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Abattoir
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
1170 Howell Mill RdAtlanta, GA 30318
Neighborhood: Westside / Home Park
(404) 892-3335
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 11 pm
Sun 6 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Shalin P. said: "I live in Brookhaven and never knew this place existed until I saw a Groupon for it. I'm glad I bought the Groupon because I'm really impressed by this place. The owner Chip often takes your order and will give you suggestions. I…" read more »
110 reviews for Abattoir
Review Highlights
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"I shared the maple bacon beignets and they were awesome." In 8 reviews -
"Potted chicken liver & foie gras with Armagnac." In 3 reviews -
"Tripe Stew: Yummy and not as heavy as it sounds." In 9 reviews
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110 reviews in English
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Review from Jon D.
5/1/2012
Best meal of 2012. Best shrimp I've ever had (and I've had A LOT of shrimp).
Our group had reservations for 10pm on a Saturday night. We arrived on time and were seated immediately. The restaurant was busy but not crowded. Very friendly staff.
I started with the warm seeded pretzel and pimento cheese foam and the crispy ceci peas (flash fried chick peas with cumin salt). Both were exceptionally good. Everyone seemed to love the signature cocktails, especially the "sour wood smash"; not one for specialty drinks myself, I ordered an old fashioned and it was very well-made.
My entree was crispy Georgia shrimp with Anson Mills grits and curry sauce. Absolutely unbelievable. The shrimp was very lightly battered and fried. Fresh, tender, not chewy or stringy, and had no tails to deal with. Grits were cooked to perfection. What really brought the dish together was the mild Indian curry, garnished with fresh cilantro. An interesting twist that made it unlike anything I've ever tasted.
Dessert was the rice pudding tart with cherry compote. Beautifully created and presented, and a perfect end to a perfect dinner. We all left full and happy.
Full marks for all stages of the meal, from service to food to atmosphere. In a way, the farm to table format is sad because it means I'll probably never be able to have this same meal again. But it's the standard by which I'll be judging shrimp for a long time to come. -
Review from Michael B.
Alpharetta, GA
4/22/2012 4 photos
My first ever visit to a Star Provisions restaurant, and it sealed the deal -- one of the best restaurants I've ever visited in Atlanta.
1st star - Prompt seating w/ OpenTable reservation
My wife and walked in and were seated almost immediately. I had noted this visit was for an anniversary, and they were good to put us in a corner near the window so we had a view of the sunset and railway that runs between all the Star Provisions properties.
I DID get an early (6:45pm Saturday night) reservation via OpenTable, so I really didn't have to fight a crowd, but still -- I was glad there were no hiccups. The restaurant called and left a voicemail to confirm the reservation a few nights before. I returned the call early on a weekday and left a voicemail with my confirmation.
Not entirely sure if not responding to that call would've cost me an OpenTable reservation. I thought those were set in stone. Your mileage may vary.
2nd star - Ambiance
Abattoir has a terrific hip yet understated ambiance about it. Dark, rich colors abound, but it's also got enough contemporary decor to remind you that it's not too stuffy. Our seat was an indoor table next to one of the patio doors. Our view included the other Star Provisions restaurants across the railroad tracks as well as a rather bright sunset to the west.
My wife noted the marble topped table, in particular. She talked about wanting to rip some marble off an old antique at home and make a similar table. We'll see.
As the lights came on after sunset, the subdued and not as formal as you might think decor kicked in. The whole place just felt warm and comfortable. The bar, notably, was secluded enough from the dining room that anyone hanging out there didn't disturb other diners.
3rd and 4th stars - The food
I'm no foodie, so I didn't know what to expect from an "abattoir." I knew meat would be involved, and in my book, that's an instant win.
Our first surprise was the boiled peanuts -- complimentary and brought to the table almost as soon as we sat down. They were boiled in some array of seasonings that really gave them a nice flavor, if if they were a little messy and sticky to eat.
Appetizers -- the warm pretzel with pimento cheese foam ($5) and the house charcuterie plate ($20). My wife and I both loved the pretzel -- the pimento cheese foam went well with the roasted garlic and sea salt on the pretzel. But...the charcuterie plate...
...two words...
...ham powder.
I don't know what ham powder is, but I want to put it on popcorn. I want to use it in lieu of salt and pepper. I want to try and make ham cocoa with it. The plate was WELL WORTH the $20 -- so much to choose from, including chicken sausage, pork belly pâté, and country beef pâté. The best part of the plate was getting to mix the variety of condiments included with the different sausages and pâté.
Entrees -- my wife had the hanger steak w/ pomme fritte, but she opted to substitute with the roasted fingerling potatoes. The steak, of which she shared a bite, was cooked to a perfect medium, as ordered. She enjoyed the entree.
I ordered the pork belly and pâté with pickled vegetables and Thai pepper. The portions were fine. A nice piece of pork belly. There was pâté on / around the pork belly, but it wasn't the same as what was on the charcuterie plate. The pickled vegetables were good too. Overall, I liked it, but I think I could've found a more interesting entree. I felt like I was eating a LOT of fat, but that was to be expected. The other issue with the dish -- it was REALLY spicy. The Thai pepper was just crazy hot for me.
Other food notes -- we didn't get dessert, we were stuffed. The $30+ bottle of wine we had was great. Well worth the restaurant markup. I wish I could remember the name of the vineyard right now.
5th star -- Service
While the dinner service was a little slow, I felt like we were taken care of from the moment we walked into the restaurant. Even thought we didn't order dessert, the waiter capped off our meal with a candlelit selection of chocolate coffee flavored cookies that broke my wife's rule regarding not eating chocolate. The staff was courteous and answered any and all questions about the menu.
If you're looking to dive into some of Atlanta's best food but can't afford dinner for two at Bacchanalia, hit up Abattoir. You'll love it! -
Review from Jake W.
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I absolutely loved this place. The decor, which was made the place seem like it could have been an actual abattoir 100 years ago was awesome. Our server gave great recommendations and recommended a bourbon based cocktail (I can't remember the name of it) that was really good.
We started out with the beef tartar which was absolutely fantastic. I HIGHLY recommend it. Also, the brought out boiled peanuts, which was a great appetizer. I got the pork belly and pate which was delicious. The texture was buttery and the flavor was great. My brother in law got the duck meatball soup, which I tried and was also good. I think he said that it's his favorite dish in Atlanta.
We got the maple bacon beignets which were also delicious. It seems kind of weird to have bacon in a dessert, but it actually works pretty well.
The only problem was that we sat a table that was technically the bar section, so the service was a bit slow as our server was also bartending. Having said that, he made up for it with great recommendations and actually remembering my sister and her husband from the last time they came.
I've visited Atlanta a few times and have eaten out a lot there and I think Abattoir might be my favorite restaurant in the city. -
Review from Han L.
2/9/2012
Prior to engaging in wild drunken revelry, friends and I kicked off my birthday celebration month with a dinner at Abattoir, french for Slaughterhouse. Why this place? Because Daniel B and I saw it in the movie "The Change -Up" ( which also featured ecco, among other places). The restaurant is loverlier (wink wink Eliza Doolittle) in person than in the movie. I enjoyed the ambiance. I appreciate the homage to French design and the attention to details; it was overall tasteful and not cluttered. The main dining area is wide open and clean, but softened by yellow tones. Centered in the restaurant is a table with silverware and napkins and interesting decor. Because of our large group, we were seated across the bar, in a long table that may have been assembled from smaller tables. Half of the group sat along the booths, while the other half sat on chairs.
Ok now to the food :) There are entrees to select from, but it seems Abattoir may be more popular for their appetizers. After we made our selections, we were surprised with little brown baggies (haha). They were boiled peanuts, friends!
The presentation of all the plates we ordered was darling! All of the dishes were tantalizing at first sight. Most notable and worthy of 2nd orders, which we ended up doing, was the potted chicken liver. O.M.G. My amylases were dying to engulf the savory union of liver and apple pectin. Another impressive dish was the dessert sampler. Once again, the presentation was delightful. Usually dessert samplers offer petite items, but I was surprised at the selection and the portions. The flan was amazing; the epitome of perfection. Was that too much? I mean, if I had to describe the perfect flan, this would ding ding ding! Although the rice pudding was not included in the sampler plate, it was also a good selection; a simple item, presented in a fine way.
The charcuterie plate seemed like a popular option. It was good, but I believe it is overrated. It was delectable, but compared to the other wonderful options, I was not too impressed. I appreciate the presence of Vietnamese head cheese among the selection. My least favorite dish was the bulgogi fries. My friends and I can be a ravenous bunch. And, I'm the type to clean my plate, but those fries were a no-no; there were fries left un-touched! While it was visually appealing, it was orally disappointing. It was something I'd expect to get at a cheap joint. It was salty and the taste was off.
Listed under the cold appetizers as "little gem lettuce, bacon, parmesan, fried eggs", the salad dish was a hit. Actually the salad we got was more of a spring mix. The fried egg atop the salad is something novel to me. It was a good combination.
Blood Sausage, Blood pasta, Blood orange. Check plus. Beef tartare, Check plus. Cheese plate. Check plus plus. Also, I must say, we couldn't get enough of the bread. Guess where they get their bread from?
And, because it was my birthday (month), I was presented with a cupcake topped with marshmellows! Life is great.
Abattoir delights me because they are not only conscientious but exploratory. As with other Star Provisions establishments, Abattoir puts much effort in their culinary creations. One defining thing about Star Provisions is the motley of ingredients they use in each dish that complements each other (very evident at Bacchanalia).
Service was great. Although I wished they didn't ran out of bread!
I'd love to return for Round Dos. I'd like to try their entrees. -
Review from Belle S.
3/7/2012
One of the first places I ate at when I first moved to Atlanta in August 2011. It had a quaint, classy, yet intimate feel. The place was spacious and crowded. The food was good, but nothing special for the price.
It was difficult to find this place, very out of the way from the city, but there was an amazing view of Atlanta on our way here. Parking was almost impossible, but eventually we found a place.
A thing to note is that they charged my boyfriend's card twice-- once with our own meal and another with someone else's meal that was double the cost of ours! And our meal was definitely not cheap. My boyfriend didn't actually realize this mistake until days later when he happened to check his statement. It was quite complicated to get all of this mess straightened out, but eventually my boyfriend had to call his bank to get it removed. Basically, this should never happen at a place like this. We've eaten at so many cheaper places and this huge error had not ever happened. So, yeah... I haven't been back since. It's just a place to try once and move on. If you do dine here, beware. -
Review from Patrick C.
Douglasville, GA
4/22/2012
Had a birthday dinner at Abattoir with 6 friends and was pleasantly surprised. I was a little nervouse looking at the online menu that I would have a hard time finding something " normal " to eat.... But everything I had, and everyone else had, was really good. I stuck with the Beef Burger with cheese and bacon and pom frites (fries) and was quite delicious. For an appetizer we tried the ranch pork rinds, which were HUGE and literally would melt in your mouth with homemade hot sauce. Then for dessert we all going something different and sampled each others. My friends had the chicken filet meal, I can't remember what it was called by name, but was one of the best things on the table.. Also the Ga Shrimp with Grits was also delicious !! As I said before, I was very pleased, and would definitely go back again. Also, the homemade lemonade was delicious.
The only reason I didnt give it 5 stars was it was easily a 2 hour dinner, and the chairs were slightly uncomfortable after sitting in them for so long.. Other than that, Fantastic !! -
Review from Mandy P.
Atlanta, GA
4/13/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Delicious food. Good seving sizes. Not too fancy but quite nice. Perfectly attentive and friendly service. Not pushy or condescending or anything bad. Great experience. Can't wait to go back.
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Review from Jang C.
Abattoir means slaughterhouse. That's such a cool name. They even made it French so it would sound even more fancy. Overall, I thought the food wasn't bad at all.
First, let me start with my least favorite dish I had: the Korean bulgogi fries. It was a travesty. It's definitely one of the worst thing on their menu. Their bulgogi sauce was disgusting. Their fries were no better than McDonald's. And their kimchi tasted like it's made by a white guy. Of course, I'm a Korean guy reviewing a Korean-themed dish. And from my snobby, Korean standards, it failed miserably.
Luckily for them, the rest of the menu tasted a lot better than their bulgogi fries.
Blood sausage with blood pasta and blood orange--a perfect feast for the vampires. They're really trying to get the pre-teenage girl market with this Twilight themed appetizer. Okay, it's not entirely bloody, it had some cumin sauce with it. I liked this dish. The pasta was good with the cumin based sauce. The blood orange was the best part. It helped "pop" the flavor more. I don't know what "pop" means but I'll just use it anyway. So yea, the blood oranges helped "pop" the presentation and the taste of the dish. Good job.
Steak Tartar--another good meal for vampires since it's raw beef. It seemed to be served with beef carpaccio. Tartar and carpaccio--it was raw beef goodness. I also liked the little hardboiled quail egg they had with the tartar. The tartar by itself didn't have much taste to it. If you combine the tartar, carpaccio, and the cheese thingy that came with it, they all melded well together.
The Chicken Liver with Apple Butter was good. I think this dish can be shared by 3-4 people. The liver was so rich and fatty, it seemed too much for 2 people. I liked it, but in the end, it was too much of a good thing. Also, I prefer duck or goose liver. The chicken liver was good, but it was too "chickeny" for me. I still liked it though. It is liver, and I love liver. Unless you really like super fatty liver, I recommend you can share with 3-4 people. They also give you only 4 pieces of bread to spread the liver on. I recommend ordering more bread to finish the liver and the apple butter off. Besides, their bread is marvelous.
For the entree, we had the butternut squash risotto with wild mushrooms, duck meatballs and confit. The risotto tasted too salty. I liked the wild mushrooms, the duck meatballs, and confit. I didn't like the huge slices of the butternut squash, however. I prefer smaller slices. The rice seemed too sticky for me. Maybe they didn't cook it long enough. We did wait about 20 minutes for the risotto. I wonder if it was proper risotto or pre-cooked, chilled risotto.
The Maple Bacon Cookie didn't change my life, but it was pretty good. It was part of their excellent dessert sampler.
I liked Abottoir. They're not perfect, but I think you can get a decent and enjoyable meal from there. Just don't order the Bulgogi Fries, and I think you'll be all good.Listed in: You Better Save Up
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Review from Ritch B.
Atlanta, GA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Abattoir scared everyone in Atlanta with that snout-to-tail menu they started with. Atlantans, they've seen the error of their ways and toned it down. The food is, in fact, wonderful! Inventive, tasty, and approachable. In fact, in fact...it's better than the last meal I had at the "#1 restaurant in Atlanta", sister locale, Bacchanalia...and MUCH more affordable.
The decor is beautiful. Really first class design. Rustic, urban, stylish.
Don't be scaret, y'all! It's awesome. -
Review from Kelly W.
I will never look at $12 the same way again. Like a teenage boy who just smoked weed for the first time counts his paycheck in Taco Bell orders and dime bags, I will now assess my spendings based on how many orders of steak tartare I am foregoing. How much are those shoes? Oh man, ELEVEN steak tartares? That's way too many steak tartares for a pair of slingbacks.
I was initially a little bored by the menu, because despite being all wild and crazy and serving types of meat that are standard in every developed nation except America, the menu is simple. Chicken liver pate, pork belly, duck confit. But for me, there is a great restaurant, and then there is an upper echelon where you can taste in the first moments of your meal that you are dealing with a world-class chef. When every bite makes your taste buds short circuit. The only other meal I've had of this caliber that comes to mind is the infamous Diner in Williamsburg.
The highlight of my evening slash life was, as I may have mentioned, the steak tartare. It was dizzingly sublime. Each bite was like the moments before a migraine, really good pain killers, or sex, in that my brain started swimming and shut down. Serotonin overload. Two of my friends preferred the duck rillette: a developed balsamic reduction, charred toast, the rillete itself a little smokey. The potted chicken liver with apple butter was perfectly smooth and creamy, no overwhelming liver flavor, and had a tanginess I can only compare to goat cheese. My little frenchy friend was caught drooping her head down with her eyes closed as we noticed the cheese tray was suspiciously and suddenly empty. The super crunchy fries, hot bread, unsalted sweet butter, monkey bread, everything was just. so. perfect.
In a situation like this, I could care less about the service, the decor, anything, and frankly I want to beat customer service whiners about the head and neck with a blunt object. That said, the interior is genuinely impressive and the service was perfect. We waited for nothing and there were two 20 tops and most of the restaurant was full. Finally, we gorged ourselves and had multiple cocktails and walked out for under $50 a person. Sweet holy gods of food, I love you. -
Review from Ryan P.
Roswell, GA
1/10/2012
Fantastic meal at Abattoir last night. Started with a perfectly made Old Fashioned at the bar. Then the Sweetbreads, Roasted Cauliflower, and Beef Tartare. Ended with the Rice Pudding.
Everything was prepared well. The Sweatbreads in particular were delicious - a great suggestion for the bartender.
Ryan at the bar gave great service. The Hostess, whose name I didn't get, was fantastic, checking in every now and then to make sure everything was going well. I really felt taken care of.
I will return with more people and make a point to recommend to others! -
Review from Ivan S.
8/24/2011
Abattoir--so pretty, so rustically urbane (or is that urban rusticality?) You look like Martha Stewart had a threeway with Ralph Lauren and Alice Waters in the middle of Anthropologie. What is that? Repurposed barn doors? Old pulleys? Now I know how those guys on American Pickers stay in business. Oh, if only the food and service lived up to the environs.
We reserved a table for three. Yes, I know odd numbers are the bane of a restaurateur's existence. Two tops, four tops, asking for a three top is like asking the host (or hostess) to solve a GRE word problem. If a train leaves Syracuse at 60 mph and another train leaves Albany at 40 mph and somebody asks for a reservation for three, do you set aside a four-top and give up an extra seat or cram them into a two top and risk pissing off the table?
Guess which answer Abattoir chose? Yes, they crammed us into a two top in the corner and put an extra seat on the end. Honestly, I should've noted my displeasure, but I thought I could live with it. It wasn't until the we'd ordered and plates began to crowd the table that I realized we'd been hosed.
Our service ranged from attentive to scarce. Drinks were filled regularly, but the check took a while to arrive. It was nothing too terrible or glaring, but combined with the questionable seating, it didn't strike me as service commensurate with the price point. In their defense, they easily accommodated my glutarded wife.
The food was similarly hit or miss. The charcuterie was good. The duck rillette was fair to middlin'. My burger was fine, but honestly, not in the same strata as, say, Bocado or even Farm Burger. My wife liked her steak well enough, but it didn't have that melt-in-your mouth goodness I expected from waygu beef when I asked for a bite. Also, I thought it was underseasoned. Not the way to knock a $30 flat iron steak out of the park, guys. On the other hand, our other companion, Cindy, enjoyed her meal, though I forgot what she had. (Salmon? Wait, I think it was the duck tagliatelle.)
In all, based on this single visit, I'd give Abattoir 2.5 stars but because the ladies "loooooved" THEIR meals (which I think had more to do with the space than the food--also, they ended the night with a bottle of sauvignon blanc and tickle fights), I'll round up to three stars. -
Review from heather h.
Atlanta, GA
10/17/2011
-Can't even recall what I ate, it was that memorable
-was looking forward to the bread and butter shrimp, arrived floating in water and a single peppercorn they called brine
-the only yummy dish was the chicken wienerschnitzel with bacon jam ( I wish it had been my choice)
-really nice and charming server
-too bad, loved the concept, not so much the food -
Review from Kevin J.
8/4/2011
The bread,the bread, the bread. Ok so this restaurant is way better than it's bread, but for some reason I'm craving it right now. Anywho, this space is simply beautiful. the bar is casual, yet trendy and sophisticated in a Mad-men type of way. Make sure to grab a cocktail while you're waiting and let the bartender work his magic on one of your favorite staples.
The pickled vegetables are a fun start but you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's a hard feat to master but this chef has done everything right. -
Review from Owen F.
Atlanta, GA
2/25/2012
The good - the Meyer tart was very good. The risotto was good as was the steak tartar. The classic tartar is more picquent. The shrimp and grits were fairly good. Service was very good.
Bad - the trout my wife ordered was the worst she has ever had, and she orders it often. It was served barely warm. The fish was dry and the stuff under it was tasteless.
The space is industrial. Noise level was okay, but not quiet.
Good place for young folks to go who are just learning about food, and that is who seems to go there. Prices are reasonable There are many better restaurants in Atlanta. We won't be back. -
Review from Robert M.
6/16/2011
So I sat at the bar and had a burger and fries along with some beer. Some may call it grass fed beef with pomme frites...but to me, it was a burger and fries, and both were very good. Much better than the overrated Yeah Burger which is a hop, skip and jump away, depending on which way you like it.
Grass fed, corn fed, I don't give a crap, I just want a good burger which this was. Medium rare, nice flavor and juicy. I wasn't so much into the bun, it was o.k. but could have been better but the bacon absolutely killed it (in a good way). Sure, bacon pretty much always kills it in most forms and on most anything, but these strips were the king of the hill. The fries? Almost perfect. Perfectly crispy and not overcooked on the innards, although just a tad bit too salty.
The beer menu was good, service was good, atmosphere was good. Overall, I'd sit at this bar anytime for a burger and fries. -
Review from Rich B.
Atlanta, GA
6/20/2011 1 photo
Abattoir made me feel sick....well beyond feeling sick. I went home and got sick. One my dinner companions did as well. We had the chicharron, beef jerky, fried chick peas, pickled vegetables, duck ham with melon, lamb balls and burger with the beef bacon. The food tastes fine the first time.
Service was lousy however. Mostly slow but the real problem came after the burger was cooked too little (medium as a cool pink middle?). We asked them to cook it more and the chef's solution was to out the WHOLE burger - bun, lettuce, tomato - cut in half on the grill. There were char lines on bun showing what they did! Do you know what happens to lettuce when fired on a grill. It was nasty! The bread became hard and the tomatoes were soggy. We couldn't find the waiter, so we asked the hostess for the manager; then the waiter showed back up. When the manager came over, she said, "no we don't do that". We told her we could see the char marks on the vertical sides of the bun. She asked what we would like her to do, and we told her "a new burger". She was incredulous and almost hostile about it.
I will not be returning to Abattoir. It was a bad experience all around. Poor management leads to poor execution.
I think my GI distress indicates the health department needs to pay them a visit....and SOON! -
Review from Andrew H.
Atlanta, GA
6/20/2011
Let me preface my review by saying that one of my dining companions vomited 3 times 20 minutes after we left the restaurant this past Saturday.
I was EXTREMELY disappointed in our meal here. Almost every aspect of the meal was off.
The food was lacking in flavor and cohesiveness. We started out with 5 small plates:
Beef Jerky: Quality beef jerky...but nothing special and certainly nothing to pine over.
Fried Chick Peas: Hard. Lacking salt. I took one bite and was done.
Pickled Cabbage etc : This was very much akin to kimchee. However, I've had several superior versions at inexpensive BUHI restos
Chicharones: Gross. Granted I'm not a pork rind connoisseur...but these had a serious funk to them and were completely void of salt. I was the only one at the table to take more than 1 bite.
Confit Lamb Fritters: These were the only dish to garner any type of positive response from the table. They were topped with a relish that tased as if it had been squirted from a bottle. Bleh
The table then ordered 2 burgers to be split between the 2 couples. We ordered them medium, however, they came out between medium and medium rare. They were too rare for 2 of the diners so we sent 2 halves of the burgers back to be cooked a little more. The chef in the back obviously took offense to this and threw the entire burger back on the grill...burger, bun, lettuce tomato and all. That's not something we could look pass. We notified the manager who assured us that that is not how they do things. We told her to go look at the soggy mangled mess that we had just sent back again. She offered no apologies but took the burger off the bill.
Our service was off the entire night. It took 15 minutes for the other couple to get their first beer. After the burger incident our server checked out. The service capped off an already less than pleasant experience.
I've already mentioned my friend throwing up. I'm going attribute that to the "duck bacon" that he received with a side salad as he was the only one to eat it.
I'd like to purge that entire meal from my mind. -
Review from Ellen P.
Atlanta, GA
8/19/2011
1st visit - Went with some gal pals for a birthday celebration. It was very quiet for a Thursday night but we were a large group and had a good time.
Loved the decor and the bar area was great for a pre dinner cocktail. Although the 1 little bartender, who was attentive and working hard could have used a helping hand.
Waiter was attentive and kept our glasses filled.
Food was great. Be open minded and go for it, I say!
I am an unsophisticated idiot and ordered the lamb sweetbread with fig and onions thinking it would come out on a baguette or, well a sweetbread of some kind.
I was wrong but what a fun and yummy surprise. haha!
Will come here again. -
Review from Noah E.
Atlanta, GA
3/18/2012
Abattoir is a wonderful restaurant with urban decor and great service. It isn't cheap, but worth a visit.
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Review from Jeremy J.
Atlanta, GA
3/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
When a couple of our best friends were in town to visit, we decided it was time to pay Mrs. Kristine Lassor a visit and catch up a bit. We have not seen her in a while and our friends were in from Wyoming and had not seen her in a longer while. What a treat that it would encompass going to one of our "to visit" restaurants at the same time. Previously, we would visit Kristine at Rathbun's when she was over there. Now that her fiance Josh was the new owner/chef of Abattoir and she was managing, we got a chance to try this whole animal concept.
The first impression was subtle, the entrance was very understated. Once through the front the room opened up and revealed a very comfortable and beautiful atmosphere for dining. We pulled up to the bar and ordered a round of cocktails to take the edge off. Kristine spent the time that she had schooling us on the restaurant, the concept, the menu, and other conversations. To say that she is knowledgeable about the place would grossly understate her vast information. Kristine is fully committed to this place and her enthusiasm is energizing.
We were not as impressed with the service. Our servers were not as knowledgeable and had trouble identifying our food items and more than once had to go to the kitchen for help. On top of that, we were pouring our own wine throughout the meal. Kristine acknowledged this opportunity before we sat down and we did not let it affect our meal.
We ordered:
Pomme Frittes
Charcuterie Chef Selection
Bratwurst
Steak Tartare
Roasted Asparagus with dilly beans
Lamb Loin
Grass fed burger
Stiped Bass
I will say that my personal favorites were the tartare, the charcuterie, and the lamb loin. All three were delicious, well prepared and unique in one way or the other. The tartare had a extremely fresh taste and the flavors were bursting. The chartcuterie was an adventure and I was able to taste my first tongue pate and head cheese, both great. And the lamb was tender, well cooked, and melt in your mouth.
After dinner we went back into the kitchen and got to hang with Josh and watch him butcher a whole pig. He was really proud of his place and you could hear the passion in his voice as he described what he was doing and where he was going.
We had a great experience and the food was adventurous and full of good flavors. Make sure you take a night out to stop by and give Abattoir a shot and say hi to Kristine and Josh when you do. -
Review from Chuk V.
5/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great atmosphere/decor/service. Scallops were deliciously fresh and exactly, perfectly prepared, blah blah.
I'm just going to skip right to the maple bacon cookie now. THE MAPLE BACON COOKIE WITH CARAMEL CREME CHANGED MY LIFE. Somehow, this incredibly rendered, deliciously complimentary flavored cookie had that perfect, right-out-of-the-oven-no-really-just-right-now wonderful softness. Did I mention the maple/bacon? The sugar-sweet flavor combined with the savory bacon awesomeness threatened to melt the teeth right out my mouth. So good, you might have to drop kick a baby.
Not the first perfect meal I've had at Abattoir, and definitely not the last.
(oh, and drink the Dark and Stormy) -
Review from Ferdinand H.
Cleveland, OH
3/21/2011
I'll start by saying that I love Bacchanalia, and that I have yet to try Quinones, which hopefully will be rectified the next time I stop by ATL.
Abattoir has decor that remind me of the british colonial days in the South Pacific. The woven straw/wood lamp shades that hangs over the bar gives off that sense of being in a resort somewhere around Malaysia, and that makes me happy.
Drinks (Tried a Sidecar and a French 75) were reasonable... and their winelist was short, but carried a good range of inexpensive but good treats all the way up to a Kosta Browne 2008 which I love passionately.
Having a Wagyu steak with the Charcutterie, sweetbreads, asparagus... left me with the distinct impression that while the emphasis is on meats, the meats are not loved passionately - but rather prepared by people who love food, like meats, but are trying to serve the food as if they were voractious carnivores.
So, I'd give the place a 3.5, but the ambiance pushes it up to a 4 for me.
The views are nice, and the staff well trained.
Next: Quinones -
Review from Robert B.
College Park, GA
1/16/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Abattoir is a fancy word for slaughterhouse. Just FYI folks. There's a lot of meat in this place because, well, that's the point. When you walk in the door, you'll notice the place is decorated with wood, tools, and lighting that you might find in an abattoir. Now, as the owner of a 1922 bungalow, I've invested some money in period lighting fixtures and decorations and I can say that this place was not cheap to open. They decorated exactly as they wanted and the effect is brilliant. It's spartan, but comfortable.
I'd recommend Abattoir primarily as a splurge restaurant. Go here for a special occasion. . . or if you've got more money than normal people, go here often. I say this because, in order to appreciate this restaurant, you must order many items from the menu and share them with your table mates. If you're on a budget, you might not be impressed. We ran up a bill of nearly three hundred bucks for my wife's birthday with four people, but we were thoroughly impressed with everything we ate, drank, and indulged in.
Their menu changes often, so the one online may not be what you actually get in person. We tried the following on 1/15/11:
steak tartare - raw ground beef (extraordinarily fresh) with seasoning and a quail's egg. We liked Abattoir's better than that of Holeman and Finch. It was sweeter here and served with crispy bits of French bread. 12 bucks.
Kimchee - raw, fermented, spicy cabbage. Awesome. Very spicy. 5.50.
House selection of charcuterie - totally worth the 20 bucks. It had enough for all four of us to sample each item. Wild boar sausage, ox blood sausage, pork tourrine, beef tourrine, house made prociutto, house pickled okra, pickled chili peppers, chicken and mushroom tourrine, and pork bellies. delicious, wonderful pork bellies.
Lamb fritters - very good. soft, heavily seasoned lamb, rolled into a ball and fried.
The burger - Freshly ground beef, cheddar cheese, and more of their amazing bacon. It came with house made mayo, mustard, and ketchup, which were all very good. The roll tasted very fresh and really framed the burger wonderfully. The fries that come with are perfectly crispy and delicious.
Beef stew - tripe, cheek, tongue. Spicy. The wife loved it. It wasn't my favorite. The seasoning just didn't impress me, but I was alone in that thought.
The Riverview farms Chicken and Pork were sampled by our friends and they were very impressed with their entrees. The beans that came with the pork were quite possibly better than the pork itself. They were obviously cooked in lots of fat and butter.
Dessert rocked my face off. The maple caramel creme with the bacon cookie was, in my opinion, the most interesting and amazing combination of flavors that we tried. The cookie had bits of bacon in it. That blew my mind. We also tried the lemon tart with fennel ice cream. These flavors were very interesting together, but the fennel ice cream reminded me too much of breakfast sausage.
We ran up our tab by ordering two rounds of cocktails and a bottle of wine. Their house cocktails were all very interesting and delicious. They didn't skimp on the alcohol and their experimentation really paid off.
The service was best explained by an earlier reviewer. It was slowish, but in the way that begged you to enjoy yourself, sip on wine, and talk to your friends. If you're on a bad first date, it could prove painfully slow. However, our water glasses were constantly filled and our waiter was never far off.
I'll return to Abattoir as ofter as I can afford it. -
Review from Mike S.
Montclair, NJ
7/11/2011
Really cool place. Love the location/decor - the wait staff wearing butcher aprons was pretty cool as well.
Went with a large party and we ordered basically every appetizer/dessert on the menu and each got an entree. All great - really fun with a group to try all the pieces and parts.
Star of the how were the cocktails and beer list. Huge bourbon fan and I have to say - the bourbon peach ricky was unreal, unlike anything I've ever had. The beer list was great too. Very cool dining experience. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Atlanta, GA
11/8/2011
I've been wanted to try the burger here for some time, but when I finally went, I got something else. That might have to do with my inability to resist duck confit, which they had paired with a butternut squash tagliatelle. The dish was excellent, very muted, but not bland. We also ordered the sweetbreads and they were nothing short of phenomenal. On the drinks side, they had pretty good cocktails and a great little beer selection. All around, a winning experience.
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Review from Lydia L.
10/17/2010
I'll preface with the fact that I had a very late lunch and my stomach was not prepared to handle the mass of meat that I consumed.
Really, the place is lovely. I love the space and the location. We were seated promptly and the service was good. OK, a little slow, but it was slow in a fashionably acceptable "you should be drinking wine and chatting and enjoying your small plates first" kind of way.
Arugula salad- Quality ingredients, a bit smaller than I expected
Moroccan sausage with ceci peas- Delicious, quite a hit
Lamb shank w/kale- Overwhelming. SO much meat. Good meat, but just huge.
Wagyu + local beans- the meat was compared to Kobe by the waitress. I don't know if I'd stretch it that far, but it was fine. Fresh veggies, well prepared.
If I were to return, I would order the charcuterie and small plates. I found the large plates I sampled to be just...alright. Worth a visit though. -
Review from Sujin Y.
Atlanta, GA
2/16/2011
This slaughterhouse definitely made a good impression on me. The interior doesn't resemble anything like a butcher's workspace, thank goodness. The casual, wooden decor had a warm, inviting feel to it. My boyfriend and I went on Tuesday, the day after Valentine's Day. It was a pretty quiet evening there.
Being first-timers, we made random picks throughout the menu. We love to drink wine, but we're still clueless as to what's good so we resorted to asking the waiter to recommend. He did good. I can now recommend the Sequana, Santa Lucia 2008. It's a fruity red.
Moving along, our appetizers were the selection of charcuterie and the beef stew. I was quite amused when we were served with the stew. Looked so much like the Korean beef stews that I'm familiar with. They tasted very similar, too! I can't say that it'll be liked by everyone. It has an unique taste. They have Kimchee on the menu, too! The charcuteries consisted of mostly pates (which almost tasted like light spam) and thinly sliced ham. Absolutely loved it! My experience with charcuterie was great at Parish, but that was nothing compared to these. Again, the mustard was the cherry on top. Note: the plate comes enough for more than 2 people.
For our entrees, we ordered the Leg of Lamb and the Duck. The lamb was fantastic. They were very tender and well flavored. I didn't even mind the thin layer of fat around it. It was that good. However, the duck wasn't too much of my liking because they served it with the skin still attached. Good thing it was my boyfriend's dish and he loved it. Forewarning, these entrees come in big portions so don't go feasting on too much appetizers.
So even after we stuffed ourselves with endless amount of meats, we found it hard to pass up dessert. In the end, we ordered three for the two of us. Yes, I know, fatties. Anywho, I'll have to say shame on you folks who dined at Abattoir and didn't bother with the Maple Creme Caramel with Brown Sugar Bacon Cookie. It is a lip-smacking, melts in your mouth kind of dessert! And for the Chocolate Chess Pie, the pecan brittle makes it tasty. Lastly, the Lemon Meringue Tart with Fennel Ice cream was good, but not our favorite. It was the fennel ice cream that I wanted to try. The combination was sweet and salty. -
Review from Cindy W.
8/1/2011
Had dinner here after a long day at the convention center. The dining room was nice in that trendy warehouse way. They makes their own ginger beer! AWESOMENESS! The Moscow mule was refreshing on the hot Georgia night as well. We ate several apps but didn't have room for any entrees. The fries were some of the best I've ever had. I would return next time to try some of their entrees when I am in the area again.
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Review from Molly K.
1/27/2011
If you have been to a chophouse before, such as H&F, you are familiar with the scene of a chophouse. Dur.
The ambiance is lovely, for a slaughterhouse. Wood and booths and bar tables and your normal round dining tables are spread across the restaurant. The food ranges from small plates to even entrées.
Had the beef stew, steak tartare, flat iron, and pork. No dessert, but had a bottle of wine and a round of cocktails. I had the air mail (which is a gin + champagne cocktail) and my dining partner had the moscow mule (which tasted a lot better than my air mail...Champagne + gin = DON'T MIX!) Everything was cooked to perfection. The pork entrée came with 3 different types of pork which was different then just one big ol' pork chop. The beef stew appetizer was really tasty, and the poached egg made it even better.
Service was great and the check came with 4 itty bitty cookies if you don't care for dessert. Definitely want to come back-- great wines also! -
Review from Mike Y.
7/12/2010
We ended up at Abattoir on a failed trip to YEAH! Burger. The line was ridiculous. I don't think we moved from our spot "outside" the building for a good 10 minutes. When you're hungry those minutes seem like hours. My brother spotted abattoir across the way so we decided to mosey on over for a meal. They were pretty crowded inside so we ended up getting seating at their patio.
We were a group of 5 so we wound up sharing all our dishes. It's how we roll... We got
The charcuterie plate: Very good selection of meat and worth the $20. It's not a great deal, but certainly not a rip off like some other places.
Veal sweetbreads: Not as good as I'd hoped for. Slightly over done, and honestly I love the smooth texture of sweetbreads done just right. I wish they pulled it out of the pan 1 minute earlier.
Duck Rillete: It was good, nothing to scream about. It had good seasoning and a slight gaminess.. which should be expected.
The entrees and desserts were a little more disappointing. I really wanted more of an offal selection since it's what they're known for. The portions were fairly large, but all forgettable. From what I heard, they specialize in offal... not enough of it IMO.
The real kicker to me was how weak their mixed drinks are. My tables mates and I ordered 2 different ones and they were both watered down and didn't pack any punch.
I expected more of this place. Maybe my friends hyped it up too much for me. I did like the decor and general feel of the place, but where it counted they let me down. It's worth another visit, but not anytime soon. -
Review from Peter Y.
7/11/2010
Just had dinner here last night with some friends and got to try a bunch of apps and main courses.
Charcuterie Plate - A good variety of meats like ham, bratwurst, chicken liver. Everything tasted spot on and I thought it was a good price for what it was.
Sweetbreads - This version is pan fried with some veggies. Better than Holeman & Finches and they hid the gamey flavor really well.
Duck Rilletes - If you're not a fan of liver, you might try this. It's duck meat prepared in a way similar to pate. A little gamey but you don't get thta mineral taste from liver.
Green Pepper stuffed with Lamb Sausage - Could be better. Pepper was ok but I could barely taste the lamb. Not sure what they did to neutralize the taste but I couldn't tell it was lamb at all.
Pork Chop - Nice size pork chop, very well cooked but it was too salty for me.
Beef Brisket - Not a fan of this dish at all. I thought the meat was too stringy and it was drowned in bbq sauce. Felt like this dish belonged more in a fast food bbq joint.
Lamb chop - cooked medium, tasted delicious with a little curry seasoning.
Other thoughts - Tried the blackberry cobbler which was just ok, needed more of the crumbs and wasn't sweet enough and the pannacotta which was surprisingly good although a tablemate said that usually pannacottas weren't as stiff as Abbatoir's.
I like the space and the fact they change up the menus every few days. I hope to go back again soon. -
Review from Christy S.
Smyrna, GA
11/18/2011
The Monkey Bread is the best dessert in Atlanta. The portion sizes are perfect and the food wasn't buttered or oiled up. Sauce on plate wasn't to much or over-powering. Well done.
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Review from Tulie L.
Atlanta, GA
6/6/2009
Getting here was a drag... it was rainy and the parking structure is of no help in terms of signs leading you to the resto. I ended up going up the elevator to the 4th floor and realized I am in the wrong place. Anyhow.. this should have been a sign for disaster.. I was truly excited about this place folks! I was to meet up with some cool Yelpers for drinks appetizers and some yummy food. All good right? If it was a perfect world!
Keep your Eyes Out on the Right hand side before entering parking structure! That is wear the resto is located!
Bonus points for providing umbrellas for the short walk from the parking garage to the resto! That's very considerate..
Resto itself is very nice. Great space, and decor! Even on a humid rainy day, the place was airy and pleasant, the bar, very roomy for a party of 5- to sit and nosh on some grub.
I was seriously excited to come out and try this place. I mean head to tail eating is very exciting- Bourdain made it look sexy and exotic- and very appetizing.
First order of the night! Moscow Mule Drink.. Very nice.. I would say one of the better ones I have tasted! Lotsa flavor on the Ginger beer and great muddled stuff to make it all tasty- Even sweets to make it yummy but not girl of a drink So guys give it a taste!
Appetizer I ordered the Potted chicken liver & foie gras with armagnac
Entree I ordered the Tripe Stew w/ pork w/ tomatoes
Came here w/ some fellow Yelpers.. and you know most of us like to share our pickins'.
I was able to taste the House Salted Cod w/ sun dried tomatoes and capers. The only thing that could come to mind, was.. I felt like I was eating rock Salt. I felt they left out the Cod, and just gave us salt- presentation was beautiful, execution, was terrible- they seemed to forgotten to wash/ or soak the cod in water before prepping this salty mess of a meal!
Was able to try the fried chicken liver and I think this was the best part of the meal! It's nice and crispy, coated w/ a light flower and deep fried to perfection! Served w/ a great spicy mustard dip.
My entree was very sad looking for a whopping 15.00 buckaroos.. I had the size of an appetizer, served in a large white soup bowl. Tripe was nowhere to be seen, why?? Cause it was julienned so finely I thought it was cabbage. Little tiny piece of pork.. Though this dish was good and tasty- it was no stew. Stews are veggies and meats simmer to gather a melting of flavors. This was like individually cooked items served w/ a light broth and some veggies and meats. Why the fuck were the tiny cut carrots still crunchy, bewildered me! It was good, but I felt the portion and the whole execution of the dish- well it wasn't what I had expected based on the detailing of the dish on the menu. Meh!
I am a HUGE FAN of potted liver- whatever it's called- it's pate my friends! It looked good, but then I spread that shit on an overly toasted piece of bread, had a bite, and mentally said to myself (WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT NASTY TASTE??)
Well being the retard that I am I forgot there was Armagnac in it. (Potted chicken liver & foie gras with Armagnac).. topped on top, like a little jelly preserve- but it just didn't hit the right notes w/ my taste buds. It was just too strong, and instead of giving the pate a hint of flavor as a compliment, it overwhelmed. Pam L. gave a fantastic suggestion, scrape that shit to the side and eat the pate.. but no matter what, it was a failure in taste to me. Pate was creamy, but not very tasty, Armagnac was nasty- overall I hated this the 2nd most. Number 1 hate was still the salted cod..yuck
I drank enough water to keep me full, cause it wasn't the portions of the entree that's for sure. I was so disappointed and my tongue felt like it was scraped with a razor blade.
Worse of all, I came home with the worst headache of my life, not knowing why, I googled "eating salty stuff headache" and BEHOLD!! I was suffering from dehydration. from 11pm- 100am I was drinking water like it was out of style!
Will I return? I have to..it's just not right that one of my dearest Yelpers gives this place 4 stars.. and I give it a 2.. I ain't no Kevin H. I ate it, experience it 1st hand, and first experience was a Salty crappy mess.. Will definitely update. I hope they read this and improve - and taste before serving up their customers "dehydration and hypertension"!
OH..shit almost forgot, w/ the Potted chicken liver & foie gras with armagnac comes some cornichons (like 5), and when I asked for some more- they said sure.. HOLY MOTHER FUCKERS! Charged me 1.00 for some more- shit you can buy a whole bottle of that for 4.00 ! RIPOFF!! Added to the horrific experience! -
Review from Jeff M.
6/16/2011 3 Check-ins Here
These are the best chicharones I've ever had. In fact, I ordered the chicharones twice! TWICE! It was a laid-back fine dining experience. And loved the space. Delicious charcuterie and platter of cheeses. Veal sweetbread? Yum! Blood sausage? Delicious! The restaurant is aptly named. The cowboy steak, Wagyu flat iron, the burger, rabbit; everyone was pleased with their respective dish. Add to that a hypomanic but hilarious waiter still mourning Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona (he showed us his Manchester United tattoo), and it was a fantastic experience. As for dessert, a sampler platter did the trick as we were wildly undecided. My favorite: the bacon cookie. That's right! A bacon cookie. Brilliant! Is it worth a quick trip just for the chicharones and bacon cookies alone? My answer is yes!
Listed in: Me Likey Atlanta
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Review from Naoya W.
Atlanta, GA
6/5/2009
I like to eat. Sean likes to eat. When I heard that he was going here, I tagged along and went to stuff my face. Or so I thought.
Since we're both t-shirt and jeans kinda guys, we rolled up to the bar (not an unfamiliar thing for me) and sat our asses down. I was hungry as I hadn't eaten lunch that day, or dinner the night before. I wanted everything to be great coming out of the kitchen so I could stuff my face with shit. The kitchen had other plans.
Here's what I ordered:
Crispy Cecil Peas, cumin
Pomme Frites with Mayo
Wood Grilled Bratwurst, melted spring onions
House Salted Cod, oven roasted tomatoes & capers
Caipirinha
Pimm's Cup
The Pimm's Cup and Caipirinha were fine. Actually very tasty. Mind you, I like drinking as much as I like eating. Maybe more...
The food was, how shall I say this, lacking!?!?!?
The cecil peas were fine, but really how can they be bad. They're fried!
Pomme Frites... Hrm. Coming off a NYC trip and eating the fries at Les Halles, they were "so so" in comparison. The mayo was a little too congealed for me.
The bratwurst was almost the wurst... Very tough. The mustard and the onions were nice though.
The salt cod was more like a salt lick. What the fuck!!! I wanted something I could eat. Sean tried it and thought the same. Fellow yelpers Kit and Pam also found it ridiculous. The kitchen really needed to sample this one before it went out. Inedible.
I have to say... Not impressed. I like the drinks and the atmosphere, but I could have gotten that cheaper elsewhere... Oh well, more money down the drain. -
Review from Foodie Buddha F.
Atlanta, GA
5/21/2009 2 photos
Just walked back in the door - gonna save the goods for a longer post but to get to the point:
Abattoir ... FUCK YEAH!!!!!
What holeman & finch is to the english pub, i feel Abattoir will be to the contemporary southern restaurant. The decor is fresh... in fact ... it exuded a fresh barn smell (in a good way).
Chicken Livers (fried & pate form) ... awesome!
House salted cod - awesome!
Kobe steak - awesome!
Burger - awesome!
Tripe stew - surprisingly awesome!
Slow Roasted Pork - not bad!
get the picture? hope so! more later ... disregard rating entirely ... it's a first impression -
Review from E B.
Atlanta, GA
10/9/2011
Three people..............21 glasses of water................Salt much ?
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Review from Chef Invisible T.
Atlanta, GA
2/10/2010
The French Butcher....
Now, I have worked with and for some of the better/Offal French Chefs in the region and this left me with some pretty high expectations.
I know the Bacchanalia guys kick ass and I have met and worked with a few of their key players at various outpost around town.But I left missing the love.
Charcuterie/ Terrines X everything. Served too cold, lacked salt, and way to much gelatin. My grandma's Neon Green Casserole had more technique and flavor.
Lamb Kidneys-- meh. Cheese---Frigidaire Flavor
Haricot Vert and Rabbit Jerky Salad--Simple, Clean, Missed Acid and Salt, but nothing to bad nor good.
Ribeye and Pork Entrees--pretty delicious, overcooked by 1minute and 37 seconds, boring plating but true to simple flavors.
Bread was f''''n delicious for me.Atmosphere was very refined Southern/ Classic European which was a very nice touch to the resto.
Service was half assed but still did the trick.
They need an Old School French Chef or let the Exc. Chef Daniel take over this piece before the place losses it's luster.
Dessert................Give me more meat.
I will be back to update soon.
3.3333 Stars
Chef Invisible--Out -
Review from Justine B.
Atlanta, GA
8/10/2011
Well you definitely have to have an open mind about food to go to this place! Having been raised in France, I am very open minded to food and will try just about anything. The quaint atmosphere, wine and drink selection and diverse menu make this place an eclectic cozy dining experience. three thumbs up from moi!
