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Amuse!
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
560 Dutch Valley RdAtlanta, GA 30324
Neighborhood: Morningside / Lenox Park
(404) 888-1890
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
67 reviews for Amuse!
Review Highlights
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"They do Creme Brulee amazingly well and I love most of..." In 7 reviews -
"...creme brulee topped with wood roasted marshmallow." In 3 reviews -
"It's tucked away, but VERY large." In 6 reviews
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67 reviews in English
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Review from Ryan D.
Fernandina Beach, FL
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Was amused how their decor really has no European feel to it. It felt more like Asian/Mexican restaurant rather than a European feel to it. The only thing that made it feel Euro was the pictures they had here and there of the Eiffel tower and what not. Not saying the decor is bad because we felt homey in there, just didn't get that Euro feel. It would be a nice place to have a romantic date though since it is dark, and has a very romantic feel to it. The restaurant itself is tucked behind buildings and located under a residential building. The restaurant can easily be missed if you don't know where you are going, or heading there with someone who doesn't know where the place is located. The only sign they have is a small cheaply made billboard on the street.
Amuse has a small variety of food on their menu, but it was enough for a good filling dinner. I ordered the Les Escargots de Bourgogne,Steamed PEI Mussels Poulette, and a side of potato au gratin.. One friend ordered coq au vin, and the other ordered duck leg confit.. Main course itself came out to be very good, including the potato au gratin (All meal was great, since we shared each others plates). The only problem we had during our dinner service was the fact that the food did not come out warm or hot. It was cold! The only thing that came out hot was the escargot. We had to send back the main courses because it was cold, like it had been sitting there. Waiter apologized and made sure to bring use a new dish that was hot.
Overall, we all had a good experience here. It's not the greatest french bistro, but it is worth to go and try it out! Good and attentive service. It would be a five star other than the fact that our food came out cold. -
Review from Addie S.
Atlanta, GA
2/17/2012
Three of my girl friends and I went for Sunday brunch. None of us had been, but I had noticed the sign on Monroe pointing down Dutch Fork so I know where it was. It's a strange location, but sort of nice tucked back among a few residential buildings. We had a reservation (actually we had two which just says something funny about my friends) though we could have walked in and been seated right away. I'm sure dinner is more crowded so I would recommend making a reservation.
The restaurant has very cool decor using belts to hold curtains in place and lots of deep reds and tans. It also has a bit of french flair. The food and service were great. The bread served when we sat down was delicious. For my meal I got the eggs benedict and had no regrets. I asked for the hollendaise sauce on the side and they had no issue with that. It came with a perfect, simple green salad on the side.
It was cold when we went, but it looks like a fun place to sit outside, so I will definitely return in the spring/summer! -
Review from Daniel B.
12/14/2011 9 photos
Amuse! is a fun little French restaurant tucked away behind Piedmont Park. It's located on the ground level of a residential building at the end of Dutch Valley Rd. off Monroe. This is the same road where One Midtown Kitchen is located. There are free self-park spots out front.
I came here with two friends for Sunday brunch and we really enjoyed ourselves. The atmosphere is airy and inviting. During the day, most of the space is lit by natural light. The furniture and decor is Parisian-inspired. The tabletops have "Amuse!" painted into them. We sat at a regular table, but the booths in the back looked cozy and comfy. There's a small bar inside and patio seating outside.
Amuse! serves brunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Menu options range from light and healthy to eggs & omelets, sandwiches, and salads -- all French or French-inspired, of course. We tried:
Eggs Benedict - poached eggs on toast with spinach, wild mushrooms, black forest ham, and Hollandaise sauce with arugula salad
Croque Monsieur - toasted bread with black forest ham, Swiss cheese, bechamel sauce, arugula salad, and French fries
Croque Madame - same as the Croque Monsieur except the sandwich has a baked egg on top
All dishes were very good. The poached eggs were perfectly prepared and the spinach, mushrooms, and ham were fresh and tasty. The Hollandaise sauce was smooth, which made the Eggs Benedict that much more appetizing.
A signature French dish, the Croque Monsieur/Madame were excellent. I prefer the Madame since it comes with an egg. My friend Melissa commented her Croque was one of the best sandwiches she ever had. I liken it to eating a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. The Bechamel sauce (French white sauce) was rich and creamy.
The arugula salads could have used less dressing. I'm not sure what type of dressing they used. The French fries were good, but ordinary.
Our server was Thomas and he did a good job. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time. The manager came to check on us once. Amuse! is available on OpenTable. We made reservations, but I don't think they are necessary for weekend brunch given the size of the crowd when we went.Listed in: Ethnic Catch-all
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Review from Heather B.
Atlanta, GA
5/13/2012
The food is delicious and the wait staff are great.
Check out the deals they have Tues - Thur, some great deals. -
Review from Sabrina C.
Atlanta, GA
4/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Stellar service, authentic French fare and a calm patio lend this place the perfect mix for a beautiful night out. First the staff, the bartenders/waiters are friendly and mostly European with a real attention to fine dining presentation. The food is super rich and satisfy - just the way it should be, if I'm not mistaken the head chef is an adorable white haired woman who wears a pink kerchief and puts all kinds of skill and care in the food. The patio is covered with languages and accents from all over- creates a very unique atmosphere!
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Review from Pam A.
7/22/2011
I can hear Taylor A. screaming across the internet now: "I told you so!"
We'd been to Amuse once before on a double date. Taylor didn't like it, I thought it was okay-to-pretty good. Ever since I've been nagging him to give them a second chance. Welp, they failed.
As soon as we sat, we got waters and the server asked what we'd like to drink. They only have wines listed on their menu, so if you want beers (him) or cocktails (me) you have to ask. The server seemed annoyed when I asked for the specialty cocktail menu. They were running a special that night on wine (50% off select bottles) so I opted for the $15 bottle. Of the few beers they had, the one Taylor asked for they were out of. After pouring the white wine, he left the bottle on the table to get warm. The tables to the left AND to the right both had those cool buckets to keep their wine cold. But I guess not for me.
We ordered calamari. It came out piping hot. It was extremely salty, but I was okay with that. A pretty big portion - probably could share between 4 people.
I ordered the turbenado beef au poivre (i.e. the most expensive entree). I asked for it medium, but it was nearly well-done. But - it was still pretty tender so I didn't complain. The potatoes that came with it were totally undercooked - raw potatoes = gross. $28 for that?! I think not. Taylor got the seafood ravioli. I tasted it, and thought the ravioli itself was ok but Taylor said the shrimp on top were over cooked and rubbery.
At the end of the meal, I asked for a top for my wine because there was no way I was drinking the whole thing. They brought me a top but no bag. It wasn't until I was literally carrying the open bottle out of the restaurant that the manager offered to bag it all up.
Total cost for meal and drinks was $90.48 (!!!!) where there were almost NO highlights to the food and definitely not the service. Lucky for us, we had scoutmob for $20 off. Still at $70.48, totally overpriced for the experience.
Sooo... positives? This does seem to be another meeting place of European-native Atlantans (along with Social Resto and others) as I heard lots of other languages being spoken and said patrons lingered over their meals and drinks far longer than most Americans would. So your company is cool. Also they got rid of their valet and have a private lot to self-park, albeit it is very small and cars were fighting over our spot when we left.
I would not recommend to any of my friends. -
Review from Mary T.
Roswell, GA
2/15/2012
I struggle with how to rate Amuse. The food was quite good, but the service was awful. I was almost annoyed to the point of entertained at the perpetuation of the stereotype of the rude frenchmen.
I arrived about 15 minutes early for my 8:00 reservation on a Saturday night and sat at the bar with a couple of friends. The waitor/bartender would rush into the bar area, pour a quick glass of wine and run out. I was never asked if I would like a drink. It became apparent that the wait staff was having to pour their own drinks, and did not have time to worry about the people at the bar. After about 10 minutes, I was able to flag down someone as they rushed in and out. A few minutes later, a few more friends met with us, and also waited for drinks. The bar was full with members of my 10-person party waiting for a drink. One member of my party asked for a drink and was told that someone would be right with him. After 15 minutes, my friend did not have a drink, and our table was ready.
We sat and gave our drink orders. They arrived after probably 15 minutes. (My order was for a coke.) When the server came to take our dinner orders, my friend sitting next to me asked about information on a duck dish. The server (seemingly arbitrarily) suggested a beef dish instead.
After our orders were in, I turned around to realize that I was sitting underneath a chalk-board with the evening's specials listed. No mention of specials were noted by either the menu or server. Everyone who was sitting on my side of the table noted that they probably would have ordered a special if they knew that was there.
When the food came, it was pretty good. I ordered seafood ravioli in a lobster sauce. I was very pleased with my meal. It came with either a large shrimp or prawn placed on top. I'm not sure if that was meant to be more of a garnish, but it was very overcooked. Since I wasn't really expecting the prawn in the first place, it didn't really impact my enjoyment of the meal.
Our table ordered a few desserts. I asked the server if he would recommend the Creme Brule or the Chocolate Mousse. His response was "they're different." Really!?! I ordered the Creme Brule, and was really quite disapointed. It was served with the majority of the sugar on top still raw. There was no crack with the spoon. :(
I am generally a 20-30% tipper. I very rarely tip less than 20%. However, my overall experience of the evening would have left me tipping 15-18%. Unfortunately, I was not given the option due to the size of my party. The restaurant automatically added in a 20% tip.
All of this being said, as we were leaving, a member of our party was speaking to the server. As we were leaving, my friend handed each of us a card for 50% off. My friend told me that this was volunteered to him. Evidentially they were somewhat aware of our poor experience.
I'm hoping this was just an off-night. Again, the food was pretty enjoyable. -
Review from Leah D.
Atlanta, GA
9/6/2011
We found the first restaurant on our alphabetical adventure through Atlanta's thriving foodie scene tucked away off Monroe Drive on Dutch Valley Road. We were warmly greeted by what our single female hearts imagined was a straight, single, good looking French-American man. Amuse is a dimly lit French tapas restaurant self-described as "whimsical... and bohemian". Inside we quickly found ourselves seated at a round table in the center of the restaurant poised for a lively evening. Wednesday is half price bottles of wine and we made sure to take full advantage of our good fortune that evening.
The restaurant was abuzz with fashionable men and of single women from every ethnicity giving the atmosphere an eclectic sort of feel. My table full of single ladies blended famously. As the conversation pulsed and the wine was poured I knew we had begun something special, alphabetically experiencing Atlanta's culinary offerings and bonding together friendships to last a lifetime.
Loving great food and being budding foodies our discerning palates tingled with anticipation of the first bite. For an appetizer, we shared the mussels, which were prepared perfectly in a delectable buttery sauce that was sopped up to the last drop. For my main course I ordered the Ahi Tuna salad, which came out missing ingredients. The menu said it would have capers and tomatoes and didn't, but nevertheless it was still a plate that I had happily finished in no time. Reaching our personal capacities we opted to save dessert for another evening.
Amuse was an appropriate start to our alphabetical adventure. The atmosphere was perfect, the food was excellent, and the wine was half price. I would definitely consider coming back to Amuse for another enjoyable experience. -
Review from John H.
Atlanta, GA
Updated - 4/3/2011
So I'm still trying to figure out why this place gets only average ratings, when the food is pretty freaking awesome. I like One Midtown, but the food is subpar by comparison. I know the menu is brief by comparison, but what Amuse lacks in complexity of menu, it makes up for in complexity and taste of the food.
I probably eat here around once every week to 10 days. That means Amuse is in my Top 5 rotation. I'm not saying it is a Top 5 restaurant in Atlanta, but there are higher rated restaurants.. Hiccup... Cough.. Cough.... Cough.... Abbattoir... Cough.... One Midtown.... C-C-C-C-COUGH!!! That Amuse politely craps on food wise in my opinion.
Yes, go on a night when the chef is actually in the kitchen. She is quite good and pretty friendly. They have a few items that are as good as anywhere in Atlanta. Their Duck Confit Leg and Duck Breast is simply awesome. Their Beef Tenderloin is great. Their Trout entree is one of the best in Atlanta. They do Creme Brulee amazingly well and I love most of their apps.. Plus, the wine list is CHEAP!!!!
That's it for now. Place is pretty freaking good.Listed in: Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/19/2010
Oh how I love eating at new places. I will admit that I haven't given this place a try because I… Read more »
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Review from Cheryl T.
Senoia, GA
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was a slow night during the Christmas season, so I can't comment on the noise level. I loved the meal, the service was attentive and it's a beautiful space. It was just like we remember Paris.
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Review from David K.
1/12/2011 Seated via OpenTable 2 Check-ins Here
I've been trying to write this for a while and I'm not sure I can find the words. Normally that's because it's exceptional, but this time I'm having trouble because it was just mediocre. Fortunately, my date was pretty interesting and despite the lackluster experience I had a good time.
They have several specialty cocktails and we tried a few that were all good. That probably helped things, but it took a long time for them to get to our table. Our server explained that the bar was backed up and it was at least 20 minutes before our libations appeared.
Benny had been here recently to use the Scoutmob deal and we came to use my Groupon before it expired. Both pretty good deals and definitely an incentive to visit. Otherwise I don't think I would have known they existed because of their location at the back of Dutch Valley Road in the bottom of a condo building that I didn't even know had commercial space.
Regardless, his ravioli was good and I ordered something that same out and tasted like pot roast. Not as "French" as I would have thought, but I suppose you could call it French-inspired.
#Yelp365 - 12/365Listed in: Yelp 365 - First Month, Date Night
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Review from Megan F.
Atlanta, GA
6/21/2011
I'm a big fan of the restaurants in the Apres/Carpe Diem/Carroll Street Cafe empire, so when I found out Andy Alibaksh was involved, I was excited to try Amuse!. Apart from the fact that typing the restaurant name causes me punctuation anxiety, my first experience there was pretty good. The evening started out a little awkwardly when I called to make a reservation at about 5:30pm. The man I spoke with on the phone told me I could have a table in 5 minutes (literally), or I had to wait until 9pm. There was no way I could get there in 5 minutes (have you SEEN Atlanta at 5:30pm?), so I asked if there might be an opening in 30 minutes. He hemmed and hawed and finally grudgingly said yes, but that we would probably have to wait at the bar. 25 minutes later we arrived to a bunch of empty tables. So much for no open tables until 9pm.
Once we were seated, our waiter arrived and awkwardly tried to up-sell us some sparkling water. He continued to be kind of awkward throughout the meal, with a weird patter about the wine list and a whole lot of French mispronunciations. I eventually found it endearing, though I'm not sure my dinner date was quite so taken with his performance. I will say that he was spot on with his wine recommendation (a well-priced Spanish Garnacha that I had been eyeing). He also recommended the duck breast & duck confit entree, which was extremely good. The salad my date and I shared-- baby beet-- was excellent but the portion size was miniscule. The entrees, on the other hand (we had the aforementioned duck and a pork dish), were enormous, like two-full-portions-each enormous. Like no-room-for-dessert enormous.
Overall, I'd say the food at Amuse! (damn that awkward exclamation point!) is excellent and the wine list is good, but the restaurant is still a little uneven when it comes to staff and plating. But I'm totally going back just to try the desserts. -
Review from Emily K.
5/4/2011
Last Friday, Boy decided to take advantage of the Scoutmob deal and take me out for a "real date". I certainly wasn't going to argue. It was surprisingly quiet for a Friday night, but it is a bit off the beaten path. We had to wait a little for a table, but not too long. I liked the interior a lot. It was cozy without being claustrophobic.
He insisted we get the snails because I'd never had them. I was wary, but figured garlic butter can make pretty much anything palatable. The texture of the snails didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. The garlic butter was tasty, but nothing I can't do at home. The entrees, on the other hand, were the stars. He got the duo of duck and I got the seafood ravioli. The portions were generous and we left completely stuffed. After the discount and with tip, it came to hair over $50. I felt that was reasonable for the food and service. I would definitely go back, but probably not without some kind of discount or someone else was paying. -
Review from Dru M.
11/19/2010
So...due to chance I stumbled upon this place. I went to One Midtown Kitchen and noticed Amuse's lights across the street. Then after looking online...found out there had a Scoutmob. That was a sign for me try it out. I did the next day.
It's tucked away, but VERY large. With it getting colder out, not sure how much they will be using their patio, but I'm sure it'll be a hit in the spring.
I went for brunch on a Saturday (note they close at 2p and re-open for dinner). They had $9 all you can drink mimosas, which made me smile...and a very tasty burger and arugula salad. Service was a tad slow, but nothing to get too upset about.
While we ate, I asked to see the dinner menu and I was impressed. There were about a half dozen dishes I wanted to try right then. With that said...I will definitely be going back and tying Amuse again. The bar is also very large...would be good for a happy hour or large parties.Listed in: Best Brunch, I Heart Burgers
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Review from David J.
Atlanta, GA
12/20/2010
The food at Amuse! was amazing... My arteries may disagree but nothing was disappointing to my taste buds!
I also went here as a result of my girlfriends demands for French cuisine and Scoutmob. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with this place. I went on Sunday night and they had parking available. I can see people having parking difficulties during other times of the week, but parking issues are not unique to Amuse!, but many restaurants in the area. At least you can find free parking in this residential area compared to many of the restaurants in the heart of Midtown.
For those that are not familiar with the location, Amuse is tucked away on the bottom floor of a condo at the end of Dutch Valley Road. There is also another fine-dining establishment called One Midtown Kitchen on this road, but drive just a little further and you will arrive at Amuse! The signage is nondescript, so you might miss it. Once you arrive at Amuse! You will notice that the interior is warm, cozy, and inviting.
The service was to notch.... For the other Yelper that complained about to much service, seriously how can you get too much attentive service? I went to the restroom and the staff refolded my napkin, they refilled my water and wine glass every five minutes, and asked if I was enjoying my food, which I would state in a resounding YES.
I totally recommend the Sunday wine specials ($15 for select bottles) and the Steak Frites. My girlfriend enjoyed the Salade Landaise. We also had the Fried Calamari with Aïoli, Creme Brulee, Thin Apple tart with Vanilla ice cream, and the Cappuccino. Everything was excellent. -
Review from Steve V.
1/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This French restaurant is tucked away in Midtown down Dutch Valley Road. You definitely have to be looking for it because you will never randomly bump into it while driving around.
Food: We started with the escargot appetizer (Burgundy Snails with Garlic and Parsley Butter). It was well cooked with a pesto-type sauce. Would have been better if it was wrapped in a nice filo dough. They also give you some complimentary bread - nothing special and butter so hard from the refrigerator/freezer that you couldn't spread it.
For entrees, I had the Fisherman's Stew. There was some fish du jour, two scallops, many mussels, lots of veggies and a nicely placed prawn in the center of the bowl. It was more like a soup like than a stew; came in a tasty brown broth. $24. Pretty good. My wife had the duo of duck (Duck Leg Confit and Duck Breast with Gratin Dauphinois, Green Beans). $24. A little salty, but duck usually is. Good, but nothing to write home about. We were full when we left and decided to skip dessert.
They also had a good wine selection with about 7 or 8 wines by the glass available in the $7-8 price range. They have a full bar, but I don't recall seeing a list of Amuse! specialty cocktails.
Service: Staff were friendly. I tried to make this reservation on open table, but there were no seats available. I called and they squeezed me in. Waiter was attentive, friendly, and gave good menu suggestions.
Ambiance: Nice place. Large room with many tables. Almost like a French bistro. A little loud, but intimate.
Parking is complimentary valet, but don't expect the guy to get the passenger door for your girl. I wish I could have parked myself.
Overall, I am glad I visited. I am not rushing back and would probably try something else among Atlanta's many restaurants, but if friends were planning to go, I wouldn't avoid the place either. -
Review from Carmen L.
Atlanta, GA
12/4/2011
I went this morning for brunch and it was absolutely excellent! The mimosas were fresh and reasonably priced. I ordered the Croque Madame and my friend had the Eggs Benedict. The CM was the best I've had stateside hands-down and better than most I've had living in France (the addition of bechamel might have made a difference). The EB was also really tasty, nicely balanced flavor components. The eggs on both dishes were cooked exactly as they should have been. This was my first dining experience here and I will definitely be back to taste the dinner menu and scope out the wine list. I would highly recommend this place, for brunch at least! Our service was great as well, attentive and precise.
Sidenote: the decor is awesome! If you like attention to detail and whimsically antiqued touches you'll feel right at home. Bon appetit! :) -
Review from Jane B.
Decatur, GA
6/6/2011
I went here for an anniversary dinner and it was a great atmosphere (and turns out - also a great place for celeb spotting - we met Mario Van Peebles). I had the sea scallops au gratin which was pretty heavy on the au gratin (and this coming from someone who can consume her weight in cheese). My boyfriend had a couscous dish with meat that he said was amazing.
Our waiter was great and very attentive. A word of caution to vegetarians, however. The menu changes often and there are nights when the only veggie dish is a side of asparagus... -
Review from Scott M.
Chicago, IL
8/28/2010
Thank God for Scoutmob. Because I never would have discovered, went to, or even found this place without it. But unlike a lot of deals on scoutmob, I can genuinely say I would have paid full price for this meal.
It's tucked away like most restaurants on this little street. But just like most restaurants on this street, there is all type of goodness going on.
We sat on the patio, and enjoyed a wonderful spring day. We ordered the goat cheese fritters as an appetizer, and they were absolutely amazing, specifically if you really love goat cheese.
My company had the salmon which was a bit undercooked, so we had to send it back. I had the hangar steak and frites, which was really tasty and we both dug in on that while her meal was coming out.
Service was quick and friendly, and definitely accomodating. This is a sweet little hidden gem that I definitely hope becomes "unhidden" very soon. -
Review from Adam S.
11/18/2010
This is a cute little French place close to piedmont park. To me, this place had some highs and lows. I'll start with the negative and move to the positives. First, let me say that the parking is terrible at this place. I ended up having to park on the street and walk about 2 1/2 blocks to get there after about 15 minutes of looking. The food is of decent quality but certainly nothing overly spectacular. I had the calamari as an appetizer and the fish stew for dinner. Both were decent, but neither was memorable.
Now on to the positives. The service was great. The food is very reasonably priced ($75 for an appetizer 2 entrees and a bottle of Pinot). And the wine was all half off the night I went if it had a dot on the menu which was cool. This place isn't bad or anything, but there are much better places in town. -
Review from Seyna B.
Atlanta, GA
1/31/2011
I do try not to get too gushy after only visiting a restaurant only once, but I feel compelled to silence those that felt Amuse was anything but on par. I met friend for dinner Thursday night and though the restaurant was buzzing it was not really busy. There was a large table in the centre of the main dining room with a party of 8 (5 of whom were kids), but they weren't too noisy (pat on the back parents for having well behaved kids in a restaurant). I mention the kids only because the interior décor and lighting lend themselves to a cozy date night. Service was great from the host to our server to the table runner. Yes - I can understand reviewers who felt that the service was 'over-attentive', but these girlies didn't mind the additional attention esp. from the host, who came over to chat with us about why we liked the wine we'd chosen!! So onto food...
* French Onion Soup, Gruyère, croutons - 7/10 (I love Gruyère but there was just too much of it for me)
* Les Escargots de Bourgogne 8/10
* Goat Cheese on a Bed of Tomatoes (I can't rate but my friends said was very good)
* Seafood Ravioli 10/10 (Divine - We shared this dish and the server was a star and had the kitchen split the dish onto two plates as he said we'd get more that way!)
We had no room for desert though we thought the idea of desert in a glass was a great.
I also need to mention the wine. I am a bit of a wine snob (though by no means a connoisseur), my palette has been spoilt by old world wines (France, Spain, Italy, Chile ...) so I was stunned to see that they had two of my favorite types of white wine on their menu (Sancerre and Chablis). This may not seem like anything special, but since I've live in Atlanta I have only seen these wines on menus of only 2 other restaurants and never on the same menu. We didn't order them as the price points were higher than we were willing to pay for a non-occasion dinner, however the Server was spot on with his recommendation of a red. If you like mild to medium smooth reds try the Castillo de Monseran Grenache.
All in all a great restaurant that I will definitely be back to. Having a 50% ScoutMob voucher only added to my joy at discovering this place. -
Review from Gloria M.
Canton, GA
1/17/2011
Verrrry interesting decor. There were belts EVERYWHERE. Belts lining the walls, belts on the curtains. Some of the belts were a bit fashionable, wish one came with the meal.
I wasn't too hungry so we got the Charcuterie plate. Pate was extremely yummy, and I was craving salami and it did NOT dissapoint. French onion soup was good, I got a salad (they have very limited salads) and it was basically rabbit food. I mean the description was up to par but be warned: the bibb salad is just...a bibb salad. Nothing special about it. My friend got the steak frites. Better than P'cheen's. Service is really good and the butter that comes w/the bread is hard. There's valet parking and it's a bit dark in there, so if you have alotta flaws, don't worry! -
Review from Mark C.
San Antonio, TX
7/12/2011
Just left HOTLANTA yesterday. Visited amuse with an old friend, and I must say it was so amazing. I will definitely eat and drink here again! Service was amazing , the wine list beautiful. I Love the south now I have a reason to fly there more often.
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Review from Juan M.
It was great.
It's in the same area as One - just down the street.
There were signs heralding Wednesday multi-course French dinners for $25 and Brazilian jazz on Thursday nights - these are encouraging first impressions!
We got in and drank in the venue - kind of eclectic, but very conducive to an intimate supper and a tête-à-tête with my Roommate. The manager was really cool - Tunisian, we were able to connect with the whole French-Lebanese-Mediterranean thang. He was very responsive to us all night and would periodically jump in to help when our server was overwhelmed.
On to the meal!
We started with some olives and a nice Rioja while we pondered the dilemma: menu or specials?
She ordered the salad with the bibb lettuce while I got the cheese plate - lo and behold, they informed us that the salad plate for this evening had been 86ed as they salad wasn't firm enough - I like that. Don't give us any flaccid salad, dammit! So she got the other one (the house salad) sans the crispy onions as those have gluten. Very nice!
My cheese plate was great - I realized that we had ordered with our eyes (again) as with the olives, cheese, and bread (for me), I was full.
However......on with the rest of the meal!
I got the special (pan fried filet mignon with foie gras on top, mashed potatoes, and greens) and it was perfect.
She got the risotto special and we were conflicted with whose plate was best - hers had some tuna that had been flown in from Hawaii that day. It tasted that fresh, too.
For dessert, a chocolate crème brûlée for moi and a flourless chocolate thing for her.
Whew. -
Review from Patrick C.
Atlanta, GA
11/29/2009
When you've been in the food business as long as I have, you start looking for insider information - "Is that soy salt they're using? Since when did black garlic start appearing on menus? Are they really going to open a new restaurant and put tired old pork belly on the menu?"
Call it burnout - call it a bad case of been-there-done-that; sooner or later everyone in the food business just wants a good hamburger.
When the Birthday Boy and I made our first trip yesterday to Amuse! (their exclamation point, not mine) it was with more than a little dread. First, I'm a fan of the Carpe Diem folks - we eat at Apres Diem at least once a week - and I was concerned that they were just going to slap a new coat of paint on their menu and use that to justify raising their prices by half.
Not to worry. These guys are smart.
And their executive chef's sensibility is modern European through and through. And prices are...well, modern European, which is to say it's not as inexpensive as Apres Diem but it won't break the bank either.
Executive Chef Lenny Robinson did the downtown thing with Les Fleur de Lis Café. That's where he also did his French thing, along with a stint at Anis. Now Amuse! is touting him as master of their French bistro.
Let's call it...French-ISH. And I mean that in a good way.
Maybe it's just the way we ordered, but it seems more Spanish to us. Ditto the room's décor, which tends towards reddish-orange with accents of leather. Birthday Boy and I shared a mackerel dish with garbanzos and tomato sauce that would make any Madrid mama proud, I think. When the waiter told us that the mackerel was not "in", we suggested that the chef make a substitution of his choice. Ditto when the same waiter told us that the rock shrimp in the spaghettini wasn't "in" either.
Chef Robinson chose to substitute bass and lobster, respectively. Bravo! (Did I mention that the sauce on the spaghettini would even be lauded by my Italian grandmother-god-rest-her-garlic-infused-soul? Heavy on the olive oil, the flavors soared.) And this is a...FRENCH restaurant???
I ordered Absolut on the rocks. Nice pour, and it was $7. I would have grudgingly paid $10, but they were smart - they'll get lots more martinis out of me. Birthday Boy had a couple of good glasses of interesting off-the-path wine - half of their list is under $30/bottle, and my friends all know how important that is to me.
So all in all, this was a great first experience. I'll give them 4 stars because I like them. I really like them. And where else in Atlanta can you order a SPANISH mackerel dish and ITALIAN spaghettini in a FRENCH BISTRO??? -
Review from Katie W.
1/27/2010
I went to Amuse! for a late dinner last night. There is a lot of parking and I didn't have to valet - awesome! It's big space and overall I like the décor. They have a nice big bar area which might be kinda fun for hanging out. The dining area is relaxed and a bit funky - it's definitely not a stuffy place. The wine list looked nice but I didn't actually order wine so can't comment much on that.
I first had the house salad, which appears on the menu as "house greens, wood roasted apples, peanuts, 40's blue, & crispy onion", although I think they sometimes use peaches instead of apples. It was very tasty. I did notice that this salad was best when you combined everything into one bite. I initially pushed the crispy onions to the side and tried not to eat them but once I invited them back into the mix, the salad was kicked up a notch.
My friend had the soup du jour which was lentil and chorizo. I tried it and it was really good. She quickly devoured it. We split the fried goat cheese appetizer which was good but not great. Again, you need to get all the pieces in a single bite on this one to make it shine. It was good but I might not order it again.
My entrée was the "wood roasted heritage chicken, bitter greens, garlic & pan jus" which also came with mashed potatoes. The chicken was well-cooked and looked beautiful, and was also very tasty with a nice crispy outside and tender inside. The bitter greens were delicious. They were also delicious the next day (I just ate my leftovers and was immediately inspired to write this review). The mashed potatoes were so good that I actually forgot for a short time that I am no longer eating mashed potatoes and I just munched away on them. Oops. I would definitely order this dish again.
Everyone here was extremely friendly and welcoming and really, really nice. The service was helpful and quick. I would enthusiastically return.Listed in: I Can Deal
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Review from Angela M.
5/15/2011 4 photos
After a long week, I was thrilled when some of my girlfriends invited me out for dinner. I'd never been to Amuse! so was game when one of my friends had an OpenTable certificate. We arrived about 20 minutes late for our reservation (which had been changed to 30 minutes earlier to accommodate me joining the group), but there didn't seem to be any problem. We were promptly seated on the patio.
Asked by the server if we wanted sparkling, still, or tap, I opted for tap. The server brought us that and a bread basket with a few pieces of baguette and several pieces of a more dense herbed-brioche bread, but no bread plates (very French). We ordered a bottle of the Malbec and the goat cheese appetizer to start. The appetizer was a bed of cooked/marinated tomatoes sprinkled with goat cheese on top. There were stripes of pesto and balsamic reduction and a few microgreens on top. It wasn't what we were expecting, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. No additional bread or cracker was brough to enjoy it (which we should have known since it wasn't described on the menu), so we ate it with the herb brioche. This detracted from both, in my opinion.
For the mains: I had the Friday night special of Coq au Vin ($20), Christine had the seafood couscous ($26) and Kate had the steak frites ($23). The coq au vin was good - delicious braising sauce with lots of rich fat and wine flavor, and the mushrooms that came along with it were tender, earthy, and delicious, but the chicken just didn't do it for me... perhaps it was a tad dry, but mostly just not as flavorful as the sauce, as if the sauce was made on its own and the chicken had been added to it quite late in the process. The seafood couscous special, which included scallops, mussels, shrimp, and salmon, didn't have a whole lot of flavor, other than a slight fishiness. The portion was huge (which is why I got to try some of it). Kate said that her steak was overcooked (she'd ordered it medium rare), and the fry that I tried was greasy, probably since it'd been at least 30 minutes since the dish arrived. All in all decent, but nothing special.
Wanting to have a better impression, we decided to look at the dessert menu. C and K chose coffee drinks (Amuse cafe - coffee, Bailey's, Kahlua), but I can't have caffeine after noon, so they decided to split the chocolate pear with me. It was described as a poached pear with chocolate sauce and shaved almonds. The chocolate was very dark, and tasted almost burned, as did the shaved almonds. The pear was still quite firm, and didn't seem poached at all. But overall the flavor was good.
The beauty of a French restaurant is that they let you linger as long as you'd like, even 30 minutes after you've paid your bill. Eventually, we did decide to head to the comfy cluster of chairs and sofas at the entrance for more conversation and another bottle of wine.
We loved the whimsy of the decor inside. This is a cute spot for a drink and probably a cheese plate, though I wouldn't eat the entrees again.
#Yelp365 - 135/365Listed in: #Yelp365 - May 2011
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Review from The Food Abides W.
Atlanta, GA
2/23/2010 4 photos
Down Dutch Valley Road, you won't find a whole lot besides some office buildings, some condos, and the glowing, bat-cave like One Midtown Kitchen. What many Atlantans don't know, is that housed in the bottom of one of the condominium buildings there is a newish French restaurant located down the Dutch corridor called Amuse! (Yes the exclamation point is actually part of the restaurant's name).
Amuse! was started by the owners of Apres Diem and I believe Carpe Diem as well. The location and decor of the restaurant is a little bizarre. I'd say the interior design is certainly feminine and doesn't really appeal to my style/tastes but I've read several praise worthy reviews of their multi-belt fastened curtains (blah). I went for my birthday lunch and I have to say while it didn't blow me away, the food was quite good and a good value.
They start you off with fresh French bread which is of the shiny/small loaf variety and it was quite good. I ordered the chicken sandwich described as - wood roasted chicken, robiola, green apple, & onion jam on foccacia. Sounds good doesn't it? And it was, but I felt it had room for improvement. The chicken really didn't carry any "wood roasted" flavor and they gave me a few fatty bits on my sandwich. The toppings including cheese and apple were more plentiful than the meat, which always bothers me. The sandwich came with fries, which were freshly fried, although questionably, frozen? It was really hard to tell but they were good as well. The sandwich and fries were $8.
My mom, and dining companion, had "baby lettuces, peanuts, crispy onion, wood roasted peaches, & 40's blue." This salad was quite tasty and like a good salad should be, a great combination of ingredients (even if they did go overboard with the onions). Also it was $7.
The dinner menu looked *AMUSING* (had to) with some more traditional French items coming into play and some more serious prices to match. For the quality of food, the prices are unbeatable for lunch. Conclusively, Amuse! is a welcomed addition to the Midtown lunch rotation, I just hope they can really hang in their odd-ball location on Dutch Valley Road. -
Review from David Z.
7/12/2010
Amuse is located in the same space that my favorite Italian restaurant in Atlanta, Allegro, once occupied. So that's a little sad to me. However, I recall that parking used to be valet or street, but now there is a dedicated lot adjoining the restaurant. So that's cool.
But with Scoutmob coupon in hand, I decided to see what this place was all about. I came with a male friend, and perhaps given the neighborhood the host seated us at a romantic table. Unfortunately, we're just hetero foodies.
I got the lamb ragout and my friend had the fish special, cod stuffed with crab. My dish was okay, but I was disappointed by the lack of meat. My friend enjoyed his dish very much, however.
Service was fine, pre-meal bread was mediocre. As usual, can't report on drinks because I never order 'em! -
Review from Olga M.
Philadelphia, PA
4/17/2010
We really wanted to like this place, really. Checking the menu and reading reviews gave us a nice warm expectation of yet another worthy European eatery in Atlanta.
It's just not there...yet...
On to the visit. Parking was a big pain. After driving around for 10 min we ended up being parked by a nice valet person from One who couldn't look at our miserable efforts anymore. As we learned later Amuse does have a valet but since it has been slow they have not been inviting attendants for now...so hopefully this one will be fixed.
We were seated on the patio, by our request, but i think it was a wrong side of patio (??) since the other side was with more commotion and nicer decor. There's no life on the wrong side of their outdoor seating and the only thing you look at is a parking lot. Overall, there's no life or any ambiance in the restaurant which is a shame since the inside decor is very nice and could bring a lot to the image of this place. Looks like they still don't know what they want Amuse! to be...
The wine list is very nice with unexpectedly low prices - the most expensive per glass is $9, and you can find as low as $5 per glass. The selection is decent. I had a glass of very flavorful rose for aperitif and a glass of a very nice white with the meal (not sure of the chateau name but it's out of Nimes).
For starters we had a charcutrie plate which...hmm...how to put it...just wasn't the best charcutrie I've ever had, not even close. No pate, no cornichons in Amuse's charcutrie....it's a small matter, but important to me...this is what makes a great charcutrie and makes my day. I can survive on just eating charcutrie, all day long. After going on and on about it to my significant other I finally moved on.
Trout that I had for a main course deserves 2 stars max - one word, FISHY! The potatoes were average and the salad was just plain blah. My boyfriend had mussels that deserve 5+ stars...probably the best mussels that we've had in the US. The sauce is amazing, the mussel taste is not fishy at all. Great dish. So go figure.
I'm a junkie for a good creme brulee so dessert choice was no brainer - yeah to violet creme brulee! The taste was very nice but the texture just not there - hmm, classic too hard top and too soft creme that they try to pass to us as creme brulee in most restaurants. Very disappointing! The pastry chef may want to go to a little creme brulee training to one of their sister restaurants, Anis; their creme brulees are outstanding, most of the time.
We said we would give this place another try...maybe will ask to be seated inside or on the other side of the patio. The staff is super nice, the location is very good. They have all the cards in their hands to make it work....it's just not there yet.
3 stars for now. -
Review from Nancy R.
4/18/2010
Keep your credit card receipt because they overcharge you! I compared my receipt with my credit card statement, and they definitely overcharged me. Every time I call, they don't pick up and return my calls. After talking with my friends, they did it to all of us.
Amuse is where Allegro used to be. Parking is the small lot or street parking. Our server was awful! First there was confusion as to who it was since two different servers came to get our drink order. Then it took forever to get our complimentary bread, our appetizers, our dinners, and our desserts.
FOOD: The bread was warm and tasty. I had the cauliflower appetizer which is pured cauliflower, pecorino cheese, pistachio, and oregano, but it came out as an orange spread ??? I asked for it without the cheese, but it had cheese in it. My friend had the salad which was supposed to come with the fried onions on top of it, but our server forgot it and came out later with a plate of fried onions. For dinner I had the Tasmanian salmon with cauliflower and fava beans. The salmon cooked medium with a strong rub on top of it was very tasty with the fava beans. We also ordered the roasted wild mushrooms and home made frites(french fries). These two sides were a good addition to my meal. For dessert we had the cooked pears on pound cake with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. This was a great ending to our meal.
The service really sucked, therefore the whole experience was awful! -
Review from Jessica L.
Atlanta, GA
11/22/2009
From the people who brought you local favorites like Anis, Apres Diem and Carroll St. Cafe, we now have: Amuse!
Dig the decor. Authentic. Friendly. Upscale.
Holy delicious food. We grubbed on specials - Duck Confit Risotto and Shrimp and Grits. Incredible. Seriously so impressed. And reasonably priced. The most expensive entree on the menu is $21.
For dessert - butterscotch creme brulee topped with wood roasted marshmallow. Sex in my mouth. Everything should come topped with wood roasted marshmallow. I shall now carry around marshmallows and a blow torch to make this dream a reality.
Go here, seriously. If the specials are this amazing, the regular menu is bound to be stellar. -
Review from Mike T.
Bentonville, AR
8/6/2010
The food is very good at this place and I would recommend it for a date or a place to meet up with friends. The ambiance and wait staff help compliment the food. I went with couscous royal - lamb, chicken, sausage, with couscous and a savory tomato sauce. My wife had the lobster risotto - both were very savory and I recommend sharing your portions or dining family style.
I'd come back for dinner with friends but it didn't have the WOW factor we get with our favorite places. Give it a shot and it may just become your favorite place! -
Review from Tony C.
Atlanta, GA
7/14/2010
A couple of friends wanted to enjoy a bottle of wine and a couple appetizers after attending an event, so we looked at Scout Mob for ideas. We decided on Amuse and were on our way.
The interior is comfortable, we enjoyed the wine and the appetizers except for the pate which lacked flavor from the lack of fat which gives it a richness. We made this comment to the server who immediately took it away and shortly returned with a replacement goat cheese fritter. She told us that the pate was comped and all was good.
When the tab was dropped, I showed her my Scout Mob comp for 50% off, up to $25 off our $68 check. The comped fritter was on the tab and the revised check was $58? Needless to say, her explaination went over like a fart in a spacesuit. I don't see myself going back and would love to hear her going back to the Manager and revising the check after we left... -
Review from Vivian C.
Decatur, GA
9/1/2011
Eh... I came here during Midtown restaurant week and decided their menu looked good. The good: service was pretty decent, the decor was interesting, and free (not complimentary) parking was definitely a bonus. The charcuterie tray was interesting- I really enjoyed the pate, and I'm a sucker for olives... so, definitely the thing I would go for. Creme brulee was probably the best I've ever had, and even though I'm a fan of creme brulee, I found myself really likeing it.
The bad: My entree (steak and frites) was a little overdone (I prefer medium to medium rare) and this was more medium well, but the biggest disappointment was how extremely salty everything was. I appreciated the sea salt on my fries, and I assume in the steak sauce, but not to this extent. Will I be back? Maybe, but I might go for a few appetizers and desert and skip the entrees next time. -
Review from Taylor A.
12/29/2009
I had very high hopes for this place coming in. High enough to invite along another couple for a double date.
We started out at the bar and my girlfriend had a blackberry mojito that she really enjoyed. It seemed to take some effort to be made which is nice to see. Real ingredients are key. The one she had after we were seated wasn't so great.
We started with the pork belly which I, as well as apparently every chef in Atlanta, has of late had a fetish with. Pork belly is supposed to be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside; this pork belly was neither. It was certainly over cooked to a degree that I had to cut it with a knife. No crispy goodness and soft interior to be had here. Rathbun's here in Atlanta, and Muse in Charleston are the best places I've had it don't correctly.
For dinner I had the piglet which I probably would not have ordered after tasting how the pork belly was done. It was actually called piglet which I though was AMUSEing, but wasn't laughing after I started eating. It was overcooked like the pork belly and didn't have much flavor. The orange glaze was almost impossible to taste.
I was expecting a much higher caliber of meal based on previous experiences at Apres Diem. I do love the decor here, and the staff were pleasant, but the food must be picked up a notch.
Amuse, I'm pulling for you! -
Review from Kalia C.
Atlanta, GA
12/1/2010
The atmosphere at Amuse! is cute, intimate, and has marvelous northern african influences that really add to the decor. My boyfriend took me here on a surprise date and it was an absolute hit, wonderfully cozy for a late November/early December dinner. We opted for their Tuesday night three-course: ours consisted of duck pâte, lamb over ravioli, and creme brulee. the food was delicious: the pâte was homemade, the lamb was tender and portions were surprisingly huge, the creme brulee had just enough crisp on the top but underneath had that beautiful marvelous silky custard texture. boy is a native of france (bretagne/paris); he loves this place. head chef is noelle thomas - we don't know who she is, but her food is delicious.
however, this place gets four instead of five because of a few complaints (in order of annoyance):
1. when there's a to go box, and the food has a sauce, perhaps you should put them in containers that aren't of the folding kind. sauce leaked out over my dress in the car. not fun!
2. wait staff was very attentive, but maybe a little bit too much... he came by super frequently.
3. it's a french restaurant. your wait staff needs to speak french. i'm not exactly sure why this bothered me so much, but it just does.
otherwise, we will come back frequently when the boy needs an escape from US food. -
Review from Troy H.
Rochester, NY
5/18/2010
Had a wonderful dinner tonight here at this hidden gem; good thing I had a scoutmob discount to make it within my price range as well.
As far as parking I don't get the yelpers who said that it was a pain. Unless you consider a clearly marked self parking lot literally 25 feet away from the front door a pain (??)
We came on a tuesday evening and the place was kind of empty, which to me is always kind of a warning.
Nothing could have been more misleading. I wish I remembered their names but the staff was friendly and helpful, immediately seating us on the patio.
Onto the most important part, the grub. I ordered the chicken dish which was served with some really delicious savoy cabbage and shamelessly cleaned my plate. My buddy got the tilapia special and he devoured it as well.
Even with the discount the prices were a little steep so we forwent apps, and salads, and decided to do dessert elsewhere. But the meal was on point.
If I had a few more bucks in the bank I would definitely be a regular here. The menu was classy but clearly not as shi shi as some others were hoping for.
I have officially been amused! That is all -
Review from Aaron R.
Atlanta, GA
6/12/2011
More of a note than a review: the burger, at this nice French restaurant, is (surprise) not too great. I was allured by the possibility of getting Brie on a hamburger and chose that over the croquet monsieur (which, as my partner can attest, is pretty good but not as good as Babette's). The brie looked sort of like a melted action figure on my sandwich and imparted kind of a starchy taste that's great on a cracker but weird and chemical-like on a burger.
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Review from ciara g.
Decatur, GA
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went to Amuse with my father based on a promotion from scoutmob. Both of our dishes had to be sent back, he had the seafood ravioli, which was very dry the first time around and I had the steak frites. Waitstaff and Manager on duty were very courteous in wanting to correct the problem and redid both dishes (hence my want to give the place 2 stars) but it seemed as though the restaurant overall was short staffed. The host was also the bar tender and manager on duty, a jack of all trades to say the least. The couple next to us sent their food back as well and the restaurant had run out of the carpaccio (their special app for the night) at 8:00 on a Friday night. Another plus though is that they gave us a 50% coupon for the return visit. I will try Amuse again for their Sunday brunch, hoping for a much better culinary experience the 2nd time around (-:
