AltoRex

Solid space. Hit or miss crowd, especially on the weekend when it is quite dependent on Midtown’s or the Hotel’s events. I love the $ 3 draft special! Their cocktails are quite good as well though. I prefer to sit next to the bonfire in the winter, or in the back patio in the summer.
The service is always very good. This is a prime 1^st quarter spot for me. A great place to start the night. This is also one of my main happy hour joints. Back in NY us in the fashion world used to meet at the Bryant Park Hotel’s Cellar Bar. Here it seems the consultants and lawyers of midtown Atlanta seem to like this spot. It really is quite nice.
Anyways Palomar’s are truly cool hotels and this Bar had been a grand addition to the Midtown community.

This cool outdoor bar was fun. Contrary to other viewers, service here was great. But be careful not to stare. The servers were are in cute little black outfits. Our waitress recommended a bunch of different drinks and everything I tried off their specialty menu was good.
Grab the booths in front of the fire sculptures to stay warm. Pair a night at this bar with dinner a Pacci and it’s a sure fire hit for date night… but a wallet breaker.

A funky combination with patio seating plus a screened-​in bar. You can walk around and see the view from the third floor (so not exactly what you think of rooftop)

One thing… It is not a rooftop bar which was kind of disappointing. It’s on the 3^rd floor terrace. So not really any great views.
But it’s was a cool outdoor spot. I like that they have cheap beer to augment the expensive drinks and wine. So something for everybody.

It’s not Miami (that’s for sure), but AltoRex isn’t bad. I don’t really think of it as a rooftop bar like most people claim it is. I guess you could call it that… but I think of Charleston when I think rootop. Drinks are decent (not mind blowing). It’s a great place to grab a drink before dinner on a date or with a few friends. It’s not bad for Atlanta.

AltoRex was a little confusing. The rooftop is a nice with a decent view on West Peachtree. Went there for an anniversary dinner and didn’t realize in the beginning that we could order from the Pacci menu as well. The prices seem to indicate a premium quality yet the altorex menu display was far from that. Service was decent. The food is very good. I ordered several of the tapas style meals which were actually better quantities than most tapas lounges/​restaurants. I would recommend this place if you want a tapas style meal after work or over the weekend. Great place for drinks but many of the drink prices don’t match up with the quality of the drinks. I think I ended up ordering a mexican sumer (non-​alcoholic) and getting the bartender to add something to it. That ended up being the best drink for the night I went.

I’ve been here for a couple of events. Once as the first stop of a pub crawl and another time for the launch of a magazine.
First off it’s a beautiful spot that looks like a chic rooftop garden somewhere in France. I haven’t been after sunset, but I bet it looks even better.
Servers were aloof and didn’t have their information straight. Is there a $ 3 draft or not? Bartenders/​servers/​etc all have different opinions on that question.
They had some free drink on one occasion that was just poured out of a pitcher. You’re not going to get respect as mixologists if you’re doing that kind of 2^nd rate stuff.
They were also passing free appetizers but the waitresses were only focusing on one area and not spreading the love. We weren’t the only table who was getting annoying that we were getting passed over (and yes, we all looked the part).
I’ll probably come back at some point because of the gorgeous surroundings, but I just hope they have their game tight.

Chic is the word. You feel special just walking up the grand stairway to the rooftop bar from the entrance to Pacci below.
A large space makes it great for a relaxing drink. Plenty of tables, couches, and cabanas to go around. Even a screened-​in bar, makes for a good place to get in the shade. It’s definitely worth a walk-​around the first time you’re there just to find the best spot that suits you. The atmosphere alone earns a few stars.
We hung out in the back by the cabanas with a cool little courtyard. A server tended to us and brought us über-​expensive cocktails and martinis that weren’t as strong as they should have been for the price.
When we asked if there were any specials, our server said, «No, every drink is pretty pricey here. We do have $ 3 drafts though.» FYI — $ 3 drafts is a DEAL! Sweetwater 420 and Sch’wheat were included on that list! $ 2 PBR drafts too!
But — when I’m paying for a $ 10 martini, I don’t expect it to come in a plastic glass. Are you afraid I’m going to drop it? It made me wonder about the regular clientele they draw.
We’ll be back to check out the views at night!

It’s hard to make a bad gin and tonic.
The atmosphere here looked to be pretty cool, I’d like to go back sometime later in the evening to check it out, HOWEVER…
Gin and tonic: 2 oz gin, 2 – 3 oz tonic water, ice and a twist of LIME. Is that so tough? Is that a $ 10 drink? No on both accounts. When the drink finally does arrive, it’s in a plastic cup (all their ‘glasses’ are plastic that look like glass) and, floating in the center of the cup is a lemon. What the fuck?
As the waitress hands me the drink she says the bartender didn’t have limes cut yet and hoped it would be alright. Time was short so I drank it although I was a bit perturbed.
So this same bartender has been making drinks for 40 people, roughly, while we were there, mashing cherries and strawberries in ‘glasses’ for all kinds of fruity adult beverages, several of which were at our table and very good for what it’s worth, but all that work for a single cocktail and they couldn’t cut a fucking lime into wedges to drop into my drink? Fuck that lazy shit, and then the bill for $ 9.99 for the goddamn thing, if I wasn’t with a pub crawl on a schedule I’d have had words with them all.
One star is all they deserve but they get the second star because the décor looked like it could be pretty cool place later in the evening, although I doubt I’d bother to check it out now.
It’s hard to make a bad gin and tonic, but this place makes it look easy.

When the young woman at the bar next to me ordered a «dirty, like crazy dirty, martini with extra stuffed olives» and then proceeded to ask the bartender for more olives throughout the night, I was a little taken aback. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around the type who get their entire caloric intake for the day via bar garnishes, but trust: it happens here. I could go on and on about the glaring fashion no-no’s that ran rampant on the beautiful Saturday night that I was at AltoRex, but I’ll move on.
So while the crowd is *so* not my scene, I liked AltoRex a lot. Surround yourself with your people and you’ll be in good shape. Or, if you’re one of those people who likes to see and be seen, then you can roll solo. I’m just not one of those people.
The bartenders were easy on the eyes and served up a killer G&T. It’s a great space, with some private booths, interesting seating arrangements, and a screened-​in bar for when the bugs get bad. Totally unlike anything I’ve ever seen it Atlanta; it’d be more at home in South Beach or even the Hamptons, but I like having it here. Atlanta is blessed with fantastic weather and I am all for any spots that take advantage of it, even if it does mean I see 4 too many bad boob jobs.

I don’t know who this Alto Rex person is, but I love his bar. AstroTurf, marble tile, tents, and a chicken coop. Quite the set-​up.
I met Kathleen M. here for Joel C.‘s birthday celebration. This was my first trip upstairs and it was much more than I ever imagined. Truly, a cool space (unlike that awful W Atlanta — Buckhead, but I digress). There was a really big crowd and it filled up earlier than I thought. It was almost 9:00 PM by the time I got there and pretty much all of the seating had been taken.
Standing outside was nice, although I always went directly to the bar for drinks. The wait was pretty long and even longer if you waited for a server. Fortunately, the bartenders are really cute and like to flirt [with girls].
Gorgeous space and not overly pretentious or bougie. I like it.

Great bar! Instant addition to the «rotation». Maybe because it wasn’t too overcrowded with all the stuff that was going on that night, maybe because the weather was perfect, maybe because it just is.
Lots of places to sit down, two huge fire pits, interesting drink selection, nice music, good vibe and overall feel. Just really liked this place. A LOT!
The biggest problem is that they close at 11. Now we walked up from the restaurant at 11:15 and walked in no problem, still a bunch of people hanging out there, but if anyone tried to get in from the outside after 11 they wouldn’t be able to. This could be a good thing to cut-​off the crowds but just seems strange to close a bar that early.

Can having drinks outside ever be a bad idea? I guess coming from San Francisco I consider this a luxury, but the AltoRex does it in style, and from a rooftop location no less.
While I normally play it classic with something like a martini or straight whiskey, I gotta admit that their Peach Julep (Bulleit Bourbon, peach purée and mint) represents Atlanta quite memorably.
Oh, so I was curious about the name, so asked: It’s a combination of the Italian words for «high» and «king,» but also pays homage to Kim King, the legendary Georgia Tech football hero and father to AltoRex investor Beau King. For being a national chain of hotels, I like how Kimpton keeps it local.

Wow I just read Kit F’s review, after breaking through all the gramatical errors I seem to think this person has no perception of reality. This bar is very chic and is not overdone. The hand crafted cocktails are delicious and the scene is very cool. I think Kit might be drinking a bit too much to authoring reviews, back to school Kit please!

This is the bar inside a restaurant inside a hotel. Yes, I was confused too. But AltoRex is worth finding. It’s an outdoor bar with very comfortable seating and fire pits. Yes, the fire pits were lit in July! And it actually felt great because of the freak «cold» front we had last week. It’s not on the roof of the Hotel Palomar, it’s on the 5^th floor, but you still have a good view of Midtown. The drinks are a little pricey, but refreshingly unique.

I went here for my hello stiletto event last night and it was sooo glam!!! I think I will start coming to this place for after dinner cocktails…
The atmosphere was something right out of a scene from sex and the city… I’m kidding… it felt more like Miami. with the white floors, and the cabanas, I also liked th touch of the grass in the patio area.
The servers were great they walked around the deck area taking drinks orders left and right… I didnt even have a chance to finish one drink before I had another one in hand…
I will have to come back for another visit because I didnt get chance to sample any food but I did catch a couple of plates going by and boy did they looked awsome…

This is a pretty cool bar. It’s a bit fancy and it’s definitely not the type of place I would frequent (being a more low-​key, casual local and all) but if I was a guest at The Palomar, I would be thrilled that AltoRex was the hotel bar. The outside terrace has comfy chairs, built-​in sofa-​type seating and cabanas. I didn’t get the feeling that it’s trying to be trendy with the cabanas but that it’s trying to be an appealing hotel bar. I mean, cabanas aren’t trendy, they’re classics. And, they completely make sense in Atlanta where daytime rooftop bars can be treacherous in the summer months without the luxury of a cabana to hide in. Also making sense is the screened-​in, covered bar area. I was there in the evening and there was a really nice breeze blowing through the screened-​in bar — it was great. The fact that it’s covered would also make it bearable in the hot Atlanta summer. I thought the rooftop atmosphere was very pleasant.
The bartenders were super nice and friendly. We even got to try a few sample concoctions that they were mixing up. I expected the drinks to be sort of expensive because it is a hotel bar but they were pretty reasonable. There were several reasonably priced wines on the wine list and my vodka-​soda was only $ 1 more than at Cypress (my basis for all comparisons). I think that their signature cocktails that have multiple liquors in them, etc. are probably priced higher.
We tried several of the small plates on the menu: crab fondue, tartare tacos (ahi), lobster deviled eggs, calamari and truffle chips. They were all pretty good although nothing terribly substantial or earth-​shattering. But, definitely solid. The deviled eggs were a bit runny (but tasty) and they probably should have served more bread with the fondue, but overall everything was OK.
The small plates seemed a bit pricey at first but they have discounts when you order two or three plates from a single section on the menu so it makes it not that bad. For three of us, each with a cocktail and sharing the five small plates, the total was just over $ 20 per person. So, not too bad at all.
I would definitely return here for an evening-​starting cocktail and a light bite. I might not hang out here all night but it’s a good starting point for a night out or if you just want one or two drinks in a pleasant setting before you call it a night.

This is one of my new favorite places to have a few drinks with friends. The atmosphere reminds me a bit of South Beach: White chairs and floors, fire pits, water displays, cabanas, (there’s even a cool area that has fake grass!). Drinks can be a bit pricey, but definitely worth it since it’s not very crowded.
The customer service is good as well and its nice that they have servers that walk around the deck to take your drink so that you don’t have to go to the bar. I do agree with Kit F. though about the chicken coop looking bar… which is the only part of the establishment that seems a bit off.
I would definitely come here again to gather the group and pre-​party before going to our main event.

Silly name — cool terrace
Comfy couches, screened in bar (which seemed like it didn’t quite match the rest of the place) — but otherwise a perfect version of a hotel bar.

AltoRex is a nice terrace level bar at the Palomar Hotel. Don’t be fooled by crappy renderings on the hotel’s website, this thing isn’t quite 21^st-​floor rooftop, but it still offers a nice view of West Peachtree St.
The bar and lounge had 30 or so people hanging around, some enjoying small meals and deserts with their drinks. At 23, I was easily the youngest person there, but I can’t say that came unexpectedly. There’s some pretentiousness floating around with the clientele, but the servers were friendly and accommodating. Did not order any specialty drinks, but a well vodka soda was $ 7 (first round was weak, the second packed more of a punch). Not a bad place to hang out at all. Keep in mind that smoking is not allowed.
Additionally, I would suggest riding the elevator to the top of the hotel for a great view of downtown and exploring the hotel.