Garrison’s Broiler & Tap

Whatever restaurant moves into the Garrison vacuum will surely be an improvement.
I found Garrisons horribly outdated, dark and musty. Over the years we had several issues with some of the wait staff and their less than friendly and arrogant attidudes.
It is no wonder that the parent company filed Chapter 11 after not paying their bills and
obviously did not have the capital or the will to improve and update the restaurant décor and reorganize a business that was woefully overdue for a major top-​to-​bottom
overhaul.

So my partner and I had written off Garrison’s after a number of very «un-​wowing» dinner experiences over the past few years. However, after a recent brunch planned by a friend where we had a pretty decent time, we thought that maybe Garrison’s had a turned a corner… we were mistaken and now must again place the restaurant on the «pass» list.
Two weeks ago, my partner and I attempted to return to the Vinings location for a Sunday brunch, though most places would usually be impossible to get into, we have never had a wait at at location for dinner or lunch, figuring it might be from the «eh» experiences others previously have had. As we walked in, we noticed the line around the corner for the breakfast shop that sits adjacent to Garrison’s, but saw at least four– four top tables outside open and ready. When we approached the hostess (who was in the middle of chatting it up with the servers), we asked to be seated outside, to which her reply was,“sorry we are on a wait for the patio”. I inquired if they were short staffed cause there were clearly plenty of seats available (and only one table inside) and staff milling about, to which we were then notified that they were «reserved» but we could be put on the wait list, which «luckily you are the only ones on». Unless I missed something, that means those seats were clearly not reserved.
We left Garrison’s and had brunch elsewhere, but did circle back to see. those same four tables ready and available. We won’t be returning in the foreseeable future to this location unless there is at least a change of management, staff and chef. We also shared our experience with some friends and they too talked of similar experiences, especially with the hostess on duty and now they too have decided to «pass»,

Garrisons is a wonderful place to go for lunch I love a good blue plate special. I also enjoyed being able to get a great cocktail at a great price. Each time I go I get the lobster bisque and it’s always wonderful. On my recent trip I got the salmon BLT and it was quite tasty.
Overall I think the place is a great alternative for lunch I’ve never been there for dinner but I assume that the food is just as good.

Let me start by saying I’m a Big Fan of Garrisons. I dine here consistently (although I’m never recognized or greeted with a «welcome back!»). I’m often here on a weekend or weeknight evening, on a warm afternoon to enjoy the patio or a rainy, chilly evening to sit by the fire. Garrisons has consistently delicious food and my family and I enjoy it!
Not last night. Not on Easter evening. Everything regarding our service was off. We were seated immediately and at 7:30pm it was not crowded. We ordered a bottle of white off the ½ price Sunday evening wine list. Our server knew nothing about wine. Nothing. We made our selection and after wondering what the hell happened to her, she appeared with the wine. Apparently the bottle we choose was hidden way in the back and it took them a long time to find it! Really? Are the ½ price bottles not up front & center? Oh & I forgot… Our 1^st choice was not available.
Our delicious mussels finally arrived but we had no napkin or silverware. Our delicious meal arrived but seriously … The service was soooo bad I’m going to take a Garrisons break.

I went to Garrisons for my birthday a year ago and the food was mediocre. I ordered Parmesan chicken with shrimp on the side. The chicken was just ok. The shrimp was really good though. I only went there because I had a gift card. I wouldn’t go and spend a lot of money there. I hope the steaks are better.

Went to Garrison’s when I first moved here at the end of October, and had the best possible experience… on par with Houston’s, Morton’s, and the like. Stopped in again at the end of February, just on a humbug, and couldn’t have been more disappointed. Inattentive server, whose name escapes me at the moment. That 22 oz. ribeye I asked to have cooked medium came out rare, bordering on blue. If it was just my order, I’d have sent it back asking that it be cooked a little longer, and not bugged out. There were 2 other tables in my immediate area complaining of undercooked food as well though, which suggests that there might be an issue with whoever’s manning the grill. That «once bitten, twice shy» rule applies in this instance, so I’ll likely skip returning to see if they can redeem themselves.

I have gone to Garrison’s for years. When I went recently over the holidays with family, we had reservations for a Sunday evening. When we arrived the restaurant was almost empty and the maitre de was less than friendly. We were approximately 10 minutes late. This young girl then proceeded to tell us that we were late and they were going to give up our table. Not a great first encounter upon entering a restaurant. Because I am a loyal customer to Garrison’s, of course I will go back. However, when a restaurant is empty, why lecture customers about giving up the table? As if people are scrambling to get to it? I’ve been to Garrison’s many times where there is a long wait, but on a slow evening is this how you want to start your guests’ experience? Someone needs some customer service lessons.
The food, however, is always great. Very reliable, fresh, and high-​quality. Maybe if the front staff matched the consistency of the kitchen, the restaurant would have a few less empty nights.

Food was delicious even though my steak was a tid bit on the salty side but the waitress was very fun and helpful! The atmosphere is a little dark and cozy and price isn’t that bad. It’s a place I’d definitely like to eat at again. Maybe every couple months. They even gave a big slice of birthday cake on the house!

I wish I could do half stars.
Anywho… I love this place for lunch. There’s this one awesome bartender that remembers my name by my order or vice versa. I always get the delicious lobster bisque. Sometimes, I’ll throw in an order for the wedge salad. That, too, is super yummy. I have yet had the time to try their dinner menu… but I heard that gets a little crazy.

I was there a few months ago and had the best steak of my life, so I couldn’t wait to get back to Atlanta so I could go there again.
The steak they brought me tastes awesome. But I had ordered medium rare and it came out medium well. The server insisted on remaking the steak, but I told him no, it was fine. It was still really good.
But he insisted and took the steak away. Less than 10 minutes later the manager appeared with another plate. This steak was seared on the outside and raw on the inside. It wasn’t even red. It was grey, like they had just taken it out of the freezer. I said that no, this was under-​done.
He took my plate in a huff and said «two seconds». What seemed like 3 minutes later he appeared again with the same steak. I cut into it and it was clear that they had thrown it back on that hot grill for a couple of minutes more. The inside was still raw, but the seared edges were thicker (and well done).
I told him that was fine (though it wasn’t) because I just wanted him to stop trying to ruin another piece of meat. He stomped off… clearly put out by the whole situation.
I had a couple pieces of the steak and then dug into my mashed sweet potatoes. There was something in there. I pulled it out and it looked like a piece of white waxed paper or something. I called the manager back over as he was passing by and showed him the paper. «That’s a butter wrapper» he said and picked up my plate.
Then he said «Do you want something else?» I said no, and he offered to get me a menu. I realized right then that I wan’t going to get any food out of this guy, so I said «no, that’s fine. Thanks.»
He stormed off again and the waiter came back. For all of this drama, he said the manager had taken our drinks off the bill. Wow…4 whole beers. Thanks a lot! I still had to pay for the appetizer and my kids’ meals. It wasn’t worth the hassle. I payed the bill and as we were chatting while I finished my beer I got the distinct feeling that they were trying to get us out of there so they could seat someone else. Several bussers came and cleared off everything that we weren’t using.
It was weird. I had been telling everyone I knew that this place had the best steak in the world. I was so looking forward to my meal, and I left hungry.
So disappointed. I won’t go back and I want everyone to know about my experience.

I hesitate to give this restaurant 3 stars rather than 4, but when i visited recently for lunch I just did not see enough that stood out to make this place special.
I came in the mid afternoon when it was not too crowded, and as a result got really good service at the bar where I sat.
It was very comfortable to sit at the bar, and there were about 20 seats at the bar so it can accommodate a decent number of people. Using the draft beer selection as one criteria, this restaurant is just average, with about 12 beers on tap, most of which were standard fare, but they had a few interesting craft beers and I tried an IPA that I’ve never had before. The IPA was excellent.
I ordered their Angus Burger, which is apparently a specialty, for lunch. The burger was quite good and fairly large. However, it comes without any toppings except for a slice of lettuce and onion. They have separate toppings that are an extra $ 2 or $ 3 charge. Some of the toppings look quite interesting, with avocado and other such items. Next time I will not make the same mistake and order the burger without a topping. Without the toppings, the burger is kind of plain.
There is quite a nice selection of sides, and deciding to try something a little more healthy than fried, I ordered sauteed spinach. I was glad I did so. The spinach was cooked perfectly, not overdone and mushy, and was cooked with a little garlic to give it a little taste.
I would like to try this restaurant again, but don’t know I would go out of my way.

I’ve heard about Garrison’s for years but this was my first visit — and a family dinner at that with 6 of us.
Nice menu — not too long, with gluten free options for the celiac-​suffering among the family. Short ribs was the winner of the evening — served on mashed potatoes with a hint of celery root and with pickled carrots on top.
Add to that a cucumber martini made by my niece the Garrisons’ fabulous bartender and great service, and it was a great meal.
Why not five stars, you may be asking. Garrison’s struck me as a reliably good restaurant with that variety of up-​scale comfort food that you need sometimes. (Think The Old Ebbitt Grill in DC.) But it’s not drive across Atlanta from mid-​town, knock your socks off, tell the neighbors great. It is a great neighborhood restaurant.

I was here for dinner on a business trip, which happened to be on Valentine’s Day. The place got packed, but we got seated quickly. We got their V-​Day special, which included a salad with blood orange and almonds, and it was very good. Next comes the sirloin with lobster crab cake. The lobster crab cake was a bit too bready for me, but my sirloin was perfectly cooked to medium rare and it was delicious! Then we had dessert, a chocolate tart with strawberries, and yes, totally killed it!

Garrison’s is a solid choice for a traditional, American restaurant. I’ve been here many times over the years, and they’ve maintained a pretty high standard. The décor is on the dark-​and-​woody side, but there are lots of windows, so it’s not too dark.
I’ve had good steaks here. I have not had fish, but they do sell some. They also have decent entrée salads that I like. They have a full bar as well.
This is also a restaurant that can accommodate a large group if you call ahead.

If you’re in the Vinings area, this is a great spot to eat. Their menu changes seasonally and always features some interesting, unique, and fun eats. I love the flavor combinations they put together, the plating is always lovely, and the wait staff is excellent. I can be incredibly indecisive when it comes to choosing my meals and our waitress was incredibly helpful in suggesting great appetizers and helping me decide between two dishes for my entrée– my friends and I were very pleased with everything we ordered!
They also have some really great drink specials– I like having a cocktail menu to look at for when I’d like to try something new. I don’t remember what it was called, but I had a drink that tasted like blueberries and summer– delicious!
They also have a very nice ambiance inside and they have good outdoor seating for when the weather is nice.
I will say that this place is a bit pricey, but it is definitely worth a try if you’re willing to fork over some extra cash.

Went for the first time with a friend to lunch there a few days ago. The food was OK, but just OK. I ordered the blue-​plate special, the fried-​green tomato sandwich and it had a funky taste so I asked for mayo. The fries were really good. My friend had a salad which looked kind of small for the price. Had a key lime pie which was actually the best part of the meal. Not too sweet, not to tart… just perfect!
I felt like our server was stalking us! Seriously, it seemed she had nothing better to do. I am all for good service but I had the server on our table every two minutes. Plus she spoke so softly I had to constantly ask her to repeat herself.
Overall I would go back and get something else to give it another chance. The place is really nice! I love the ambiance.

We stopped there this past Saturday for brunch. We ended up opting for lunch instead of brunch. I had the chicken sandwich with swiss cheese and sweet potato fries. I really enjoyed the sweet potato fries. The chicken sandwich was good as well. My dining companion had a beef burger with breakfast potatoes. She wasn’t the biggest fan of the breakfast potatoes. I think she was just expecting potatoes instead of potatoes with onions and red peppers.
It’s definitely not the best food in town but I do try to hit it up for brunch during patio season. It’s fun to people watch. There’s always plenty of convenient parking.

This all-​American eatery is my go-​to for an upscale work lunch. I’ve got a lot of meetings during the week and will usually start them at 11 a.m. so we can go eat afterwards. My office is near Cumberland Mall and Garrison’s is one of the top places around.
I love their lunch specials during the week but my all time favorite is the turkey burger. Whatever the chef is seasoning the meat with its perfectly flavored. Plus this is one of the only restaurants I’ve found in Atlanta where you can get a turkey burger with a side of grits. All the salads, pastas, sandwiches, and Southern-​inspired entrees I’ve noshed on have been delicious. Of course afterwards I’m in a food coma and not able to function during my meeting.
Garrison’s is doubly great because of their drink specials (it helps they’re own by Metrotainment that also has Hudson Grille). The all-​day-​every-​day $ 5 martini special is a fabulous way to unwind after work. Once pollen season is over, I’m excited to get back on their patio. Y’all will see me again there very soon.

Always reliable for a solid meal and attentive service. Hand-​crafted American fare, I’ve never been disappointed at Garrison’s. Favorites on the menu include:
Roasted Corn Lobster Dip
Pimiento Cheese Burger
Grilled Chicken Pappardelle
Last night I had the Pimiento Cheese Burger – except I substituted a grilled chicken patty. And it was still delicious. (Though the real beef patty is way more appealing to one’s decadent tastes.) Sweet potato fries are always a good thing, and having fresh baked bread at the table is almost like getting dessert first.
Garrison’s is always comfortable, dark, and intimate. There’s a large outdoor seating area that is quite comfortable at night. (Yes, even in July during a heat-​wave.) The bar has always poured a good drink, too. We once took a bachelor’s party to Garrison’s, and… Well, I think I’ll just stop right here.

The food is absolutely amazing!!! This is a must place to go if ur in Atlanta… the staff is very friendly and allows u to customize food ur way. they check on u periodically to ensure everything is ok and that ur drink never gets empty.
The pan seared salmon with mashed potatoes was what I had… and trust me when I said it was mouthwatering… make sure to try it… its totally worth the price!!!