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Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Westside / Home ParkMon-Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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This is as good as it gets here in Atlanta. This place would be top-notch anywhere in the world.
The service was excellent, excellent, excellent. No flaws, no complaints, everything was perfect.
The food was perfect. I am no foodie but I want to leave feeling full, not too full, and 100% satisfied. I am fully expecting the restaurant to treat me like a child and presume that I need to have my portions, tastes, etc all chosen for me. And only the best restaurants actually know what they are doing when they choose these things. Needless to say, Bacchanalia knows what they're doing.
There's nothing wrong with this place - it's nearly perfect. I am no foodie, and I know nothing of fine wines, so my opinion must be taken with a grain of salt.
However I can say that if you're looking for a perfect place for a seriously romantic date or a flawless business dinner, you will not be disappointed by this spot.
Oh Bacchanalia how I have fallen in love with you! You greeted me like an old friend.You and your staff treated me like family. You must have known we needed a nice, low key, relaxing evening. Even though you had about four or five people waiting on us, you would have never known this to be true, very smooth orchestrated service delivery, much appreciated!
The servers were amazing, you explained everything in glorious detail, sometimes twice to my comfort. Without the attitude that normally comes with a place of this caliber!
The decor was warm, understated, elegance. The chairs, tables, spacing was well thought of. Even though there were people right next to us, you would have never known! The tableware, silverware, glassware all appropriate for the occasion.
The wine selection was spot on, I liked the half glass full glass options, well done! The mixologist did a great job on the Martini's Delicious!
The 4 course prix fixe menu was perfect! With the chefs additions it turned into 7 course meal! Thank You!
Risotto a perfect blend of flavors and just the right amount! Dover Sole was the best I've ever had! Thank god it was recommended and I got the last one of the evening! The add on Cheese Selection from Star Provisions was unbelievable, the cheese monger took his time in explaining each one and he was spot on in his recommendations! The mulled Cider and shortbread cookie was a perfect choice to cleanse your pallet prior to dessert! The Chocolate Souffle was perfect but the real star is the Mint Ice Cream it's as if I was eating a mint leaf pulled right from the plant AMAZING!
Ron the Matire D was gracious, friendly and appropriately conversational. The gift from the hostess on the way out capped off an incredible evening with friends.
Now the piece de resistance are you ready, are you sure: $75 plus additional $10 for the Cheese Selection per person! Best price I've ever seen for an experience like this. I have and would pay nearly double in other cities and have been treated worse. WOW!
And of course I have two things I would recommend to the management!
1) A dark napkin for my dark clothing!
2) Recognize a left-handed person and adjust the service delivery to accommodate this highly superior individual trait! LOL!
Great Job! I Love you Bacchanalia!
After years upon years of wanting to experience Atlanta's best restaurant, I finally sucked it up and blew both the bank and my foodie load at Bacchanalia on Saturday night. Even making the reservation, I couldn't help from feeling like a baller and was having a hard time deciding whether or not I should take the imaginary Lambo or Rolls there. Honestly, I can't remember any other dining experiences where I was impressed to this extent before even entering the building. Beyond expecting a great meal, as I do at many other fine dining establishments, I knew this one would astound and leave me dumbfounded. And really, it did just that.
Even though I'm familiar with the building that it's housed in, the main entrance for Bacchanalia is actually towards the back of Star Provisions (the owner's ritzy storefront and lunch/breakfast stand) much like Lazlo Hollyfeld's closet in the Val Kilmer classic, Real Genius.
I have a lot more to say about the experience (Yelp limits reviews to 5000 characters), but have opted toward a condensed, more food based review since that's what most of you want to know about anyhow. The menu is a four-course prix fixe (with expected periodic gifts from the chef) for seventy five dollars. For the most part, I adored, cherished, and loved the food here. I savored each and every bite and was already sad knowing that my next meal would not stack up in the slightest to my current one (And it didn't. Don't ever buy Archer Farms brand Belgian Waffle Mix). Both the lady and I dined here and I tried a little of everything she ordered.
First gift:
We immediately received a gift from the chef. Cheese balls, for lack of a better term, wrapped in pasty. Pastry and melted cheese, straight from the oven. Can't go wrong with that.
First course:
Onion risotto - outrageously well done. The onion was a flavoring agent, much like an herb, and used in a manner that was subtle rather than overpowering as onion can often be. The texture of the risotto was perfect and I loved the mix of different types of onions in the dish. The risotto was topped with some thickly sliced, fancified mushrooms that were lemon flavored - unreal and original preparation of shrooms. My favorite dish of the night.
Crab fritter - Hands down the best crab dish I've ever had. The thai-pepper sauce is amazing and is the most pleasant use of heat I've ever experienced. It gently hits you right in the back of each bite - a little follow up of spiciness. So brilliantly done!
Next gift:
A sipping portion of celery or possibly fennel soup topped with apple and some infused oil. This was simple and tasty. I'm pretty sure apples were a featured local ingredient of the night as they were exhibited in a number of things on the menu and in all of the remaining gifts.
Main:
Pork medley - I would have honestly gone with the red snapper or the lamb, but the sides were real turn-offs for me. My dish featured pork tenderloin, house-made sausage, and braised pork belly. This dish was pretty disappointing (for the standards I had going into the meal and coming off the appetizer high). The pork tenderloin was cold and overly salted. The sausage was interesting in that it was very loosely packed. It just fell apart upon first chew, but was under-seasoned in my opinion. The pork belly was awesome, but how do you screw up pork belly. The best part of this dish was the Vidalia onion purée/young vegetable/house-cured bacon bed that the pork was resting on. I savored as much of the remaining broth as I could by sopping it up with my last slice of bread. I've had a dish very similar to this at 4th and Swift (3 Little Pigs) and the pork was arguably prepared better than Bacchanalia's.
Lobster - Admittedly, I don't have too much experience with Lobster and the dish did nothing for me and judging by my girlfriend's reactions, it didnt do a whole lot for her either.
Cheese & Contrast:
Gouda - served with a crunchy green bean salad speckled with bacon and hazelnuts. This course was a great success with because of both the flavor pairings and quality of ingredients.
Brie - Not like the buttery brie I'm used to from Publix. Kinda stinky.
Third gift:
Mini apple smoothies served in mini highball shot glasses with rims dipped in sugar and salt. Very tasty, especially the sugar and salt rims but the texture was a little odd in that it was not as creamy as I anticipated. It was served with a lime leaf-shaped shortbread that was the perfect compliment.
Dessert:
Churros with what I now have come to find out was Mexican sipping chocolate. Whoops! I thought it was Mexican dipping chocolate and treated it as such. These were kind of under-whelming - they were just too crispy and not doughy enough.
Apple buckle - beautifully plated and magically delicious. The crust was crumbly perfection.
I truly believe that $75 is a considerably good deal for a 4-course meal of this caliber. Oh yeah, and no valet parking!
Did you know this place used to be an old slaughterhouse? In fact, Quinones the ultra luxe restaurant downstairs means slaughterhouse...just a little fascinating fact for you yelpers!! Anyhoo don't let that "idea" deter you from going because it is stellar from start to finish! Greeted by a gourmets' kitchen dream are pots and pans, cook and bakeware, a chartrucherie and fishmonger not to mention the cheese caves. The reception desk greets you with the sister of this family owned establishment! a friendly smile and instant seating. Behind is the restaurant with it's tall ceilings and tiled walls like those from an old elementary school. But ohh not the meals from those days!! Walking past the bar one can gaze into the glass windowed kitchen and watch the chefs diligently creating on point! Ask for the round 2 top in the corner for a great view of the diningroom! Have a cocktail they are so fresh and seasonally prepared--the fig martini...I digress this review will be old news tomorrow as they change the menu daily!
The meal can be a la carte with selections from four courses or a tasting for $75 which is what I had. The beverage choices are amazing here even the water gets its own page in the manual. We had the "gently" sparkling one from the UK. To start, a fresh cheese amuse bouche from the chef served hot wrapped in a biscuit crust! Love those little treats aaand do they keep coming all night! FirI chose the trumpet mushroom risotto, my dining partner had fresh northwest oysters, another treat in the form of soup came! Cant remember the base but creme fraiche on top!!! Next poached lobster so easy and so tender in a mild white butter sauce my companion had lamb 3 ways. It was like a wine tasting each cut was prepared differently and was quite an experience. The last savory course is salad/cheese I went basic with the heirloom caprese yum my gastronomic colleague the roasted beets and arugula. Dessert was a splurge we sampled 3--the blackberry soufflé, the churros, and apple buckle...but of course more gifts from the pastry chef cookies, truffles and madelines. Ohh. one final delight a bottle of chatenuf du pape rounded off our beverage selection! Walking out 3 hrs later a final treat from the bakery a French baguette! Guess we're having French toast for breakfast!!
Always on a search for a food high - Bacchanalia does not disappoint. First let me start with saying, the service was impeccable! Complete waited on hand and foot feel - water glasses constantly filled, plates promptly taken away... yes you expect that from any fine dinning experience, but the pleasant attitude from the 5 people waiting on you - waiter to sommelier to bus boys.
Second reason this is a place to dine for a food high - the freebies!!! Yes you expect a muse bouche but before we received that we were given a little gift - puff pastry filled cheese balls. After our first course warm apple cider with some accompaniments. After our dessert macaroons and a lemon brownie (that made my heart sing). Third reason - the food is great and it's prepared by people that are very mindful of every last detail they put on the plate. FYI make reservations in advance...I booked almost 2 weeks out and had to settle for a 6:15pm. And I normally don't book restaurants that far in advance and fortunately I did because we were coming in from out of town. Next time in Atlanta - Bacchanalia will be a must! YUM YUM and Bon Appetite
Bacchanalia is only the second place I've ever patronized that literally gave me a food high (Dante's Down the Hatch was the first). When my boyfriend and I were done with our meal, we were both lightheaded and saturated with an overall feeling of giddiness. Really, the food could have been terrible but I'd give this place five stars for altering my state of consciousness. Fortunately, I can also give five stars for the food too.
Before our courses even came out, we were brought little puff pastries filled with warm, gooey cheese. Then we were brought tiny shot glass-sized cups of a cold cucumber and fennel soup. By this point our palates were tingling with anticipation of the main dishes.
For my appetizer, I had the Kumamoto Oysters with Cucumber and Caviar. When I ordered, our server said, "They're raw..." I had to refrain from replying, "They'd better be!" Oysters don't need any breading, saucing, or cooking at all. The salty fish roe and briny oysters were perfect. (Except I still really wanted some tabasco sauce and Saltines, but I'm classy like that.)
My entree was the Butter Poached Lobster. I can't remember much about it, because after taking a bite, I had an orgasm, then immediately blacked out and slipped into a food coma. I have never eaten lobster this tender before; it pretty much dissolved immediately after touching my tongue.
After our entrees, we were brought another bonus: tiny blackberry smoothies.
For my "cheese & contrast", I had Oregon Blue with Figs and Watercress. Blue cheese goes really well with some of the most unexpected things. The plate was just big enough to thoroughly enjoy, but not so big that my stomach couldn't handle...
Dessert. And the heavens opened up, while a chorus of angels sang in rejoice. I had the Blackberry Souffle with Blackberry Sorbet. It was warm, fluffy, and delicious. Not too sweet either, which is usually my biggest problem with desserts. The sorbet had a light, creamy texture and didn't overpower the natural flavor of blackberries with too much sugar.
After we were done, our server brought us an assortment of cookies. By this point my brain was screaming, "MORE FOOD? ARE YOU INSANE?!" I did manage to eat one tiny white chocolate meringue, but didn't have room to consume anything else.
As we were exiting the restaurant, a staff member ran up to us and gave us a box with two free cupcakes! In fact, I am eating one now as I type this. Perhaps she thought we looked like obvious cupcake aficionados (is true), or maybe she assumed it was a special occasion (I think we were the only couple there NOT celebrating an anniversary), but regardless-- free cupcakes? Hell yeah!
I do have two gripes, however:
- They were seriously trying to push the wine. If I decline once, I'm really not going to change my mind the second or third time you ask me.
- The middle of my dinner was interrupted by someone's babbling child. Really, is NO place in this city safe anymore? For the love of god, take your spawn to Chuck E. Cheese, not Bacchanalia.
On the other hand, I must praise the staff for not being condescending, rude, or embarrassed when a tattooed chick and a dude with an orange mohawk walked into their joint. In contrast to some other establishments, at Bacchanalia they didn't treat us like we were bums, they treated us like we were rock stars.
A+ would nom again.
Taking into consideration the price, atmosphere, service, food quality, this is a must have! It is well worth the money. If you visit or live in Atlanta, give it a try. you will feel like royalty and the food is scintillating.
Amongst the foodie community here in ATL, Bacchanalia seems to reign supreme. Last night I found out why.
...Before our order was even in, we were presented with gougeres. A small amuse bouche, the tiny kumquat-sized morsel was piping hot, delicious and exploding with a nugget of melted cheese; a "gift" from the chef.
Appetizers ranged from risotto to exotic sweetbreads (my choice) to raw oysters. Sweetbreads were incredibly tender with a crispy exterior and a garnish of fresh field peas; which, after eating, I suddenly understood why the south is so in love with them. The foie gras was buttery and served with simmered cherries and brioche toast. It looks like a very small portion but one quickly understands why. The richness of Bacchanalia's foie gras terrine defies description.
As our entrees arrived, I was acutely aware of the well-considered course order. What usually happens? In most cases, the diner is stuffed with apps and salad and bread and by the time dinner arrives, it no longer even looks appealing. Fueled with just enough small bites from the chef and our appetizers, I was ready, willing and able to appreciate my entrée.
Of all the entrees ordered, I'd have to say the Prime NY Strip looked the most formidable on its plate, presented thickly sliced with its rare-cooked inside showing. The Diver Scallops were buttery, with a slightly crisp top and bottom on each, induced by perfect pan sautéing. My Ravioli with Goat Cheese filling oozed when forked, just enough to introduce the filling but not enough to empty the pasta. Tell me, how the heck does a restaurant train its ravioli to do that??
Morsels of the Lamb Tasting plate were passed around as were slices of beef and forkfuls of snapper. Yes, we were in a high-end Atlanta restaurant. No, that does not change who we are. A successful meal is not only about the effect on one's tongue or belly - but sharing, community, friendship and the feeling that "hey, we got to experience this together," making it that much more rewarding.
I love that this course is called Cheese and Contrast because immediately one focuses not on the cheese alone, but its juxtaposition with its accoutrement. It wasn't about the Farmhouse Cheddar, it was about the cheddar with the blackberries; the robust blue with the arugula; and perhaps singing the loudest - the Parmigiano Reggiano with the Medjool Dates. Not to be denied, Chevré with Peaches elbowed its way toward the front of the pack (after all, this is Georgia).
Desserts were staggered with gifts of savory cookies and almonds (a favorite of the BD girl). The crisp, light Lemon Meringue with Berries was just the right finale to my Bacchanalia play. Peach Soufflé was picture perfect. The adorable Blueberry Pie was a small bit of blueberry Heaven and just the right size. Our waiter presented the Birthday Girl with a red velvet cake in the guise of a Tiffany Blue Box. POW - The Sunday punch has been delivered. Leave it to Bacchanalia to conjure up a tasty fondant, a substance that though beautiful, usually tastes like corn starch-covered leather.
We wrapped up our incredible dinner with a very slow stroll through Star Provisions. I need to visit Star when it's not doing its duty as the foyer of Bacchanalia but when it's bustling and dispensing the stuff of home-grown culinary feasts - Fantastic ingredients. I remember the first time I visited Star Provisions and had no clue that lying just beyond was an oasis of gentrified, sophisticated eating. More consideration goes into each dish offered at Bacchanalia than some restaurants put into their entire menus.
Our waiter bid us farewell and reminded us that "If you enjoyed yourself, my name is Kevin. If not, it's Tom."
Definitely Kevin.
I had previously rated Bacchanalia very highly, but after our last experience I have to give them a single star.
My wife took me here for my birthday, and was so proud to do so as we had previous good experiences there. When she made the reservation, she mentioned to the person on the phone that it was for my birthday. When she confirmed the reservation the day of, she repeated it.
We had our dinner, which was fine, but the service was slow and lacking compared to previous visits. At the end of dinner, our server came to bring the check, and my wife was mortified to have to remind that it was my birthday (Bacchanalia serves a small cake to guests on their birthdays). The server had a "deer in the headlights" look on her face, and said something to the effect that she would "see what she could find." Several minutes later she returned with a tiny cupcake on a plate - a far cry from what others were given for their birthdays that very evening in the dining room, and an embarrassment to sit there and wait for after the meal had been done for some time.
The point of our displeasure was that they had not communicated to the kitchen via the reservation that it was a special occasion, and floundered in trying to cover themselves.
The service is SUPPOSED to be what makes this restaurant - people have proposed marriage and celebrate other occasions at Bacchanalia. We were quite embarrassed by what happened and how the server handled it.
Afterwards, my wife was in tears about the situation. Frankly, if it were a lesser place, I'd say no big deal -- but what's the point of going to a place like Bacchanalia and pay as much when they blow the service? If I had taken her there for her birthday and the same thing had happened, I would have been extremely angry.
My wife decided to email the restaurant that same night to voice her discontent. She was surprised to get a quick response from Anne Quatrano (one of the owners). In her email, Ms. Quatrano said that she was on the verge of tears about it and apparently knew of the service being less than good that evening, and that what had happened was inexcusable, etc. etc. She asked for our home address and offered to send a gift card for a future visit.
We were appreciative of her apology and the offer, and decided that we would give Bacchanalia another try in the future. HOWEVER, this was the last we ever heard from her, and this was back in April (It's now September). It occurred to me earlier this month, so I emaied Ms. Quatrano to enquire about what had happened. No response.
I had figured that maybe it was just an oversight or something, but the lack of response tells me that for some reason Ms. Quatrano decided not to follow through on her offer, or even respond to us. I don't see how I could ever patronize one of this group's family of restaurants again in light of how things played out. I really wouldn't feel comfortable going to Bacchanalia again -- why risk having an occasion soured by the service?
Too bad. I really used to like this place.
BUYER BEWARE.
Come here if you had gastric bypass and miss your former fatty self. Bacchanalia serves small amounts of food at a time but over time and with complementary chef dishes and deserts, you'll end up eating a ton. Everything that I ordered was very very good, and the service was perfect. The only negative thing I can think of is I wish I would have had 1 thing that was absolutely outstanding. Again, I was very happy with my meal but this is one of the highest rated places, isn't it? On the other hand, I think the consistency across dishes from beginning to end says a lot about the quality of the chefs here.
Every year this wins best restaurant in Atlanta. It doesn't do this by accident or by luck, it does it because it pays attention to all the details. While this may be one of the most expensive meals that I've ever had, it was worth every penny (when you can afford it). The meal is a fixed price and includes 4 courses plus 3 deserts. The portions are small (thank god cause otherwise you'd be screwed). It gets served over the course of an hour and a half or so giving you plenty of time to talk with your date or friends.
The duck here was impressive, I don't really know what else to say about the duck, other than it being wonderful. Well cooked, still rare and incredibly tasty.
In the table next to me there was a couple, the woman, a vegetarian, exclaimed that she didn't understand how she could have four plates that were all essentially mushrooms and never feel even slightly bored with the food. Every plate distinct and wonderful. Now I'm no vegetarian, but that sounds like a good thing to me =)
I'm putting in my two cents on this over-hyped restaurant. While the food is good - it's not something I have ever found myself craving afterwards. That's my litmus test - if I think about it again. It's also quite expensive for what you get. My husband and I both found it uninspiring and lacking flavor. We had a started of oysters and caviar which was devoid of the salty briny taste that characterizes oysters. It seemed as though they had been rinsed off repeatedly in water. Not to mention the caviar was sweet! My entree of scallops was great, they were perfectly cooked. My husband had a game hen and he was not impressed. Dessert was good although we only ate about a third of it. Service was really good - attentive but not hovering.
The space is beautiful, however there is no music to add to the ambiance. When we asked our server he told us that the owners don't allow two things - music and salt/pepper on the table. I find that a bit pretentious. Another thing we found odd was that when the couple was seated next to us the gentleman came over the the same side of the table as his companion. It was obvious that they wanted to sit next to each other and look over the restaurant as we were seated on the bench against the wall in the back. After about 5 minutes the manager came over and told him that he was not "allowed" to sit on the bench with his girlfriend, but had to move to the opposite side of the table. The reason was that them sitting on the same side was bothersome to other guests. In the next breath she asked if we wanted to wrap the remainder of our food to take home.
What the f*%!? My theory is that if I am spending that amount of money for dinner and I want to spend it sitting next to my husband rather than across from him, that's my prerogative. Also if you are restaurant that doesn't allow music, salt or cuddling I think you shouldn't send people home with their food in a bag.
Overall I don't think we'll be going back.
It's weird to walk to your table and have all the management and service staff stop to let you pass and say "good evening". This place really sets the standard.
Went there for my 4th anniversary and we were thoroughly impressed. We both had something different from the menu so we could share. I won't go into detail about everything but here are my highlights....
Crab fritters- puts all crab cakes to shame.... its a pretty big portion of lump crab with a southeast Asian fish sauce. good shit....
Lamb tasting- the main sample of lamb was a cut from the rib.... it was seasoned well and grilled to order. I wasn't moved by the lamb tenderloin wrapped in bacon. Still it was a stellar dish....
Buffalo mozz with organic tomatoes- the mozzarella melted in my mouth... very fresh and beautiful presentation
Chocolate cake with mint ice cream- I blew a load when I ate this.....
Beautiful restaurant, beautiful food, beautiful night.... this is the ultimate in dining.
BTW.... we ate from the prix fixe menu but I think there is an ala carte menu by request.
We had a great experience at Bacchanalia. The food was exquisite. The chef sends out these dinner favors from gourmet cheese balls to
rabbits liver.
I did the 4 course pre-fixe. The crab fritter appetizer was the
highlight of my dining experience. A pure delicacy. Main course was
the lobster. While good, I wont yearn for it like I will for the crab fritter. I think the onions were a turn off for me. I went with the buffalo cheese and fresh tomato varietals as a 3rd course. Above average good but not the best I've had. For dinner I had the Ellijay Apple something which was very good as well but I could have used more ice cream. All in all the food was very good, but I think they earn their reputation by their service which is the best I've ever experienced. They had a team of people in rotation that was perfectly there and not there to meet our desires.
Epilogue
Also sampled was their oysters with caviar sprinkles. Very nice though
for oysters, I recommend Aspens in Acworth. They have to have the best cheese selection in Atlanta. We did some cheese pairings from some selections of over 20 cheeses from a zoo's worth of animals. I've never been a liver fan...and that's no different for Bugs...though
paired with whatever they put it with was good. Lastly, I wasn't
impressed with the architecture. The experience and the food definitely warrant the price.
Enough has been written about this restaurant already, so I'll try to keep it short and concise...
My girlfriend and I made our first visit here for a very special occasion recently and it made our night that much more memorable. The food and service were both topnotch and you can tell by the little details that they really do go out of their way to make your dining experience the very best. I really liked the idea of the 4-course prix fixe menu--it's efficient and it helps the kitchen to carefully plan out your whole evening in advance. I will say though, 4 courses is A LOT of food! That and all the little "chef's compliments" that come out in between each course. I made the mistake of getting too full on my crab cake fritter appetizer (because it was SO good), and ended up not fully appreciating the remaining 3 courses. Even so, everything that I tasted that night was wonderful and certainly not lacking in flavor as do in many other New American cuisine restaurants.
Overall, it was fine dining at it's best. Yes, it will put a considerable dent in your wallet to be dining here, but you really do get the best for your money.
After reading the other reviews on yelp, I just had to eat here for my birthday dinner...
A few points of advice:
1. Make reservations EARLY... I called two weeks in advance but i would stress calling earlier.
2. You're going to be there a while as you'll be eating multiple courses, so I'd suggest starting ~6:30 or so if you can get that reservation time.
3. ORDER THE CRAB FRITTER. it's truly amazing.
I had a great time here.... it's not cheap but what an experience!!!
As far a consistent fine dining in Atlanta goes, this place ranks at the top of the list. The crab fritters are amazing, the poached shrimp is delicious, and everything else on the menu is good. I haven't eaten a bad dish there yet.
The industrial factory feel makes it a less desirable romantic dinner destination, but it's a great experience otherwise. Also stop in at the General Store at the front end of the house (Star Provisions) and pick up some Anson Mills Grits from SC. They rock!
Chef's soup teaser - 2 stars
Appetizer - 5
Entree- 5 stars
Cheese - 4 stars
Dessert - 4 stars
Elegant and romantic, very high quality cooking with delicious 'gifts' from the chef.
Sat at the bar and only had a drink and an entrée. Had never had the Sazerac before. According to the barman it's the oldest drink in America made with cognac, whiskey, bitters and a lemon peel. I enjoyed it a lot. The entrée took a little while to come but the chef kept sending little 'gifts' that were simply delicious! I had duck breast, seared, really tender and well seasoned. Very simple meal but one of the best I ever had!
I had heard enough chatter about this place, and I always wondered why... Would it live up to the hype? or would it disappoint? Only one way to find out for sure. When my business partner and I were thinking of a Holiday Dinner for us, we thought this would be a good idea.
And thus, the 200th review.
Walking in here is a little confusing as you walk by all the plates and trinkets that surround the Star Provisions shop... Unless Shelli told me, I wouldn't have known to walk to the back of the gift area to find a host table. Checking in and being led up the stairs, I immediately felt at ease in comparison to Quinones with it feeling less stuffy.
I sat at the bar with Shelli as we waited for the other 1/2 of the party to arrive. Snacks at the bar and a Ketel and soda to start the evening sounded like a good idea. As we waited, I looked through the back of the bar into a pristine kitchen, where all the magic happens.
When we eventually sat down to our table, we were greeted by our server and immediately something was off about him. While he noticed Shelli's Prosecco, he didn't notice that I had a drink already, and continued to ask me what I wanted... Not the most observant fellow in the world. No big deal, but it was a sign of the service to come...
As we looked over the menu, a number of things jumped out at me. The following was what I ordered:
Foie Gras
Pork Trio (Loin, Belly, Bacon)
Point Reyes Blue Cheese Plate
Tea Sorbet Trio
Granted many an amuse bouche was served between courses, but listed above was the bulk of my experience.
The foie gras was quite nice. Though quite rich in nature, it wasn't an overly heavy way to start off the dinner service.
The pork trio was nice for the most part as well. Despite my poor experience with a similar menu item at 4th and Swift, I decided to order it anyway. And unlike my previous experience, only 1 of the items disappointed a little. The pork belly was crisp all over on the outside, making it a little difficult to cut into and enjoy since it's quite buttery on the inside. More of a conflict in how I think it should be prepared vs. the chef's preparation.
The Point Reyes blue cheese was wonderful. Just really wonderful.
The tea sorbet trio was amazing... When it comes to sorbets, I have to have them. And this being on the menu was a treat for me. Really amazingly light and subtle flavors, but just enough to make you get a sense for what it is and make you long for the next spoonful. The gelee on top was quite a nice touch as well as the textures played on your tongue.
Okay, so for the downside...
The server we had was slack. I have been to places where service was really bad, and while this didn't come close to those experiences, when you're flipping the bill for a dinner such as this, you expect some attention. And when you (and everyone else at the table) get thirsty for your favorite alcoholic drink, and he knows you'll be tipping more as a result of a higher bill, you would expect some quick feet. Not the case... Go downstairs, and you'll get the star treatment with basically 1:1 table:server ratio, but I felt like that was lacking last night. Again, not the biggest issue, but still an imperfection.
Overall this is again one of those times that I wished Yelp would have 1/2 or 1/4 star ratings, since I don't really want to give it a 4, but have to round down for it to make sense... Maybe next go around will kick it back to a 5 the way most others feel about this place.
I took 5 of my managers here for dinner. Collectively we all agreed that it was one of the best meals we had ever had. Presentation, taste, quality of ingredients were all top notch. But the service was especially attentive which made the evening that much more special. The area of town it is in is a bit sketchy, but it just added to the ambiance.
We got out of there at right around $900, which I thought was well worth the experience.
We go every year and each time we're blown away by the flavors despite our highest expectations. Highlights from our last visit were the beet ice cream and the charcutterie. Simply put, Bacchanalia does things to food you didn't know were possible and we've yet to discover a place in Atlanta that comes close.
This place was pretty incredible, but I'm not sure I could say I would have ever gone there if it wasn't on the company dime. They offer a $75 prix fixee dinner and the drinks were a bit (expectedly) overpriced.
That said, the experience was great. As other reviewers have mentioned, we were often brought out little surprises as 'gifts' from the chef in between our courses. It was a thoughtful touch that definitely adds some sincerity to your experience (of course, knowing that they do that for everyone maybe sours it just a little).
No complaints about the service, and the meal was fantastic. I had the duck entree, but really what stood out the most to me was the oyster appetizers. Easily the best oysters I have ever had in my life, and I'm usually a pretty hard sell with oysters. I was amazed to get such a great dish of them here... in.... Atlanta.
Bacchanalia's definitely worth the trip if you don't mind shelling out the cash. It's an experience to be remembered.
The best in Atl. That's all I have to say. The experience, the food, everything- perfect. That is rare.
did me some bar crashing on Friday to go back and give the menu a fair shake. no lady friend to distract me this time. it was only me and the sweet sweet food. I made sure to eat some meat this time to see what this place was all about.
decided I was going to have me a crab puff fritter thing and the local pork tasting entree.
had a gift float on out first. and I remember it was a gift because it was shouted loudly in my ear twice.
"THIS IS A GIFT FROM THE CHEF SIR. A YADDA YADDA SOUP THINGY. A GIFT FROM THE CHEF."
volume was about an 8 on that one. kind of rattled me a little bit, like I should be writing my thank you card before I even taste this shit. tried not to let it bother me too much and sipped it down. actually I took it more like a shot, so I don't remember what it tasted like really. If I had to guess, I would say it was "good".
also had some more of those cheese puff things that I got served up last time. pretty good, salty explosion in my mouth, but it wasn't a party or anything.
anyway, with the frou out of the way, I got what I came for. crab puff fritter thingy. nearly puffed my pants. shit was so straight. like some oranges and some sauce stuff in there. I really did want to make out with this.
unfortunately, the star of the show, belle of the ball.... the local pork tasting let me down a bit. it was some tenderloin, a piece of pork belly and a piece of sausage. they were all pretty good, but seemed kind of dry or something. just didn't wow me for some reason. nice, but no wow. the veggies were pretty tasty though. but I wanted my damn wow on the meat.
had the little complimentary cookies which the server had a hard time remembering. there were 4 of them, so I understand. madeline was pretty solid - it helped cushion the crestfallennessalism that I received from the pork.
otherwise, I had the same bartender dude, who I was more comfortable with this time. I think he was less all over me as he was last time. reduced meds maybe. I kid I kid. so he was cool anyway. even when some famous nobody hockey player guy and his trophy wife came up to the bar, the bartender dude still made sure to take care of my check right quick. I really appreciated that actually. otherwise that would have been an instant shit list entry.
so yeah, food didn't make me wanna dance, but I did enjoy my visit there and still strangely want to go back again. I really don't know what the deal is with this place. Maybe it's the convenient parking? Or the hope I got from the crab fritter? The possibility of seeing another trophy wife in a tight ass black dress? honestly, it's probably a combination of all three. looks like I'll keep trying and see what sticks.
ok im out.
I dunno maybe I'm getting cranky in my old age. Or it's just that the hype machine got to me.… Read more »
I feel compelled to write this because I must shed some light on this over-hyped restaurant.
I've only been here twice. The first time, it was pretty darn phenomenal. I enjoyed the multiple "chef compliments," especially the cold asparagus soup and strawberry sorbet. My aunt's Kobe was off the charts. The best meat I've ever eaten. The pork I ordered was.. eh.. nothing too spectacular. However, my sister's trout with morels.. OMGOSH it was THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER EATEN.
The 3 stars are because my second visit was sub-par. Not very good at all. To start, we had reservations for 8 and weren't seated until 8:20. If it had been $40, I may give it 4-5 stars but for $75 I expected something much much better. I felt like their steak was not very flavorful and the sauce accompanying it was a tad salty. My mom's fish was overdone and we had to send it back.
The only consistent I found (in my 2 visits..hehe) is their desserts. They are awesome. So, hats off to the pastry chef.
I wish I could go back in hopes of reliving my first experience but I just can't afford to take that chance.
My wonderful sister took me to this place... and we had the most fantabulous meal. The service was exquisite and food was delectable! I loved their presentation and flavors.
I had very high expectations for this restaurant after http://Zagat.com called it the French Laundry of the South. While I have never been to the French Laundry, I have been to Thomas Keller's restaurant Bouchon, which was fabulous. I expected Bacchanalia to be just as amazing.
The food was good, but my husband and I were both disappointed because we expected the food to blow us away. There was nothing that melted in the mouth and that we couldn't get enough of. The crab fritter and the goat cheese with roasted beets and beet sorbet were excellent and the best items we ordered. Everything else ranged from just OK to very good.
It's unlikely that I will eat here again, as for the price I really expect to be blown away.
I didn't realize what I was getting myself into when I pulled up to the front of Bacchanalia. Prior to moving into Atlanta, when I was job hunting, a business contact recommended the place raving that it was the best in the South. The small deli you walk through, before you reach the front of the restaurant, didn't quite seem to fit. But it did make me feel better about wearing tennis shoes, the only pair I had packed.
Upon being seated, I quickly felt weird again about the tennis shoes on my feet, and my clubby t-shirt. Still, my waiter was extremely nice to me, despite my obvious ignorance of the dress code. The food was fantastic and I really enjoyed the pricks fix meal, my first ever. I wish all pricey restaurants were like that so I wouldn't have to worry about going too crazy, which is my tendency.
All five courses were delicious and savory. Every unique flavor they used seem to shine through in all of their courses. I will never go back because I'm not that extravagant normally with food. Floataway cafe, another star provisions restaurant, offers food that is just as delicious to me, at a third the price.
Yummy, yummy, yummy! I am not sure I will be able to eat anywhere else (although my pocketbook can't sustain such a life) now that I have tasted the divine food at Bacchanalia. I truly do believe it is one of the best meals I have had.
First, let me just say that the chef was in a good mood because we received several items complements of the chef last evening. It started with a yummy puff pastry filled will out of this world cheese. It was then an amazing corn chowder. Then there were two dessert (a sampling of cookies, truffles and Madelaines). I am going to spare my general blow by blow description of the evening because it was all amazing. The lamb and the kimchee shrimp were the highlight of the evening, by far! The cheese course was also amazing. I had the beet salad with a creemy toome chese that was to die for. The pairing of the cheese with the beets was excellent.
If you want a truly special evening, please put this on your list. It is really a meal not to be missed. I did want to point out that while the food was out of this world, the waiter was just so-so. For this level of a restaurant, I expected an amazing server. I did not find him to be so. His knowledge of the wines was not good at all...to the point that I asked for a suggestion and he showed me the wine list and left me to poke my way through the list with little assistance. He was not very knowledgeable about the menu and just did not meet my expectations. But, for this picky one, even with this issue, I still give the place five starts.
Loved, loved, loved it!
Money well-spent, my friends! I was very skeptical about Bacchanalia, afraid there was no way it could live up to all the hype. I was wrong. As far as I'm concerned, time spent in Atlanta needs to include a dinner at Bacchanalia.
I couldn't have asked for a better birthday meal. I loved every course, plus all the little tastings in between, which really make Bacchanalia a fun experience. I was really impressed with the service, from the knowledge of the wine list to the attention to little details - every detail.
I will definitely have to come back for a lunch experience since I've heard that can be just as good.
Baccanalia was recommended as the priciest and must visit place in ATL.
For SFers, we weren't impressed with the decor nor the flavor. Rated as the top dating spot, the restaurant was quite busy, rotating tables one after another with couples and groups. Decor reminisces Town Hall with brick walls and glass windows for the kitchen.
Service at Baccanalia is an A or A+, which earns it 3 stars. We were seat right away with a great table in the restaurant. It always makes the girls feel extra special when the servers pull the chairs for you. ;) Water cups were never half empty and pace of each served dishes were consistent.
Chilled corn soup was a bit undercooked. Peach salsa was minced too finely to provide the acid needed for the foi. Duck dish was too salty (I drank 4 cups of water) but the risotto was perfectly done. Filet and halibut can both use a pinch of kosher salt and pepper.
Complimentary cookies saved the day! Tasted (bit size) all of them and loved it. But regretfully, I packed on too much water to enjoy every bit of it.
I seem to have this curse wherein restaurants that have been around for decades seem to close down the moment I decide I want to eat there. Therefore, my husband and I saved up so we could go to Bacchanalia before this might happen. Allow me to point out that I am not really a foodie (meaning I love lots of foods but I don't have a lot of experience with "fine dining" and also can't stand things such as foie gras, pate, or caviar), so I actually did not always know what the heck I was ordering.
As a result, I am recording for posterity the things that I ate (it's a four-course meal). The portions were all perfect--large enough so you didn't feel cheated because your meal cost 9326568947807489 dollars and that's all you got, yet small enough that you could actually eat all 4 courses and not feel like you were dying.
Part of the deal with this place is that they make most things inhouse, and that in between courses they bring you small portions of other things to try. While we were deciding, they brought us these little puff pastries with warm, sharp cheese inside them. I forgot the name (sorry, uncultured), but yum.
Appetizer course:
My husband and I both had the house-cured charcuterie (if you are ignorant like me and don't already know, this is a plate with assorted meats on it--this particular charcuterie was served with the yummiest ever fresh mustard and balsamic vinegar). Also, the building in which Bacchanalia is located did used to be a meat factory, so it's fitting that they cure their own meats. :)
In between the appetizer and main courses, they also brought us out these tiny cups of a delicious "Thai-style" cold soup that had lemongrass and bits of yummy veggies in it. Also, at 3 different points in our meal, a waiter came by and brought us each a slice of warm, homemade bread (with butter that tasted homemade too).
Main course:
I had the pan roasted lamb loin, which has a yummy yogurt sauce and something called "mache" which was made of tomatoes, mushrooms and pure yumminess (this was SO GOOD). My husband had a yummy pork loin dish that was mmmmmm, even though I'm not even a big fan of pork loin. Actually, I'm not even a big fan of lamb, normally, but for some reason that's what I wanted to order and it was so good.
Cheese and Contrast Course:
I had the sheep's milk feta with local cucumber and watermelon. My husband had buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and yumminess. Again, I am not all that experienced with four-course meals, but the idea of a "contrast course" after your entree is total genius to me. It's like an appetizer for your dessert!
Then they brought us a "gift from the chef" of something whose name I can no longer remember, but it was a creamy, sweetended yogurty substance in a parfait cup with house-made granola and blueberries on top. Mmmmmm. Dessert to go with our dessert.
Dessert Course:
I had the squash cake with brown butter ice cream (yummmm). My husband had a warm peach crisp that also came with some type of ice cream on top (I think vanilla). The dessert portions were cute and smallish, which was totally fine because I think if I'd had to eat a large dessert at this point I would have exploded.
Afterwards, we were each brought a warm, fresh madeleine and then a small plate with "some more treats" that included candied grapefruit zest, some kind of butter cookie, and chocolate thing that I can't remember the name of anymore.
...Hmmm, I think I understand why it is called "Bacchanalia" now. It was a total Food Orgy. Definitely worth the money, even if you have to save up like we did.
"Probably overrated," I tell the people I'm with, as we drive North.
"No," the clients promise, "if you don't absolutely love this place, if you don't think it's one of the best restaurants in the country, your dinner's on us."
"Who gets to decide," I ask.
"We're so confident you'll love it," they say, "that we'll let you decide for yourself."
"But I'm on an expense account," I say, "please let me pay, you're my clients."
"Nope," they say, "that's the deal."
So you wonder, would I have paid for it even if I hated it? Nope. They're not just clients, but my friends too. But they knew what they were doing. With hindsight, it was like shooting fish in a barrel for them, there was just no way they could be wrong. This place is too good not to love. Outrageous tasting food, local produce, world class, professional staff. Can't say enough good things. I try to go here every time I travel to Atlanta and always will. You should too. But it is very expensive - so take that corporate credit card out for a spin. Any client you bring here will be a client forever.
Better yet, take a date, Lance Romance, and you can enjoy breakfast together the next day.
rainy friday night, sons farmed out,
Wife says: lets order pizza
Daughter says: lets go out
Husband/ Dad says: Pasta Figo?
Slumming it in flip flops and warm-ups, my girls and me in jeans head down the road, past the reservoir, Huff Road and into the parking lot. Tacos (del sol), fried chicken (JCT), or Pasta (figo). We get in the too-long line at Figo, and I say to my girls "can I go look at the bar at Bacchanalia and see if we could sneak in?" Wife shocks me with a yeah - go check it out.
Timidly, I tell the hostess at Bacchanalia that my 9 year old daughter and illicitly young wife are feeling underdressed and the hostess says "we have no dress code and we could seat you at the bar where you could order ala carte, sure!" (note** A LA CARTE - AT THE BAR not price fixed!)
Well, fella's, I'm no ladies man but put me at the bar at Bacchanalia with the two most important ladies in my life, and I'm now their hero. What a great two hour meal! Wonderful!!!
I have been dining at Bacchanalia since they were in their original location in an old house on Piedmont Rd. Even then, before I became a full blown foodie, I realized that I was experiencing something really special.
Today, they've really paved the way for fine dining here in-town and Anne * Cliff have done it their way. Bacchanalia may be the oldest of their concepts but its still relevant and valuable to the scene both in Atlanta and nationally.
So what about the food? Everything I have ever consumed at Bacchanalia has been wonderful to incredible. The old standbys - the crab fritter and the chocolate cake - have been on the menu for years for a reason. The crab fritter may be one of the best dishes in town, still to this day. There is a modern-ness and simplicity in the dishes while having complexity in flavor. They have special skills with roasting vegetables - the roasted beets and goat cheese is always killer here. The cheese course is always beyond words. Fish is cooked with a gentle and skilled hand. Desserts are not overpowering and not cloyingly sweet - try a souffle if they have one on the menu that day.
Service is always spectacular here - it's trumped only by the service downstairs at Quinones, which is on steroids. Plates are brought and cleared seamlessly. Water glasses are never empty. Courses don't run over each other.
It's perfect.
Unfortunately I've got to take a star away from this Atlanta institution. We only go around Valentine's Day and for the past 3 years the menu's been pretty much the same. It just feels as if the kitchen is no longer as inspired as it used to be. For the first time, this visit didn't feel worth the price. It's still a good experience for someone who's never been, but we won't be rushing back.
Unlike a lot of other high priced restaurants in Atlanta, you actually feel like the money was well… Read more »
OK it just does not get any better then this. and for those of you who think its expensive.. try Joel or ECCO or Seegers ( would that it was still here) or the likes of them .. yeah you will save your self $20-$30 but i guarantee you will be back. .they just are not the same.. Or come at lunch time same great food.. one less course $20 less.
This is Clean Simple Food in a clean and simple place, with what has to be the most un EFFECTED SERVICE in town. If after the amuse bush, app, entree, palate cleanser, dessert and cookies your still hungry.Maybe your and OLD COUNTRY BUFFET person.. LOL
There's a reason that this restaurant repeatedly gets voted 'Best of Atlanta'. The food is fantastic and the service is impeccable. Went with my boyfriend for his birthday and had a great overall experience.
The $75 prix-fixe menu includes the appetizer, entree, cheese and contrast, and dessert. It is pretty standard for the chef to send out tastings to the tables. Ours included the pastry puffs, corn chowder, lemon panna cotta with cantaloupe sorbet and pralines, choc chip cookies, lavender truffles, coconut macaroons, and madelines. They were all fabulous, and honestly, by the time dessert came, I couldn't eat anymore.
For appetizers we ordered the crab fritter (great) and the veal sweetbread with chicken, lentils and roasted peaches (good, but not anything exciting).
Entrees: halibut with corn, leeks, and mushrooms (loved it) and the pork loin with pink-eyed peas and grits (the pork loin was more like ham?!, the bacon was fine, and the grits were quite good).
Cheese and contrast: roasted, raw, and beet sorbet with paired cheese (great, unusual) and Comte St. Antoine (light, good)
Dessert: Chocolate Cake with mint ice cream (more like a molten chocolate cake-I'm not complaining and great ice cream) and the corn cake with basil gelato and tomato marmalade (actually a good combination)
And to top it all off they brought out an adorable raspberry filled cupcake with cream cheese icing and blueberries on top...and a candle for the birthday celebration.
Lovely dining experience.
The food at Bacchanalia is some of the best in town. You really can't pick anything on their Prix Fixe menu that would be a disappointment. The vegetables come from their local farm and are scrumptious - as good as it gets!
Here is a great secret about Bacchanalia - go sit at the bar and order a la carte! This would be a great option for a summer evening when it feels too hot for several courses. Plus, you will still be served the all the little "gifts from the chef". Amazing!
Neighborhood: Westside / Home Park
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: Steakhouses
Atlanta, GA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: Sushi Bars
College Park, GA
Category: British
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