also for the company and the atmosphere, is a pure delight. There were simple chalkboards on the wall that display the day’s delectable specials. High back wooden chairs tucked underneath heavy wooded tabletops draped with brown paper. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee and homemade sausage patties, that tickles your noise as if an imaginary mist formed a hand and was slowly giving your senses a ‘come hither’ motion. It was Sunday morning…the day of all days for brunch. And this was our day. At the table, my wife had instantly decided on one of the specials…an avocado omelet. Harkening from the west coast, this was an ingredient my wife was accustomed to which was rarely used in this region. My grandmother, an ex-diner operator and cook herself, opted for the more traditional country breakfast with bacon, as did I, with the exception that I chose the restaurant ... more

This small throwback to a time when diners truly enjoyed their meals, not just for the food, but also for the company and the atmosphere, is a pure delight. There were simple chalkboards on the wall that display the day’s delectable specials. High back wooden chairs tucked underneath heavy wooded tabletops draped with brown paper. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee and homemade sausage patties, that tickles your noise as if an imaginary mist formed a hand and was slowly giving your senses a ‘come hither’ motion. It was Sunday morning…the day of all days for brunch. And this was our day. At the table, my wife had instantly decided on one of the specials…an avocado omelet. Harkening from the west coast, this was an ingredient my wife was accustomed to which was rarely used in this region. My grandmother, an ex-diner operator and cook herself, opted for the more traditional country breakfast with bacon, as did I, with the exception that I chose the restaurants homemade sausage. Not having placed our order maybe 10 minutes prior, our food arrived hot and smelling utterly taste bud tempting. I would like to point out that the omelet was of perfect consistency, according to my wife. It was not made with ten eggs, stuffed, and loaded down…as if one was about to embark on a trek into the Alaskan wilderness. This omelet was light, fluffy, and stuffed with bacon, tomato, and avocado (the veggies warmed slightly from the enrobed eggs). Now we delve into the country breakfasts. As is the norm, most patrons when ordering eggs prefer scrambled. There is nothing wrong with this, as I enjoy them myself. However, I have been to few places that can actually prepare eggs over easy. The Hominy Grill does this to perfection. The warm, solid but fluffy whites surrounding an opaque, yellow as the sun yolk that when cut into runs like the Nile. The homemade sausage was delicious as well, but for my taste, could have used a bit more spice. The bacon that accompanied my grandmother’s breakfast was not the usual millimeter thick bacon that becomes nothing more than a whisper, but a nice hearty piece of slab bacon! You could easily tell this bacon did not whimper and cry while on the grill. Their breakfast menu includes items such as the southern classic shrimp and grits with their twist – Shrimp sautéed with scallions, mushrooms, & bacon over cheese grits. They also make their own banana bread and ginger pumpkin bread. Their lunch and dinner menus feature such items as Sesame Crusted Catfish with sautéed okra, deep fried cheese grits, and Geechee peanut sauce (Geechee reflects the Gullah influence on the local cuisine) and a Low Country Purloo (a classic rice casserole with chicken, sausage, and shrimp). They also serve appetizers such as Fried Green Tomatoes, She Crab soup, and a homemade Hot Pepper Jelly served with goat cheese and sesame crackers. I have only two negative comments, and these are nowhere near the point of deterring me from future visits. First, get there early. We arrived Sunday morning at 8:45am for brunch at the Hominy Grill, which opens at 9am, and there was already a line. This item really is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there was a line…on the other hand…the line is there for a reason! What a delicious reason it was, too. The second, only slightly negative, comment was the seating. Some of the tables are just a bit too close, so if you need to get out for any reason, you have to be careful not to bump into the guest behind you. In addition, while this is a child friendly restaurant (and non-smoking), there leaves little room for the high chairs or if you have an infant in a car seat. Overall, we enjoyed our meal at the Hominy Grill and I highly recommend it. less