I went back to Wisteria again. My experience was slightly better. I had the same experiences as last time with cramped seating and the loudness of the restaurant so that's unfortunate. Service was good this time, but there was less of a need for it. I tried the black eyed pea hummus and it was pretty decent though not particularly memorable. I also tried the pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes - it's a good dish. I don't really understand all the lavish praise about it though as it didn't really strike me as anything special. One of those good but not great dishes. All in all, my opinion hasn't really changed much. I'm still not a huge fan of the restaurant space itself for spacing and noise issues. And while the food was more consistent this time, nothing has really impressed me here aside from the soup. There's nothing that I would want to order again aside from the soup. If I'm going to be paying for a meal at this price range I want it to be a little more impressive and tasty than it has been. It's seems logical that I would go up to a 3 but it's still more of a "just OK" than an "A-OK" for me though so... 2.5 read more

I never curse in reviews..but...holy shit. I live in New York, NYC to be exact, so as pretentious as it sounds, I'm not usually wowed by food from other states. Wisteria is definitely my favorite restaurant I've ever been to, top's any restaurant I've been to in NY or NYC. No doubt about it. The atmosphere was perfect for our date night on our get-away. Intimate, dim lighting, cozy, and romantic. Candle lit table among an exciting buzz and chatter of happy guests. The service here is impeccable. I wish so badly that I could remember our server's name. I cannot give him and the rest of the staff enough high praise, the staff really made our experience incredible. Everyone was so genuinely friendly and helpful which provided for a comfortable and relaxing evening. Safe to say, I easily gained 5 pounds just from this meal, worth it. Distinctly remember my boyfriend noting that he would be keeping his shirt on for the next few days after eating here. Easily the best meal I've ever had. I ordered the iron skillet fried all natural chicken. Juicy, tender, flavorful, chicken, as opposed to many restaurants that just dry their fried chicken out completely. The bacon collard greens it came with were incredibly soft and had a bold, flavorful taste. My favorite was the sweet corn pudding on the side. I've never had something so delicious. It's essentially corn/creamed corn, but baked into a bread. However, it's not dry inside...you still get the creaminess on the inside the same way you would with regular creamed corn. Ridiculously amazing...I would fly here just for this! I don't really have self control, so I also ordered a side of the mac and cheese. Rich, creamy, baked to perfection, soooo cheesy. My stomach hurt from being so full, but I could not stop eating. This place is incredible to say the least. I've never had a better meal. read more

Wisteria - Mac and cheese in the back. Fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet corn pudding in the front. Best meal ever! - New American Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Dined at Wisteria tonight with fellow Yelper, Phong T. for Inman Park's Restaurant Week. Wisteria offered two options for this week, three course meals for either $25 or $35. There is complimentary valet parking next to the establishment that is located on a strip of three to four restaurants or you can try to find parking along the streets and neighborhoods. The atmosphere is very intimate with dim lighting and romantic...except the tables along the wall are literally two inches or so apart from each other so you can hear your neighbors' conversations. Good thing we had reservations at 8:00 P.M. The placed was packed with diners. I do believe that the restaurant's space is a bit on the smaller side. Service: The service was quick. Our server definitely made the experience way better. Hunter, you rock! He was very attentive and never allowed for our water glasses to even be less than 75% filled. He was very detailed. He folded my friend's napkin when he got up to use the restroom. Food: We each opted for the three course meal for $35. The server brought us four complimentary slices of warm bread with butter. We placed our order and our appetizer came out within ten minutes! So quick! My friend ordered the Salmon Tartare Flatbread, Pan Seared North Atlantic Skate Wing, and the Dessert Sampler. I tried his first and second course. His first course, Salmon Tartare Flatbread had small chunks of salmon and avocado on top of thin and crispy flatbread pieces. It was good, but not something I would order the next time I dine here again. His Skate Wing entree was interesting. I really liked the grits, fried onions, and asparagus that accompanied it. The grits are delicious! It had bits of corn in it as well. The Skate Wing has what the server described, "the texture is like scallops, but the taste is like crab meat". This is a good description of it. It is one of Wisteria's popular dishes. I ordered the Charleston-Style Jumbo Lump Crab Cake as the first course. The crab cake was accompanied by this delicious roasted corn and pepper succotash. The crab cake is the size of your palm which is a good size. You must try it with the sauce that comes with it. My entree was the Pecan Crusted Atlantic Salmon and it came accompanied with sautéed spaghetti squash, and julienne sweet potatoes all with champagne fumet (wine) sauce. The salmon was good, but not amazing. I think the reason why I wasn't a huge fan was because it was pecan crusted on the outside of the salmon. I was not a fan of the champagne fumet wine sauce. I loved the idea of spaghetti squash! The sweet potatoes were chips that had some type of leaf inside of it. I thought this was really neat. Our desserts were the same. We each had the sampler of Lemon Pecan Bar, Granny's Carrot Cake with Bourbon Sauce, and Warm Fudge Tart with Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream that had a spicy kick at the end. The dessert was okay. I liked the fresh whipped cream on top of the Lemon Pecan Bar and the Carrot Cake was good, but I'm not a fan of the coconut in it. Overall, I will definitely visit in the future, maybe for next year's restaurant week. There are a lot more entrees and sides that I would love to try. Their sides sounds delicious! Maybe I should order the vegetable platter. I heard that you can pick 10 different sides for the vegetable platter. It was a great experience. read more

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What a disappointment the food was.... I was on a business trip from San Francisco and had two nights to experience Southern food but I also wanted something, modern with a twist. I wanted something with a ~$20 entree price range--nothing that would make my boss reject my expense report. Based on yelp reviews I thought Wisteria and Watershed were going to be my 2 restaurants for my first visit to Atlanta. The hostess at Wisteria recognized my 415 area code and knew I was from San Francisco. Impressive. She let me know that she hoped Wisteria would live up to my high San Francisco standards. But the food totally missed the mark--both execution but importantly the balance of flavors within each dish. The first dish I had were pan seared scallops over pork belly. The powerful, smoky sauce with the thick, salty pork belly totally overpowered the creaminess of the scallop. What I tasted was essentially smoky salt with none of the subtle brininess that I would expect to taste in a scallop. Quelle domage.... I wanted to rescue those poor puck sized scallops by rinsing them in my water glass and throwing them in a dish less with a lighter sauce where the scallops could truly sing. My main dish was a braised *beef* short rib (they were out of veal) over what was a bed of cabbage and blue cheese with a massive onion ring on top. The onion ring was perfection. It was gigantic, crispy and served with homemade ketchup. This was the most memorable part of the meal unfortunately. Again, the balance of flavors was off. The braised beef came with a salty sauce that was exacerbated by more salt in the blue cheese. Salt and more salt...is this a Southern thing? The cabbage needed an acid or a dressing...it was truly just shredded cabbage with chunks of blue cheese. Then in the middle of one bite, I tasted what I can describe as an "off" flavor. It tasted like the blue cheese or the cabbage had mold on it! Truly unacceptable. Perhaps I ordered wrong. Perhaps I should have come earlier in the evening when the food was more plentiful. Perhaps my San Francisco pallette is more sensitive than the kind folks from Atlanta that gave this restaurant 4-5 stars. But then, the night before, I did go to Watershed which was a totally different experience (of the positive kind...review forthcoming). read more

My experience at Wisteria was OK. I'm not going to rush back there but I would not be opposed to returning if someone suggested it. I guess our night here just started out badly. We arrived 15 minutes early for our reservation but we were still waiting on two people so we checked in and were cool with hanging out and waiting. The other two people arrived and we proceeded to hang out longer. We hung out for an extra 30 minutes past our reservation time (which was an 8:45 reservation, so kind of a late one already). We were finally seated at 9:15 and, you know, fine, but it would have been nice for one of the hostesses to acknowledge us while we waiting without us going up to specifically ask them about it. By the time I was seated, I was hungry and annoyed. It was restaurant week but I decided to order from the regular menu because I didn't want dessert and I did want a salad that was not on the lower priced fixed menu. Before I could even utter what I wished to order, I was sternly instructed that I could not share anything with anyone at our table because I was ordering from the regular menu and since the restaurant week menu was "such a good deal". OK, can I point out that it's really NOT "such a good deal" and that you are really only saving a few bucks IF you would normally order dessert? I didn't want dessert, anyway. I am certain I pulled a face at this point because that really annoyed me (note: I was already annoyed). So anyway, after my scolding, I ordered food and wine (from the big wine list which I liked). My salad was good - the one with figs and blue cheese. My fried chicken was pretty good. I was really hoping the food would save the service and make me less annoyed and it sort of did because at least I was not low-blood-sugar-annoyed anymore but the fried chicken was really greasy. Yes, I know it's fried. But, I feel that good fried chicken is more crispy than greasy and several bites of this were just all grease. It was a huge portion with little fried starch cakes (sweet corn fritters) and braised collard greens (loved these) and it was OK but not great. My wine was very good. I understand this place is always crowded which scares me away somewhat because I don't really want to plan on waiting for my table 30 minutes past my reservation again. Lesson learned: don't come here hungry because you'll be grumpy and enjoy everything less. read more

Cool Space! Cool Location! Crab Cake Excellent, Fritters just OK and Deviled Eggs not so good! Scallops Good, Cod Bland, Fried Chicken Really good! Service a little off, the server seemed very busy and rushed. I'm going to chalk this up to a bad night, I'm most definitely going back. read more

Great food, great service, great atmosphere...you'll find it all at Wisteria. My first trip was with my husband - it was a great setting for a romantic dinner. I have always found the staff to be very helpful, polite, and unpretentious. Whenever my husband or I have someone visiting from out of town that wants to a unique-to-Atlanta dining experience, this is the first place we take them. Everyone is always happy with our selection. Our last visit was just a few evenings ago with my brother-in-law who was visiting from D.C. All three of us ordered very different entrees and all three of us found them to be wonderful, right down to the very last bite. The beef tenderloin is our favorite dish. I wish, wish, wish they would bring back their three-cheese ravioli with the deconstructed pesto sauce....mmmmmm! If you haven't been to Wisteria yet, what are you waiting for??? ********Update as of 05/14/08******** I've been back to Wisteria many times since my last review, all of which has been great, but I had to jump on here for just a second and give some special props for a dish we recently ordered. My husband tried the beef tenderloin burger with aged cheddar and homemade onion rings. Wow, that burger was awesome and I absolutely loved the onion rings! The breading was just how I like it - a breadcrumb (rather than a battered) texture that is not at all soggy with big flavor. I very rarely steal multiple bites from my husband's plate but I could not stay away from his burger and onion rings. read more

Restaurant Management NOT very helpful at all when trying to secure a large party reservation online. M. Clifford was EXTREMELY rude and confrontational via email with me. We booked a 10 person reservation online, securing with a credit card, months ago, only to get phone calls less than a week out of the event to find out we have to sign a "Large Party Format Agreement". WTH? Since when do you need to sign a contract to dine at a restaurant?? We weren't asking for a private dining experience, nor a specialized menu. In the past the club never was subjected to this type of treatment, so we are effectively taking Wisteria off our list of "must attends". Far too many other choices in Atlanta to deal with this type of treatment. read more

I was hoping for a deliciously romantic dinner with the mister when I made a reservation to Wisteria for Friday night. Maybe Friday night isn't the best night to go. When we arrived, the place was buzzing with patrons, servers, and lots'o'noise. I loved the feel of the place...I just would have preferred a few less people and tables in this relatively small space. We started out with the Tuna Tartare and the Black Bean Hummus appetizers. Yum! The Black Bean Hummus was by far our favorite- so smooth and creamy, with crunchy sweet potato chips for dipping. I loved that flavor combo. The tuna was pretty good but I didn't care for the peanut chunks on top so much. I ordered the pumpkin ravioli for my entree. It sounded so good from the reviews and the description! But...I guess the texture of pumpkin bothers me a bit too much. And it tasted weird. And the pasta part was overcooked, too. So all in all...it was pretty blah. Mark liked his Beef Tenderloin Burger (medium rare) with aged cheddar and foie gras mayo a lot, lot, lot better than I liked the ravioli. So at least one of us had a good entree! For dessert we chose the Three for $10 option and ordered the carrot cake, creme brulee, and warm chocolate tart with the chocolate orange ice cream. The top of the creme brulee was burned in one spot, but the rest of it was really good. (Although the BEST creme brulee I've ever had in Atlanta was the Thai Ice Tea creme brulee at Nan Thai. It was truly orgasmic. But this is not a Nan Thai review, this is a Wisteria review so I will cease and desist.) We had a very friendly and attentive server, but it was so noisy and we were so close to the diners on either side of us that what I had hoped to be an intimate dinner for two took on the feel of a cocktail party. Unfortunately, the food wasn't quite good enough to whisk me off into la-la-land, either. read more

I went to Wisteria for my anniversary and had very mixed feeling about me experience! We went on a Sat night and had an 8:30 reservation. When we got there at 8:15, they told us it would be about a 30 minute wait. OK, off to the bar to get a drink, We stood there and stood there and the bartender pretty much did all he could to never make eye contact with us! Finally the two guys who were seated at the bar in front of us, got up to leave and we were able to order a drink. At 9:00pm my husband went to the hostess stand to inquire about our table. We were told that there were several larger groups who were finishing up. We finally got seated about 9:15pm and were put back in the corner by a group of 8 ladies. It looked like they had been done for awhile and were jut sitting at the table drinking martini's. I could understand this if the place had not been crowded or if it was more of a bar, but there were several couples waiting to be seated and this restaurant is listed as one of the "most romantic" on open-table. They were loud and our table was soo close to theirs, that it was really uncomftable! As for the food, we really enjoyed our meal! We had a pork belly app that was so tasty and went excellent with the glass of pinot that we ordered! We also loved both the lamb chops & the fish dish that my husband had. By the time it came to order dessert, we were stuffed but our waitress offered to box up dessert for us, so that we could enjoy it a little later that evening. The service was good, I was just surprised they never mentioned us waiting 45 Min's past our reservation. read more

Attended Wisteria during Innman Park Restaurant Week with the wife, sister, and two friends and left pleased with the results of our visit. Having arrived earlier than my reservation we spent a little time strolling the street while awaiting the other members of my party. The location is located on a quaint street which seemed from cursory inspection during our brief walk to be mostly residential. After being joined by my dining companions we entered the establishment to be greeted by a raucous group of diners that appeared to be quite happy with their food. We were informed our table was on reserve and directed to the bar while we waited. Squeezing our group around two seats at the bar we were just starting to peruse the available libations when we were informed they were ready for us and were seated. Seating was rather tight and we ended up just in front of the entrance resulting in a busier and slightly more open configuration than perhaps was ideal. Undaunted we spent some time poring over the restaurant week menu. Having perused the menu online prior to our visit I began to slowly exert my influence upon the others in our group in hopes of masterminding some kind of plot that would result in me being able to at least taste a little bit of everything that caught my eye. It was a partial success and I managed to nibble from the others when the food arrived. Everything I tasted was skillfully prepared and quite good. My personal dish, the one upon which I can speak most authoritatively as I was not reduced to nibbling upon stolen morsels from it, was the skate. I found it very tender and flavorful, and surprisingly found the accompanying grits to be quite a tasty complement (I had, upon placing my order, informed our waitress that under normal circumstances I was not particularly fond of grits, however if she felt that their preparation of them would change my concept of what a grit was I would submit myself to the challenge - she assured me they would - she was correct) and the crisp, perfectly cooked asparagus provided a nice contrast to the softer textures of both the grits and the skate. Service was spectacular, I was blessed once again with a personable waitress that indulged my foibles and inherent curiosity to provide solid recommendations and sharp yet amiable service. My only complaint would be that due to the noise of the other happy diners the conversations at our table were not as fluid as I would have liked when spending time with such great friends. I will be returning when the wallet is less tight to dabble from their standard menu and update my impressions of an establishment that holds high potential based upon my first impressions. read more

Dear Wisteria ~ I would LOVE to give you 5 stars if you would just add one nice gourmet vegetarian/vegan item to your menu. You know a DINNER plate that isn't a conglomeration of vegetable sides. A real effort - something creative because I can tell you are creative. Until then, you get 4 stars. Your restaurant is chic without being pretentious. Your drinks are oh so very tasty to imbibe and your bar has a welcoming cozy neighborhood feel. Your vegetarian soup (when you have one) tantalizes the taste buds and warms the soul. Your salads bring ingredients that my palate finds interesting and refreshing. And then the dinner plate....arrrrgh. I'm always getting stuck with that vegetable plate. I'm not saying I don't like vegetables, I'm saying I would like for you to put forth some effort. Learn how to cook them other than as a side item. Please and thank you. Sincerely, Your neighbor who would eat there weekly if you learned how to make some creative vegetarian cuisine. read more

We really enjoyed Wisteria--the decor is great, particularly the exposed brick. The space is big enough to feel hip and happening, but it's not so big that it becomes deafeningly loud at full capacity. My fiance ordered a gimlet at the bar, and he said it was very well-made, but it harkened us back to DC with its $12 pricetag. We asked our lovely server to bring us a dry white wine in the $30-$40 range, and she did just that-I just wish I could remember what it was! In any case, it played very well with the food and was reasonably priced. For appetizers, I couldn't resist the Kumamoto oysters flown in from the Pacific coast, and they were as briny and delicious as I expected. They were served with some sort of cocktail/mignonette hybrid, but to be honest, I didn't use a drop of it because the oysters were so tasty. Fiance ordered the seared sea scallops over braised pork belly, radicchio, and a bourbon-molasses reduction. Yum! The scallops were just underdone, which is exactly how we like them, and the pork belly gave the dish some salty, slightly crispy contrast. For entrees, fiance went with the pan-seared skate wing, which was served with lemon brown butter, stone-ground grits, and asparagus. The fish was delicious and perfectly cooked, and the accompaniments suited the dish very well (though the asparagus were a little scrawny, and I was surprised to see them on the plate out of season). I opted for the roasted half duck-and I probably shouldn't have. Don't get me wrong, the flavors were spot-on (it was glazed with an orange ginger sauce and served with a Napa cabbage and julienne pepper saute), and it was prepared exactly as it was described. However, I really prefer my duck cooked rare, and roasting forced the bird to be more like medium. The good news was, the skin was perfectly crispy, and it was a delicious treat. Desserts are more like tastes, and the idea is to mix and match and try a number of them. We opted for three for $10, and we chose the carrot cake (which I don't like, but which Jason thought was very good), the pecan pie (a good, solid rendition), and the balsamic strawberry and mascarpone tart (stellar-I could have eaten three more). I like the concept of dessert "tapas," so you can sample a bunch without feeling totally bloated. Service was excellent-friendly and attentive, but not annoying and overbearing. Our waitress really knew the menu, and she made excellent suggestions. With a bottle of wine, two apps, two entrees, three dessert "tastes," a glass of port, tax, our Open Table gift certificate, and tip (on the pre-discounted amount, of course), we walked out for less than $150. For what we received, we both felt that Wisteria was a good value-and certainly a wonderful neighborhood destination. read more

I made a 6 PM reservation with 3 people for this restaurant. When we entered, we were told that we would have to be done with our specific table by 7:30 PM as they had to turn over tables. I then requested another table and was told it would be OK and that we could take our time. Around 7:30 PM, the manager or another waiter came over and said we had to leave our table as another party was here. Please note we had ordered drinks, appetizers, meals, and desserts - we were not just getting appetizers. I have never been rudely kicked out of a table like this. I am still appalled by the behavior. The food was mediocre and not very flavorful. read more

By far my most favorite restaurant in Atlanta. The ambiance is warm and cozy, perfect for a date night or catching up with old friends. I highly recommend the molasses-rubbed pork tenderloin. I go there with the intention of trying something new every time but never can resist that piece of heavenly pork tenderloin. I'm also a fan of the wasabi creme fraiche that comes with the calamari appetizer. It gives the calamari an extra hint of flavor... or as Iike to say: pizzazz. Very friendly wait staff also! read more

I've gone back and forth on whether I would visit Wisteria or not based on the mixed reviews that I've received. I finally decided to go during Georgia Restaurant Week(app, entree, and dessert for $35). I started off with the crab cake appetizer that came with roasted corn. The dish was decent; the crab cake was slightly dry and could have used less breading and more actual crab meat but I did like the corn. My entree was the shrimp and grits and it had a really good flavor. The shrimp were a really nice plump size and were plentiful throughout. The stone ground grits had a few kernels of sweet corn, a Cajun broth that wasn't too spicy, and sautéed onions and peppers that all came together well in the dish; probably one of the better shrimp and grits dishes that I've had. I enjoyed the banana pudding for dessert. It was different but nonetheless pretty good. The cinnamon and cocoa powder on top were a nice touch and added a different taste to it. My cocktail was the GA Peach Perfect which consisted of gin, whiskey, and sparkling wine! Yikes! Sounds crazy but it was really good and potent. I actually had two... I dined at the bar and the bartender, Andrew, was very knowledgeable and friendly. Since the place just opened at 5:30 there weren't many people so we were able to talk about food, the area, my blog, and other restaurants. He kept me company and I enjoyed the conversation. The rest of the staff was nice as well. The ambiance is kind of rustic but very intimate which I like. Also, I love that the restaurant gets some ingredients from local farms and distributors. read more

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I went here with my God Mother who is a certifiable Foodie. She knows about restaurants before the owners even know they're going to open one. Of course whenever I recommend a place to her I am always a little nervous before entering in case she doesn't like it. Wisteria passed the test, she loved it. It is a very elegant atmosphere and the service is very professional classy. Our server recommended a delicious bottle of wine to go with our meal that really brought out the flavor of the food. I ordered a chicken dish which was great but the real winner, that I still dream about is the Skate Wing. It was delicious and sweet and melts in your mouth. I think it was a special but if they serve it again I highly recommend it. Wisteria is a really nice place to bring your in-laws or a romantic date. It's elegant but not uncomfortably so. read more

Quietly nestled into a cozy little area of North Highland Avenue, Wisteria is warm, enchanting, and exploding with flavor. My first visit was this weekend when my boyfriend and I went to meet up with my family to celebrate. The lighting is soft and the decor is great for dates or meals with friends. Upon entering, I knew it was a very special little place. A great little place for people watching, both indoors and outdoors. We were seated right next to the window which was a nice location...because we were able to both look out into the quaint little neighborhood and also had a great view of the entire restaurant..The bar was inviting, and the atmosphere was very Napa Vally-Esque. For starters I ordered the Crab Bisque which was creamy and tasty. Every bite was packed full of flavor....the presentation was very artistic, and left me wondering how my entree could ever top that. For dinner, I ordered the Grilled Center Cut Beef Tenderloin over sharp cheddar, braised greens, macaroni and cheese with a shallot, & horseradish jus. The beef was tender, and juicy and a very nice size fillet for the money. I had plenty to share. The real treat for me was the mac & cheese which was made with shell macaroni and had the most had amazing texture. Definitely a different spin on mac & cheese, and a very good one at that. Shrimp and Grits over stone ground corn grits with sauteed peppers and onions in spicy shrimp broth was also a big hit with the family, as was the Housemade Ravioli-A three cheese ravioli in a deconstructed tomato pesto. (Small portion for the Ravioli, but packed with flavor) Everyone had a taste of everything it seemed.... And all in all, it was an over the top night, packed with flavors, wine, and great conversation. What really took the show for me was the dessert. We each ordered a dessert, and again shared with each other. Warm Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding with Swiss Chocolate Orange Ice Cream-A very refreshing and unexpected mixture of orange and dark chocholate. Creme Brulee Duo - Vanilla and Chocolate-Vanilla was better. Seasonal Cobbler with Oatmeal Crumb Crust - served warm with Vanilla Ice Cream..Packed full of berries, and crumbly yumminess. And my personal favorite....Warm Georgia Rustic Apple Pie - served with Ice cream-I chose the chef's selection-which happened to be banana pudding ice cream... The dessert itself was worth the trip. Valet parking is available and suggested as it is located in an area that is a bit confined. This is Comfort Food meets Culinary Art. It has all the good things that great restaurants are made from. Highly recommended! Food: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Service: 5 Recommendations: Crab Bisque Mac & Cheese Beef Tenderloin Warm Georgia Rustic Apple Pie - Served with Ice cream All in All: Seriously A Life Changing Experience read more

Great location- right off North Highland next to some other great restaurants (folk art=yum) The lot is valet only but you can find street parking nearby if you really want but the valet was easiest so we opted for that and they are always friendly. Made a reservation for Friday night. We were greeted with a warm welcome and sat to our table within minutes. The place was buzzing and you get hit with delicious aromas right when you walk in the door. That is always a good sign! Our server was Natalie and she absolutely killed it. I would ask for her when you come in. Great knowledge of the menu and was just an overall lovely person to interact with. They have a reasonably priced wine menu so we got a bottle of red. We started off with the chili rubbed scallops- freaking amazing. GET THESE I got the fried chicken and my boyfriend got the lamb shank. The fried chicken was juicy, tender and had a really great flavor. It came with sweet corn pudding, some greens and mushrooms- all fantastic. Only complaint was the chicken was sitting in a broth so it wasn't very crispy. When I think fried chicken I'm looking for crispy. Maybe serve the broth on the side? Lamb shank was really yummy as well! Think more of a pot roast and less of a steak texture. We loved the polenta and the veggies were just okay. Had to get dessert since all of the flavors of the food were awesome. We got a trio- banana pudding, chocolate mousse, and strawberry shortcake Banana pudding- wish we got an entire one...sooooooo good Chocolate mousse- delicious but more of a cherry dish than a chocolate one Strawberry shortcake- a lot of potential but too salty for our taste. Overall this place was in our top 10, maybe even 5 in Atlanta. It is pricey so maybe go for a special occasion or something. Check it out! read more

We went to Wisteria for my birthday last year (I know, I'm late on my review). To date, Wisteria is my FAVORITE restaurant in Atlanta. Yeah, I said it. I committed to it. Everything about Wisteria is perfect & 5-star worthy - the atmosphere is amazing, the service is top-notch without feeling stuffy, and the food is mind-blowingly good. If only my wallet could handle a meal at Wisteria every week... 1. Atmosphere: Wisteria creators must have dreamed up the most romantic setting they could think of...and then made it a reality. The dining room is tiny, but it's intimate and candle-lit with gorgeous wine displays against exposed brick. I was almost knocked off my feet simply by walking in the door. The smells, the people, the whole vibe...breathtakingly romantic. 2. Service: We were a little early for our reservation, so we sat at the bar to grab a drink. The bartender was the best I've ever had - he was attentive, made excellent suggestions, cracked jokes, and went to great lengths to connect with us. Even once we were seated, our waitress was attentive without being intrusive or overbearing. It was like she was a ghost...our glasses never were empty, but we never felt like our evening was interrupted by her coming by. Excellent dinner/drink suggestions by both the bartender and the waitress. They both went above and beyond to make our night memorable. 3. Drinks: We just ordered wine, but by the looks of it, our bartender knew how to mix up something delicious. 4. Appetizers: We started with the Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs - I personally think anything with Pimento Cheese is delicious, but my boyfriend normally isn't a fan. Since it was MY birthday, I pulled the diva card and insisted that we get this appetizer, which comes with 5 deviled eggs. I got through 1 and a half by the time my boyfriend had devoured the rest of the appetizer. Such a simple concept, but man - they were unforgettably good, and the okra/nut addition really made the dish complete. 5. Dinner: My boyfriend ordered the Pork Tenderloin Molasses Rubbed, and he could not stop making sounds as he ate...all I could hear with each bite was "mmmmm" "ohhhhh" "ahhhhh." I'm normally not a big meat eater, but I gave it a shot - the flavor was out of this world, and the sweet potato soufflé was a great consistency...not too heavy, but packed a huge flavor punch. I ordered the North Atlantic Skate Wing Pan-Seared at the suggestion of the bartender. After one bite, I wanted to walk over to him and kiss him for suggesting such an amazing meal. I've never had Skate Wing before, but I'd describe it almost as a crab flavor and texture without all the work. It was light and perfectly seasoned and served on a bed of grits and asparagus. Obviously I started making the "mmmm" "ohhhh" "ahhhh" with each bite as well. I'm sure the people around us thought we were a little crazy. If I had a last meal on earth - I would choose the North Atlantic Skate Wing Pan-Seared. It's that good. If anyone ever visits Atlanta, I always suggest Wisteria as the date-night spot to visit. I even arranged for my parents to go there for their anniversary after seeing a show at Atlantic Station. You will not be disappointed by this small and spectacular gem! read more

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Fabulous. The ONLY reason I knocked a star off is because the bread was a little soggy, like it had been sitting in an overly-moist warming drawer. Other than that, everything was great. See if you can get the bearded server...he's awesome. Wine selection was superb. The amount of food was just right. Calamari was perfectly crispy and paired with the apricot sauce was delightful. Then again I am a sucker for meat and sugar together so that's probably not surprising. If there weren't so many other places I want to try I'd go back there next week! This is a definite must for Atlantans who like good food, atmosphere and service. read more

What a neighborhood gem! Wisteria was a great way to end my last dinning out meal in Atlanta before leaving to Europe. I truly adored this restaurant. My date that selected this restaurant gets mad props for selecting this spot for me. I was very impressed with their Gluten-free menu. I loved their crab bisque soup! There was not one thing about this restaurant that I did not approve of at Wisteria. The service was very accommodating and prompt. The food was fabulous and my extremely handsome...... date was the icing on the cake. It was definitely and enjoyable experience! read more

Wisteria is one of the favorites of the hot girl who let's me hang out with her all the time, which is good, because I grew quite fond of it when I used to live down the block. Our visit a few weeks ago once again solidified Wisteria's spot as one of my most favored dining spots. The ambiance is wonderful; it has just the right amount of background noise and subdued lighting to make your neighbor -- who's about a foot from your elbow -- seem like a intrusive potted plant, rather than an extra dinner companion. The food consistently impresses as well. On this particular visit I supped upon the molasses pork tenderloin, while my companion enjoyed the almond trout. While either dish would be good enough to punch a baby to get, that night was introduced to the seared scallops over pork belly, which I might just order 3 or 4 of next time, in lieu of an actual entree. The service, as other have noted, is efficient and professional, even managing to quickly answer and have the kitchen provide a workaround to the breading on the mountain trout. While I myself am not gluten-intolerant, I appreciate the effort. A colicky date is no fun for anyone. I further appreciate that their wine list actually has wines worth drinking by the glass, as I am both curious, easily distracted, and a boozer. Speaking of which, the ADD inspired dessert sampler is always a good choice, particularly given the superb selection of dessert wines the restaurant has to offer. Few things close out a meal better than a Tokay or a Moscato Dulce. Oh yeah, make a reservation. Always. The place ain't that big. read more

I've passed this place a couple times, not thinking much of trying it until one Friday night on a whim (a whim and a mobile opentable reservation...that's me being "spontaneous"). The restaurant definitely has a romantic feel, although the tables for 2 are quite large, so you kinda feel very far removed from the other side of the table. I find that funny since the overall spot is not big. So on a busy night, you may find yourself yelling a little to have a conversation. For starters, I tried the calamari, which if you've seen my profile, I have a love affair with calamari. Wisteria's offering was a bad quickie....tasted like it was fried in old grease and the wasabi creme drizzle that someone raved about left much to be desired that day. *sigh* Everything else was great....I had the Mountain Trout entree and it was delish! My friend has the Pork Tenderloin, cooked medium, and the little I tasted was awesome and I don't do pork like that! The couple sitting next to us had the rack of lamb and it looked amazing, so I know what I'll try out on the next visit. As for dessert, I usually don't have room, but the portions were just right where I didn't feel stuffed so I tried one of the small serving sized items. Carrot cake was my choice b/c I luv it, but here, ehhh, I took 2 nibbles and was quickly over it. Our server was very attentive and as the restaurant cleared out and we continued to talk well after food and wine were gone, he continued to offer us water (maybe he was ready for us to leave, who knows, he was nice though). read more

I've gotta say, Wisteria's got it going on. And I'm only saddened I didn't figure out how good this place was before now! So a few weeks ago, my lovely parents swung into town on their way back home after a tour of the south: New Orleans, Florida, and then Georgia on the way to Missouri. Whenever they stop by for a weekend, I like to try and make at least one dinner reservation at a nice restaurant none of us have been to before. As I was cruising around on Yelp and Open Table simultaneously, Wisteria came up, I checked the menu, and decided "What the heck?" and booked a table for a Sunday evening. That night, we arrived a little after the appointed time and valeted in the steep lot next to Wisteria and were promptly seated by the maitre'd. For a Sunday, Wisteria was doing a good business in its modest-sized space. It's cozy inside with a big bar, lots of seating at tables and along the walls in the form of banquets, soft lighting and a laid-back vibe. Very nice. Our waiter for the evening was quite entertaining - I don't recall his name, but we did learn he was from the West coast, but his ancestors were from Ireland (I have no idea how this came about), and he provided excellent service throughout our meal. For dinner, we had a couple glasses of wine and I ordered the skate wing, my mom got the braised lamb shank, my dad and fiance both went for the grilled top sirloin (such manly men!). My skate was delicious with the stone ground grits (which I'm very particular about), asparagus and brown butter. Delish and almost too much to finish. My mom did thrown in the towel, and I ended up getting a nice little lunch of lamb shank leftovers the next day, which was awesome too. Wisteria was really, really excellent, and it is definitely somewhere I will come back to in the future. read more

Over the weekend, my bf and I came here for dinner. We heard so many good things about this place. I already knew what I was going to order from reading all the reviews. I thought the restaurant was cozy because of the brick interior. It has such a great feel to it as you are there. It is also quite small so definitely make reservations. We were 30 minutes late due to traffic, but we were still seated very promptly and it was crowded. My hunger pains were kicking in and I was glad that we didn't have to wait since we were late. For an app, we ordered the calamari. It was probably one of the best I've ever had. It was different from your usual calamari because it was mixed in with some greens and red bell peppers. I thought it was interesting. The apricot sauce accompanied the calamari very well. It was savory and sweet all in one! As the entree I ordered the pork tenderloin since I heard so many good things about it. I'm not a big pork person, but I wanted to try it. I thought it was good, but I wished I ordered something different. However the sweet potatoes with the apple walnut mixture was a great combo. My bf ordered the salmon with the spaghetti squash. The salmon was your regular salmon. I thought it was a little bland. Overall, I would definitely come here again. There were many dishes that looked tasty. We had a great waiter! We sat on the long booth against the wall. I thought the tables were too close together. You could hear everything the party sitting on both sides of you were talking about. This is not a place were you want to have intimate conversations unless you want everyone to know your business. read more

Went to Wisteria for a birthday dinner with my parents. The atmosphere is great--one of the few places in town where you can actually hear the person across from you without shouting! I mean, I love Rathbun's, but come on--how 'bout some acoustic panels somewhere? The mac & cheese is delicious with an awesome crispy topping. The service is wonderful and basically everything we had was good. All the tables around us were oohing and aaaahhhing too, so I think this place is just good all around. read more

Wisteria's food gets about 3.5 stars from me, but the service and excellent attention I received while dining here easily bumps it up to 4. To be fair, I visited Wisteria for the first time during Inman Park Restaurant Week when I know things can get a little crazy. They had two menus for diners to choose from - the $25 or $35 listing. After seeing the options on the $35 option, I knew it was the way to go. For the appetizers: -- I chose the crispy calamari and it was pretty great. It had a creamy dressing atop the calamari and fried strips of green and red peppers. On the side it came with a tangy sweet and sour dip that really brightened the dish. The only drawback to it was the size variety of each of the pieces. I found myself chewing some bites for 10 seconds and others for 10 minutes. -- My date chose the crab bisque. This dish is 100% perfect. It's creamy with lots of crab and a swirl of creme fraiche on top. The only thing I wish were different was that it came in a bigger bowl! For the entrees: -- I chose the shrimp and grits. It was really well presented with several shrimp and lots of red and green pepper adorning a sizable amount of grits. The sauce was a very thin consistency as opposed to other gravy styles I've had. Even so, it mixed well with the grits and gave great flavor without being too spicy or overwhelming. -- My date had the sirloin with braised greens macaroni and cheese. The sirloin was OK, I've had better elsewhere. He requested it medium, but it came out closer on the just barely medium-rare side. It had already cooled by the time it came to the table so it was a little disappointing. One of my favorite foods in the whole world is macaroni and cheese, but Wisteria's version just didn't live up to the great recommendations. The noodles were overcooked and the cheese sauce had been baked way too dry so they weren't very creamy. For the desserts: -- The dessert was the same whether you chose the $25 or $35 for everyone. It was a sampler platter of their best selling choices which included carrot cake with a caramel sauce, a lemon tart with fresh whipped cream, and chocolate fudge with chocolate ice cream. Size wise - they were the perfect two - three bite portions that are enough to satisfy but not overwhelm. The lemon tart had great zip to it and the filling was creamy rather than grainy which was a bonus. The carrot cake was delicious! It had maple cream cheese frosting and a caramel sauce that was to die for! This bite was definitely my favorite of the three. The chocolate fudge was good, but a bit too rich for my taste. This was the only one of the three that I couldn't finish. While the food was pretty hit or miss for me, the service was absolutely impeccable. There is a complimentary valet right next to the restaurant so I didn't have to drive up and down Highland Ave. looking for a parking space which was much appreciated. Once inside, the hostess and manager were welcoming and pleasant and we were able to be seated immediately (I highly recommend reservations!). We had two of the wait staff assisting us with our meal - one for food and one for drinks. Their attention was much appreciated and service was above and beyond. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying them when they aren't kicking off Restaurant Week to see how they fare in their natural environment. Their wine and cocktail listings were quite impressive and I'd love to go back and try a variety of their drinks and apps! read more

Our Experience at Wisteria was awesome. We arrived on time and did not have to wait to be seated. Upon arrival it took a few minutes for the host to greet us as he had stepped away from the station which was not a big deal. The restaurant was not crowded but had a lively group of patrons. We were seated in the right side back corner which made our experience more intimate in my opinion. Our server was fantastic, engaging, friendly and efficient. Most of my group chose different entrees, however several folks in our party chose the Shrimp and grits; The shrimp and grits got mixed reviews, some thought the grits were too soupy others enjoyed the flavors. I had the steak special which was delicious. The other two entrees chosen were the Grilled Beef Tenderloins and Grilled Pork Tenderloin, both dishes appeared to have been a hit. Overall we enjoyed our dining experience and would visit Wisteria again in the near future. read more

My wife and I gorged ourselves last Friday. 5 stars all the way. Great experience from the appetizers all the way through dessert. Pretty decent beer selection...all in the bottle. I had the belgian-style ale "3 philosophers." They have very reasonably priced wine flights and they give you a very nice glassful (much more than The Grape for cheaper). We started with the green tomato fries. They had a blue cheese dip that we weren't crazy about, but the fries were excellent. We also split the arugula salad that had baked apples and candied walnuts in it....also very good. The main course was very impressive. My wife had the pork tenderloin that came with sweet potatoes. The meat was excellent (I sampled), but the potatoes were what impressed her the most...and I quote "The best combination of sugar, butter, and cinnamon I've ever had." I sampled those too...and agreed. I had the shrimp N' grits...let's just say my bowl was clean. Now for the best part! Dee-Freaking-Zert. They have the newer style smaller portion desserts you are starting to see around town. Wisteria calls them 4 bite desserts but they were much bigger than that we thought! We decided to get the 3 desserts for $10 plate. The Creme Brulee was absolutely the best thing to touch these lips in years. The apple tart and the fudge brownie thing were also fantastic and we left a tad bit bloated...but happy. The only complaint I can come up with was that my coffee was lukewarm. All of that food/drink and we only spent right around 100 bucks with tip/tax included...not bad at all! Maybe the best deal in Atlanta when you consider quality/portion/price. Make sure you have reservations before you go...it's not the biggest place. You can't go wrong with Wisteria...tell them I sent ya. Just expect a weird look after you do. read more

We decided to try this restaurant based on the Yelp reviews. I had reservations for 9pm, and we walked in exactly at 9. The hostess, who wasn't nice and could learn to smile more and act like she's happy to do her job, said there were no tables available yet and asked to hang around for a bit. Where the hell do you want me to stand? The place is kinda small and there were already people by/at the bar. Someone finally left the bar, so we take kinda filled in the space. The bartenders are not nice either! Do employees at this establishment not like their jobs or just prefer not to smile or something?! We ordered a few drinks; the old fashioned was pretty good but the other drinks, their version of Moscow Mule tasted like lemonade. The Dark n' Stormy also sucked. At 9:24pm, our hostess finally says our table was ready. But was it? We stood around for another 5 mins while she they figured it out. Our waiter was nice and he smiled (yay) but he seemed like he was overwhelmed with too many tables or something. He always had to rush off. The vegetable platter was delicious and the only reason for the 3 stars, and the braised lamb shank was just okay. I don't know if I'll give this place another try. read more

Wisteria - Bartenders are not very nice - New American Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

We've eaten in hundreds of restaurants all across the USA and my wife and I agree, the Iron Skillet Half Chicken dinner was one of the best meals we've EVER had. Super moist and fork-cut-tender chicken...really! Collard greens warm and tender with just the right seasonings. The corn pudding...stop me! I couldn't quit nibbling on it. And the nice, 100 year old super social, sorta noisy, high energy talk with family and friends environment was really cool vibe. Go there. Take your friends. Heck, take me back! I'll see you there sometime because this is now a favorite! read more

An enjoyable experience (especially in light of a horrible experience the next night somewhere else). We started out with the crab cake appetizer. It had a good amount of crap and nice flavor (although not quite as amazing as the one at Shaun's). For the main course, I heeded the advice of fellow Yelpers and had the molasses pork tenderloin. It was delicious - so tender it would melt in my mouth! My partner had the roasted chicken - I had a small taste and it was incredibly moist. Service was very attentive. The wine (Campus Stella, Albarino) was rich & fruity. The only reason we didn't give Wisteria 5 stars was the dessert wasn't as exceptional as the rest of the meal. I had the black cherry cobbler & my partner had the strawberries & balsamic. The strawberries needed more balsamic & the cobbler could've used a bit more ice cream. All in all, it was an evening well-spent and I recommend Wisteria without reservation. read more

This was our first time. We started with the deviled eggs and they were really good! It was much more cumin-y than I was expecting for pimento cheese. I ordered the fried chicken and subbed the collard greens for mashed potatoes and everything was so good!!! The mac and cheese was amazing and the chicken was cooked so well. It came with a sweet cornbread which was a perfect complement to the other two. He got the beef veal and meatballs with gnocchi. That was a really delicious entree too, but we agreed mine was the best! We finished with two desserts (they're small)- the banana pudding and smore tartlet. The smore was interesting and good, but the banana pudding was way better. Overall though the desserts were pretty expensive for what you got ($7 for a cupcake size dessert). The atmosphere was really nice too! read more

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Great restaurant in North Highland that's part of the "restaurant row" that includes il Localino. Southern comfort food at its best. The atmosphere is intimate enough for a first date or lively enough for a group dinner. Definitely have to get the deviled eggs, mac and cheese and the fried chicken! The chicken is so tender and juicy with a great coating. read more

Y'all, I'm about to get real with you. I have only ever heard AMAZING things about Wisteria, so obv, we decided to try it out for our first anniversary. Valet was fine, but seems quite unnecessary. There's a HUGE lot behind the restaurant, but you have to valet. It's free, but of course, you still have to tip (unless you're a schmuck, I suppose). They're prompt and nice, though. The tables in the restaurant are very close together. And not even like European close together, too close. Everyone around us was having lovely conversations, but if I can touch you with my elbow when I pick up my fork, it's too close. It took quite a while for a server to come greet us or bring over water. Probably close to ten minutes. And probably another ten before drinks arrived. Then, half way through service, without explanation, we randomly had a new server. Our server had to leave? The first server was good. The second server was good but...huh? The menu was great, lots of seasonal options. He got the caesar salad and it was awesome, and i got the broccoli soup, and it was awesome, too. Overall, a good start! For mains, the husband got the shrimp and grits and loved it. That dude loves him some shrimp and grits. I got the something something beef ravioli. Each component of my meal was totally fine. Not great, but good. However, combined it just did not go together. It was like the chef decided he really wanted to make beef ravioli, but had all these seasonal vegetables, too! "Hey, I know, just put all of the seasonal veggies ON the beef ravioli!" So, the ravioli had peas, asparagus, and carrots all over it in a light tomatoey sauce. The pasta for the ravioli was undercooked and overworked/quite tough, as well. I was really expecting something light and lovely, but that's not what I received. The favors of everything just did not go together and the overall composition of the dish seemed very thrown together and unthought out. If someone suggests to try Wisteria, I'll be happy to give it another shot. The broccoli soup was great, and you can always judge a chef by his soups! Unfortunately, my first attempt was a swing and a miss. read more

Fantastic restaurant for date night or a special Occasion. We came with another couple after being in Inman park for drinks. Service was great. Lighting was dim for dinner and atmospherr was perfect- not too stuffy. Many food options. And drinks were delicious. Beware- the Manhattan inspired cocktail is strong! We had the scallops and pork belly- delish! My entree was the lamp chips- delish! My husband and friend had the fried chicken which looked amazing and our other friend had the meatballs that were super tasty. Unfortunately we didn't save room for dessert. We Will surely be back soon! read more

Excellent food. Nice staff. I'll be back. I ordered the half fried chicken with the calamari for an appetizer. The calamari--with the sauces on the side, mind you--was excellent! Perfectly seasoned, and not chewy at all. The fried chicken entree, well, while small, I found it to be well seasoned. The greens that accompanied the chicken matched perfectly. And the sweetbread, OMG, don't get me started on how awesome it was. This is a great restaurant, Jack & Coke was $7.50, and I'll be back. read more

Excellent food. Our server was very polite and very enthusiastic. Food took a while but it was well worth the wait. After all, these dishes wouldn't be nearly as good if they were made with haste. The lamb steak was outstanding and packed with flavor. So were the mussels and kale salad special. Definitely recommend this place for fine dining. read more

I have to admit, I found the food at Wisteria quite tasty! However, the hostess/waitstaff were less than splendid. The staff appears to be either overworked or just simply unhappy. They are not friendly or inviting, just "running through the motions," which is alright when you're only paying $10. a plate...but at the prices Wisteria charges, the staff should be more charming. read more