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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Inman ParkInman Park-Reynoldstown (North-South, Northeast-South, East-West, Proctor Creek)
Wed-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Ooh, it pains me to write this. I am giving a full extra star for the damn fine cocktail that was the highlight of the night.
PROS: perfect cocktails.
CONS: Service, atmosphere, and tableware.
I was hoping for the laid-back, cozy place with amazing food that others described. This place had me on edge the whole time I was there-it was disarmingly uncomfortable. It's like eating in a cold warehouse furnished by Restoration hardware (the white beadboard wainscoting, the oversized coathooks, the muted sage grey paint). It looks right but it doesn't feel good. The tables are not laid out well. We were at the massive table in the middle of the room. All 3 of us at a table for 12. I watched as people squirmed after being seated in a horrible 4 top in the corner right near a bus station and finally asked to be moved. Bad feng shui, y'all...
Our service was reaaaallly bad. Pretty much clueless. Seemed like a guy that had just moved up from bussing. No subtlety, no nuance, not there when you needed him, dirty dishes were still on the table when dessert came, I could go on and on and on.
I am all for eating family style, but serving salad served in a pressed wood bowl that you can buy at the dollar store and expecting someone to eat a salad from a 6 inch bread plate is just not cool. The chopped salad was a bit soggy and not very flavorful.
Things were not even saved by the famous fries. They were fine, but not outrageous.
I am going to try them again, and hope that this was an off night...
I recently enjoyed Shaun's Sunday pasta night with Emily R. -- salad and pasta dish for $12. With a generous salad and choice of three different pasta dishes (which aren't skimpy, either), this must be one of the best values in Atlanta.
We decided to do a Sarah Palin and went rogue by ordering the steamed pork buns for an appetizer. Delish! Mouth sized bite of pork belly with a fresh slaw accented with mint and some spicy chili pickles all folded into a freshly steamed bun. With two in an order, this was the perfect appetizer to start our meal.
After that, I had the orrechiette with broccoli rabe and burst tomatoes. The flavors were fresh, but a bit thin. The broccoli rabe was quite bitter and there weren't other flavors in the dish to balance that out, unfortunately. But the pasta was house made and perfectly cooked. Despite that, I'm afraid I had food envy as Emily had an amazing sweet potato gnocci with bits of spicy Italian sausage and roasted brussel sprouts.
I've had less-than-average service at Shaun's in the past and I'm happy to say that this time around, our server was attentive for the most part.
I'll definitely be back.
If you're going to Shaun's for their Sunday Pasta Night I would not recommend it.
Last night my girlfriend and I were looking for a decent dinner for a good price and found Shaun's in my google calendar for their Sunday night deal.
We got there a little after 5 when it was empty, but it became almost totally full by the time we left. Great decor by the way.
Our server did not seem that experienced though he was helped out by others who brought food and cleared the table.
The pasta night comes with salad, a choice of three pastas (this night it was spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, or butternut squash ravioli), and a dessert.
The salad was a chopped salad served family style with lettuce, radicchio, and celery. I didn't like the salad at all. The celery and radicchio were bitter and worst of all you ate it off the small bread plate they gave you. A real salad plate is definitely needed.
My butternut squash had about 7 raviolis, no discernable sauce, and very little flavor. It was topped with walnuts, but they weren't candied, so they tasted plain. I was expecting MUCH better here.
My gf had the lasagna which to me tasted like Chef Boyardee and she agreed. Thin sauce with soft meat.
For dessert we had a cupful of plain vanilla ice cream which tasted the same as Breyers. Nothing special at all. I bet the people paying full price for a dessert off the menu get real desserts.
For a place with such great reviews we were expecting more. I understand if a place is trying to get people to fill tables on a Sunday night with a special, but you still have to keep up the food quality from the regular menu to get people to come back.
In total we spent about $30 with tax and tip, which is about $5 more than a SINGLE entree from the regular menu, so maybe you have to spend more to get more. Those paying $30 and those paying $100 should both feel like they're getting a good value.
Magical.
Yes, I was thinking last night of what one single word I would use to to start this review (does anyone else do that?).
I'll slightly digress - is that okay?
I deal with solving people's problems for a living. It gets to be a hassle sometimes. When I go out, I like to really be able to unplug and lower the stress level - this place rarely fails to help me accomplish this.
We were actually EARLY getting there - walking in the gathering twilight (poetic, no?) we approached the restaurant. You could already see the twinkling lights from the candles on the tables and the low murmur of conversations inside.
Going in, we were greeted by all-you-can-slam cocktails. There were two that were being served (you could order anything, but these were the specials) on an ongoing basis:
1 - Prosecco with bourbon, triple sec and bitters
2 - Handmade lingonberry slurry with white wine
I had several of each - oh my.
Walking around at the same time were folks that were supplying those flat breads that they are known for, pimento cheese in jars with veggies and crusty bread, and (of course) duck-fat fried french fries with homemade mayo.
Okay, by this point, I was buzzed and full. I really think I could have left and been okay with it.
But no.
After a few words from Shaun, very nicely done, outside next to the live music (another lovely detail) we all went back inside and were seated.
Ready?
First course (by Shaun):
Sea Island red pea soup with crab and creole - I had the ruby slipper and María had the 2007 Kuentz-Bas Alsace blanc (Shaun, María had the tiny complaint that the next time around, could she please have her pairings match the GF food that she gets? Tiny detail, but I know that you're up to it!). It was amazing and we both could have it as it was GF.
Second course (by Chef Louis Osteen)
Fried sausage grits with Charleston gravy - I had the 'Jets to Brazil' (a caipirinha inspired creation). Very tasty - the kind of dish that makes you eat it in tiny bites to make it last longer. I forgot what they brought her.
Third course (by Chef Louis Osteen)
Jumbo lump crab cake with grained mustard sauce - I had the Silver Wing Fizz and she had the 2008 Dupeuble Beaujolais. Probably my least favorite dish, but still great - she had some type of salad to address the GF need.
Fourth course (by Shaun)
We both had the Steen's cane syrup marinated duck breast with endive, ginger, and pumpkin - I had the Smoked Manhattan and she had the 2006 La Tour Vielle Collioure "Puig Oriol". Just...damn. Okay, I talked with the AMAZING (as Kelly Kapour would say) mixologist that Shaun had brought in that night (Jerry Slater, from One Flew South) and I got the low down on how the drink was made. Really with bacon - amazing. The duck was perfect and went really well with the drink and the veggies. Probably my favorite dish that night.
Fifth course (by Chef Angie Mosier)
Selection of Southern Layer Cakes - I had a Tom and Jerry and I don't remember what she had except that they brought her some ice cream.
Man, this was a memorable evening (well, except for the drive home which is blurry).
Stellar.
Starting with the drinks María and I had before our guests arrived, to the always pleasant…
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The Sunday $12 pasta night special is the best value- it comes with salad, pasta and ice cream...salad had fresh lettuce and local greens in buttermilk ranch, for pasta, I had a sweet potato gnocchi with oyster mushrooms, and vanilla bean ice cream. Saw another person order the spaghetti and pork meatballs...I'll definitely order that dish next time. Not sure I would have paid 2x or 3x more for fancier dishes but this simple special was perfect for me!
Anyone with the balls to serve chicken livers is my hero the steamed pork buns were amazing. The Chicken Liver Fettuccine is one of the best dishes I have ever had in my life.
Probably now my favorite "upscale-ish" restaurant in Atlanta since Pacific Kitchen is no more (mourn, mourn). Shaun's is fantastic across the board. Decent location, romantic, comfortable yet class decor, consistently great service and ever changing and very delicious food offerings.
Love Inman Park area and while Shaun's is skirting the edge by DeKalb Ave, it still feels safe and comfortable. Interior is simple and there are large windows to the outside. Tables are a bit cozy and I think that is done purposely (it is a "social club"), probably the only negative for me - I am not a huge fan of almost touching elbows with other patrons.
The wait staff there is amazing. Friendly, in a very genuine way and always very knowledgeable about the menu. Service has always been spot on as well - timely and everything prepare flawlessly. The menu changes frequently and there are no specials as the menu itself is always special.
So Shaun's is right up there for me - think its on the top of my current top trio of Shaun's, Woodfire Grill and now Eno's.
Their crab cakes are probably 5 stars, but that's about it. I've gone here at least 4 or 5 times over the last few years, but was not impressed with my most recent visit. I think I was most disappointed with paying $34 for a NY strip steak and 2 onion rings. No other sides - nothing, so it seemed really overpriced. Our friend had the skate and said that it was undercooked and tasted weird. The manager was kind enough to comp her meal at least. Our waiter would disappear for long stretches. I can't say we'll be rushing back.
Seems like I've been going against popular Yelp opinion these days, and I'm going to do it again. Went for Sunday brunch, and came away feeling 'nothing great'. I've been to better places for brunch, maybe it's just not Shaun's thing. It was just....very average.
I got the standard steak and eggs with some grits. The steak really didn't have much flavor and even though cooked medium rare...it still somehow felt dry in my mouth. The eggs were cooked correctly but they are eggs, there is not much you can do with eggs. The grits were probably the best part of the meal, nice and thick and o.k. flavor. But again...I could have went right down the road to Thumbs Up Diner and had better, more flavorful grits there.
The beignets we started off with were inconsistent, some were cooked perfectly and others were overcooked. O.J. was clearly fresh squeezed since I had two seeds in my glass. The space is nice and the patio is nice, but wouldn't come back for brunch at least.
Ok so you get 5-stars Shaun Doty. You guys rock and I'm already "plotting" a trip back this week for a "date-night" with my husband.
Been back a few times since and the food has been fabulous. I try and get the special every time I'm there because Shaun buys super fresh/in-season ingredients at the peak of their flavor. Ha-I sound like a commercial.
I'm also anxious to try some of their seasonal cocktails now that it's summer. I forgot to mention that with their food specials they always have at least 2 drink specials listed on the chalkboard too. I'm thinking berry or lemon or something.. mmm.. maybe cucumber?
I love how entire families are dining there each time we've been. It's truly got that… Read more »
I have wanted to come here for some time, simply for the fact that once a month Shaun caters to the gluten intolerant with a prix fixe GF meal.
Came here for Sunday Brunch and started off the meal with a fabulous Strawberry Bellini. OK, actually I had two, but they were not too sweet and such light, strawberry goodness. I could have sipped on them all day.
I had wanted to try the crispy soft shell crab, but the waitress checked with Shaun and confirmed that it was not GF. They did offer to make a special GF version, but I opted to go with the Flank Steak and Eggs.
My Flank Steak was cooked to order, perfectly medium rare, nicely seasoned, topped with two over easy eggs and served with a side of fries. My meal was delicious and I do believe I had the best meal in comparison of my dining companions.
Good company, excellent food and drink. Shaun, I will be back to try that GF prix fixe meal!
Was here last night for a glass of wine at the bar with the hubby. It was my first time here as I always forget they are closed on Monday's and Tuesday's and end up stopping by only to see the darkened windows.
Since we didn't eat a full meal I don't feel qualified to go over 3 stars, I'll have to come back and edit once I've gotten the chance to eat something other than the bar snacks and the appetizers.
Nice atmosphere, chill music and a decent wine selection. We had the Sardinian flat bread and the Pimento Cheese with Crudites and both were really tasty. Loved the patio in the back. Will certainly go back to check out a full meal.
Not impressed at all. I had a whole wheat penne pasta with puttanesca sauce. The peppers were not cooked through and the whole dish failed to give me a food erection. The drinks are terrible. Anemic martinis, and if you order a vodka cranberry expect half an ounce of vodka and 8 ounces of cranberry.
I urge you to go to Rathbun's, One Midtown Kitchen, Murphy's or Parker's on Ponce instead.
First, I love the Inman Park neighborhood where this restaurant is located. It is in the middle of a leafy old ATL neighborhood. The restaurant has an updated, somewhat traditional appearance a first glance. However, once you sit down and start to take it in, you notice that it is far from stuffy, and the details (along with the artwork) really make this place pop!
I had the prix-fix menu salmon which was delicious. The mashed potatoes were a bit creamy for my taste, but still very good. All in all, I recommend Shaun's for a nice evening out.
I've considered going to Shaun's for a couple of year now, but the mixed reviews have kept me away. The Sunday night pasta dinner lured me in this past weekend. For $12 you get a salad, pasta and dessert. This should be an inexpensive way to sample the food.
The special menu offered one salad, three pasta options (one veggie) and ice cream. The four of us all ordered pasta.
First, the salad. Shortly after we ordered, a server whizzed past our table and dropped a small salad bowl on the table. He was gone before anyone could speak. The communal salad looked like it should serve two people and we were uncertain if another was coming. And there were no salad plates delivered. After a period with no further contact we decided this was all we were getting and divided it up on the bread plates. The salad was very good, but only about three bites.
Next, the entrees. Three penne with bell pepper puttanesca sauce and one spaghetti and meatball. Service was again rushed - throw the most of the food on the table and run away. Return with the fourth pasta and state the sides will be out soon. Bring one side. A few minutes later offer fresh grated cheese. Eventually get the final side. Reasonable sizes. Two enormous meatballs. But the puttanesca sauce was not good. The green peppers appeared to be chopped by a small child and were undercooked. They overpowered the rest of the plate, both in quantity and flavor. Not the product of a kitchen with an award winning chef.
I had been watching the ice cream go past the table for an hour and noticed they all appeared to be melted. Ours arrived in the same condition. Nice flavor tho.
Some of the tables around us received bread, others did not. I'm not sure if it was included.
Overall, there was a reason it was cheap. And if you want cheap pasta, I can find a better tasting meal elsewhere.
I was transported to the streets of The Hague/Amsterdam when I tasted the pomme frites at shaun's. The owner lived in Belgium for a while and he successfully made me fill at home again. This is the closest thing to "patat met mayoainnse" i.e. fries with mayo...............ever sooooooooooo goooooooooooooooood..................I will keep going back for more............
Having eaten at Shaun's quite a few times, it's about time I reviewed it. I've eaten here as part of a large group Christmas party, part of a 4 top, and several dates with my wife, even before she became my wife. With my wife's dietary restrictions, one of Shaun's attractions is his rotating gluten-free menu. Though I can eat wheat, drink wheat, bathe in its wheaty luxuriousness, my wife appreciates Shaun's occasional gluten-free options. In fact, I've had three of his GF menus thus far. His most recent one, a $45, four course prix fixe consisted of a (somewhat ironic) tomato panzanella with GF focaccia, a heap of butter poached lobster sitting in a bowl of corn chowder, some steak dish entree and a homemade orange sorbet/vanilla ice cream float. I know that description gives short shrift to the entree which, don't get me wrong, was good, but it was overshadowed by the second course. Soup overshadowing steak? In this case, HELLS YEAH. My wife and I still talk about that bowl weeks later. Yes, it was that good. (And sadly, yes, we have no lives.)
As far as other non GF stuff on the menu, the flatbread is tasty, as is the burger (but for $16 it ought to be.) The Chinese pork buns? Hats off to the round eye, 'cause this Asian could've eaten an entire meal of them. So it took me a while to review Shaun's. Sorry about that, but hopefully the five stars I'm going to give will make the delay worth it.
Watching Shaun Doty's career has been very engaging. The Birthday Boy and I first noticed his work at Mumbo Jumbo downtown - not my idea of a great restaurant, but not because of Doty's executive chef-nocity. He was the one saving grace - the overall customer experience was uber-hyped and miserable.
And he learned from that. As the chef/owner/concept guy for his MidCity Cuisine, it was ALL ABOUT the customer experience. It was here that Mr. Doty proved to me that he truly understood he wasn't selling food - he was selling a complete experience.
Alas, like most superbly creative minds, he seemed to grow weary of being in one place too long, and his career took a terrible turn at Table 1280 - a restaurant concept operated by a large corporation that has never truly found itself and has managed to gobble up and spit out too much talent in the process.
Wisely, he moved on to develop Shaun's - and this is where it gets really good. Mr. Doty's namesake is as contemporary as it gets - he takes truly wonderful food preparations marked by skill and freshness and delivers them at a reasonable price point in a setting that's comfortable - a perfect bistro experience. Granted, these restaurants are a European mainstay, but to reproduce that in Atlanta is magical.
I can't wait to see Shaun Doty's next move - even if it's simply to stay put for awhile longer. I'm holding the fifth star back just so that I can continue the edgy anticipation of his future.
RECOMMENDED: For just about any occasion.
This is the place to be on a Sunday in Inman Park. We pulled up and there were people waiting outside to indulge in the $12 pasta special. Good thing we made a reservation for 7:15, seeing as we didn't get seated until around 7:45, and we were seated right by the kitchen. My boyfriend and I were starving though, so we chose to overlook the not-so-great seat.
I got the ravioli and it was pretty good, but the balsamic sauce with caramelized onions really made the dish special. My boyfriend had the whole wheat pasta with sausage and he really liked it as well, sausage isn't really my thing so I took his word for it.
We split a carafe of wine and enjoyed a delightful bowl of vanilla gelato. We will definitely be back here when we are in the mood for a Sunday night treat, but will probably try to come earlier to avoid the rush.
Arrived here for the Sunday $12 pasta night, and have never been before. While the regular menu looks a bit pricey, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Solid delivery on the Ziti with a shortrib ragout. The service was a bit spotty but the value of the meal offset any issues I might have had.
Good value, delicious meal, will find myself returning another Sunday.
The 2nd & 3rd stars are for atmosphere. The atmosphere at this place is awesome -- I wish my house looked just like it on the inside. The bar was cozy, yet spacious. Our server was very attentive and the candied kumquat spritzer my friend has was tasty. However, I soon realized I don't like duck fat. And if ya don't like duck fat, your not gonna like the food.
The pork buns appetizer was so-so...lots of moist, doughy bun sandwiching trendily fatty pork (my friend commented she is not a fan of the "poor world war food" fad, and I must agree). Next, the fish and chips. One large plank of fish came out hot, crispy and steaming, yet offensively fishy and reeking of duck fat. It was a strange, off-putting odor and I didn't want to appear fussy or low-brow to my table mates, so didn't comment. But soon they noted on the odd taste of their food (another fish & chips and a fried chicken plate) and we all suddenly admitted none of us were enjoying the meal. I've read such great reviews of the fries on here, but really could not get past the weird smell. Although the tartar sauce was delicious. We decided to try dessert...no duck fat there! Wrong...the ricotta zeppoles were also apparently fried as everything else and had the same "fowl" odor.
Go ahead and call me low-brow, but I just didn't like the food we ordered. I'll try again one day for a relaxing drink at the bar and stick to non-fried items.
Aside for having to spend 45 minutes waiting at the bar with a reservation we had a really nice dinner here last night.
I was really excited to try the chinese pork buns but they turned out to be only the letdown of the evening, the bun being cold/almost stale and the pork being just a little too fatty. I understand that fatty is kind of the point but still, this was absurd. The rack of lamb with blue cheese polenta that my girlfriend got was amazing. I was in the mood for steak so I got the flat-iron which was about as good as flat-iron steak can get (that cut of beef just lacks the fat content necessary to make a really tasty steak). And their duck-fat fries were crisp and delicious. Zeppoles for dessert were fucking incredible. Great service at the bar and at the table.
Went here with my family and three out of our four members left impressed. I found the experience and atmosphere pretty unique compared to most restaurants in the city. Not many typical items on the menu and diners are engulfed in clean, romantic surroundings.
First off, the bread. I thought it was some of the best bread I'd ever had. No need for butter. We had a pumpkin/apple ravioli "appeteaser" which was pretty awesome. I ordered the pork schnitzel, which I also found to be strangely singular and delicious. I've never had anything like it and it came topped with grilled onions and arugula (?) I believe. I sampled everyone else's and I also found the venison to be satisfying. I understand the wine poached pear that accompanied it was divine.
The downside. When we entered, the pungent smell of turpentine lingered from a next door refinishing project. We nearly left until after making a fuss, we were reseated in another dining area. This should have been taken care of from the start. In addition service was very slow, but I imagine both of these are one-time things.
After hearing about the brunch and Southern-style seasonal fare, I visited Shaun's on a cold Thursday night to see if it lived up the good reviews. It's a quaint restaurant and the decor on the inside makes it feel really inviting. The place was not crowded at all, but everyone was seated near the kitchen to give it an intimate feel. When we first sat down, it seemed like it would be a great meal.
My friend and I started out with the dim sum style Chinese pork buns. The pork belly went really well with the watermelon radish salad. It was a tasty start to the meal. I did notice that on other reviews there was some concern for how long it took the main entree to come out and we did experience the same problem. They made up for it later...
For the entree, I ordered roasted chicken served with turnip greens and french fries that were cooked in duck fat. Overall, it wasn't that impressive. I thought the chicken was a little dry and the turnip greens weren't that tasty. The fries were pretty good though. My friend wanted the chicken liver fettuccine, but the restaurant apparently had not made pasta that day. However, they still made the livers for her. I tried her mashed potatoes and bak choy and they were pretty good too.
We decided to order the homemade kit kat bar for dessert. I have to say, it did taste similarly to a kit kat bar, but much better. The chocolate ganache layer made it a winner. The waiter also brought out another dessert to compensate for our entrees taking so long. It was a banana and toffee pie. It definitely wasn't as rich as the bar, so it was nice surprise.
Overall, the service was pretty good. Our waiter was attentive and polite. I didn't notice any other tables having problems either. I would definitely like to go back at a different time of year to see how the menu changes with the seasons. I do think it's a little pricey, but the entree portion was definitely a good size. I think I will definitely be making another visit.
I finally made it to Shaun's for Sunday brunch, which is quite possibly the best brunch spot in Atlanta because there's no wait and the food is amazing, but don't tell anyone about it or there'll be an hour wait like everywhere else =)
I chose to sit outside because it was very comfortable in the sun and the building offered protection from the wind, but no one else was that brave, so I had the entire patio to myself until right before I left when a few more sunseekers came out.
It's a fairly eclectic brunch menu, which I thought leaned a little more heavily to lunch vs breakfast dishes. I started with the ham and cheese biscuit, a very light and slightly crumbly biscuit with melted cheese and a paper thin slice of Benton smoked ham. The ham was amazing and was like a very smoky prosciutto, but I didn't think the cheese (maybe white cheddar?) added much to the dish, I would have been happier with some shards of parmigiano reggiano and maybe a smear of fig jam to offset the almost overwhelming saltiness.
I was really torn between the fish and chips and the cheddar waffle, but went with the fish and was glad I did because its some of the best I've ever had.
Definitely not "pub style" as claimed on the menu which is usually chips from the freezer and dried out cod with mushy peas.
This was flounder so fresh it practically swam across my plate and incredibly moist - you definitely didn't have to drown it in the tartar sauce to swallow it. I thought the watermelon pickles and shaved fennel salad were fantastic accompaniments although my fries weren't as good as they've been in the past - a little tough, I think they may have waited on the fish that burned my mouth repeatedly it was so fresh from the fryer.
They don't really offer any dessert at brunch, although my server did suggest the ricotta zeppoles from the appetizer section of the menu, but that seemed a little heavy when what I really wanted was a sorbet or granita. Service was better than I expected sitting out there by myself, out of sight and out of mind.
The only issue I had is that they apparently now serve Republic of Tea from bottles at $5 each, something I think the server should mention when you order iced tea. I know several restaurants are doing this now, but I don't really like bottled tea and if I am going to spend $5 on a drink it better come with booze. It's not a widespread enough practice that I even think to ask about it, but I really think this little annoyance could be avoided if the server just said "And that will be bottled Republic of Tea is that ok?" just like they always warn you about the tropical iced tea at Cheesecake Factory.
Overall a very nice way to start a Sunday, I just wish I hadn't been by myself so I could have tasted those waffles too.
The duck breast was excellent. Very tender, flavorful and cooked to perfection. Makes my mouth water as I write this review! It was served with a side of polenta topped with a slice of charouce cheese - nice combination. I thought the portions were generous. Also, had the Maryland jumbo lump crab cake appetizer. It was very good, but I had expected better as a patron sitting next to us said the crab cakes were outstanding. Chalk that up to everyone's tastes are different. For dessert, bring the chocolate molten cake on! It was very good and not overly sweet. Nice way to end the meal.
The service was excellent in every aspect.
I liked the ambiance of the dining room - painted in earth tones and the wood tables give it a warm and inviting atmosphere. However, we were blessed with a woman sitting at the table next to us (there were 3 tables fairly close to each other and we were seated at the middle one) who cackled every 5 minutes through the duration of our dinner. But, that was not the restaurants fault. It was just our dumb luck! Next time I will request one of the tables along the windows.
Overall, excellent evening even though I lost partial hearing.
Sigh . . . . this place is so good! There are times that I crave some of the items from here late into the night.
I can't get that foie gras or Chinese pork buns out of my mind. Then there's the fish and chips with that pickled watermelon rind that just hits the spot, or the very delicious duck, and the steak that's cooked to perfection.
Then there are all the desserts - zeppoli's, tarts, ice creams, tempura figs . . . all divine!
Whatever the seasonal menu, you can't really go wrong with anything. Sometimes I want to walk straight into the kitchen and thank him for such tasty food!
K and I eat at Shaun's almost every time she's in Atlanta. It's just quite good, though quite expensive, and we always save up for it
pros-
-Deeeelicious appetizers. You must get some. Try the pork buns, stay away from the flatbread unless you are a fan of the supercrispy
-Sitting next to the window in Inman Park--we counted at least 12 dogs and their walkers, which was fun.
-Good wine, good bartender, good service
-Elizabeth the hostess--she's amazing and she always recognizes us even though we are not very wealthy grungy looking college folks.
-The bangers and mash!
-The fact that they care enough about the way folks eat that they have vegetarian nights, gluten-free nights, etc.
-Easy to get to by MARTA (though I think we're the only people here who have taken it besides the folks who work there)
Cons:
-EXPENSIVE. but that does turn some people on to a place...
-A little hit or miss. We are either really really satisfied by our food or really sort of sad.
-Not much for vegetarians--though you can always ask for a vegetarian vegetable plate even though it's not on the menu, and it's usually great
Overall, if you've got the cash get thee there quick. Skip the valet and park yourself. The corner isn't the entrance and everyone sitting at the window will watch you figuring out how to get in.
I'm ashamed to admit its taken me almost two years to make it to Shauns. I will not make that mistake again.
The parking looks like a pain so I would valet, its right at the front door. For city-dwellers, Marta stop right across the street and well lit.
We planned to make a gastronomical scene at the table so skipped appetizers and had a couple drinks. We were seated at a small table, the staff was attentive and pleasant but not overbearing.
We started out with the Maryland crabcake appetizer; and some hedgehog mushrooms over polenta - one decided by my girlfriend, the other by the server. My girl is from Maryland, so she initially took offense to the title of the crab-cakes... until we tasted them. Both of these appetizers were really something special. I would challenge the chef to identify what part of that heavenly morsel was 'cake' of any sort. He should call the damn thing a crabcrab. Even the slaw with the crabcake was just the perfect complement to the crab, it was really something. The mushrooms were really nice and subtle over the polenta, and we made no attempt to be proper and leave a molecule on either plate.
For our main courses, she ordered Fish and Chips and I ordered the Rack of Lamb. The waiter mentioned the lamb coming from New Zealand and something about tenderness - also homemade yeast batters for the fish and chips. At this point I was delirious from the appetizers.
The Lamb (4 spears, dear god) came out perfectly pink and tender. It was resting atop another polenta, this time spicier to compliment the lamb. Its really out of this world, and you can tell the kitchen staff here are not kidding around.
The fish and chips, well you could build a family business around it - just what we wanted on a cold night. When you are thinking of what a fish and chips should taste like, I am willing to be this isn't far off the mark.
We finished with the homemade kit kat and the Hot Xoacatlkalkjtlkj (spelling definitively wrong - I think this is a remix of an ancient aztec chocolate alchoholic beverage). Both great and interesting - I would only suggest you not get them both together, as the chocolate overdose nearly gave me a seizure.
Love the place, the people, the food. Prices are completely reasonable for this quality.
Our meal here was intended to be a special birthday dinner for my wife. We decided on the Sunday pasta night since it seemed like a great deal. First, the good: the food was superb and the price was very nice (my wife and I only spent $12 for each of our meals). Sadly, the rest of the experience was not up to par.
It appears that the Sunday pasta night has become too much for this place to handle. Even though we had made a reservation earlier, we had to wait nearly 45 extra minutes to get seated. Not sure what the point is of making a reservation if you have to wait that long.
It was hard not to shake the impression that we were being herded around like a bunch of cattle; food seemed to arrive whenever the kitchen staff felt it should. Parties that were seated after us were given a salad long before ours arrived. Our salad did finally come, but was brought out less than a minute before our main entree! It felt a bit strange to spend so long waiting patiently then feel rushed once we were seated. Portions were also a bit off; my wife's whole wheat penne only contained 2 1/2 pieces of sausage. Our salad was also nearly half the size as the couple's next to us.
Overall, I've honestly had better experiences at a McDonalds. I left Shuans in a worse mood than when I had arrived. And to me, that's not a good way to spend a special birthday dinner. I'd recommend anyone considering going on Sunday night to stay at home and heat up some Bertoli. This was our first visit to Shauns and we won't be back...
I was fortunate enough to try Shaun's for the first time on the evening of their special second anniversary dinner. So, I was *forced* to try five fabulous courses on the prix fixe menu. Everything was excellent.
I had the special menu so I won't focus too much on details since I assume the items are not always available. But, I did have masa sopes with BBQ chicken, chili and cilantro; hamachi with fried chicken feet and smoked mayonnaise ravioli; basted cod with crispy clams, radish and apple cider; a taste of the pork schnitzel (which was delish, even thought I don't normally eat pork); and black rice pudding. They also graciously substituted a veggie plate for the schnitzel in my dinner - it was quite good with creamy polenta, napa cabbage slaw, and braised wild chanterelle mushrooms. Everything was great, including the service and the wine pairings.
After the dinner, stuffed though I was, we tried more desserts. And, that was when I fell in love with Shaun's. The black rice pudding on the prix fixe menu was wonderful on its own. But, then I also tried parsnip cake with white miso ice cream; sticky toffee pudding (my fave); and, vanilla panna cotta with huckleberries and lemon sorbet. I really could come here on any given night and simply eat a dessert course - they were so very tasty.
I also love the space. The lighting is cozy, the atmosphere is relaxed yet nice, and I love watching the kitchen action from the dining room. It's a nice place but not pretentious. It certainly is a bit pricey but not over the top. I will definitely return.
After church, David and I came here with Leslie for another wonderful Easter Brunch! It was just as fabulous as before! What I love is that for a special buffet; the restaurant was busy, but not over crowded! The price is really great for what you get and the special drinks...the bloody mary and lavender mimosas, were fantastic! Our waiter told us that they have these special brunch buffets more often than just Easter, so we'll definitely have to come back again!
brunch buffet $40 per person
includes brew coffee and fresh orange or grapefruit juice
brunch appetizers and entrees
romaine caesar, traditional garnish
winter endive salad, fourme d'ambert blue cheese, pistachios, celery
fresh seasonal fruit
roast berkshire pork loin, salsa verde
traditional buttermilk fried chicken
poppyseed biscuits
homemade sticky buns
eggs benedict, country ham, hollandaise
homemade pork sausages
spinach and goat cheese quiche
cedar plank salmon, bacon, garlic, scallions
creamy anson mill grits
roast fingerling potatoes, sundried tomatoes, black olives
maryland style lump crab cakes, grainy mustard sauce
assorted homemade desserts
assorted breakfast pastries
I definitely tried everything above and needed to be "rolled" out of the restaurant and into the car!
I've been holding my breath, hoping that the not-so-great experience we had at Shaun's for our anniversary back in October was a fluke. I'm pleased to say that I'm glad we gave you a second chance last night, Mr. Doty!
I fell in love with Shaun Doty through his menu at Table 1280, and I was more than a little disappointed when our first trip to his eponymous establishment was less-than-stellar (to say the least), all of our friends love this place and keep raving, so we gave it a second shot -- this time on Friday night instead of a Sunday (when the service was mediocre, we waited for ages for our drinks and each course and our food came out cold -- my shrimp and grits were kind of rubbery. Yuck! We got the impression that perhaps there was someone in the restaurant more important than us.).
I grabbed a reservation on OpenTable yesterday afternoon for that evening on a whim. I love restaurants that are on OpenTable as I have a weird phobia of calling strangers on the phone. We parked on the street (no need to tip the valet!), I gave the host our name for our 7:15 reservation, and we were seated immediately way back in the cozy dining area past the restrooms which I didn't even realize existed the first time we ate here. Our table was directly under a sort of ominous, though quite lovely metal sculpture of autumn leaves. The effect of the art in the simple, masculine room was really nice, and the room was very romantic and intimate.
We were a bit dismayed that we had the very same server from our first visit, but her perky blondeness was the only similarity between the two trips. We ordered cocktails -- him, the Ruby Red Eye, and me a concoction of pine-flavored liquer, salt, pepper and gin (I think) whose name I don't recall. I'm clearly a sucker for the bizarre cocktails. It was really very tasty and didn't make me think of cleaning the kitchen floor in any way.
We noted immediately how many duck dishes were on last night's menu...a good thing since the Boy loves duck. It made me wonder if they have to prepare so much of it to use up the rest of the duck in whose fat they cook their frites? Anyway, no complaints here. He had the duck sausage bangers and mash which were really solid with just the right amount of spice. I was intrigued by the mustard in the mashed potatoes as well -- a well-constructed dish. I had the fish and chips, and experienced the food orgasm I'd been hoping for from the duck-fat fries that everyone has been raving about. I also really liked the tartar sauce, and I actually hate tartar sauce and anything generally resembling mayonnaise.
We finished off our meal with a late harvest Zin for him and a limoncello for me. We also feasted on people watching -- I have a nasty habit of creating complex stories about the people who are seated near us in restaurants. Last night's was a particularly amusing tale of a first date going very badly. Good times.
We got out of there for about $90, including the tip, which seemed utterly reasonable to me for a restaurant that my brain puts in the "special occasion" category.
Keep this up, Mr. Doty, and you might earn back that star you lost on a bad first impression!
I can't wait to have a dinner date here!
The boy and I love to go to good places and Shaun's is on our list! I went first (he hasn't been) with a good girlfriend who lives in the neighborhood; she and her husband are frequent patrons. I thought it was great! Great!
First, eating at the bar is one of my favorite things to do - it's always good people watching, you are likely to get into some amount of interesting chit chat with your bartender, and you get a birds-eye-view of how things run in a place. I wasn't disappointed with our dinner at Shaun's bar.
Second, the drink list is terrific! Just exotic/inventive enough to entertain, but still retaining the classics and also offering a good wine selection.
Third, and probably most importantly, the food was excellent. I got the flank steak and my friend got the burger with the super tasty truffle-oil fries. YUM. I look forward to going back and trying apps, since neither of us was in the mood for any that night.
I say, two thumbs up!
I've heard and read so much about Shaun's that I was really excited to try it for the first time last night! Unfortunately things didn't play out as well as I had hoped...
I think my experience mirrors what a lot of the other reviews had said: the atmosphere is great, the food is great, the service is well below what it needs to be at this price point.
Everything moved at a snail's pace. I'm not sure if they were understaffed, or if it was just the wrong staff, or what the deal was, but our waitress seemed unable to multitask. She'd bring water to the table next to ours, then put the water away without glancing at our empty glasses. After chatting with her about which was her favorite of their specialty cocktails, and even taking her recommendation, she put in the order for the wrong one.
The worst of it was when food started coming out. Both our first and main courses came out "staggered" -- there were three of us, and they'd bring two dishes, and it'd be several minutes before the third dish would finally find its way to the table. Not sure if it's just a pet peeve for me, but that seems unacceptable, and is just poor kitchen management.
Aside from the service issues, the food was good. I started with a pumpkin ravioli appetizer in a sage brown butter sauce. It had really great flavor. For my main course I went with the crab cakes, which were heavy on the crab, though I think the cabbage slaw that came with it was probably my favorite.
For desert, we split the ricotta zeppoles and our friend got the banoffe pie. Both were good, though not breathtaking.
In summary, food and location great, service and experience not so great.
Definitely in my top 3 favorite restaurants in Atlanta, might even be #1... those top three are in very close competition.
I'm going to be to the point....
The overall ambiance: serene, romantic, crisp, and clean.
The service: top notch
The food: to die for! Award-winning (in my eyes) cheeseburger. The sea bass was perfectly cooked. The crab cakes were the best I've ever tasted. My husband is a BIG fan of the shrimp and grits. I personally, am not a grits fan, but when it comes to grits he knows his stuff.
This restaurant lives up to all the hype and then some. If you're looking to impress, then this is exactly what you've been searching for.
Ohhhh...Shaun's now has a prix fixe option at the bar all night. Who can resist that? Also a few new munchies. Curry popcorn? Chanterelles on toast? One of the best grilled cheese sandwiches E V E R. Let me say that again
(like Joe Biden) - best grilled cheese E V E R!
With the upcoming anniversary, there are many nights of celebration. I also have a little celebrating to do myself. One night I went to Shaun's solo (typical for me) and met the most delicious man ever. A personal, heart felt thank you and congratulations to Chef Doty for everything. Incredible food, amazing wine, and the best restaurant in the city.
(Please check out my food photos above.)
"Shaun is like Twizzlers. Makes mouths Happy!"
I should preface this by saying Shaun is my friend.…
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This was the top resto left on my short list of places to try. So the disappointment hurt a little.First off, I am always skeptical of chef's naming the restaurant after themselves. Either they are not creative enough to come up with something original or they are just full of theme selves. I was hoping none of this would effect the wonderful things I have heard of his food.
Shaun runs a clean fairly organized kitchen from what I have seen and heard from his friends and my acquaintances that worked under him. The service was decent but they just seemed confused a little with the components of the menu.So now to the food.
The Foie Gras Torchon(which I always get when I see it) was not really all that inspiring or flavorful--he did show great technique in his execution but it was meh. My chef girlfriend ordered the Kurobuta Pork and everything about the dish was smart and flavorful but the pork was over cooked to well done. I know that this happens, but it seems to be so true in Atlanta with restos that look at you and say" we recommend that medium" and then go out and hire strait out of Le Cordon Bleu grads to be running important stations that specialize in over cooking your $30 pork chop.
Now my fish dish was excellent ,and showed the same kind of thoughtful skill that was with the pork--but it was just cooked right(give the man on the fish station a raise). One element of technique or balance just seemed to be off this night at Shaun's and for the price it just leads me to believe that there are better options in this range. Because the menu as whole really lacked that comeback and try me effect that most chef owned places have on me.
I will have to try again because I always believe in supporting small independent owners and Shaun has worked at some of the same joints as me and I have met him --he seems really focused on smart foodie cuisine.
Knocked off a star because the drink with pepper on the rim sucked. Don't get it off the special list.
Other than that, the steak frites was incredible, fish and chips was large (looked like a fish body dunked in batter and fried) but tasty. We sat on the patio, which was a lovely, and romantic. Take your special someone there. Moderately priced for such a good place. Plus it's near my 'hood, so driving there doesn't drive me insane.
Man giving so many 4 and 5 star I may lose my credibility. I give this restaurant 4 1/2 stars. I've been here many times and again If I wasnt so poor and I wasnt at Canoe this is where I would be. Great (expensive) food, great staff, good wine list, and good atmosphere.
creativity - 4
presentation - 5
service - 4 1/2
flavor - 5
atmosphere - 4ish
execution - 5
Overall worth every penny.
Neighborhood: Inman Park
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Inman Park
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Morningside / Lenox Park
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Inman Park
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: French
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