The day after I had dinner at Maggie’s Grill, I was still thinking about one simple question: why had it taken me so long to visit?
Since being back working in the office, I walk past the Holburn Street restaurant at least six times a week.
On the way to work, the blinds are usually down and the place is quiet.
On the way home however, it’s a different story.
Without fail, I find myself gawping through the floor-to-ceiling windows at a packed restaurant, even if it’s only just turned 5pm.
The tables are laden with food and the place is buzzing with activity.
On a whim, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and walked in to book a table for Saturday.
The days seemed to pass slowly as I walked back and forth all week to work and stared in the window wondering what I was missing.
On Saturday I finally sat down with three friends to eat, and eat we did.
One piece of advice – come hungry, seriously hungry.
The food
As soon as we arrived, we started scanning the menu.
We were tempted by a couple of the starters, particularly the chicken and sausage gumbo served with cornbread because it’s not something you’d typically find on a menu in Aberdeen.
But one friend who had visited before offered us a few words of caution – the portions here are big, so be warned.
In the end, we went straight to mains.
Howlin’ wolf chilli was one pick and is Maggie’s own spin on a Texan-style chilli.
It uses different cuts of meat like beef chuck, pulled pork and brisket all slow cooked in spices that will make you “howl like a wolf” according to the menu.
My friend said the meat was beautifully soft and fell apart as you chewed it, while also being smoky but not overly spicy.
It was a generous serving and came with sour cream, rice, tortilla chips, cheese and a thick slice of house cornbread.
The best ribs in Aberdeen
My boyfriend was tempted by the special of the day, three chunky spare ribs cooked low and slow and finished with a BBQ sauce.
It’s always good to acknowledge your weaknesses, and for him, it’s ribs.
He orders them anytime they appear on a menu and on this particular night, declared Maggie’s ribs easily ranked in the top five ribs he’d ever eaten, and certainly the best in Aberdeen. And trust me, he’s eaten a lot of ribs.
Served with chips, slaw and pickled veggies, again it was a huge portion but beautifully cooked and flavoured.
He also let me try one of the hush puppies it came with, though I wasn’t too sure about these deep-fried corn balls and feel that they might be better on more of a saucy dish where you need something to mop up the juice.
My third friend went all in on the meats, and this is exactly what Maggie’s is known for.
He ordered the smoked BBQ feast which was exactly what it said on the tin: a feast.
Ribs, sausages, brisket and pulled pork make this an absolute gut-buster of a meal but perfect for anyone who can’t quite commit to one choice on the menu.
The meat fell right off the bone of the ribs and the sauces on the brisket and pulled pork were spot on, not too cloying or overpowering as BBQ can sometimes be.
As for me, a vegetarian, the menu was a bit more limited.
I had expected this because American soul food like the kind Maggie’s serves isn’t known for being particularly vegetable-heavy.
From the burgers section I picked a halloumi burger with dill pickle and house burger sauce which was delicious, and the deep-fried cheese perfectly melty.
Another veggie option was the seven cheese macaroni which I was also tempted with.
Loathe to choose, I decided to order a side of the macaroni too. It was incredibly rich and very filling, definitely one for cheese-lovers to get stuck into.
We also ordered a side of halloumi fries for the table; after all, a little more cheese never hurt anybody.
They were thick and expertly cooked, and despite having halloumi on my burger I couldn’t resist a fry to dip into a pot of BBQ sauce.
Our waitress was excellent and let us pick away at our meals until we truly couldn’t eat another bite, then she boxed up our leftovers so no food was wasted.
After a small break (and another beer), my second stomach made itself known and demanded we order a dessert.
I think my friends thought I was mad, but I have a sweet tooth and love to finish a meal with a proper pudding.
Besides, the homemade blueberry cheesecake, made by the owner’s wife, had been calling my name since I first spied it on the menu, and it didn’t disappoint.
Deliciously creamy and with a wonderful all-American blueberry flavour, it was the perfect end to the dinner.
The verdict
Now I can see why Maggie’s Grill is full every time I walk past.
The food is lovingly cooked and fantastically flavoured, offering an authentic taste of the Southern United States which is rare to find in the north-east.
The unfussy interiors and friendly waiting staff make it a great place for a casual evening out, where the focus is on good food and lots of it.
Some of the prices might be a little higher than other places around the city, but Maggie’s prides itself on sourcing as much meat and produce locally as it can, and this shows in the quality of the meals.
And they are certainly doing something right as the owners are about to open up a new venue at Marischal Square to start serving more diners than ever before.
It’s going to be right below the P&J offices, perfectly positioned for me me to jealously walk past every day… and now it’s even worse because I know exactly what I’m missing.
Phillipa Gerrard is a staff restaurant reviewer who is the joint head of transport and environment for the Press and Journal and Evening Express.
Information
Address: Maggie’s Grill, 242 Holburn St, Aberdeen AB10 6DB
T: 01224 582167
Scores:
- Food: 5/5
- Service: 4/5
- Surroundings: 4/5
Price: £130.55 for four people having mains, two sides, a couple of beers and a bottle of wine plus a dessert to share.
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