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    TRACE

    3.2 (72 reviews)
    ModerateSouthern

    TRACE Photos

    TRACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Trendy
    Upscale

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    Colleen B.

    TRACE is located inside the W hotel. I was staying there so my friend and I stopped in for drinks at the bar before we headed out to dinner. It was 5:30 on a Friday so the bar area was half full so it was easy to grab a seat at the bar. It's pretty, very posh. We were welcomed and received a menu quickly upon sitting down but then it took a while to get water and place our order. Once we did place our order it was a another good amount of time before we received our drinks. I wasn't impressed with customer service here as it was slow and the few people working the bar just exuded "I would rather be anywhere else except here." To me, that just speaks volumes to me when the staff isn't excited to be there... then why should I be? When the drinks arrived, I was very underwhelmed. Everything stood out on the menu, however, when we actually tasted everything, nothing stood out. I was extremely underwhelmed.

    You haven't experienced the best of the ATL until you've been treated like an old friend by Erika.
    Dave W.

    It's not often I go out of my way to write a revue but if you find yourself at The W please do yourself a favor and visit Erika at Trace. It's such a pleasure for a weary traveler to be be treated like family and at home. Thank you.

    Chocolate Torte.
    Michelle T.

    Trace has replaced Spice Market in the W Hotel. I was there for a food crawl and was treated to, Turkey Meatloaf, Grilled Chicken Wing and a Chocolate Torte. The specialty cocktail was Fall Harvest. Trace brings you fresh ingredients from local markets. The meatloaf is made with turkey, bacon, cranberry and a bacon demi. Anything with bacon listed twice in the ingredients list should be awesome right? I found the meatloaf to just be eh The grilled chicken wing was eh as well. It was a chicken wing. But let me tell you about the Chocolate Torte. I am eating in now. Slow bite by delicious slow bite. Trace says is flour less. That works for me because its delicious. I love chocolate and this torte is awesome. The drink Fall Harvest made with Hendricks gin, Cointeau and apple rosemary puree. Gin will make you sin, but this drink will make you wish you could hear the waves crashing when you close your eyes. Nice, light and so refreshing. Trace is a cool spot. I would recommend it for desert and drinks. The bar is large, the ambiance is sexy and the staff was pleasant.

    Bones picked out from the turkey sandwich
    Sheila P.

    Came here with my husband who dined for lunch. He ordered a turkey sandwich with chips and a soda. Service was good. Food was not. He picked out a few bones from his sandwich. Why would you serve a sandwich with bones? That was not something we would expect. Thankfully he chews well. Not to mention it wasn't even tasty. We won't be coming back.

    Grass fed rib eye
    Laila K.

    I'm glad I stumbled into here from my room. I thought it would just be a quick mediocre place. Boy was I wrong! I sat at the bar and the service was great. Robert the bartender is great!! Very accommodating and nice with a spunk that makes it fun. I had the grass fed rib eye. It was delicious. Perfectly grilled. I asked to replace the fries with broccoli and it was accommodated. No fuss. They have a great wine list. Not too many wines, but quality wines. The chocolate mousse cake is out of this world! Yummy!

    Great desserts!
    Patricia M.

    Eaten & drank here a few times. From great southern customer service to awesome tasteful food. Will continue to come here. The best fried chicken, trout & desserts! Highly recommend the fried chicken & deviled eggs!

    Ambiance is everything
    Nathalie L.

    Ambiance is great for two. Very intimate yet hip environment. The food.....not so much. Overpriced, over the counter taste.

    Shrimp and Grits from the brunch menu
    Derek R.

    I was at the W Hotel in Midtown for the NOH8 photo shoot and I was a volunteer so it wasn't exactly like I could just say, "Toodaloo! Going on a lunch break!" I ordered my food to go from Trace and the server delivered it downstairs for me. When I ordered, I really wish someone had told me how much the delivery charge was...because when I was given the check, my eyes widened a bit lol. I ordered the shrimp and grits that cost 17 bucks, a bottle of Coke that costs I have no clue how much (my bill didn't show it either) and the total came out to...something like 32 dollars and some cents. I was surrounded by people at the time and didn't have time to look at the receipts with a microscope but all I saw was 32 something dollars for brunch without an explanation what I was charged for. I tipped the waitress because I didn't want to blame her for what the hotel restaurant receipts didn't show. I know it's the W Hotel, I went in prepared to spend money but I just felt a bit blind sided.

    Pimento Mac and cheese
    Annie L.

    Trace is located at the W hotel in Midtown. FYI, you can get your valet validated here for up to 3 hours. Winning! Food was spectacular and prepared all with my modifications (no butter, no seasoning, etc). Still very, very tasty even with lack of the usual preparation of the food. Drinks are served up strong. Service is even better. I was there with good company so I may be slightly biased (both times) but I'd recommend TRACE to anyone seeking a chill but classy environment.

    Cheesecake!
    Stephanie F.

    I think sometimes hotel restaurants get unfairly rated. But, let me just say that this one is awesome!! We're here on a Monday night and the service is amazing and the food was really good! All very fresh and plated perfectly. We had the specials and the gluten-free cheesecake. Very impressed. Wongail was a great server!!

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    11 years ago

    Sat at the bar. Got good service and the burger was very good. They have a good selection of food single malt Scotches too.

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    12 years ago

    Great chicken and waffles app. Totally awful hush puppies. Cocktail sucked, IPA was great. Very hot and cold place.

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    10 years ago

    Great ambiance and the food tastes great. I also love that they validate parking. The portions are a little smaller but the taste is great.

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    11 years ago

    Food is fine. Service is awful. Breakfast is an hour and a half at least - 80% of which you're just waiting.

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    11 years ago

    Food was fantastic! The goat cheese appetizer was delicious and the rib eye was out of this world!

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    Page 2 of 2

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    Buttermilk Kitchen

    Buttermilk Kitchen

    4.4
    (2.5k reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    We were in town for a concert and my birthday, and decided to go for a nice breakfast for my…read morebirthday. Did some online research and kept coming back to Buttermilk Kitchen. Couldn't have been happier with our choice. Reviews I'd seen online mentioned parking is a bit limited and that the restaurant is frequently busy. So we were prepared for that even though we were going on a Thursday mid morning. I think there was an influx of people celebrating graduations because it was in fact very busy. However we got very lucky with parking and happened to come in right as someone was leaving. I was sure we would have a wait for a table, which of course would have been fine, but actually we were seated immediately! Which was super nice and unexpected. The atmosphere is bustling but not in a bad way. The restaurant itself is adorable and has a lot of character. It feels like you're having breakfast at an old friend's house. The service was great and our food came out in a very reasonable amount of time. I ordered a specialty coffee, I believe it was the almond joy cold brew, and it was delicious. Strong, which is how I like it and not overly sweet. I ordered the chicken biscuit on the waiter's recommendation and it was absolutely the best fried chicken I've ever had. Juicy and crispy. My husband ordered the pimento cheese omelette and was very happy with it, the bacon was thick cut and smoky and flavorful. The pimento cheese grits that came on the side for me were also a stand out, such great flavor. The biscuits are fantastic and the blueberry basil jam that came with my husband's meal was such a nice touch. We will absolutely make a point to come back to Buttermilk Kitchen next time we visit the Atlanta area.

    TL;DR: Super cute spot with decent breakfast offerings and great staff. Don't go out of your way to…read morecome, but worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood. First things first: the Chicken Biscuit. Buttermilk Kitchen's biscuit is on the crunchy, honey-flavored side. I personally prefer fluffier, more buttery biscuits, so this one wasn't my favorite. That aside, the chicken was crispy and well-seasoned and paired well with the cheese grits. If you ever wanted a dry, crunchy version of Homegrown's Comfy Chicken Biscuit, come give this a shot. I also tried the Hash Bowl, which was a bit underwhelming. It was a *lot* of potatoes compared to the eggs and bacon bits, and there wasn't a lot of seasoning other than the bacon. Would rather recommend one of the other options if you end up visiting. The drinks are good as well, would recommend the matcha latte (not too sweet!) and the French Press coffee.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Biscuit Basket (3)
    Biscuit Basket (3)
    I forget the dish's name but fried egg hash with red potatoes. Wife's order.

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    I forget the dish's name but fried egg hash with red potatoes. Wife's order.
    South City Kitchen

    South City Kitchen

    4.3
    (1.2k reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    WAS THIS A HIT OR MISS ???…read more It was a HIT I have been dying to try this place out for years and I figured I planned a lunch with a friend so we could spend the afternoon chitchatting and this was the perfect spot. So we were warmly greeted and then taken to a quiet table in the corner that had the whitest tablecloths. It looked rather chic Then we had the best server. She checked on us numerous times, didn't rush us and offered suggestions. She kept our table clear of mayhem from empty plates and glasses. Now the food was delicious. It was so good. The chicken was moist and the outside was crispy. The mashed potatoes melted in my mouth. Plus, we had a slice of 7up cake for dessert. I high recommend this place. They have valet parking that is only $2. Great place to visit. Until next time.

    Location Carries, Great for Clients, Not for Value…read more Location, location, location. That's the story here. This spot earns its 4 stars largely because of the setting and service. Right in the heart of Buckhead with a beautiful view great energy, well-dressed crowd, and a strong place for a work lunch or client meeting. Service was solid, no complaints there. I'll keep it simple the food was good, don't get me wrong. But for the price, it just didn't match up. This is one of those places that works if you're trying to impress clients or enjoy the atmosphere. Strip away the location, and the food-to-price ratio probably lands much lower. Just my take. Overall: 4/5 great setting, just comes at a premium.

    Photos
    Private dining room
    Private dining room
    Smoked Pork Chop
    Smoked Pork Chop
    The southern spread!

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    The southern spread!

    TRACE - southern - Updated June 2026

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