Bearfoot Tavern: Rennovation and resilience

When I moved to Macon in April of 2025, I remember walking downtown and stopping mid-stride. There it was — a storefront that looked unapologetically Irish. Dark wood. Pub windows. And then I saw it: my beautiful Irish flag flying above a place called Bearfoot Tavern. Seeing the Irish flag outside of Ireland always sparks a feeling of pride in every Irishman. You can only imagine what it feels like to see it as a “newbie” to Middle Georgia. 

I didn’t know its history. I didn’t know it had already lived a life before I ever set foot inside. I didn’t know that in July of 2024, heavy rain had caused the roof to collapse, taking the back half of the building with it and flooding the space. I didn’t know that what I was looking at was a comeback story nearly nineteen months in the making. I didn’t know that, by the luck of the Irish, nobody was hurt on that awful day nearly two years ago. All I knew is that this place was worth investigating. I wondered if they had bangers and mash on the menu and when I did my research, I found out they did — Mission accepted.

Originally opened in 2011 on Cherry Street, Bearfoot Tavern had long been a downtown staple. But the storm of 2024 didn’t just close the restaurant — it gutted it. They had just refreshed the space over Fourth of July weekend with new paint and new furniture when the roof failed. The devastation was immediate. What followed was nearly nineteen months of closure and close to a million dollars in renovations.

But here’s what told me everything I needed to know about the people behind it. These folks were committed, resilient and on a mission. The food that was still usable when the flood hit wasn’t discarded. It was cooked and donated to the fire department, a women’s center in Warner Robins and a mission here in Macon. Even in disaster, they fed the community. 

Honestly, this didn’t surprise me. Since I have moved to Macon, I have found the people here don’t accept defeat easily. Let’s be honest — Google is NOT a friend to Macon but for those of us who live here, we know differently. 

The owners, Chris and Jeanine Ellis — a nephrologist and a hospitalist by profession — are not the typical evolution of restaurateurs. They bought Bearfoot in 2021, not because medicine naturally leads to entertainment ventures, but because they love Macon. Chris serves on the board of NewTown Macon, the nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing downtown through smart development and placemaking. Together, they believe food and entertainment go hand in hand in building a thriving city. They’re not wrong.

Jeanine was unwavering about one menu item in particular: a proper charcuterie board. Something lighter to pair with wine, whiskey, beer or handcrafted cocktails. It was, as she put it, a must-have. Chris, described by many as the visionary, sees Bearfoot and its sister concept The Social Duck as more than places to eat, but gathering spaces. They are energy. They are all about engagement. I haven’t met Jeanine (yet), but to be quite candid, I would love to have a pint of Guiness, or Harp ( my favourite Irish Lager) and share a charcuterie board with her because I am seriously intrigued as to why THIS was her “go to” in this establishment. Plus, I really love a good charcuterie board. 

And during the closure, general manager Mark Bell became far more than a GM. When he got the call about the collapse, he was at Lowe’s in Warner Robins. In the months that followed, he supervised demolition, oversaw reconstruction and physically worked alongside crews. Not symbolic leadership — actual hands-on labor. Staff received two weeks of severance, and Mark personally helped them find other employment during the shutdown. When the doors reopened, 40% of the original team returned to work. They even launched a food truck to stay present in the community while the building was dark. 

Mark told me “when the building collapsed, I didn’t even think to myself, ‘what do I do now?’ I just did what had to be done.”

“It’s rewarding to sit here and realize where we came from to where we are now,” he said. Looking back, I saw pictures of the collapsed building, heard the stories and could feel the pride beaming off Mark…. and you feel that pride the second you walk in.

The space now leans fully into an Irish pub aesthetic with an American flair — high-walled booths that mimic the semi-private intimacy you find in Ireland, a private dining room for up to 25 guests, whiskey and beer flights designed intentionally from lighter to stronger pours to properly develop the palate. There are plans for an upstairs bar with a golf simulator and a beer garden with a stage for live music. 

Chris and Jeanine collaborate with Ocmulgee Brewpub on an Irish Red that pairs beautifully with their hearty fare. I want to go on record — I am not a fan of Irish Reds, but this one is something different. Ocmulgee hit the mark when they did this collab with Bearfoot. It’s one of my “favourite” beers in Macon. Notice how I added a “u” to favorite? It’s an Irish thing… 

Bearfoot also features spirits from Longleaf Distilling Co., Macon’s craft distillery known for producing vodka, gin and whiskey — not beer — and for planting a longleaf pine tree for every bottle sold.
And on the night of their soft reopening on Dec. 5, 2025, the first beer placed in my hand came from none other than Nick Landis — Ocmulgee’s resident “Beer Guy.” My colleague Ed Grisamore had just months earlier highlighted Landis in The Macon Melody, capturing his passion for fermentation, brewing science and his uncanny ability to educate while he pours. I didn’t know at that moment that I was being served by someone already recognized for shaping Macon’s beer culture. I just knew the Irish Red in my glass tasted like it belonged there. And let’s face it, Nick is a Macon landmark. If you haven’t met Nick yet, I implore you, go. Meet Nick. Sit with him for three minutes and you’ll fall in love with the Macon beer scene. 

Now onto the food: the bangers and mash — my $17.99 plate of Irish-style sausage, rich onion gravy, creamy mashed potatoes and carrots. A hearty plate. I haven’t been back to Ireland since 2020. Bangers and mash is not just comfort food for me, it’s heritage. It’s rainy afternoons on the central west coast of Ireland. It’s pubs in Galway where conversations linger and Guinness settles slowly. Bangers and mash is as quintessential to Ireland as Peaches are to Georgia. 

I took one bite. And I had to stop eating because I had tears in my eyes. Now, I know that’s a bold claim. I am NOT an emotional guy whatsoever. But… this took me home.

The onion gravy was deep and savory. The mashed potatoes — and I am notoriously critical of mashed potatoes — were creamy and buttery smooth as silk. The sausages were so authentic, so flavorful, that when I asked where they were sourced, I was genuinely shocked they weren’t imported from Ireland. 

Mark later told me his favorite (or favourite as it were) menu item is the fish and chips — made with tempura beer batter using Irish beer and fried in beef tallow. More expensive than standard oil, yes, but absolutely worth it. 

“The frying process is everything,” he said. “Our fries, tots or fish won’t leave your fingers greasy.” 

He’s right. 

Bearfoot Tavern sells more seafood than the owners originally expected. The ribeye, surprisingly, doesn’t sell out — something that still shocks Mark. Consistency is an ongoing challenge, as it is for any restaurant committed to growth, but their focus remains on training, service and community.

Some will say Bearfoot is old because it existed before the flood. Some will say it’s new because it was rebranded during nineteen months of rebuilding. I say it’s resilient. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say, it has quickly become my fav “hangout” spot in Macon. 

It’s a place rebuilt by owners who believe in downtown Macon’s future. Managed by a leader who got his hands dirty to bring it back. Staffed by bartenders who make you feel like family. Supplied by local brewers and distillers who elevate every pour. And anchored, at least for me, by a plate of bangers and mash that remind me exactly where I come from.

Now you may remember, it’s sister restaurant next door, The Social Duck, didn’t get high marks from me during Macon Burger Week. Mark acknowledged that he used my review as a training tool and I believe it. Every restaurant is entitled to an “off day” and clearly, my multiple visits to Bearfoot have not been off days. Bearfoot Tavern is serving a comeback. And for this Irish foodie in Middle Georgia, it’s also serving home.

Billy Hennessey is the food columnist for The Melody. Write him an email at newlifenkiss@gmail.com.