Not Just Hotel Food! That's for Damn Sure!. I had the pleasure of stumbling across one of Tyler's best kept secrets. The Great American Grill that is located inside the gorgeous Hilton Garden Inn in Tyler Texas is far beyond what I expected. Some family had come to town and since there was "no room" at my house (in-laws...winkwink) My wife and I decided to meet them there and get a couple of cocktail in the Lobby Lounge before we went out to dinner. The bartenders there, JJ and Hanna, served up some OUTSTANDING flavored martini's. My wife had the Paradise Island Martini , well she ended up having 3 or 4 I think, and I stuck to my usual Grey Goose up extra dirty. And suprisingly enough, they carried Oban Single Malt for my dear old father in-law. They talked us into trying out they're menu instead. I can't express to you how blown away we were by the service, the presentaion and by the quality of this so called "hotel restaurant". No sir. Hotel food is usually bland and dry and something that resembles a microwave meal that has been doctored up with some rosemary sprigs and a lemon wedge on the side. Not here! You would've thought we were at the Four season's in Austin, or Chamberlains in Dallas. The Ribeye was rubbed like nothing I'd every tried before. The Salmon was full of flavors that popped in my mouth without giving that overwhelming fishy aroma as it meted like butter in my mouth.(had to try my wife's) This restaurant gives you the selections from across the board with sticking to it's East Texas roots. They informed me that the had recently hired a new chef which is clearly striving for excellence in his field. There is also something very interesying in the works for this restaurant. I'm hearing that this Chef is tossing around the idea of a brazilian churrascaria theme for the weekends. Those of you who don't know what this is... Just checkout Texas de Brazil's website. If this comes to fruition, then we may have true gem hiding right here in Rose country. And my inlaw's said that the room there at the hotel were truley decadent. A MUST try!!!