Recently I had the opportunity to spend a couple of evenings at Buckhead Diner in of all places the Buckhead portion of Atlanta. Prior to walking in, I had not read any reviews of the place. It just looked interesting from the outside.
I was traveling with Ben, and having just come from the airport, neither of us were dressed for, or in the mood for an over the top evening. Plus, I had just flown in from a wedding in Orange County where we had enjoyed maybe one or two cocktails so I was in serious recovery mode. The place looked like a fun upscale diner, lots of shiny chrome on the outside. Turning into the parking lot, we discovered the valet, and decided this might be a bit too upscale but we were there so why not give it a go.
Walking in the door, the entryway is filled with framed clippings of reviews and awards they can see. Looking through into the dining room, immediately in front of you is a large cooler filled with wonderful fresh, colorful fruit. The waitstaff is dressed in what I’ll call the traditional steakhouse butcher jacket and tie. I have to say Buckhead Diner really pulls this off well. The feel is upscale, but yet very casual from the customer perspective.
The hostess took my name and found us a table within 5 minutes. No buzzers here, when the table was ready the hostess came and found us, addressed me by name and took us to the table. One element I found rather interesting is that when she seated us, she removed my white napkin and placed a black napkin in my lap. Later when the waiter arrived, he also addressed my by my name, so this may be a subtle signal they use to indicate to staff who the host of a party is. If so, a very nice touch that I’ve not seen before.
I had the grilled scallop salad for dinner, with a Bloody Mary (recovery mode if you recall). The scallops were grilled to perfection, well seasoned and the salad was excellent. One of the worst things in the world is an overdressed salad, and this one was perfect. The cool fresh greens with a light vinaigrette blended very well with the warm scallops. This is definitely a meal I would have again.
The next night we were back, with an additional person. The staff remembered up from the night before. We spent some time at the bar this time, and had an excellent bartender that actually does know how to make a martini (don’t laugh, that’s a dying art). As we chatted with him, he was personable, and as we delved into a discussion of various gins and vodkas proved his product knowledge. All three dinners were again excellent and the staff as friendly and professional as the night before.
Without a doubt Buckhead Diner goes on my list, and I will be returning there whenever I have the opportunity while in Atlanta.
For those of you wanting some additional reviews of this great restaurant, here are some links:
In summary, from a customer experience perspective as well as the overall quality of the food, I urge you to try this well-priced “diner” in Buckhead.
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