Chef's Table: Georgia Sea Grill

In some restaurant kitchens, there is a table reserved for special guests who have a privileged dining experience that includes a front row view of the chef at work. This is referred to as the “chef’s table”. In this series, we aim to give our readers a chef’s table experience as we introduce you to some of our area’s chefs and their cuisine with a behind the scenes glimpse into their kitchens and a taste of their fare.

Article by: LeeAnna Tatum Photos: Tara Ruby

Georgia Sea Grill is a great place to celebrate special occasions. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, birthday or other life event with family and friends; or simply celebrating the end of the workday on a Tuesday or celebrating a visit to the beach on the weekend.

It’s unpretentious fine dining that you can enjoy any day of the week (except Sundays, because they’re closed).

Proprietor Zack Gowen took ownership of the restaurant in December of 2014 and promptly moved to a larger location. The spacious dining room offers a variety of seating areas including a bar and a space that can be divided off for private dinner parties. The atmosphere and decor is casually elegant which lends itself well to all kinds of diners! Whether you’ve just spent the day exploring the local beaches or want to take a business client out to dinner, you’ll feel comfortable sitting down to dine here.

Conveniently located for tourists and locals alike, the restaurant is just blocks from the pier on St Simons Island.

Gowen is himself a local to the area and has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry. With his departure from a franchised restaurant, Gowen committed to sourcing food as locally as possible when he took on Georgia Sea Grill; even going so far as to start Potlikker Farm and Satilla Ponds in order to grow fresh produce and bring the freshest catfish to the menu.

Speaking of menus, Executive Chef Timothy Lensch has created a menu designed around low-country style dishes with an emphasis on small plates and modern Southern fare. Regulars can expect their favorite dishes to remain on the menu, but Chef also offers daily specials that reflect the seasons and the local produce that is available.

Chef Lensch is also a local who has cooked in many top kitchens in the South. Lensch enjoys the creative aspects of cooking and likes having the freedom to come up with new dishes based on what comes into the kitchen from area farmers and the catch of the day.

As with everything else, COVID has brought a few changes to the restaurant. They now ask for reservations which enables them to better control the flow of guests and ensure adequate spacing. Take out is also now available for most menu items.

For my visit to Georgia Sea Grill, I was joined by photographer Tara Ruby and her daughter Kylea.

We were provided access to the kitchen and served a variety of dishes. We did manage to keep from licking our plates clean …. but just.

Every dish was delicious and beautifully plated. The Wasabi Pea Encrusted Tuna served with stir-fried cabbage, ginger-soy butter and Sriracha aioli was definitely a group favorite (we may have fought over the last bite).

Though my favorite morsel of the evening just might have been the Georgia Beef Carpaccio - a build-your-own bite made of thinly sliced, locally sourced beef with chive aioli, parmesan, capers, Georgia olive oil and soft boiled egg served with crostini. Everything just worked together to make a truly perfect bite that melted in my mouth.

A special for the day, we also had blackened redfish over a sweet corn polenta (amazing!) and an old fashioned chocolate cake with a strawberry buttercream.

(It’s also worth noting that (even though I had to take a pass) there is a fairly extensive wine list: both by the glass and the bottle. And although we were there before it got started, live piano music from the bar is piped throughout the restaurant every evening.)

Georgia Sea Grill is one of those places that allows you as a customer to simply enjoy your experience, because there’s a sense that true professionals are at the helm. From a professional wait staff to expertly prepared food and a well-maintained environment - you just know that you can sit back and relax in the knowledge that you’re in good hands.

Georgia Sea Grill offers up fresh, local, modern, Southern fare in an inviting atmosphere. It’s an accessible fine dining experience that you really shouldn’t miss!

For more information including their full menu with prices, check out the website!

If you’d like to read more about the relationship between GSG and Potlikker Farm, check out this article: Restaurateur, Farmer, Chef and a Recipe for Change published in 2020.