We went here for my boyfriend's birthday and boy was it disappointing.
We got there at sunset and the view was amazing by the windows which is the only redeeming part of the experience. We ordered the beef tips and a steak. The salad came and was freezing cold, like it had just come out of a freezer. It took forever to get our drinks. The steak was really tough and overcooked. He asked for it medium and it came back almost well done. The beef tips were fine, but I had gone there because I specifically knew they were good from Taste of Tippecanoe. We told them it was my boyfriends birthday and they didn't do anything special for him at all, didn't even ask me if they should sing happy birthday.
Overall, not worth the money we spent on it. I would recommend if you want a fancy meal in town to go to Bistro 501 in town, not here.
I recently visited McGraw's for dinner for a club function. I must say, it gets a lot of hype, most of it deservedly so.
McGraw's is quite nice inside, but not in a stodgy, stuffy sort of manner like some restaurants. There is a full bar and outdoor seating when the weather is nice. Granted, they weren't extremely busy, but the service, especially for a party of 11, was fantastic.
The food: we were eating on someone elses dime, so we did the whole spread; appetizers, full entrees, and deserts. For appetizers we selected the calamari, shrimp cocktail, and stuffed protabello mushrooms. The calamari was standard but tasty none the less. The mushroom was quite delicious although I thought it was a bit tough and only one portabello cap was included in each order. Finally, the shrimp cocktail was great. The sauce was spicy and the shrimp were unbelievably large and cooked perfectly; I would definitely recommend that one. The salads are good as well.
For my entree I ordered the salmon with a honey bourbon glaze. It was one of the best cooked pieces of fish I've had; skin crispy and flesh incredibly tender. The piece of fish would have been great on its own, but the not-too-sweet bourbon glaze really put it over the top. Also the winter mix vegetables were a perfect accompaniment.
Finally, I had the turtle cheesecake for desert. It was served a bit warmer than I prefer my cheesecake, but the flavor was decadent. Rich caramel with giant chunks of walnuts strewn throughout the creamy cheesecake. (Definitely killed the healthy theme I had going, but worth it.)
All in all, McGraw's is a nice place for a special occasion, and I would definitely like to come back.
came here for a rehearsal dinner for a wedding. Love this location on the river, with the little outdoor seating. it was stomry so we sat in one of the banquet rooms. They easily and graciously accommodated our large party. They had a small menu with a few choices for this catering/party thing. I chose the dish called McGraw's Chicken. It was a huge chicken breast cooked perfectly. It was smothered in cheese (YAY!) the only thing I didn't like about it was the very vinegary sundried tomatoes. The service was really good. I got the bread pudding for desert which was to die for! my salad had some sort of white and yellow cheese on top (not a fan) and they didn't have any sort of sesame ish dressing. so I got raspberry vinaigrette. Wasn't a fan of that dressing either. Eh.
Over all very positive and i'd definitely come back again.
Overall a very good experience. Â The food was very good, affordably priced and the waiting staff could not have been nicer. Â
The French onion soup was small but excellent. Â The chicken parmasean entree was also very good and unlike other reviewers, my salad was excellent.
I had the teriyaki beef medalions as per a Yelp recommendation and I would say it was good but not great. Â Next time I'm in town visiting my Purdue student I'll definitely come back but I think I'll try the filet instead.
Note that if you are driving here for the first time it seems MUCH further out of town than you'd think. It is probably only 3 miles or so, but on the narrow country road (S. River rd) driving through the middle of nowhere in the early dark of November we kept thinking the must have missed it. Â Keep driving, If you're coming from the Purdue campus area it will be clearly visible on the left.
The view was beautiful, the prices were fair, and the place itself has a nice aesthetic. But our server was a bit pushy and the food, while not bad, didn't rise to the same standards as the interior design. The do have People's IPA on tap, however, which is a huge plus.
My only advice would be: (1) Don't expect too much from the salad. Iceberg lettuce isn't exactly special anywhere, and McGraw's's wasn't particularly fresh.
And (2) don't get pushed into ordering an appetizer just because your server wants you to. In our case, it was a so-so portabello mushroom. But what really tipped us off to trouble was the fact that it came out less than a full minute after we ordered it. To her credit, our server did admit (after we asked about it) that the portabello appetizers are pre-assembled and only need to be heated up. But (a) that's not exactly a recipe for freshness and (b) it goes some way towards explaining why the staff would be so enthusiastic about pushing these items in the first place.
Several 'locals' said that McGraw's was the best place in town. Well, a few miles out of town.
Service = 5 stars
Atmosphere = 4 stars
Salad = 2 stars
Steaks = 1-4 stars, 1-3 stars
Drinks = 4 stars
Overall = 3 stars
Our server was attentive and helpful. She did not mind the many trips to the bar for the DON'T MISS PINEAPPLE MARTINIS and wine. She didn't push anything and brought our courses out in a well timed manner.
The salad was too cold, ice burg lettuce with a few spring greens tossed in and the standard onion-tomato-grated cheese topping. The balsamic vinaigrette dressing was good but deserved better than the boring salad.
We enjoyed the salmon appetizer. They were out of the toasted bread it came with but did offer crackers which went well with the salmon. The delicate horseradish sauce was a great accompaniment as well as the chopped onion and caper side.
The 18 oz. cowboy bone-in steak was perfect. It was 1" thick and medium rare as requested. The 12 oz. New York strip was a little tough but tasty. Ask for ground pepper just to see the GIANT pepper grinder! Skip the loaded potato. The toppings are cold and nothing special. The garlic fries were tasty and subtle.
I'd love to return in the summer or earlier in the evening and enjoy the river view. The grounds at McGraws are very pretty, manicured and inviting. Â The restaurant is lovely and low key. Â Lots of dark wood, white walls and minimal decorations. Â It is quite pleasing.
Our bill with 4 martinis, 3 wines, 2 steaks and 1 appetizer came to $125 plus tip. A decent price for an okay meal.
Great place for a date or dinner out with the family. Â Kinda pricey, but then again, the food is great. Â The view of the river is surprisingly nice, being that its the Wabash. Â The place is nice inside, and the service is great. Â I always get their steaks, but friends and family have raved about the Chicken McGraw.
Review Source:This is hands down my favorite restaurant. It is located in a residential/country area on the banks of the wabash river in what looks like an old house/barn. The interior is very nice, cherry wood furniture. The walls facing the river/forest are all glass, a very nice view especially in the winter/spring with snow and ice.
I have been here multiple times, and have not been disappointed. It is usually somewhat busy so make sure to get reservations. The best meal I had here was a chipotle filet mignon. It was on special and not served all the time, but it was AMAZING. Their jack daniels steak tips are also another great item on the menu.
We arrived without reservations on a Friday night and the place was packed! Rather than wait an hour for a table, especially for one with a view of the river, we dined in the bar which worked out fine. Our server was attentive and prompt. Entrees come with a petite dinner salad and choice of one side.
I ordered the ribeye which was flavorful and cooked as requested (medium). The vegetable of the day was glazed carrots. For some reason, I was thinking they'd be done like "Pennies from Heaven" , sliced carrots with a cinnamon glaze. Nope. What I was served were baby carrots, slightly soggy and overcooked. The glaze was a watery syrup and not very flavorful.
My honey ordered the top sirloin with a pepper crust. His steak was also cooked to order (medium rare). The pepper crust was indeed that, chunks of pepper covering the top of the steak. Tasty, but a bit too peppery for me. He ordered the loaded baked potato and it was. Loaded with bacon, tomato, sour cream and chives. A heart attack in the potato!
Our server brought out the dessert tray. We had the raspberry creme brulee which was very tasty and the key lime pie which was just OK.
McGraw's prides themselves on their wine list. It looked extensive.
There was one odd, nearly rude moment. We were visiting with a friend who knows the owner who cam over to greet our friend. He was introduced to me and the honey as well. Saying hello, he excused himself. He later came back with a snifter of a brandy or other liquor. He sets it down in front of our friend and says "I think you might like this." and leaves. Huh? I was treating our friend, we had finished dinner, so I think the owner may have known we'd spent over $100 for three people. Not offering myself or my honey something too just struck me as borderline rude. If I lived here, I'd think twice before going back.
McGraw's is a very different restaurant compared to the normal steakhouses of West Lafayette and Lafayette. Â The restaurant itself sits right on the bank of the Wabash and you can look down at the trees and see the different levels of the rising water marked on the trunks.
The menu itself is (as the title suggests) a mix of steak, fish, and similar dishes but with a slightly modern touch. Â The wine list is very extensive and is rated as one of the best in the area.
While McGraw's seems to be unknown to most of the students and parents that travel to Purdue, you should definitely call ahead for reservations because the locals definitely know about it.
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