Sometimes eating at the hotel you’re staying is woefully depressing. Many hotels just take for granted they will have a constant stream of guests too lazy to venture out. However, if you are visiting Atlanta you won’t have that problem if you dine at these fabulous hotel restaurants that give you a taste of the south or the best of what Atlanta has to offer.
If you are lucky enough to be staying at one of these Atlanta hotels, you needn’t fret because when you dine at their hotel restaurant, you will be treated to some of the best Atlanta cuisine there is! Check out these best hotel restaurants in Atlanta that will treat you right!
1. Atlas (hotel restaurant located inside the St. Regis hotel in Buckhead)
Save this for a special occasion or put this one on the company expense account, because it is $$$$ to dine at Atlas inside the St. Regis hotel, but totally worth the splurge!!
Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe how lovely it is inside Atlas in the St. Regis. Choose one area to hang out or just enjoy the different areas – the patio, the fireplace, the bar or the main dining area. Each has its own merits and you can and should feel free to move around and experience the different rooms at Atlas at the St. Regis hotel. During fall, enjoy sips on the patio (the bartenders make excellent cocktails!), then move to the dining room for the main event. Cozy up to your date for an after dinner cocktail by the fireplace during the fall and winter months.
2. Bar Margot (inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown Atlanta)
This sexy spot is located right inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown. The hotel’s location is the perfect locale for taking in all the sights of Atlanta. It’s near the interstate to hop on and quickly get to your destination. But after a long day, it’s great to freshen up in your hotel room and just head downstairs for a fantastic meal, and Bar Margot has you covered. Just look at the delicious dishes I tried below. Read the full article on this Atlanta hotel restaurant here.
3. Polaris (located at the top of the Hyatt downtown Atlanta)
Dining with a view doesn’t get much better than the Polaris. The stunning views from the top of the Hyatt are unmatched. See the picture of the Polaris at the top of this article. DYK? The restaurant remained closed for years until new life was breathed into it several years ago. Now it is a fun place to stop by for drinks with the rotating restaurant offering unparalleled views of Atlanta’s ever changing skyline.
Pictured above are the beef cheeks, which is one of the few menu items (the menu at this Atlanta hotel restaurant is quite limited) but everything they put out is executed flawlessly. From the cocktails (they have their own bourbon) all the way to the beautiful desserts, there’s not a bad thing to try on the hotel menu. Read my full review of this downtown Atlanta restaurant here.
4. Sun Dial (atop the Westin hotel downtown Atlanta)
We are lucky to be blessed with not only one but two revolving restaurants in Atlanta. One of the things that stands out about the Sun Dial hotel restaurant in Atlanta is the fact that they really do strive to source locally whenever possible, not all that common for large hotel chains. Butternut squash with beets and arugula is something you can expect as a starter and pork belly and shrimp (a nod to southern cuisine) made for a delicious entree.
5. Fia at The Burgess Hotel in Buckhead
With a gorgeous $15 million renovation, what was once an average hotel is now a gorgeous boutique hotel in the heart of posh Buckhead. The name comes from the owners, all of which are heavily involved in the hotel. Husband an wife team handle daily operations and even oversee the kitchen. Several suites feature a unique design representing different countries like Fiji. China and Morocco to name a few.
Head to the cocktail bar, Mr. B for inventive drinks, like a Gin Gin Gimlet – perfect and pretty in pink. Starters like the Tuna Tartare are fantastic but the hummus really is a knockout. What’s so perfect about hummus? It’s warm and the pine nuts on top give it a lovely crunch. It would be a true oversight to miss this dish.
The cozy restaurant, Fia, has seating with a view to all the action in the kitchen if you desire, but I’d recommend sitting against the back wall where you can see not only the kitchen but also the hotel lobby and bar as well. The duck with orange cumin sauce is delightful, just make sure someone in your party gets a dish from the wood grilled oven. My hubs got the ribeye and it was truly a showstopper.
6. Southern Art (upscale southern food at the Intercontinental hotel in Buckhead)
Yet another celebrity chef makes it on this list. Art Smith is the brain behind Southern Art. Much like the Atlas, Southern Art, located inside the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead, is a treasure trove of beautiful works of art. Just look up. There’s paintings on the ceiling, but there’s also pretty chandeliers and even the regal chairs are fancy pants.
You shouldn’t miss the ham plate Southern Art’s answer to a charcuterie plate. Hams from all over the country are represented. Also try a shank (pork or lamb) if it is available. And you’re crazy if you don’t order the 12 layer red velvet cake! Read about my full dining experience at Southern Art.
7. Livingston (located in side the Georgian Terrace hotel)
If you are visiting Atlanta for a show at the Fox Theatre or planning a fun weekend in town, Livingston should be on your radar. You can have a quiet and cozy dinner with your friends or significant other before you head out for some evening fun. And if you are seeing a show at the Fox Theatre it is located directly across the street, so no need to rush through dinner to navigate parking. Just walk right across the street!
Pork belly, salads, steak and fish dishes are all done to perfection. There’s so much to choose from at Livingston restaurant, make sure to come hungry. Read the full review about Livingston inside the Georgian Terrace hotel here.
8. Louisiana Bistreaux (located inside the Hampton Inn in Buckhead, Atlanta)
Okay so maybe it isn’t traditional southern fare, but the food at Louisiana Bistreaux in Buckhead will have you dying to come back again and again. I know for me, I’m so glad they opened up in the Hampton Inn hotel in Atlanta. That’s so much closer than their Decatur location for me. So, that means I’ll just be stopping by for their signature dish, the Crawtator Grouper that much more often.
Don’t miss out on their starters like oysters (I’ve had both the raw and cooked and both are fantastic), or the coconut shrimp. I’ll be honest, just reading the menu, I would not have picked coconut shrimp but kudos to my FIL for spying them and ordering them. So tasty and with a delightful house made orange dipping sauce to boot, we were in heaven.
Fair warning – the desserts at this hotel restaurant are HUGE! Well, everything is big here, so my advice is to get the desserts (like carrot cake or red velvet cheesecake) to go and enjoy them later.
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Protip: there are two Hampton Inns REALLY close together on Piedmont Road in Atlanta where this hotel restaurant is located. Make sure you put in the address of the correct one or your GPS will take you to the wrong restaurant. On the bright side, both of these hotel restaurants have free parking which is a huge plus and hard to come by in Atlanta. Read the full review of Louisiana Bistreaux here.
9. Portico (at Le Meridien hotel Perimeter Atlanta)
It’s not only hotels that are in the confines of Atlanta city limits that offer tasty cuisine. Though I wouldn’t call the cuisine at Portico, southern, it is one hundred percent delicious. And they make a damn delicious Negroni too! So, if you find yourself there for a business trip (as there are plenty of businesses in the area) don’t waste your time with a trip to the mall nearby so you can wait an hour for a table and have mediocre food. Just head downstairs and dine at Portico.
10. Parkwoods (inside the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Dunwoody)
I should keep this a secret all to myself but I’m sharing this super outdoor spot I found. It seems it is getting harder and harder to find a restaurant that has a nice atmosphere, not too noisy or full of screaming kids and has decent food. Is that so much to ask for? Parkwoods checks all those boxes. The interior of the restaurant is delightful and they’ve recently added a patio with terraced seating and lovely little nooks, perfect for fall. Dubbed “Backyard and Parkwoods” they have string lights that illuminate the patio and offer lots of instagram worthy shots.
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I was there with a friend for nearly 3 hours just catching up and it was so pleasant. And the food? Ribs? wings? boiled peanuts? It is all great with the local beers offered. Protip- valet is free for 3 hours!!
11. Drawbar at the Bellyard
Drawbar is the restaurant located inside the Bellyard hotel in West Midtown. The open concept restaurant flows over into the lobby but if you want to be outside there is a patio as well.
The Bellyard hotel is located inside the Interlock, a new development in West Midtown. The Interlock has other restaurants and of course if you are up for a game of mini golf, check out Puttshack, it’s on my list of 50 things to do in Atlanta when it rains.
With gorgeous views of the Atlanta skyline from any of the suites at the Bellyard Hotel, you can also take in the views from the patio at Drawbar. But if the weather isn’t cooperating, no problem. Just enjoy dining in the expansive restaurant / lobby of the hotel.
The cocktails are quite exquisite like the Ocean Eyes cocktail pictured above. The shrimp and short rib toast are incredible. And the fish and steak are quite delicious for entrees.
Bonus: You need to brunch at Rowdy Tiger at the Renaissance Midtown hotel!
You’re in for a treat if you decide to dine for brunch a Rowdy Tiger, which is located inside the Renaissance hotel in Midtown. One of the things about this Atlanta hotel is the location, just a few blocks from the Midtown MARTA station. When I met a friend for brunch there, we immediately kicked off our brunch with bloody mary’s. I love Rowdy Tiger’s, with just the right amount of spice. It goes along nicely with the live music inside the restaurant as well. Who says drinks and live music are only for after dark?
We did it right ordering a couple starters: fried green tomatoes and the yogurt parfait. Be warned the portions at this ATL hotel restaurant are designed more for sharing than individual eats, but they are so good. And if you are not from the south, you owe it to yourself to get the fried green tomatoes with Burrata.
See that short rib benedict above? If you can’t tell, it’s huuuuge! And it is totally designed for sharing. I was only able to eat about 1/3 of it before boxing it up for the rest of my brunch the following day. My friend took his dish, the Cioppino, was another hearty portion and kept his for dinner later that evening. So, it is important to remember while some hotel prices might be more, the portions are so big you can easily make a second meal out of them if you have a fridge in your room. Rowdy Tiger at the Renaissance in Midtown Atlanta is definitely one of them!
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