Grey Goose Players Club: A reliable, beloved Macon fixture

There are restaurants that try very hard to be something flashy, trendy or reinvented every six months, and then there are places like Grey Goose Players Club that quietly sit back, mind their business and win people over one plate at a time. 

Located in Macon and open since 1989, Grey Goose Players Club isn’t chasing the spotlight. It doesn’t need to. It already has something far more powerful: history, consistency and a loyal crowd that treats it like an extension of their living room.

Owned by husband-and-wife team Sonia and Joe Hernandez since 2005, Grey Goose Players Club is exactly what it claims to be — a neighborhood dive in the best possible way. Joe grew up learning to cook, though his professional background includes selling cars, managing an Acura dealership and collecting degrees in business, marketing and even a master’s degree. 

Sonia, meanwhile, works as an oncology research nurse, which somehow makes the balance between hospitality and heart make even more sense. They didn’t come in and overhaul the place when they bought it. Instead, they respected what already worked and preserved the soul of the restaurant while quietly strengthening it from the inside out.

Walking into Grey Goose Players Club feels a bit like walking into that one uncle’s house where everyone knows each other, nobody’s pretending and the food is always reliable. Joe proudly describes it as generational, and that’s not an exaggeration. People who come in today once sat at those same tables with their parents decades ago. Regulars are greeted by name. Conversations flow easily across the bar. There’s a warmth here that simply can’t be manufactured.

One of the most touching reminders of that connection sits right in the dining room: a portrait and plaque dedicated to Dr. Cash Stanley, a longtime customer who meant a great deal to the community. It’s a quiet but powerful symbol of what Grey Goose really is — a place where people don’t just eat, they belong.

Then there’s the food, which is where this “neighborhood dive” quietly shows off. The menu leans into elevated pub fare without overcomplicating things. Onion rings arrive fresh-cut, crispy and seasoned so well they make you question every frozen ring you’ve ever accepted in your life. Fried pimento cheese balls served with pepper jelly, strike that perfect balance between indulgent and craveable, while the golden chicken fried bites are hand-cut, hand-battered and nothing like the nugget situation you may have been expecting.

The burgers, however, are the true stars of the show. The Gooseburger tastes like home in the most comforting way possible — simple, satisfying and unchanged over the years because it doesn’t need fixing. That dedication paid off in a big way during Macon Burger Week, when Grey Goose sold more than 1,200 burgers and walked away with the first place award in 2025. That’s not hype. That’s trust.

Dessert seals the deal, particularly the peach hot honey cheesecake, which somehow manages to be light and dense at the same time. With a coffee cake crumble topping and bursts of peach throughout, it tastes like the end of summer holding hands with the beginning of fall. In August. In Macon. Exactly where it belongs.

Behind the scenes, Joe is the creative force in the kitchen, constantly dreaming up specials inspired by cooking shows and late-night scrolling, while his staff executes with care. He’ll tell you himself that cash flow and staffing are always challenges in the restaurant world, but when the pandemic hit, his priorities were crystal clear. Joe paid every employee throughout the shutdown, even when they weren’t working, because protecting his people mattered more than anything else. 

The staff reflects that loyalty. Ginger, the bartender, has been there for 30 years. Her sister has worked there for 18. The average employee tenure is around a decade, which is basically unheard of in restaurant years. These aren’t just coworkers. They’re family.

Grey Goose Players Club also shows up for Macon in meaningful ways, sponsoring community events, while also supporting local charities, churches and organizations by donating food, money and time. Even their fun facts feel perfectly on brand — yes, they really do have an authentic autographed photo of Arnold Palmer hanging inside, and yes, it’s real.

At the end of the day, Grey Goose Players Club works because it knows exactly who it is and refuses to pretend otherwise. It’s not trying to be trendy. It’s not racing toward reinvention. It’s doing what it’s always done — feeding people well, creating relationships and giving Macon a place that feels familiar, comfortable and deeply human.

If you’re looking for a spot where the food is honest, the people are real and the atmosphere feels like you’ve been coming there forever — even if it’s your first visit — Grey Goose Players Club delivers every time. Sometimes, the places that don’t shout the loudest end up saying the most.

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