Our Story

1885 Grill is a southern coastal restaurant that provides diners with a chance to escape their busy day and enjoy a meal-length vacation of the senses in Chattanooga.

For owner Miguel Morales, 1885 Grill is a culmination of 16 years of planning and training as a managing partner at Carrabba’s Italian Grill.

Growing up in South Carolina, Morales was introduced to coastal fare alongside traditional southern cuisine from his mother with a dash of Spanish influence from his Puerto Rican father. To celebrate the rich and delicious flavors of his youth, Morales has created an eclectic menu that highlights a little bit of everything from house‑made stone‑ground grits, coastal fresh catches such as oysters and even his family’s recipe for homemade Spanish rice.

At 1885, guests can sit indoors in the back dining room and watch chefs work through the kitchen’s viewing window, relax in the front dining room where a breeze comes in through the rollup door, or enjoy the beautiful weather of the valley on the restaurant’s patio. Each meal is prepared with exacting attention to fresh, local ingredients, beautiful presentation, and friendly service.

1885 is a family‑oriented atmosphere that can be a fun and tasty destination for friends and co‑workers. As a St. Elmo resident, Morales says he hopes his friends, neighbors, and fellow Chattanoogans will come in to dine and get to know his restaurant and family, including his wife, Leslie, and daughter, Bria.