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Café Lily
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean
308 W Ponce De Leon AveSte B
Decatur, GA 30030
Neighborhood: Decatur
(404) 371-9119
- Nearest Transit:
-
Decatur
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Wed 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Thu-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 3 pm
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
82 reviews for Café Lily
Review Highlights
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"The pescado relleno was crab-stuffed tilapia, perfectly..." In 4 reviews -
"The crab cake was excellent." In 5 reviews
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"...more partial to their Gambas al Ajillo appetizer (shrimp in..." In 3 reviews
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82 reviews in English
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Review from David O.
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great experience at Cafe Lily for Valentine's night. I tried getting into four other restaurants first, but they were all booked. I came across Cafe Lily on this site under a romantic search and it caught my attention. The website shares the wonderful story of Cafe Lily and I decided this is where I wanted to bring my girlfriend. I called ahead last week to make reservations and they were able to accommodate me. The decor is very romantic and Lesley was really impressed. I'm very pleased with my experience at Cafe Lily.
Katie was our main server and her service and attention was perfect, but you could tell she worked with a very competent team. Everyone that came by the table was personable and high quality team members.
We ordered:
- Bread and Olive Oil: Great bread. Very soft and had a hint of charcoal taste. Be careful not to fill up on the bread and miss some of the other great dishes.
- Glass of Le Cengle Rose: Lesley wanted to try this French wine. I am a wine novice, so I can't explain much except my impression. I liked it (understatement of the year so far). It was light and had an excellent flavor. I would get this again.
- Glass of Forrester Chenin Blanc: I chose this South African wine and it was dry with a slight citrus taste. I loved this and would order it again.
- Horiatiki Salata: This was a traditional Greek salad. It had tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, several types of olives and I think it was feta cheese. There may have been an olive oil on it as well. It was great. I didn't like one of the types of olives, but the salad as a whole was good and I would order again.
- Hot Mezze Platter: This was excellent. The platter had three main items on it with pita bread, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and two sauces. The spanokopita was delicious. The pastry potion was light and crispy and it contrasted well with the spinach and cheese. The falafel were excellent. Very temperature hot when served, but really tasty. The kabobs were unique to me. They had a distinct cinnamon taste. The pine nuts added to the flavor. One note about the hot sauce served with this platter. While I use much hot sauce at many local Mediterranean restaurants, this hot sauce caught my attention quick. It registered in my mind as a fiery lemon flavor like a cross between habanero and a tart lemon. I can't say that was it, but it was intense and I think I'll try it again when I return. I would order this platter again.
- Calamari: My favorite dish was the calamari. It was not breaded, which was refreshing because most places serve it breaded with marinara sauce. This was cooked in maybe a wine sauce and the server squeezed a lemon at our table. That was creative because it hit more of our senses because we could smell the lemon as well as taste it. It was cooked to perfection. I would order this again.
- Lemon Sponge Custard: This was ok. The first bite was great, but after four bites, I was content with not finishing it. They did such a great job preparing it that I'm not sure if I was just full or if I just wasn't into it. I wouldn't order again, but would recommend you try it if you like lemon custard.
- Bread Pudding: Before I review this, I want to make a disclaimer that I don't like bread pudding. Lesley wanted to order it and I had a bite. Honestly I didn't like it. I ate some of the ice cream with bourbon and caramel sauce. I don't know how it compares to most bread pudding, but I wouldn't order it for myself. With the quality of the other dishes, I would say that if you like bread pudding you should try it.
As we left, the hostess gave Lesley a rose. Nice touch.
I would go back. -
Review from Sharon M.
Atlanta, GA
5/20/2012
I ate here for brunch and can't really saw I was amazed with anything. Upon getting our table, my dude was told to take off his hat. He was a bit perturbed because he didn't need anyone telling him that. So dealing with the wake of that mini-blow up kinda threw off the meal. The food we ordered was nothing to write home about. It was a little bland, but I'm not sure if I just was disinterested in it because of all the previous hooplah. Anyway, I will probably go back, but next time it will be with my girlfriends.
Btw, the parking is not too convenient either. -
Review from Franklin C.
Atlanta, GA
After a hectic search for parking, I managed to meet my friend at Café Lily for lunch on a Friday afternoon. While the meal was good, it lands more on "A-Ok" than "Yay! I'm a fan!"
We started with the Mezze Platter which came with an assortment of goods. The things I enjoyed most were the hummus, taramasalata, and the dolmas. That said though, the dish only came with about 6 small slices of pita bread. Shared between two people, that's only 3 slices of pita bread per person. I'm not sure how you're supposed to enjoy a whole plate of hummus and taramasalata with so little pita bread to work with. It didn't help that there wasn't any bread and butter for the table.
For my entrée, I had the Greek Steak Sandwich. While the sandwich was fine, a few things did bother me. First, the sandwich was very oily and left grease stains on the plate. Second, the fries that the sandwich was served with were very salty, which was annoying since the sandwich itself was already on the salty side.
My friend had the 'PLP' sandwich; that's "Pancetta, Lattuga, e Pomodoro." When asked how her sandwich was, she said: "Okay, okay, you can put this is your review, 'This sandwich was poorly constructed. There is too much bread, and the bread is too flimsy, making it very difficult to eat in a lady-like manner.'" While I thought my friend was sufficiently lady-like, the sandwich did seem a bit unwieldy. In fact, she had to take off the top slice of bread to be able to eat the sandwich with any degree of ease.
Despite these issues, the experience at Café Lily was still a pretty decent one.
I don't regret going to Café Lily. But I won't regret not going back either.Comment from Anthony P. of Café Lily 2/26/2012
Hi there, Franklin! First off, I'm so sorry you didn't have… More » -
Review from Zewditu D.
Atlanta, GA
2/18/2012
First, I will address the parking situation. This is downtown Decatur. It can be a bit tricky to find parking. The restaurant does have some parking on the side- at least they have something. We ended up parking on the street, and since it was after 6pm, parking was free. The rest of our party wasn't so lucky and had to park down in a parking lot blocks away.
A pretty nice atmosphere. A bit on the dark side (hee hee). Something a bit odd was that a chef or manager/owner was chilling out at the bar and looking around the restaurant right by us. It was a bit uncomfortable for me and seemed somewhat unprofessional. I think I am the only one that really noticed that though.
I would not really tout this place as a tapas restaurant as my friend described it to me. Their tapas list includes a bunch of cheeses with some possible add-ons. I didn't want any of the options. Another bummer- my friend ordered a glass of wine from the menu and it turned out that they didn't even have it in stock yet. Then why have it on the menu. That makes no sense.
After recently visiting a Mediterranean restaurant and not having the option of a lamb burger, I was very happy to see one on the menu here. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. Overall, the burger wasn't leveled properly. By the end of the meal, I had a whole bunch of the top bun and just a tidbit of the bottom bun. The burger kept sliding all around as I tried to eat it. And the lamb didn't taste all that great. I did enjoy the sauce that comes with it (which I ordered on the side). I substituted out the fries for some potatoes with feta cheese that were being offered with the special. They were really great and I had to pay $2 extra for them. Since I have never had their fries, I am not sure if that was a wise swap out or not for the price. But they were tasty.
They had a pretty decent dessert list. However, the portion sizes are HUGE and no one wanted to share. So I didn't get any. Oh well. -
Review from John S.
Alpharetta, GA
5/22/2012
I have been going to Cafe Lily for years for special occasions (I live about an hour away). Always have a great time. The foor is amazing and the atmosphere is great.
Highly recommend giving them a try! -
Review from Jack R.
Decatur, GA
5/4/2012
Cafe Lily was one of the first tablecloth joints in Decatur, even before Watershed hit the burg. I work in Decatur and tend to look elsewhere for dinner, but I eat a buttload of lunches here. Cafe Lily is a great choice for a business lunch. The noise level is acceptable, the service is excellent and unobtrusive, and the food is consistently good. The lunch specials (half sandwich with salad or soup) is possibly the biggest bargain in Decatur. I love the smoked turkey with cranberry relish. My dinner experiences have all been good. It may not have the sizzle of Cakes & Ale or No. 246, but it does what it sets out to do.
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Review from Liz T.
Atlanta, GA
3/29/2012
Great non-chain restaurant with fresh food. Lucky to get one of the few parking spots in front. A bit expensive, but for Decatur square where they clean up crumbs between courses, I would say price is right and they give ample portions. Had a great time for my birthday dinner. Staff was attentive and personable. Offered me with a birthday dessert, but then charged us for it-- but did remove when we inquired. Overall, a good experience.
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Review from Kathleen M.
Atlanta, GA
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I met the lovely Pam A here for a romantical Saturday night date and I definitely left a fan. They were pretty empty, so I hope that business picks up as it'd be a shame to lose this place: it is delish!
The decor is a bit cheesy and outdated: think blue christmas lights along the ceiling and silk flowers, but it strangely adds to the charm. The menu has great range, and I had a hard time deciding on just one thing: thank goodness for 1/2 orders of pasta! Some of the options definitely aren't season-driven, for example the classic Fall dish of butternut squash and sage ravioli on a menu in mid-July.
No matter, I chose the insalata griglia and the spinach ravioli. The salad was artfully presented: a grilled heart of Romaine with a red pepper and caper salsa scattered on top. Plus goat cheese: you can't go wrong with goat cheese. It was light and flavorful. After finishing the salad I was informed that they were out of spinach for my ravioli, and asked if I'd be okay with subbing in arugula. It's a little strange to run out of a relatively basic ingredient, but the arugula was a fine replacement, although I'm sure I would have preferred the original. Still, the pasta was delicious and well made.
Our server was lovely and the entire meal was quite well-priced: the half order of pasta was about $10 and was plenty on it's own. Decatur has some serious competition when it comes to fantastic restaurants, but Cafe Lily has that neighborhood charm and holds it's own. It's certainly no No. 246, but you'll have a great meal in comfortable surroundings, and sometimes that's all it takes.Listed in: Decatur., Lotsa Pasta!
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Review from Sara R.
Atlanta, GA
7/24/2011
First time here and really enjoyed it. Our server (didn't share his name) was great. He let us chat, didn't rush us but seemed to know exactly when to come over and check in.
The food is yummy. My only issue is a little too too much on the garlic. It's in every dish so it kinda builds up on you. Large portions on the appetizers. My friend and I shared the mezza cold appetizer. The hummus was good, not finely ground which I'm used to but tasty. the grilled eggplant was delicious but sitting in cloves of garlic. Stuffed grape leaves were good but never a fav of mine anywhere. It was definitely enough to share.
For entree I had the appetizer mussels. They were delicious. Again a little too much garlic but good nonetheless. I had them in the spicy red sauce. Not too spicy on the mussels and the red pepper really came out when you dunked the bread (one of the best parts). The grilled, hot bread is fabo. Made "dunking" perfect.
Overall it was a pleasant dining experience. Not loud so you could actually talk. Definitely going back. -
Review from Joshua P.
Atlanta, GA
1/14/2012
I always leave happy.
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Review from Keith A.
Decatur, GA
5/5/2011
I usually don't write reviews on the first visit. Tonight, we make an exception because I've lived in the downtown Decatur area for several years and can only kick myself for not "discovering" this place sooner.
I only wanted a drink, but stayed for some nosh. The "eclectic" Mediterranean menu is just that. You can get caprese salad, gyros, kibbeh and baklava.
Tapas and mezze are the main fare. Hot and cold.
I had:
Insallata all Griglia - grilled heart of romaine with caper and red pepper salsa, fresh oregano, and grilled Gulf shrimp....oh so good. The tangy/tart of the capers and char from the grill are perfect together. I'll dub this a "must have."
The atmosphere of the place is quaint. I'm not sure I've ever used that word before, but it fits. Not too big, not too small. The decor is simple and comfortable. You can sense the family style culture. The place is family owned and run...down to the chef.
Oh, and the open kitchen is the quietest one I've ever experienced. No clattering dishes, no music, no shouted orders, no hustle and bustle to make the dining room realize how much effort the chefs put into each dish. No pretension. Just two guys working flawlessly in unison (as flawlessly as I could see, anyway) to turn out food people will enjoy.
Every diner had a smile on their face. I was one of them.
This is definitely on my return, return list. I'll do a deeper dive into the food next time. -
Review from Quynh N.
Norcross, GA
7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friends kept telling me to try the tiramisu here, so I finally decided to give this restaurant a chance, even though the food never really appealed to me before. I'm so glad I did, because the food is great! I wouldn't say wonderful, because I ordered the Moroccan Jerk Chicken Sandwich, and am I just not used to the Moroccan spices or did my chicken taste burnt and almost bitter?! Getting past the burnt grillmarks, the chicken itself was moist and delicious, large portion, fries were not as crispy as I'd expected, but still had good seasoning.
But I've gotta say, that tiramisu was one of the best tiramisu I've ever had. It was not at all drenched in coffee liquer, but rather had just the right amount in between layers of rich mascarpone cheese, neither bland nor too sweet, and lady fingers just soft and moist enough. It was amazing for me and even better than many higher priced restaurants. Hopefully my next sandwich will be better and I'll overlook this one bad chicken... -
Review from gabriel m.
Decatur, GA
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place rocks! Have been living by it and eating at places around it for years now.
After a 100 mile ride, I needed food post haste and some friends were here eating appies and drinking wine. I told them to get me some carbs stat!
I get there and have some wine waiting. I also see some Baked Kibbeh next to the glass and start getting excited. The Kibbeh was great. Had the right seasoning and wasn't too oily/greasy like some lesser Kibbeh can suffer from.
I then got two pasta dishes for the carbs. One was a fantastic! It was a goat cheese filled ravioli dish that had a really great flavor.
The other was a veggie pasta dish that lacked flavor and, if it had been the only dish ordered, I would be giving Cafe Lily 3 stars and not 4.
I can't wait to go back to give Yelpers more context around what they have to offer. -
Review from Wayne R.
Decatur, GA
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of the best places to eat in downtown Decatur. Always good.
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Review from Thea M.
Buford, GA
3/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm having some really good experiences of late. Cute, little quaint place. First, the Lemon Drop Martini was good and STRONG! Wooh! Then, as a starter, we had the crab cakes. A server walked by, leaned in and said, "you're gonna love it. It's 98% real crab meat." SHE WAS RIGHT! Very tasty.
The meal was also good. Will definitely be back. And next time I'll visit their Tapas Lounge. To be continued... -
Review from Scott H.
Decatur, GA
10/27/2011
Cafe Lily is a charming little place with lots of character. I have been I think three times, and each time for brunch, but the food and the service have been very good each time. Add to that a pretty decent brunch deal for pitchers of mimosas, bloody marys, etc., and you've got yourself a winning combination. Bring a few friends and you won't regret it.
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Review from Jim C.
Atlanta, GA
3/4/2011
My wife and I have been many, many times to this Decatur establishment. Over the years, we have enjoyed many nice, if forgettable, evenings here.
Normally, the service is good to very good (but certainly NOT excellent) due to the what we perceive to be a rather high turn over in wait staff.
For the first time every, my wife bought a Groupon and it was for Cafe Lily in Decatur.
We originally tried to schedule our reservation for Valentine's Day but were turned away since, "we don't accept those on holidays." Who knew? Certainly not the Groupon seller, since that was not stated anywhere on our printout. But, no big deal; I understand, even if the telephone answerer at Cafe Lily was totally incompetent.
To make a long story short (kind of) we scheduled an evening reservation for this evening at 6:30p.
The restaurant was about 60% full when we arrived and we were seated by the window that faces Ponce de Leon Avenue. The first thing we noticed was the physical size of the table. We normally request this window seating, and the tables are usually comfortable, 4-top units. Not tonight; they were those really small, 2-top "cocktail" type tables. When we asked why these tables, we were briskly told it was because of "Groupon."
Say what? And here I am thinking that Groupon is for increasing your exposure and business and for trying to impress first time diners. But then, again, that's just me.
We settled on a nice, but over priced $28 bottle of Italian Red.
Knowing the establishment as we do, we started off with the appetizers: my wife opting for the Ceaser Salad, and me for the "Greek salad (Horiatiki Salata). Both were excellent, and as expected. And, thus ended our expectations.
BTW, the bread was served grilled, Italian style with a dish of olive oil and herbs. No offer of Parmigiana or cracked pepper was made. The amount was small, and we were never offered additional portions.
Our entre consisted of, for my wife: Gambas al Ajillo, which she reported were tasty, well cooked, but a small portion for the price; myself, I ordered the Pasta D'Angelo.
So here's the real deal on the food here: DO NOT, under any circumstances, order any pasta. They do not know how to properly cook pasta. Mine arrive in that state you probably know from home. You know, that time in cooking when you take a strand of pasta from the water and sample it, only to discover that it needs a bit more time to become al dente? Yea, that time. Well this is how my pasta arrived. Also, this dish is said to be "spicy;" well enough, but when a resturant tries to hide the flavor of the ingredents with too much cracked, red pepper, then you know you have a problem.
OK, ok. I didn't complain since I had promised my wife to "enjoy" the evening. In any other circumstances I would have immediately returned this dish. Anyway, we asked that the whole thing be boxed and never a question was asked as to why an entire, completely full plate was being boxed.
Staff turnover is all I can guess.
Homemade Tiramisu is said to be the signature dish for dessert. Who would know? at 7pm on a Friday evening they were out. Really? Seriously????
But, my friends, the fun is only now beginning.
Remember that I mentioned to you that tonight we had a Groupon for the meal? Well, when we first arrived, we told our server that we had a Groupon, and she immediately asked for the certificate, which we gave her.
When the time (thankfully) came for us to ask for the bill, and it was delivered, the Groupon discount had not be deducted. After a VERY LONG WAIT, we pointed this out to the server who said she must've missed it - returned to the register - ran ANOTHER bill - and presented it to us: still without the discount.
For the life of us, we couldn't get her attention, the "manager's" attention, or the attention of the son (owner/chef), whose picture is just below. No one wanted to pay any attention whatsoever to us.
We waited and waited and waited. Finally after 25 minutes of waiting (remember that I promised my wife not to draw any attention to us) our "server" finally stopped by the table asking, "would there be anything else [kinda like, 'I'd sure like to turn over this table, now']. I pointed out to her that she had not YET deducted the Groupon discount and, without a word, she huffed off to accomplish her task. Frankly, I had the distinct impression that she was hoping that earlier on we would just slap in the tip and leave without the discount..
Did I mention that we're not rookies?
Bottom line. this place has gone way down hill. As I mentioned to my wife on the way home, the attitude of the server was/is a direct reflection on the restaurant's management. No once during the evening did the manager or owner drop by our table to inquire how we were enjoying HIS establishment.
Cafe Lily has a good reputation in Decatur, but if they're going down this path in, frankly, not giving a damn what THEIR guests think of them, then, maybe I won't either. -
Review from Jane B.
Decatur, GA
11/3/2010
Cafe Lily is absolutely delicious. I don't think the outside of the restaurant really does it justice because it's intimate and nice inside - a good intimate date place (not for first dates! might be too awkward).
My favorite dish involves large scallops on top of a puff pastry... enough said. -
Review from tony m.
Atlanta, GA
2/19/2012
First of all, the food and service are good at this place, but my experience today was subpar. Went there for Sunday brunch today at 1:30. Ordered an egg dish since it's brunch and egg dishes are 50% of the menu. It was the dish that was my second choice 2 weeks ago when I was there, so I was looking forward to finally having it. They were out of eggs at Sunday Brunch!!!!!!!! There was still 1.5 hours left for brunch. WTF? I ordered something that I didn't really want and asked for ciabatta bread instead of the pita. I was told it was an extra $1. WTF? I don't care about the extra $1, but I ordered and then was told 1/2 the menu was unavailable. What kind of restaurant runs out of eggs at Sunday Brunch. Someone should have run across the street and purchased 3 dozen from CVS.
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Review from Mississippi G.
Decatur, GA
2/15/2012
Fantastic recipes, great service, lovely ambiance. Just love the place!
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Review from Carrie Neal W.
Atlanta, GA
2/14/2009
He knew that I'd never actually had a date on Valentine's Day. And, even though we haven't been dating that long, he made a special point to "officially" ask me out for Valentine's and to elaborate that he wanted to be the first to treat me to a wonderful day AND night out.
Let's just say . . . It pretty much turned out the literal, figurative, any way you wanna put it opposite of wonderful. It was such a bad deal that this girl didn't even want to put on a pretty dress and fabulous shoes and go out to the nice dinner he'd planned. Yes, I'm serious.
But. I went.
And I'm so glad I did!!!
Because when it comes to food, the Boy knows his stuff (ok, I also have to give him extra credit here: he is the first person ever to actually have flowers delivered to me that included my favorite, calla lilies. *Girl Chorus: Awwww*).
I had never been to Cafe Lily and was beyond impressed. Reading all the yelp reviews, I expected to be, but there are so many "good restaurants" in Atlanta that you never know, and going out on Valentine's....
Quick food feedback:
Good crabcake, though I'm not one for the "coating" of breading (the inside is ALL crab) but I did like the interesting garnish of avocado. I mainly focused on that bread everyone else mentioned in their reviews- seriously?! So good!!
The Boy had the mixed seafood dish. He was torn between this and the risotto (which was with asparagus and scallops - yum). He thought it was quite good, but definitely on the rich side, though he particularly enjoyed the puffed pastry thingy in the middle.
I had the Pichitos and was, again (sorry to be redundant), beyond impressed. Delicious, slightly spicy with the famed "spanish spices" despite the salsa verde. I subbed the pan roasted potatoes for the usual sweet potatoes. Between our dinner at Craft last week and at Cafe Lily tonight, my ordering skills have earned me Ordering Veto Power when the Boy and I go out. I like it!
I had a lovely glass of Zinfandel with my lamb, which followed a round of cocktails with our starter.
We shared the tiramisu for dessert, because (shockingly to me), the Boy had never had it. He called it "a little slice of happy," and I simply said it was the best I've ever had, including my semester studying abroad in Rome.
Our server, Gina (sp?!) was delightful, on-point and just all-around great. The pace of the meal and the service was, really, perfect. And the restaurant was full, so it was even more impressive that things flowed seamlessly.
Wonderful place. Excellent food. Superb service. As we walked to the car, we discussed two things - whether it was my lamb or the tiramisu that had somehow salvaged our day, and that while you don't say it about every good restaurant in Atlanta, Cafe Lily is one spot we will definitely return to, even though Decatur isn't our normal neck of the woods.Listed in: Dates 'R Us, Fancy Schmancy, Around The World, Wine Around Atlanta!
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Review from Ferdinand H.
Cleveland, OH
9/12/2008
I'm shocked that I haven't written a review on this place? I've only been... 8 times?!
It's down the street with quite a good selection of mediterranean dishes with a focus on the french and italian parts of La Méditerranée. Down to earth, yet classy, Cafe Lilly brings fine food and a compact, but quality wine selection together with a decent price point and intimate atmosphere.
The food is excellent and in generous portions. The waitstaff has been consistently good, with familiarity of the menu and genuine warmth.
Enjoy your visits to Cafe Lily. I enjoyed all eight of mine! -
Review from Jerman V.
Manhattan, NY
6/15/2009
Take a look at the ratings for this place.
See how nearly everything is 4 or 5 stars? You know what... it's 100% true. I went here today and it was simply amazing. I had a ham soup, a greek sandwich and a double espresso. It was just perfection, I figured that they'd be weak on at least one item - the associates I was with informed me that the soups are always great. I never order soup - but I went for it, even in the 90 degree heat - and it was absolutely worth it.
I will be coming back here whenver I'm in the Decatur area. -
Review from Rebecca P.
Atlanta, GA
12/20/2009
I'm mainly writing this because I feel left out that the chef has personally emailed both my sisters.
I ate at Cafe Lily with my boyfriend and his grandparents one cold evening last January - almost a year ago. I can't quite remember everything that I ate and drank, but I remember how I felt: WONDERFUL. The bartender Caroline (does she still work there?) fixed me a delicious cocktail to enjoy while I waited for my party, as I had arrived early. I can't remember who our waiter was, but it was a good waiter, I remember that. I have to look at the menu online to refresh my memory - We ordered the cold mezze platter, which was a good choice. There was enough for us all to enjoy some of everything, and there was a variety of delicious-tasting things. I remember being kind of indecisive about my entree, and I know we ordered an appetizer of Kibbeh, also, which I believe was recommended. Very good. I ordered the salmon which was also very delicious and I loved the mashed potatoes.
I remember loving the music that was getting played in there. I think it sparked some conversation at our table - hey, it wasn't so loud that we couldn't have a conversation.
That night was just after my birthday, and my bf's grandparents do not miss an opportunity to sing happy birthday in Swedish. They brought out a spectacular dessert - it might have been two desserts, but I know I had the lemon-sponge custard with raspberry sauce. This I will never forget. I think there was a sparkler candle, I felt so special! After the waiters did their birthday presentation, then the grandparents sang their Swedish happy birthday song, which didn't seem to bother anyone. These grandparents also took a long time to leave. I think we were almost the last ones left in the restaurant, but no one made us feel rushed or like they were waiting on us. I mean, they were waiting on us, but not WAITING ON us.
It looks like I'm the sister that likes Cafe Lily the best! I will have to take those two back there sometime soon. -
Review from Jolie B.
8/3/2009
I hate to be the one to rain on the parade but this place didn't quite work for me. It was just one of those dining experiences that makes you feel you wasted your hard-earned money for a 45 minute experience.
It was not an entertaining enough place to dine by yourself and the food was mediocre at best. And I felt the bartender didn't quite know how to tend to someone dining by herself. There should be a class in bartending school for that.
Note to all restaurants: if you see someone dining alone and they are not necessarily taking up a whole table, possible eating at the bar, please let them take their time, do not rush me with the check or with my drink. I could eat this food at home but I choose not to, why, because I want to take in your ambiance, and I cannot do that if you keep rushing me out of here. -
Review from Sean B.
Atlanta, GA
2/18/2011
This was one of the best restaurants I've been to. A clever layout makes the small space seem wide and roomy creating a comfortable atmosphere even when the place is crowded. Very cool decor including wall fountains. Always a plus.
Now to the food:
The food was incredible. I started off with an order of falafel. It was perfectly cooked with a thin, crispy outer shell and a smooth and flavorful center. Good tzaziki and some kind of spicy red paste went great with these, just the right amount of kick.
For an entrée I had the Pinchitos which are "lamb tenderloin rubbed with a special blend of Spanish spices, chargrilled, with sautéed white sweet
potatoes (when available) and fresh green beans, topped with a picante salsa verde and Manchego cheese." This. Was. Amazing. The waiter said it was the best thing on the menu and I think he may have been right. The lamb was cooked to an excellent temperature between medium-rare and medium. I don't usually freak out about potatoes but the potatoes in this dish were off the charts. The picante salsa verde added the perfect amount of spice to balance out the dish. Phenomenal.
For dessert I got to try the lemon sponge custard with rasberry sauce which was rich and delicious and dark chocolate fudge cake which was extremely decadent and delicious.
The food was perfect, service was great, and the atmosphere comfortable. If you have the money you should definitely check this place out. -
Review from Kory R.
Atlanta, GA
11/13/2008
I'll just have to agree with everyone else. The wine list is excellent, as well as every special I've had. The price is good for the quality of food and service. All the servers are very friendly and knowledgeable.
The deserts are great, and they also serve an excellent port wine. -
Review from Stephanie A.
Chamblee, GA
7/10/2010
Full transparency: 90% of my meals here have been for lunch. The lunch specials are a great value and delicious. The meals come out quickly and the service is typically excellent. As mentioned by another reviewer, parking can sometimes be a pain but that would generally go for every restaurant in Decatur so I dont think you can hold it against them.
Overall, Cafe Lilly is a great option compared to other restaurants in the area for value and quality of food. -
Review from garbanzo b.
Newport Beach, CA
12/13/2007
Let me tell you why I love this place? I know the owners via work...and this was one of my last meals in Atlanta before I moved out to the west coast after 5 years in this southern city....
It was fantastic.. i'm a hummus snob, and it was smooth and delicious... we had soup....a fantastic desert...and both of us had tasty vegetarian entrees....
I'm telling you I wish I had gone earlier....please don't miss this!Listed in: Where the Calories are WORTH…
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Review from Katie W.
1/28/2008
I love this place! I recently went for dinner for the first time after only having been here previously for brunch. I recall brunch being very good but dinner was even better. It is a very warm and cozy space, which is all lit up with little lights at night, and with nice tall candles on the tables.
We were a little late for our initial reservation but we had called in advance to warn them of this. When we arrived and gave our name to the hostess, she seemed a little annoyed with us, mumbling something like "You finally made it". I was a little worried at this point but once our server arrived at our table, all my concerns vanished. He was just so positive and happy to be there - I couldn't help but be happy, too.
Once I looked at the entrees on my menu, I was concerned because I immediately saw six or seven things that I really wanted. I knew it would be tough work to whittle down this list. I was further overwhelmed when I flipped the menu over to look at the appetizers. Many of them sounded really good.
Our server returned with our waters and asked us if we had decided on a wine. Several of the wines were looking very interesting to us so he offered to bring us out a few to taste before we decided. He said he could bring us tastes of any of the wines available by the glass so we requested two to try, and he suggested a third which we might enjoy. If course, when we tried them, his choice was our favorite and it definitely was not the most expensive of the three we had tried. Well done!
A daily special was also presented to us to further cloud my decision-making process, but my dining partner was getting that so I wanted something different. Since our server had not steered us wrong with the wine, I asked his advice on choosing an entre and he recommended pescado relleno. We also wanted an appetizer and allowed him to suggest something, which was the crab cake.
The crab cake was excellent. It was one big crab cake with aioli, avocado and orange slices on the side. It was pretty much all crab on the inside without a lot of breading and filler - very flaky and delicious. The aioli was excellent with it, as well. My mouth is watering now as I am thinking about this dish again.
Our entrees were excellent, too. My friend's daily special was a mahi-mahi in an olive and something else sauce which was really tasty. I would have had food envy if my entre had not also been excellent. The pescado relleno was crab-stuffed tilapia, perfectly cooked and smothered in a red pepper sauce which was just slightly spicy but very flavorful. It came with fresh broccoli, too, and that made me feel a little healthy.
Although I was full beyond belief, I still wanted to look at the dessert menu and maybe try something; very excellent choices here, too. Once again we turned to our server for advice and he recommended the lemon sponge custard. Wow, was this good! It was warm, fluffy lemon custard with whipped cream and raspberry sauce on top. It was so good - like lemon meringue pie but fluffy and more custard-y. Excellent!
All in all, this place was excellent. The food and service were both great. I highly recommend Caf Lily as a date place, too - very cozy, dark, nice. -
Review from Bonnie P.
Atlanta, GA
12/18/2009
I ate at Cafe Lily once over a year ago, and it was approximately a 3.5 star experience. I have not written about it until this moment because I am embarrassed at having accidentally eating meat there (I am a pescatarian). You see, we ordered the hot appetizer platter, and there were a number of balls on it that, in the very dim lighting, all looked like falafel (which was one of the things supposed to be on the platter). I ate what I thought was a falafel ball, and it turned out to be "kibbeh," which is defined in a different location on the menu. I have to admit it tasted good, but I definitely had a lot of guilt for it. I take responsibility for not doing what I usually do and being the annoying vegetarian - "what is this? what is this? what is this?" - but the situation could have been avoided if the server had done a little explanation of the platter with presentation.
Other than that half-my-fault error, our server was very professional, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the food was satisfying and enjoyable.
Subtract one half star because I think the attitude of the owner and management is an important part of customer service in general. This day in age, that necessarily includes how an owner reacts to less than stellar reviews on yelp, even those that he or she feels aren't entirely fair. I have been approached several times for some of my negative yelp reviews, and I know that there is a right and a wrong way to do it.
My sister had the tact not to post the owner's condescending response to her recent 3-star review on the talk boards, but she did show it to me (I'm an attorney so I tend to look at these kinds of confrontations when they come to my friends and family). She toned down her review in response to it, likely the right result. But the owner could have accomplished this more easily without having to resort to a snide tone, making her feel bad and risking turning off a local customer and maybe others too.
I wouldn't have avoided Cafe Lily because of my silly meatball incident, but I certainly might if I think the owner will respond in a sarcastic and defensive manner to any criticism (whether it be instantaneous or post-hoc in a yelp review). If I'm going to spend the money and time to go out to a nice expensive-ish restaurant, I want the assurance that I'll be taken care of if something goes wrong. There are actually polite ways to point out to someone that they might have been mistaken, and in any case in customer service, sometimes the better course is a sincere (read: not backhanded) apology regardless of who is to "blame" for the experience. -
Review from Beverly M.
Decatur, GA
1/27/2012
I've visited this restaurant on several occasions and I love it . They also have a great brunch on Sunday. The food is wonderful and so is the service. I would highly recommend this restaurant .
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Review from Rebecca K.
Atlanta, GA
11/21/2007
After our friend's book signing, we went to Cafe Lily on a Sunday night with a party of about 12. My boy met us out. It was quite lovely. We sat in the Moroccan room which was cozy and just quiet enough to make conversation among a large group exciting. We started off with grilled toast with spiced olive oil, followed by their signature mussels which we ordered in a lovely spicy tomato-broth concoction. My boy gets freaked out by mussels...but he actually ate more than one of these!
I had a nice sauvignon blanc since I was eating shellfish and chicken. I should note that I don't usually care for whites, but this one was quite perfect for my food. I think it might have been from New Zealand, but I'm not sure. The boy tried one of their Zins with his lamb dish -- he was in heaven -- Cafe Lily specializes in Zin, his favorite grape, and easily half of their wine list was Zinfandel.
My chicken saltimbocca was great -- juicy, stuffed with proscuitto and fontina, served over a mound of mashed potatoes as big as my head. It looked like I hadn't even put a dent in them when I was done. They were slightly lemony, which was nice with the chicken and the mushroom-wine sauce and kind of surprising given that mashed potatoes are usually just sort of earthy. I also tasted the boy's lamb, which was quite good. It was served with these potatoes that tasted like apples, but I didn't remember reading about apples on the menu, so I went back to the menu as we were paying and noted that they were white sweet potatoes!
The friend who arranged the dinner noted that the reason they wanted to frequent the place is because the restaurant owner is very ill with cancer (in addition to it being yummy). So, go to Cafe Lily the next chance you get!
ETA: The owner died of cancer around Thanksgiving. Definitely keep supporting his vision at Cafe Lily -- the staff that remain are dedicated to his vision! -
Review from Michael W.
Atlanta, GA
1/3/2008
One of the best restaurants in Decatur. Interesting and frequently revised menu, good service, moderate noise level. I dined here last on New Year's Eve 2007, and surprisingly they didn't have a limited menu and they accomodated our group of twelve nicely. Both the pinchitas (lamb tenderloin with Latin pepper sauce) and the bouillabaise were tasty and well-presented, and all twelve diners were happy...
The best thing about Cafe Lily - they have over 25 Zinfandels (my fave) on the wine card! -
Review from Laura H.
Atlanta, GA
3/14/2008
I had lunch here with a co-worker a while back and I've been wanting to return ever since. I had an AMAZING sandwich... it was this one:
Greek Steak Sandwich - Tender slices of beef tenderloin with peppers, onions and fresh oregano, topped with Feta cheese, served with French Fries.
I think I had dreams about it. i remember the salad and bread being great too.
It was a little slow for lunch (I remember her getting scolded upon our return), but it was worth it for a once and a while thing. I'd like to go back for dinner.Listed in: Fine Dining Around Atlanta
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Review from Hayley C.
Atlanta, GA
2/9/2008
I went here for my Dad's wedding rehearsal dinner and it was a PERFECT night! As I was walking out the door at the end of the night, I couldn't stop saying "Thank you" to the workers!
The manager went out of his way from the very beginning to make sure the dinner went smooth and perfect for my Dad (and new Step-Mom!). The servers were amazing and on top of things. From the hummus, to the salad, to the salmon, to the shrimp, to the drinks, to the dessert... My oh my! I could go on forever about the food and drink! Everything was perfect. And it's such a pretty place as well! The ONLY thing I didn't like was the noise. But hey! It was Friday night in downtown Decatur. =)
The next night I thoroughly enjoyed my left-overs in my pj bottoms- curled up on the couch and sorting pictures of my amazing night at Cafe Lily! -
Review from Kristin S.
Western Springs, IL
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Really good! Hummus was delicious. The lamb kebob was great. I just got back from Turkey, eating tons of lamb. Was hesitant to try this, as I normally do not like lamb in the States. This was wonderful. Cooked perfectly!
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Review from Peter Y.
3/30/2008
Was in the neighborhood and decided to duck in here on a particularly chilly Sunday afternoon. A cozy feel permeates throughout this restaurant as you enter.
Ordered the Gyro appetizer. My only gripe is the lamb was more souvlaki style... but very well cooked nonetheless. I love lamb and have come to expect a little gaminess but there was no hint of that in my Gyro.....maybe because I drowned it in the accompanying sauce (oops). Well done Cafe Lily....good service and menu.
This place is a little far from me, but I will definitely come back if I am ever in the neighborhood.
PS - I can see this being a good date place. -
Review from Mary B.
3/22/2010
Did i accidentally go to some bizarro cafe lily where no one cleans the grill? Perhaps there was a taste-bud check by the door? gah!
first of all, every single thing we were served off the grill tasted like charcoal - i've had this experience once before and by my own making - the first warm day of spring and i was so thrilled to fire up my nasty grill that i didn't bother to scrape it down before throwing on the steaks (hey, the extra lighter fluid should have burnt off anything dangerous, right?!) believe me, i know what a dirty grill tastes like. carbon residue can ruin even the best of intentions - like the grilled bread for instance! and the expensive steak! and the lamb burger for that matter!
and while we are on the subject of protein abuse, "medium" lamb burger should not arrive looking like a briquette.
oh and why would you put tart lemon mashed potatoes on the same plate as a super tart tomato onion concoction? there was no balance to the ribeye dish. the piquancy was off the charts - i would not have been able to even taste the steak save the fact that it tasted like a dirty grill! i actually took the steak home and rinsed it in water and used it for bulgogi. everything else we took home and threw in the garbage - which turned out to be a good thing when i saw the number of broken shells in the mussels. what a waste.
the service was excellent and i would like to give an additional star for that but i am completely shocked at how well this place is rated.
never again! -
Review from Bri C.
Tucker, GA
7/11/2009
I had a lunch meeting here a few days ago. I definitely enjoyed the ambiance, and the great wait staff, but wasn't so impressed with the food. I ordered the Mediterranean Jerk Chicken sandwich, and thought it was very hot(!!!!!), tender, but didn't overwhelm me with any jerk flavor. I thought it might help if there was some sauce on the bun.
I'm excited to try other things there, but it just was so-so for me.
