Ecco
Category: Greek and Mediterranean [Edit]
Neighborhood: Midtown40 7th Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308 (404) 347-9555
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 4:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sun 4:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
53 Reviews for Ecco
I've gone to Ecco a couple of times and visited again for their wine dinner this week. I had a drink beforehand in the bar and enjoyed apps in the bar before a very organized and smooth dinner. The service was top notch and choice of wine pairings were excellent. I enjoyed the meal that night and all of my previous visits. I live very close by and hope to keep this in my rotation of great places to eat with excellent service
Ecco is one of those go-to places that *anyone* can go to, find something they'll love to eat, and enjoy the experience. I've sent several people - locals and out of town clients - there and they've all had wonderful experiences.
I love the wine program at Ecco. The option to have glasses, half carafes and quartinos is really nice and allows flexibility in pairing with all of the small plates.
I usually never make it to the entrees at Ecco. We usually nosh on a meat and cheese platter and then supplement with the small plates. The fried goat cheese, the stuffed piquillo peppers, the bruschetta of the day, the squid, the mussels, and the meatballs were all incredible on the last few visits.
Service has always been helpful and on point without being pushy or overbearing. I love the interior as well. Ecco is one of those places that can be anything you make of it - from grabbing a glass of wine in the cozy bar area to a full blown foodie dinner experience.
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I dined at Ecco last week for the first time. What a beautiful interior, the bar is comfortable with several small areas to have a quiet conversation in. I found a good selection of wines and liquors if you chose. The staff is friendly and dressed casually hip. Andy, the GM appeared to visit with several tables which I see as a great touch.
The food was outstanding and I enjoy the style of serving family style. The meat and cheese platter coupled with smaller plates is plenty. We enjoyed the wine and loved the choice of carafe sizes.
If you are looking for an upscale casual dining experience you can not go wrong at Ecco. I will certainly be back.
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After much deliberation, my husband, parents and I visited Ecco to celebrate my birthday last week. The dark lines of the beautiful and chic interior put me at ease with the choice immediately. After a few refreshing sips of Prosecco at the bar we were led to our table. It was nice, but my face betrayed my desire for a booth. My mom and Clark, who understand my selective ways picked up on this and nicely asked our server if it'd be possible to wait for one of the large and beautiful wrap around booths overlooking the dining room. He graciously said yes and thoughtfully checked on us intermittently while we waited and took turns glancing to see if the party closest to leaving a booth had gone.
After a short while we gratefully slid into the booth. Our very kind and knowledgeable waiter quickly assisted us with deciding on amazing appetizers of fried goat cheese, a colorful mix of olives, stuffed Piquillo peppers and bandaged cheddar. The bread served was also perfection. With our server's guidance, my dad selected the Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon for wine (full name known as we were given a handy descriptive card to accompany the decision), which was a very good choice and a delicious change of pace from our typical wine du jour "Two Buck Chuck".
Collectively our entrees encompassed organic hangar steak served with fries, arctic char with fennel, Fettuccine with shrimp and walnuts and finally Penne with fennel sausage and broccoli raab. Overall everything was exceptional and fresh; the spices in the Penne were excellent and the steak was presented and flavored uniquely.
We ordered coffee and relaxed, reflecting on how wonderful Ecco had been to us. Not realizing we hadn't yet been shown a dessert menu, a hazelnut torte with chocolate sauce and ice cream topped with a solitary lit candle was subtly placed in front of me. It was delicious and a sweet ending to a great evening.
Unparalleled service and overall experience surpassed all I've had in Atlanta thus far. Cheers to Ecco for helping make my birthday unforgettable!
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Abundant with niceness, these people were.
From the moment we walked in the door, everyone was just exceedingly friendly! Are they pumping nitrous oxide into the AC over there or something? It was great.
We went around 9 PM or so on Saturday night, after attending a friend's birthday function at Artistry up the street. We must have gotten lucky, it was pretty busy, but we managed to snag a table with no wait.
Having munched on apps before, we weren't overly hungry, so the starters and small plates looked great! We split the oak grilled asparagus (amazing), arugula salad (I didn't notice the prosciutto that came on it though, oops) and the artichoke and goat cheese pizza.
All the food really was outstanding. The only hiccup was they brought us the wrong pizza, but they quickly replaced it with the one we ordered. Alas, both of them ended up on the bill, but our waitress was able to correct that as well.
This is definitely someplace I'll be visiting again when I'm more hungry, because there is a LOT more I want to try!
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Ecco ranks as one of my favorite dining experiences in Atlanta. The food is always spot on, and they have a decent selection of lower priced meals so you don't have to break the bank eating there (though you easily could do so). The servers and very well informed, and the quality of the food is great. In fact, I went there once and they told me they were temporarily dropping the rabbit pasta (phenomenal, by the way) from the menu because the chef wasn't satisfied with the quality of rabbit he was receiving.
Atlanta is the home of the $10 martini, and Ecco is no exception. At least Ecco gets their martinis right. They taste great and pack a mean punch. Those drinks have you forgetting about your crappy workday quickly!
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Bar is totally a "CHEERS" atmosphere. Always packed, good crowd. GREAT bartenders, lots of personality, love the service. Management and staff are awersome. Food is great. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing out......
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I finally went to Ecco on Sunday night. The decor is stylish and comfortable. We sat at one of the booths near the bar and the leather was buttery and so very comfortable.
Ecco has a wonderful selection of wine and I love that their menu is so flexible that you can do a bunch of delightful small plates or partake in a delectable sounding entree.
We opted for the mussels, grilled squid and the shrimp. Everything was extremely delicious. The squid were tender and had a smoky flavor from the grill. They were topped off with an olive tapenade which was really good and complimented the smoky flavor well. Luckily, my friend despises olives so I basically had the squid to myself. : -)
It was a great experience. I look forward to going back and sitting on the patio when the weather gets warmer.
As an aside, I can't remember what occupied that building years before Ecco. It was once a club but I'm blanking on the name and it is driving me up a wall
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This place was absolutely delicious! This has got to be my first or one of my only 5-star reviews.
I ate here during Midtown Restaurant Week, so I did have only the fixed menu to chose from, but that was more than enough to delight and inspire. I still dream about the heavenly fried goat cheese with honey drizzled on top.
I had a homemade pasta dish that was honestly the best pasta I can remember having. And I've been to Italy. The wine list (and the bar up front) was phenomenal and I love how they give you a little information card to remember and read about the bottle you order.
The service was great - and we weren't treated with any snobbery when we asked for the fixed menu.
This place was an excellent, excellent date spot and the groups around us looked to be enjoying it just as much. I can't wait to go back.
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I was a big fan of Ecco... until our last meal there. Now I'm a reluctant, doubting fan. I've heard other downhill stories from other folks, and I hope they can bounce back to form. The fried goat cheese with honey and pepper is still one of the best things you can put in your mouth anywhere, and the gorgonzola and burnt honey ice cream is a brilliant pairing (though there weren't enough chunks of gorgonzola last time we were there). I love the cheese and salumi selections, and the eclectic wine list as well. Here's hoping Ecco can swing back up to a consistent four star.
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ON POINT - Design, Drinks and Diverse Food - Five Stars!
Bill Johnson has done a great job turning this old fencing studio into a swank bar that is inviting for a suit or a jeans going guest. The bar is comfortable and large with a great view of the dining room. I love the Mediterranean pictures that adorn the walls and the silver contemporary gear chandeliers bring the modern element to this European feeling restaurant.
GOAT CHEESE _ GOAT CHEESE _ GOAT CHEESE
I am in love with their cheese! The combination of fresh fried goat cheese served with local honey and large ground peppercorns is the perfect combination. I started with one as an appetizer and continued to finish my meal with one for dessert. They are so so incredibly good - you have to make a stop in to ECCO for a round or two!
For dinner the hand made papardelle with braised pork was tender and flavorful. Approachable portion size, lacked a little sauce but made up for it with the generous portion of pork. Tried a bit of the duck they added to the menu - WOW flaky, juicy and flavorful.
Incredible wine and cocktail list! Sy, their beverage manager knows how to put together a diverse wine list and keep it innovative and continually updated. The friendliest bartenders in town. Eric will pour the right drink for you whether it is a basil infused Long Live the Queen or a flavorful and spicy glass of Tres Picos. After starting with those two drinks moved onto a bottle of Mara Zinfandel - spicy, jammy and well balanced.
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This is what I'm talking about. Beautiful surroundings, good people, and a great food and drink menu. This is one of those places where you can't help but have a good time.
I had the "Long Live the Queen" martini, which was very tasty. I didn't order any food but, tasted a friend's artichoke pizza. Delish!! I'll definitely make another trip in town to enjoy this place.
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I had the pleasure of hosting an event at Ecco on Monday evening. Service: top-notch, Food: incredible and Atmosphere: Warm, cozy and elegant at the same time. I had no idea it would be as busy (in a good way) on a Monday night (even aside from the group I brought). I really enjoyed the mussels and the fried goat cheese was incredible (mmmmmmm).
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It's been over a year since I have eaten here, but I went tonight for the Yelp gathering and had a good time. It was only for drinks (liquid diet) and I had a fun time seeing new faces and meeting new people. Everyone in the Yelp group was friendly and welcoming.
From what I remember of the food, it was top notch... Then again, me being twenty-ten, maybe my mind is failing me now... who knows.
The drinks, though well appreciated, seemed a little expensive for what they were... The Local, my favorite watering hole, has the same for 3/5's the price... then again, the ambiance is a little different. Nonetheless, I remember it being a nice place to dine (last year for Valentine's) and worth the visit and valet.
I would of course have to recommend you visit Food Studio first, a restaurant of the same group.
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Warm atmosphere, nice people, good feel and late kitchen. I've always had a good experience with Ecco. Food is always on point. Drink list, on point. Mature, casual crowd there to do their own thing, not pretentious at all. Table dining or dining at the bar are equally accomodating experiences.
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Love this place! My fiance and I had our first date here and this is where he proposed...not on our first date of course, that would be wierd! So, even if the food tasted like poo-poo I would still love it. Fortunately, the food does not taste like poo-poo; it's quite good actually. We like the mussels for an app and typically order a variety of meats, cheeses, and olives for dinner. They have a tremendous wine selection and the servers are very knowledgeable about wine in general. We're never disappointed with their recommendations.
We prefer to go during the week as Friday night generally attracts happy hour folks (which is fine); it can get loud and rambunctious in the bar very quickly. Speaking of, I think the best seat in the house is in the bar (not at the bar) - on the banquette.
The decor is simultaneously earthy and modern - very soothing and clean.
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Ecco was possibly one of the best and funnest dining experiences I have had in a long time. The bartender was plying us with drinks the minute we arrived. I had 14 clients reserved for the night and we all had a ball (the 12 bottles of wine didn't hurt either).
We started with the most insanely delicious goat cheese ball coated in a honey glaze and deep fried. Out of this world. The pork and beef meatballs with saffron sauce were excellent as were the manchego cheese stuffed red peppers (They warned me they were spicy- not at all, but we're from Texas). Our waitress Liz was a spunky, well informed 21 year old spitfire who worked that table like a true professional. Her service and training were impeccable.
I had perfectly grilled Atlantic char served on creamed parsnips ( at least i think that's what it was, either way it was fab) with an arugula and micro greens side that was tossed in a pickled vinaigrette which was heavenly. Several of my clients had the organic New york strip served with sweet potato hash and a reduction sauce. One of my clients who had been a cattle rancher for 25 years said that was hands down the finest steak he had ever eaten in his life. THAT is a compliment my friends as this guy knows his steak! Everyone at our table left raving about their food. If in Atlanta, give Ecco a try- you won't be disappointed.
UPDATE!!!! I received a handwritten thank you note from our server Lizz. Now THAT my friends is good service. How do we get her down to Austin???
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As the 28th reviewer of Ecco, I really don't have much additional insight beyond what can be found in the other 27 reviews. But I do want to add another 4 star or higher review here to continue to solidify the opinion that Ecco belongs among the truly worthwhile restaurants in Atlanta. Service is very good, informative and not the least bit pretentious. Menu items (at least the ones I've had) are executed well. Excellent wine selection. Artisan meats and cheeses really should be more widely available in restaurants of this quality, and I thank Ecco for leading the way.
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I've had a lot to drink for only 4:00 in the afternoon, so I'm going to tell this story the way it really happened - not the way I tell people it happened...
A year ago today I reserved a table at Ecco for my best friend's birthday. I'd been working in Atlanta that week and my friend and his new boyfriend and several other friends were coming to Atlanta to celebrate. I was so not in the mood to party and just wanted to check the box and go to bed. On top of that, one of the friends was someone I'd *met* a year prior and couldn't remember a thing about him. Can you say "awkward"....
I've eaten at Ecco several times and, in the interest of this being an actual review, let me say - great food, great atmostphere, great wine - love that thing they do with the cards so you remember what you drank. Goat cheese and honey is great, stuffed peppers are great, wine list is great, valet is great. That said, dinner company was oh so very not good (I found myself sitting across from a girl who idolizes Nancy Grace - I kept waiting for the punchline - there wasn't one) and was greatful that best friend's new boyfriend was, um, not sleepy.
Anyway, I'm wondering how to handle the long lost *oh yeah, I remember you* when he suddenly shows up. Only empty seat (how did that happen???) is next to me. I pour him a glass of wine, we start talking and, hmm - this is strange - I'm not trying to count my eyelashes anymore. Long story being brought to an abrupt end - 12 months and 2000 miles later, we haven't been apart since the moment he sat down a year ago today. Love this restaurant.
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Ecco was a great experience from beginning to end. It had the vibe of a great Manhattan restaurant and it made me wonder why I don't try new restaurants more often. We arrived a few minutes before our reservations and when I saw how crowded the bar was, I hesitated before proceeding in. But the second my husband and I literally squeezed up to the bar, a bartender saw us and promptly took our drink order. I've never had service so fast at such a crowed bar. We stumbled across a couple of empty seats and were more than happy to drink our perfectly made gin martinis.
Once seated, our waitress was quickly at our table seeing if we needed our drinks refilled. She gave wonderful suggestions for what to try on the menu and everything she suggested we loved.
I feel myself using a lot of saccharine words to write this review but I have to say my first impression of this place left me feeling excited to go again. It really was one of the most pleasurable dining experiences I've had in a long time. It was crowded and to some, it might have been a bit loud. But for me, that just made me feel like I actually live in a big city!
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As you become a more frequent Yelper, you start to take note of things about your meal or the restaurant that you probably wouldn't have given much thought before. Details about the decor, names of specific menu items, descriptions of the flavors.So as I was eating dinner at Ecco last night I was trying to make mental notes to share with you, but everything was so overwhelmingly good I know I won't be able to describe it in the detail it deserves.
I was thrilled when Ecco came to the neighborhood a year and a half ago. At the very least, it would put a legitimate business in a derelict building on a corner that was the domain of loiterers and the homeless. Evidently much more was in the cards as Ecco has become one of the top restaurants in the city.
The space is a nice mixture of loft-y and cozy, clean yet charming, full but not cramped, hip yet warm. The service is top notch. The wine list is excellent (how I wish i could remember the names of some of the wines I've had). The food delicious.
I made a reservation for my girlfriend, my mom & dad and myself for a pre-theater meal last night. I made the reservation on OpenTable.com and noted that we were going to the theater and would need to be wrapped up by 7:30. After being seated our waiter, Brent, stopped by the table and acknowledged our timeline and proceeded to handle our table in a friendly, yet efficient manner. He walked us through the menu with expertise and made a few excellent suggestions.
We started with a meat and cheese plate consisting of Prosciutto di Parma, a Gouda and a Castelinhos. The prosciutto was tasty and lean, but the cheeses were the star. The gouda was firm with a bit of a crunch to it and a nice smooth, yet rich flavor. The Castelinhos was a surprise hit - a creamy cheese that's taste grew as you ate it into a full flavor.
For my entree, I ordered 2 of the shared plates (not intending to share very much!) the fried goat cheese balls and the beef and pork meatballs. As described by our waiter, the meatballs were a nice mixture of beef and pork in a saffron and almond sauce that finished with a warm and lingering spice. The fried goat cheese balls were decadent. The whipped cream-like goat cheese filling was rich and pungent in a lightly fried coating topped with sweet honey and some crushed black pepper. I can't adequately describe the flavor, but if you like goat cheese, these are a must try. Both of my dishes were so full of flavor, that I think they are better as shared plates to be able to diversify during the meal. My father had the lamb burger, which he loved, while my mother and girlfriend shared the Arancini (risotto balls), asparagus and a pizza. Every item was great. Our server promptly brought our bill to get us off to the show on time.
Ecco is truly one of the best establishments in Atlanta - the food, the service and the ambiance are all excellent and if you just want some apps and a glass of wine, the bar also has a great atmosphere. I have no hesitation of giving Ecco 5 stars.
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Ecco's the perfect place to eat at the bar. Start off with a bottle of great wine. The bartenders are always eager to suggest a good variety. A couple of goat cheese balls, a sampling of the bruschetta of the day and a little meat and cheese selection and there's just about room to split an entre. This restaurant has more style than One, Two and Three combined (if you know what I mean) and I've never walked out slightly disappointed.
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Like most Yelpers I am now a huge fan of Ecco. Went last night and had an amazing meal. The space is chill and inviting and the food was beyond delish (NOT a Rachel Ray comment, I can't stand her and would never want to emulate her). Our server Mindy was spot-on, even though there were loooooong lags between the appetizers and the entrees that had our table of six wondering how long it would be before we could eat.
Highly recommended!
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With so many reviews I doubt I have anything new to add but here goes...
Beautiful space to have a snack in. I didn't eat in the dining room but folks looked happy there. The bar was a madhouse on a Friday night by 8pm. Our server was slammed but made every effort to remember our order and got it right. Yummy wines by the glass. My first taste of pork bellies - um, yum! The cheese and meat tasting menu looked really great but they were out of two of the cheeses we wanted to try so we got stuck with a pretty basic parm. Pricing is fair for portions and they are perfect to share.
The bathroom situation is a little nuts. Plenty of room to stand in line for one of the three private bathrooms. I had a good conversation with a nice lady while waiting but some shiny shoed greasy guy faked charm and cut in line in front of her. I'd go back earlier in the evening next time to get a spot at the bar for tapas.
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I really (REALLY) like Ecco, and I'm not one of these gets dressed up to go to a slick restaurant for a fancy dinner type guys. That said, on my last visit to Ecco I felt a little under dressed - in jeans and a polo. But, I think that I was the only person bothered by it. Ecco's atmosphere is sleek and sophisticated, and there alway seem a lot of pretty people milling around.
I should also mention that I've never done Ecco for a proper dinner - we've always gone for the small plates and tasting menus. The meats and cheeses, which are $4/per selection are super-high quality and always make an appearance at our table. We usually get the same 5: speck, bresaola, prosciutto, ribiola, and gorgonzola dolce. You can't go wrong with these. But, if you can't make up your mind, the servers will be there to give you a hand.
The taste & share menu is equally as impressive, the baby eggplant is a favorite too. One word of caution, it's easy to get a little carried away with the dining experience. So, the bill often starts inching up. But, it was fun dining experience so it all balances out.
There's a late night menu that includes the small plates for slightly less cash. So, it might be worth a stop on the way home from the bars.
They have an extensive, yet reasonably priced, wine & beer list and they pour their gin & tonics strong. Both plusses in my book
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Ecco is my new favorite place to be fabulous and gluttonous--le oink, le oink!
Our server's suggestions were spot on. Her name was Mindy and she was fantastic from start to finish.
We began with a meat and cheese plate--prosciutto di parma, toscano, cabrales, robiola 3 milks and parmigiano-reggiano. I'm not a fan of soft cheese but even I had to admit the cabrales was amazing. The prosciutto and toscano met their untimely demise rather quickly.
For the appetizer several of my friends ordered the oak grilled asparagus with marinated tomato salad. It was smokey oaky perfect! Others tried the sweet gem lettuce, pomegranate, roasted squash and toasted hazelnut salad, which I found to be nothing special. I had the fried goat cheese with honey and coarsely ground pepper (and proceeded to have an orgasm!). My friends repeatedly cast envious glances after I gave them each a taste.
For the main course most of us ordered the roast organic chicken with lentils, arugula and muscadine vincotto. We were all very happy with this dish but it was far too much food--we each left with a box full of leftovers. One person ordered a pizza--the piece I had was a little salty.
For dessert I had the chocolate torte. Everyone else had the olive oil cake (served w/ orange marmalade and rosemary ice cream). I'm glad I ordered the torte but I did have a twinge of rosemary ice cream envy. It was a unique and refreshing combination of flavors.
While Ecco has a very nice wine list, the by the glass selections are somewhat limited. I forget what I ordered--it was French, white, very good. I also had a sip of a specialty drink -- a vodka cocktail with fruit juices and ginger. It was the best drink I've ever tasted.
I can't wait to go back to Ecco! The entire experience--atmosphere, drink, food, service--was above and beyond my expectations. It was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Atlanta.
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I find myself at a loss with my Ecco experience. I am always one to like the trendy new eateries around town and I was very excited about this one. The place looks amazing and it is not too loud. We were there at 8:30 on a Friday night and the noise was non-existent which is highly unusual for Atlanta trendy restaurants.
The service was excellent. The waiter was extremely helpful and he made sure our carb intake was met with bread and olives. He was extremely knowledgeable about the wine selection as well.
The side items were not very good. I had a beet salad that was salted to death, we had the meatballs with veal which were a little on the bland side and we had a salad with pomegranates which was amazing.
Our entrees were the highlight of the meal. I had the strip steak which was great and Jeff had the pork pasta plate which was amazing. A little on the sweet side but it was still incredible.
Overall, this place gets an "A" for the entrees and a "C-" for the side items. Atmosphere and service were, indeed, great.
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Long Live the Queen. It's a drink. Order it!
Yes, Ecco is one of my clients and I go there all the time and I totally love it. But I haven't yelped about it because others have done a fine job of singing its praises. But y'all. You gotta try this drink. The bartender Seth just won best mixologist IN THE US by GQ magazine and Bombay Saphire for this drink! And I don't even like gin. It's got wacky stuff like elderberry flowers in it - whatever that is. But it's not sweet at all. It's fresh, crisp, delicious. I had an insane day yesterday and couldn't wait to have a glass of wine. But I remembered about this drink winning that award so I said hey, I should try it. Let's just say one was not enough. I highly recommend it!!
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The Creme de la Creme of restaurants I've been able to find in Atlanta so far. The menu is pseudo-tapas, most times I have not been able to get past the appetizers before I have to let the belt out. The few times I have gotten an entree it has been passed around the table and everyone had a bite (or 3 or 4).
This place is a MUST GO destination for Foodies, (and your out of town FOODIE friends).
The wine selection is impressive, and can even be intimidating, but the times I've had the waitstaff recommend something, I've never been disappointed.
If you're going, order the mussels, (even if your not really a fan of them at other places). They are cooked in a garlic, and tomato sauce, and they are wonderful. The other thing to check out is the fried goat cheese with honey. It is a revelation. That's the only way to describe it. I've never had anything like that in my fairly extensive food life.
Looking for a plan of attack for Ecco? Get a group of friends together, sit down order a bottle of wine, and start with meats/cheeses and the appetizers, keep ordering appetizers and you won't even get to the entrees before your stuffed...BUT
save room for dessert!
Trust me when I say this, (actually this is the Internet so you probably won't trust anything I say, but damnit!).
Save room for dessert. They make an olive oil cake with black pepper ice cream and blood orange marmalade....Yes you read that correctly, and it's a dessert.
and it's REALLY REALLY Good.
a totally unique taste that I've never had before.
So in closing, if your looking for a unique dining experience with new tastes, check out Ecco.
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Silly Little me.. being newly relocated, I very much depend on my GPS.. Like Jason K.. says, I'd be the one that would drive on the train tracks, because my GPS said it was the correct direction. Well the thing is, coming to Ecco was alittle of an adventure.. The address is 40 7th St NE.. (if you forget the NE part you are screwed).. I ended up on exit 239 A, passing but Fulton Medical Center, and into a neighborhood that was not very safe.. in the middle of the NIGHT have you! Well Anyhow thanks to my Wonderful friend E.. I got the number of Ecco and finally was on my way .. 15 minutes later, and speeding like mad, I made it... (so total trip was 35 min, should have been 15 min) but it's a learning experience..
So Like All Happy Hours, the friendly Yelpers were a treat to see.. though Ecco is a bit pricey on the drinks, and if all happy hours were this pricey, I would be in trouble..the drinks were yummy, and you can taste the alcohol, get a good buzz, and still look classy doing it.. JUST HOW I LIKE IT.. it doesn't hurt that the bartenders were cute, and such sweeties. The place is quite charming, in a Yuppie kind of way.. it's chic, and the way the place is lit, it's very romantic..Would be a great place to take someone you really like. I had the Margarita which had blood orange, to be honest it didn't taste like a margarita. Long live the Queen drink , tasted more like a margarita or a mojito.. Definitely a fun place would definitely come again and bring out of towners.. Nice enough to bring just anyone that you care about.. it's classy enough for the parents, romantic enough for your companion, and fun enough for your friends.. and they have Valet Parking.. Wahooo..
Oh also the folks who worked there, are awesome at giving directions, and very gracious about telling your party you are lost, and are coming late..Kudos for personal service..
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Where I am from....there is a term called "Get your weight up", which basically means step up your game....well, i went to Ecco based on recommendations by a few yelpers...and as much as I love yall, i am going to have to start asking a few ppl to "Get your palate up". Lets start with the postives, because, as you know, I am a positive brother. Ecco sits kinda in the cut off 6th street (i think thats the street) downtown, so it has "hidden jewel" potential, exactly what i like. The decor is modern, very much a white table cloth spot with a combinations of 1/2 booths, tables, bar area, lounge, and patio...I also really liked the "open kitchen", there is something pretty cool aboiut being able to see folks cook your food. Lastly, the service was outstanding. As a past ALL STAR server in my college/law school days, I respect anybody who can "sell" food, and the server did an awesome job of knowing the menu. So I went on yelp recommendations (as well as the servers) and ordered the Fried Goat Cheese and Bruschetta (which changes each day depending on the menu). The Fried goat cheese was pretty wonderful, perhaps a little bit overrated, but good nonetheless. I didnt run out of the damn place screaming about it...but it was cool. The bruschetta was covered with these big azz vidalia onions, goat cheese and black olives. So maybe i have eaten at one too many Olive Gardens, but damn, I aint (yes, AINT) never seen any bruschetta like this...so maybe i need to get my palate up....honestly, it sucked.
Next up was the flank steak which was nothing more than mediocre! Very tender, but I just expected heaven in my mouth, and damn sure didnt get it.
Finally, I saw one recommendation for the lamb burger. This actually had a pretty interesting taste. The burger is covered with a tomato relish and some type of cheese. This absolutely brings the flavor out of the meat, which also, was very mediocre. I did like the combination though, but was disappointed by the lack of flavor in the actual meat!
This spot is a cool spot if you perhaps want to grab a drink maybe a few appetizers, but honestly, I believed the hype....Sorry Chuck D., I should have listened....
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wowza my yowza.
I chose this restaurant after reading other yelpers glowing reviews of Ecco (thanks guys - yeah!!) and am happy to be able to give a huge 'ditto' to the yelplove this place has already received.
Next time some one asks me where they should take any of the following: parents, large group for special occasion, first date, business partners, anniversary or breakup date - without hesitation, I'll joyously shout ECCCCOOO!
Our waitress Rachel was hands down the most knowledgeable foodie I've ever come across in person. (not counting Food Network hosts here. And I'd like to note that she was way cooler than one infamously perky host, R. Ray). She waxed poetic about the heirloom tomatoes that were in season, smoky wine flavors and left us all quite impressed.
Without her guidance, we would have ordered individual entrees, maybe shared a dessert. booorr--ing.
Rachel recommended going family style, as the menu is set up to easily be shared/sliced/diced among your party.
Section I includes a palette of meats and cheeses to create your own pairings. Warning that you will not find easily recognizable names like 'cheddar' or 'salami' on here. .. we had the three milks robiola, speck and finociona, just in case for some reason you get a waiter that isn't quite as helpful.
Section II has tapas-sized 'taste & shares' and more traditional sized appetizers. Four words: Fried. Honey. Goat. Cheese.
And finally there are some entrees and pastas - oh, baby, chili-braised pork with garlic and homemade pappardelle!
We didn't try any of these, but justsoyaknow they also have paper thin pizzas and a couple panini choices too.
And on to the more gluttonous - they have some ecco-exclusive wine selections, which are reasonably priced and exciting to try something 'exclusive.' We tried a red zin (and estimated that red zin will be the new pino) at just $33 a bottle. As for dessert, spoons clanked fighting over the last chocolate torte bite. Mmm.
As we piled on the order, I resisted adding up the cost of those $8 mini plates in my head. But when Rachel bought the check, it made me want to marry Ecco. Split between the four of us, we ended up with a $45 tab each, including tip! I honestly thought for the quality (and quantity!) of the food, we'd each end up throwing down at least $75-100 each.
As for the ambiance, the crowd was a mix of the young and restless, as well as a couple families, trendy birthday parties, and the like.
Decor is contemporary but not so much so as to scare your grandparents. And I resisted the urge to rip out the glam modern bathroom fixtures and pocket them.
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I have to agree with almost all of my fellow Yelpers... Ecco is one of the best restaurants in the city. Last night my company treated my team to dinner here and everything was amazing. The pizzas are delicious, their appetizers are even better (I highly recommend the goat cheese and honey), and the table service was amazing (we were in the private room in back, but I would assume the service was good in the main dining room also).
A great wine selection and fantastic desserts rounded out our delicious meal. I will definitely be back for dinner!
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Ecco is my place to go when i want to see a be seen. The bartenders there are amazing very personable and professional. They have great knowledge of the wine list.
My favorite entree there right now is the rabbit pasta. I always tell the bartenders that I'lll have the Bugs Bunny : )
Great place to have dinner before going to an event at The Fox also.
Great singles scene. I've tried to make it my regular Friday late night dinner and a cocktail.
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Came here for a nightcap last night as it was across the street from the event I was at. Great place for a nightcap. I did review the menu, but it was post dinner, so I decided to tuck into some lovely tempranillo off their well appointed wine list instead. The wine was great and served in delicate beautiful bollas versus the hardy "water glass" wine goblets I am used to.
The scene was "delicate bolla" too...Whew, I am glad we were dolled up. And on a totally packed Thursday night! Way too pretty clientele for my taste, but if you loves the eye candy...this is the place for you. However if you are interested in 2$ PBRs...probably not so much. Spent a while bs-ing, met some gorgeous gals my age who look 10 years younger, and drooled over a rocker dude who probably spent 30$ in hair products and a half hour in the bathroom to make his lovely locks look so purrrrrfetly, sexily unkempt...what is that product from Bumble and Bumble? Surf Head? Bedhead?
Well in any case, I drove straight home and hopped into bed and the wine and the scene left me with pretty sweet dreams in my head .
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I had only been to Ecco for drinks and appetizers in the past, but decided to go and have dinner during restaurant week. I had everything Steakhead had and agree with his assessments, so I won't bore you with details, but it was really, really good and they didn't skimp on quantity or quality for restaurant week. I will say that I think the fried goat cheese with honey is one of the tastiest treats ever and that you should order it anytime you go!
My server noticed that I was writing down the name of my wine and brought me a little business card with all the info printed on it-- nice touch!
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