It's rare I find a bar that does just what I want it to, but MG you stole my heart. There's all kind of seating - lounging couches, tables in the window, long table in the middle for meeting some cool new peeps, and the bar itself obviously. The drinks were incredible and creative, which I always appreciate. I loved the lighting, the exposed brick, the artwork, the colors. Just really well done. And it was sooo nice to walk into a bar with grown ups. No youngins to be seen. Of course, I'll add the waitress was wonderful and was super excited we were visiting from Atlanta, where we had just tried their new restaurant, Chai Pani. It was serendipitous.
Review Source:Chani Pani expands its concept and its reach to Wall St. with a bar and lounge space that would be just as comfortable on the hipper west coast as it is tucked inconspicuously away in downtown Asheville, away from the main bar and brewery scene. Â
A step inside the door lends a gander to a dark wood bar squarely in the back and a mix of seating spaces both out on the floor and around the perimeter. Â Wing-backed chairs, ottomans, small tables, bar stools, etc. Â This is definitely a place for smaller, more intimate gathering as opposed to bringing in your whole crew to light the place up. A seat anywhere other than the bar will get your service from a waiter or waitress who will be well-versed with the menu of small bites and the libations being concocted behind the bar. Â Lighting is moody and generally on the dark side with music in the background that is noticeable, but not too heavy so as to strain conversation. Â Again, not a place to bring the whole posse and get down to serious party time. Â
The menu is not a full one where you can order a complete meal, but those familiar with Chai Pani or Indian food generally well recognize several options here, including masala fries and lentil fritters. Â Quality is just the same as you would have upstairs in the restaurant. Â
The highlight here, though, is on the craft cocktails. Â The goal here is clearly quality over quantity and originality over safe stand-bys. Â Prices reflect the same, even for Asheville, but you do get what you pay for here and I was not disappointed on my visit. Â There are also a number of brews available for those who want to go that route, but then I'd feel like I was missing the point of this place.
My only gripe was the lack of service I got at the bar. Â Upon walking in, I headed to the bar while my pal looked for seats. Â While the bar was totally full, a couple let me squeeze in to try and place an order. Â After several minutes went by, no dice. Â I even made eye contact with both the bartenders. Â Granted their order list might have been quite heavy, but just tell me that! Â Luckily my pal found another couple willing to share their space with us and we got immediate waitress service which was quick and helpful. Â Still, something to keep in mind for next time.
In all though, this place is a great find and a great addition to Asheville. Â Perfectly eclectic and ideal for a more chill evening away from the brew pups. Â Count this guy asa new fan.
I don't give out 5 stars (only because I'm saving that for the best place of all time) but this place is absolutely great. Definitely a hidden treasure. The cocktails are inventive and outstanding and the food selections are exciting yet accessible. Our party of 4 felt like this place was a shining moment of our weekend in Asheville. If it weren't for our reservations at Curate we would have stayed here all night. You will not regret giving this comfortable yet uniquely sophisticated place a try. Highly recommended.
Review Source:An AMAZING bar that serves the most delicious and creative cocktails, as well as scrumptious and classy apps. Â The decor was wonderful, the people eclectic. There were all kinds here. I felt very comfortable.
They have a great bar, and various styles of seating: loveseats, 2 tops, hightop table that seats many, and couches. Something for everyone.
Oh - and the most beautiful bathroom I've ever seen.
Don't miss out.
We were visiting Asheville for a few days. We went back 2 nights in a row.
Pleasantly surprised! Stopped for a rink and had appetizers that needed to be a meal! All the small bites are fabulous! The manager was a super nice young man and he explain Chai Pani is opening at the former Watershed space here in Decatur GA. The food is Indian influenced. The drinks are high class and so is the service...relaxed join with lots of sofa seating.Atmosphere reminds me of SF.
Read more (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatnowatlanta.com%2F2012%2F10%2F18%2Fdecaturs-watershed-to-reopen-as-chai-pani-indian-street-food%2F&s=241f96155bb6f750c8df7abe1b310f486f72ed46b53683df304f27d72baa09c2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.whatnowatlant…</a>)
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.decaturmetro.com%2F2012%2F10%2F17%2Freport-ashevilles-chai-pani-signs-lease-for-old-watershed-space%2F&s=eeb66df44a29dfab0d444fa80fbb0e5aff070cb4e79d679492e705a5814716eb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.decaturmetro.…</a>
I even asked for a job!
This is the sister (brother?) bar to the awesome Chai Pani. Those of you who have had the awesome Chai Pani cocktails will know what to expect at this bar. Those of you who are new to the offering from Chai Pani's bar will find a delightful selection of inventive cocktails. Stuff like a tequila cocktail with cinnamon, bitters, grapefruit soda; or a Rye Whiskey cocktail with tamarind, Demara, Lillet, Â and plum bitters. This bar also has snacks to go with your drinks. Enjoy!
Review Source:After the opening QFest night party at Hotel Indigo, friends texted me and told me to meet them at MG Road. I'd never heard the place, so I decided to give it a try. On the way there, I bumped into other friends and invited them to join us.
I liked the space as soon as I approached the large picture windows that allows people walking by to see the action. Everyone inside seemed to be having a great time on a Thu. night. It was full but not crowded, and the seating looked inviting.
I found my friends' table and fell into the cozy bench seat. There are ottomans around that can be used to rest your feet on or for friends to sit on when needed. The crowd was friendly. We interacted with people from other tables and the overall mood was jovial.
The lighting is just right for that time of night, and the ambient noise isn't as bad as one might expect in a large, open space like that.
Our waiter was funny and comped us a dessert platter. I think it may have been because one of the savory items we'd ordered had been late, which is silly, since we really hadn't noticed.
I'm not much of a drinker, so I can't speak to the quality of the cocktails. Next time, I'll try one. I only had a sampling of the desserts (OMG, the jasmine bite-sized creme puff-like things were delish!) and a bit of one savory snack (a turkey hash samosa-like dish), both of which were yummy.
My friends and I plan to make that our regular in-town spot.
When I heard about MG Road opening, I have to be honest and say that my first reaction was "Great, just what Asheville needs, another bar."
I consider myself pleasantly humbled by the amazing lounge that MG Road is. I'm happy to say that at this very moment, I haven't had a better cocktail in all of Asheville.
The interior is pleasant. Slightly cave like, but so very inviting. Large plush chairs arranged in circles for pleasant conversations. The decor is eclectic with pictures of India and interesting curios. The lighting is fantastic, mild, inviting. I thought the exposed bricks would make this place cold and strange, but it's like walking into someone's living room.
Now for the real treat, the cocktails.
I like a good drink, and I'm always on the hunt for a well crafted cocktail. I've gotten so tired of Sazeracs and Old Fashioneds, they've been trendy for far too long and I've frankly gotten bored with them. I was shocked to see a cocktail menu that offered a fresh flavors, fruity and classic drinks that were interesting. I selected the Mai Tai, which I haven't seen anywhere outside of a tacky bar and I was blown away. It was INCREDIBLE. Strong, yet so drinkable I finished it so much faster than I had planned on.
What else could I do but have another drink? I asked my bartender Eric what he'd recommend and he advised me to try the Exile in Ryeville. Another cocktail, another face destroyingly awesome drink. Just impressive.
I'm a jerk when it comes to drinks, I like them either cheap and strong, or absolutely impeccable, and as far as cocktails go in Asheville, these are Michaelangelo's Pieta.
My ONLY complaint is that things don't move at a very quick pace, but hey, they're just opening so I can't dock them for that. But a little warning about how long a drink may take would be a nice touch for now.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how this place evolves over time, because opening your doors and offering such tasty offerings from the get go can only lead to bigger and better things.
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