"Cute place on the square. White tablecloths, friendly servers(ask for Melinda) varied menu. The pork belly melt is very tasty & with crispy fries very filling. Wifey had butternut squash gnocchi which was light and creamy sauce. Recommend reservations."

"I've been here twice over the last couple months and the place is fantastic. Cool vibe, great food, but most of all, amazing service staff. We had a large group of about 12 or 15 people but I think we only called in about eight people. Despite this, they made space, pushed some tables together, and treated us like family. Last time I was here I had the shrimp and grits which were great, this time I had their Mississippi minestrone which was also very good."

"The reviewer below should change her name to Kookie Kook. The shrimp and grits was phenomenal. Definitely not too salty as Kook incorrectly claimed. The crab rangoon dip was also a hit. Perfect proportion and taste. As for the ambiance, it was also amazing, as I was able to easily converse with my wife who enjoyed her City Salad and butternut squash soup. Ryder was on point with his service. Great experience! Don’t listen to Kook!"

"City Grocery is a conundrum of a restaurant. First, the food is very good to excellent. We had the blackened amberjack entree there recently and it was truly amazing. Easily as good as anything we’ve had in New Orleans, where blackened redfish was invented. The serving staff are good and appear to be mostly college students, or at least about that age, which is to be expected in a college town. The wine list is better than most and actually has several surprises, like Arista Pinot Noir from California’s Russian River Valley. Another great touch is white table cloths. In a world where so many restaurants have abandoned this this wonderful touch, City Grocery still makes having dinner feel like a special occasion, rather than dining in a cafeteria or sports bar. Where things really fall apart (pun intended) is the furniture and seating. Rickety, wobbly tables and chairs that are among the most uncomfortable we’ve ever sat in. You find yourself afraid to lean back, worrying you might go over backwards. Why a restaurant capable of serving food this good wouldn’t pony up for decent, comfortable chairs and tables is a mystery. Also, on an earlier visit there during a heavy rain, we arrived at the front door and put our umbrellas down, only to get deluged by a huge leak right outside above their front door. Everyone in our group walked in completely soaked. These seem like simple things to address without changing their casual ambience a bit. If you go, there is much to enjoy about City Grocery, but take a comfortable cushion to sit on and avoid rainy nights unless you want a shower with your dinner."

"We’ve lived in Oxford for about 2 years now and this was our first time dining at City Grocery. Multiple people told us how good it was and having personally dined at two other restaurants owned by Chef John Currence I was definitely expecting a great meal. When we walked in we were greeted by a lovely young lady at the hostess stand who promptly seated us. Soon after a young man brought out cornbread and a young lady filled our water glasses. A few moments later Victor came over and let us know he’d be our server. He took our drink orders and we also ordered the appetizer of Brussel sprouts. They came out promptly and were absolutely delicious. Definitely some of the best I’ve eaten. For entrees my husband decided on the Jerk Pork and I ordered the Mississippi Pot Roast. My husband loved his, and especially loved the greens and polenta that accompanied it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with mine. The roast, potatoes, gravy and carrots were all cold. I am not one to complain at a restaurant and generally feel uncomfortable doing so. I took bites, pushed it around on my plate a little, desperately wanting to love it. The ambiance was nice, Victor was a fantastic server and I loved the company of my husband on date night, but the pot roast I desperately wanted to love was a total miss. I really want to try City Grocery again, but I’m a little hesitant. UPDATE: The general manager very kindly reached out to me regarding my experience. I will definitely be giving them another try and look forward to further updating my review."