Ink & Elm

Very sad that I discovered this place oh so late. I went in right before they closed. It seemed like quite a gem and was valued by the neighborhood.
From their Facebook page: «Simultaneously a lounge, restaurant, and tavern, Ink & Elm is a culinary enterprise that celebrates the deep history of Atlanta’s Druid Hills neighborhood and the cultural legacy of its original designer: Frederick Law Olmsted. Ink & Elm hopes to honor his work and the vibrant life of the community he helped form.»
About the menu:
«The menu cycles are seasonal and offer a modern take on Southern, American cuisine. The restaurant offers two unique dining options: the convivial Tavern, which is perfect for a casual bite and drink and features a menu ranging from snacks to more substantial entrees; and the dining room, with a more structured menu, and ideal for a relaxed, refined meal.»
I made a reservation for four and three ladies from my dinner club met me for dinner. We loved the atmosphere and décor. You can see a photo of the very comfy and large chair. I ordered the steak with mashed potatoes. The food was oh so very good. On this particular evening, a marching band came through and played music. It was so much fun! Parking did suck — there really is not enough parking for all the Emory Village establishments. There is a bit of parking behind the restaurant, but it is very small. Look at all signage to make sure you are parking in a legal spot whenever you are in this area.
Ink & Elm — you are missed.

They deserve 4 (maybe 4.5) stars in my opinion, but I could not give it them. I love the atmosphere and overall venue. They also have a great bar and wine selection.
The food is really good but def overpriced. In my defense I’ve paid 64 Euros per head at a restaurant in Spain (
) and I can tell you that food was SO worth the price.
The reason I gave them 3 stars and not 4 is because I had my car broken into in their parking lot and they did nothing about it; keep in mind the our party prob spent around $ 1,000 that night. One of the employees said they would let the GM know the next day. They never contacted me. Morale of the story is don’t be cheap and park valet.

I have to add a fifth star as this place became one of my favorite restaurants in this wonderfully food forward city. I hear rumors that it is closing, and if they are true, this breaks my heart.
Highlights–
A cocktail after my PhD defense, which echoed many celebratory 5pm cocktails at the tavern. Their wine list is stellar, their cocktail program solid.
The early afternoon pick-​me-​up soy cappuccinos I would order myself as a treat– one of the best in town.
Mother’s Brunch during my graduation weekend– everyone was delighted by every. single. brunch item. My favorite is still the yogurt, but others will argue the trout, or the pork, or anything else.
One of my favorite dates with Rob R., on a random Saturday, where we sat at the tavern bar and had dish after dish of beautifully plated, locally sourced food, while nerding out to how stuff is made on TV.
That other time when we were supposed to get drinks and apps before a formal event, then foregoing the formal event all together because the food and vibe was too good to leave.
This isn’t just the college fancy place, or the neighborhood eatery. Beyond those things, it’s one of the best examples of what an exciting time it is for new southern cuisine.

So sad that May 30, 2015 is the last night of service. Rising rent makes it hard for business in atlanta. Located in the Emory vicinity, this place beckons one to come in and relax with friends at the bar or dinner proper in the dining room. On my viait, I chose the brick chicken, which was tasty and tender. My sweetie chose the trout which was stuffed with a shrimp mixture. Good service, nice date night setting.

Ink & Elm is a New American and Southern restaurant that opened June 2013 in Emory Village. Though the name «Ink & Elm» sounds like it was taken straight from the Hipster Business Name Generator (
), it’s named after landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The ink represents his drawings and elm was his favorite type of tree.
Free parking is available on the street. Note there’s a two-​hour limit on the spaces directly in front of the restaurant between 8am-​6pm. There’s also a free lot in the back.
This is a gorgeous restaurant. The interior looks as if it has been lifted from the pages of The Great Gatsby. Elegant and stylish. The lounge is classy and sophisticated. The dining room blends elements both traditional and modern. It is spacious with vaulted ceilings, tall and illuminated curtains, candle-​lit tables, and oversized, high quality furniture. The venue is great for couples and groups alike.
The menu is seasonal with local and regionally sourced sustainable ingredients. This review is for the dining room which serves dinner and weekend brunch. At brunch, expect to spend about $ 10 – 20 per entrée. At dinner, expect to spend $ 10 – 15 each for most appetizers and salads and $ 20 – 45 each for most entrees.
I’ve tried many dishes and generally find the food here to be good to very good. Presentation is outstanding. Here’s what I’ve had:
Oysters
* Northumberland — Northumberland Straights, PEI, Canada
* Katama Bay — Martha’s Vineyard, MA
* Hurricane Harbor — Prince Edward Island, Canada
* Steamboat — Pugent Sound, WA
Apps & Salads
* Charred Octopus — Sea Island red pea purée, Nicoise olive oil, sopressatta, fried Brussels leaves, pickled cippollini, jicama
* Roasted Broccoli — mizuna, preserved lemon, peanuts, Moody blue, smoked citrus vinaigrette, golden raisin purée
* Soup of the Moment — roasted pumpkin, celeriac, Sea Island red peas, collards, puffed rice, grilled onion top relish
* Wagyu Beef Tartare — carpaccio, bruleed farm egg, Grana Padano, black garlic, mustards, radish, pickled mustard seed
* Rabbit’s «Last Supper» — roasted leg, herb gnocchi, cider poached apple, Hakurei turnip, mustards, baby carrot, scotch jus
* Roasted Beets — red quinoa, za’atar spiced yogurt, pickled wax beans, kholrabi, pecan pesto
* GA Shrimp — toasted butter, smoked ham broth, pickled peppers, charred bread.
Entrees
* 16 oz. Dry Aged Bone-​in NY Strip Steak — charred onion bulbs, roasted and boiled peanuts, chili oil, parsley, roasted garlic
* Culotte Steak — cauliflower brie fondue, lion’s mane mushrooms, grilled leaks, carrot & black garlic purée, marinated baby tomato
* Carolina Pork — ham steak, garlic sausage, apple, kraut, pumpkin butter, rye spatzle, chicharron, fennel, mustard seed
* Springer Mountain Chicken — red wine braised leg, ballotine, root vegetable, cippolini, maitake mushroom, egg noodle
* Whole Roasted North Carolina Trout — rock shrimp mousse, carrot top ‘salsa verde,’ baby carrots, fennel confit
* Duo of Lamb — braised shank, ricotta meatball, smoked beet harissa, farro verde, shimeji, pickled cucumber, almond gremolata
Sides
* Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts gratin, Camembert, herb bread crumbs
* Maitake mushrooms, beets, bok choy, cracked coriander, citrus
* Farro verde, cipollini, pickled shimeji, dry cherry
* Mixed fingerling potato, horseradish, trout belly bacon, pickled mustard
Complimentary
* Chive rolls and Italian relish butter
* Petifor — chocolate truffles
The oysters are terrific. Fresh and succulent, they range in taste from light to briny, but never unpleasant. My favorites are the Northumberland oysters. They are plump and meaty with large sections of creamy white flesh.
Of the apps, my favorite is the Wagyu Beef Tartare. It has a lot of components from the expertly bruleed egg to the grainy Italian Grana Padano cheese. The pumpkin soup is hearty and I like addition of celeriac (turnip-​rooted celery). The charred octopus is crispy. Portion size is small (lots of negative space). I like the use of mizuna in the Broccoli dish, which is like a milder version of arugula. The Rabbit app has Hakurei turnips, which are sweeter and fruitier than typical turnips. The Roasted Beets come with plenty of crunchy kolhrabi, which is a German turnip cabbage.
My favorite entrée is probably the Lamb duo. The shank is thick and flavorful, but the ricotta meatball may be the best part. The Pork and two steaks (NY strip, Culotte) are a close second. All the meats are nicely cooked. Tender and savory. I like how the Pork dish has three kinds of pork: ham, sausage, and chicharron (fried pork rind). The Trout is deboned and the meat is luscious. The Chicken dish is decent with the ballotine (stuffed thigh) and rich maitake mushrooms.
The sides are OK all-​around. I’m a fan of the maitake mushroom «salad» and the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts gratin, which is served in a hot cast iron skillet. The freshly baked chive rolls are surprisingly delicious.
Great service.

Mother Day Brunch. The GA Shrimp is amazingly good, with grids.
Quem disser que nao se come bem nos Estados Unidos nao sabe onde ir. Com uma filha que aprecia comida gourmet vivendo lá e com a ajuda do Unilocal,tenho sido exposta a experiencias culinárias incriveis. O Ink & Elm, localizado proximo a Emory, é um excelente exemplo. Ambiente bonito, e principalmente muito bem planejado, com atenção aos mínimos detalhes. As cadeiras são amplas e confortaveis, adicionando um toque convidativo e de extremo bom gosto. Estávamos em quatro, e a reserva foi feita por minha filha, como um «special treat» para o dia das mães. O cardápio do Brunch, em geral minimalista, aqui ofereceu pratos interessantes. Optei pelo tradicional «shrimps and grits», tipico de Atlanta e o melhor do dia. Imperdivel.,

An incredible experience. A very innovative chef that combines favorite ingredients in a way I’d never thought of. Beautiful ambience in Emory village and top notch service. One of three of Atlanta’s best!

I have to say that I have never sat at a table here. I only sit at the bar. There are two bars, one Tavern side and one on the restaurant side. BUT, the many times I have sat at both, Crystal has waited on me. I may be biased because she is my best friend but she knows what service is all about. I have followed her from Vickery’s, to Atkin’s Park, to Ink and Elm.
The food is amazing but it is pricey. The cocktails list is very extensive and could use some editing. However, every trip in I have amazing cocktails and food. They are constantly changing the menu. The portions need to match the pricing so people want to return for their favorite dish. Which means some staples of the menu are important. They are doing the right thing so we need to get more people here to support them.

Have been here a few times of times before for brunch. Went here today with my husband for late night oysters craving and ended up not eating oysters because they had so many other options that were tempting. They close the dinner service at 11. We got there at 10 – 45 and they were nice enough to seat us in a dining area. The host who seated us very friendly. The server was also very nice and knowledgable about the food they served. One star for that. So we got served with complimentary bread with sweet potato butter. The bread had chives in it. It was delicious. For appetizers we ordered beef tartare with carpaccio and crudo. We love it but carpaccio could have used tad bit of seasoning. Tartare was really good. Portions were small as expected and I like it that way. Crudo was good too.
For dessert we had tres leches bread pudding with ginger gelato which was delicious as well!

Lunch at Ink & Elm is well-​priced. $ 8 for sandwiches, sides are $ 5, the soup of the day is $ 7, the salad is $ 7, and the dessert is only $ 3. Menu items are limited, usually a total of 10 items, but the selection is varied.
I ordered the Rabbit Leg Confit sammie. I couldn’t imagine anything more delicious. The creamy, salty brie with the sweet & tart jam and peppery arugula created a wonderful combination. The Angel Food Cake Dessert with vanilla bean ice cream and a berry sauce was a light and pleasant ending to a great meal.
If you’re near Emory Village & you have time to spare for lunch (for Emory students), this place is definitely worth a visit. The ambiance is peaceful during lunch hours; there were a few students with their laptop out studying. The full bar was the busiest area of the restaurant.

«You were walking under some Elm trees in a white muslin dress, the loveliest creature I ever laid eyes on.» — Titanic (1953)
I’m so happy to have finally visited this place — it has been on my bookmark list for such a long time and I’m not sure why it took me so long… but I’m infatuated. First, it is gorgeous. Beautifully decorated, absolutely and one of the most pleasurable dining experiences I have had in some time. So many restaurants these days just try too hard to be hip and young and fresh… and the end result is loud, both in design and volume. I dislike an establishment where you cannot even think about what you want to eat. This place reminded me so much of Dogwood — which I still cry about its closing its doors.
I met Pam D here (formerly Pam A) and we were seated at a beautiful 4-​top table with the most comfortable, high-​backed chairs and a sleek wooden table that I would love to steal and put in my home. The serving pieces/​linens, etc. on the table were understated and lovely — again, they were not trying too hard, which I appreciated.
Our server was also very competent — something that is important, especially in a great dining experience. She was also super patient — Pam and I were very chatty — we talked for probably 30 plus minutes before ordering any food and she never rushed us or seemed exasperated at all. I ordered a cocktail — the Wobbly Mule. I am a FAN! I love all cocktails of the Mule variety — and this was no exception. This was a concoction of Russian Standard vodka, fresh lime, Ink & Elm ginger lime cordial, and ginger beer served over crushed ice. It was refreshing, tart, not sweet at all (which I prefer) and had just the right kick (thus the reason for calling it a mule). Luckily, it did not make me wobbly!
As for the food — we started with a Cheese & charcuterie platter — which any self-​respecting Unilocaler should. We selected the Camembert, Thomasville Tomme, Irish porter cheddar, Edward’s surryano ham & Spotter Trotter Salchichon. It came with a mustard, a candied garlic, jams, figs, pickled veggies, toast points and crackers. The best condiment was the candied garlic — and I need to figure out how to make it so I can have it in my life every day, multiple times per day. I wanted to marry it. Sounds silly, I know, but try it and you will feel the same way. Of all the cheeses, the Thomasville Tomme was my favorite with the cheddar a close second. The ham and the Salchichon were both amazing and I wanted more — but again, we had more food coming.
We also ordered the Roasted broccoli to share — it came with a peanut something or other, but because I had given our server my tree nut allergy, they served the nuts on the side. I love that the chef was overly cautious and wanted to be 100% sure I was safe while dining. Most places will refuse to serve me certain dishes, especially with peanuts, no matter what I tell them about how peanuts are a legume, NOT a tree nut. It is often frustrating and annoying — I have even left establishments before. Not here — they wanted to be sure and I let them bring the nuts on the side. The broccoli was good, not great. It was only room temperature, and I prefer items to be either hot or cold. The dish was delicious, but just not a winner.
My next dish — my entrée — was the Duo of lamb with roasted mushrooms and Farro. It was set to come with a tree nut in the gremolata on the top. Since that was a no-​no (I think it had almonds in it), they switched it up and garnished with Brussels Sprout leaves. The lamb was delicious — it was a meatball, somewhat sausagey, but very light. The second half of the duo was a rich and tender lamb shank — braised to perfection. The farro was the perfect starch to go with these rich meats — soft with a bite to it. I was so full, I could not finish all of it, so I brought home half of the dish for my lunch the next day — and it was just as good the second time around.
I had no room for dessert, but the menu looked enticing. I need to go back just to try a few of those and many other menu items. Even though it is in Decatur, this is a definite addition to my Top Restaurants list. I highly recommend it!
Parking has valet out front — which was laughable as he parked my car right where I pulled it up. There is a lot in the back — which I know from frequenting All Fired Up, but it is a horrible lot and there are never any spaces, so I don’t bother. I’d rather valet and not hassle and tip the guy a couple of bucks.

I’ve visited Ink & Elm a few times over on the tavern side, and just got around to having a meal in the dining room this past weekend. On each occasion I was very impressed, and now that I’ve experienced the food, I’m happy to give a very positive review.
As I knew already, the cocktails are top notch. And the selection of whiskeys is incredible, even going so far as to include the expensive and hard to find Pappy Van Winkle. The bartenders can certainly make you whatever classic cocktail you prefer, but you should check out some of their original creations. They do really amazing things with infused liquors and unusual flavors.
The whole establishment is beautifully decorated, and that’s especially true over on the restaurant side. This attention to design and detail permeates everything from the menus to the way the food is plated to the corridor leading to the restrooms. The entire vibe is very well integrated, being both hip and comfortable.
The food is exceptionally good. I ordered an appetizer, entrée, and desert, and was very pleased with each of them. My only complaint (and the reason that this review is 4 stars and not 5) is that the portions were a bit on the small side. The food was insanely well prepared and the ingredients were top notch, but as each course came out I was just a little disappointed by the size. But to be totally fair, my girlfriend’s main course was enormous, so on balance, the entrée portions were fine, I guess. Still, if I’m going to spend as much money as I did and order that many separate items, I like to leave feeling a little more full than I did.
What really made the experience at Ink & Elm great was our waiter. He was very knowledgeable about the menu, was very polite and helpful, and is probably the only waiter I’ve ever heard talk about local sourcing and seasonal ingredients without making me want to roll my eyes. His guidance and insights into the menu helped make the experience as good as it was. I know people don’t typically go to restaurants because they hear the wait staff is good — usually people don’t give it much thought as long as the food comes out on time — but this is a restaurant where I think a knowledgeable server can really put things over the top. I left feeling like our guy did an awesome job and I really appreciated his suggestions and comments on our orders.
All in all, I think everyone should check this place out. You’ll get a fantastic meal in a wonderfully inviting, laid back atmosphere. Ink & Elm really stands out among the more casual restaurants of Emory Village and is a great addition the scene in Druid Hills in general.

I’m not sure how else to describe Ink & Elm other than, an «upgraded modern classic» — and I *love* it. A visit here was a refreshing departure from the seemingly hundreds of other Atlanta restaurants trying to fit into the current restaurant «scene». Picture: light, pale green curtains hung along a wall with uplighting to make it feel light and airy. Comfortable white leather chairs with dark wood trim. Beautiful stemware set on every dark wood table to add some elegance. Classic piano music playing in the background just loud enough so I didn’t hear our neighbors but didn’t have to scream at each other at my table. Candles set on each table for ambiance, not lighting; I could easily read the menu in the ambient restaurant light. When I think of a nice dinner out, this is the type of place I dream of in my head. This is the quintessential business dinner; and I’d also love to bring my parents here for a nice evening out. The ambiance falls in the same class as Dogwood (RIP) and Parkers on Ponce.
I ordered my first drink at the bar, The Perfect I & E, while I waited. It was served in a glass that had been submerged in crushed ice, which is a nice touch. Flavors were great for a bourbon based cocktail (although The Pinewood will always win that category). The bar area is cool as it includes a lounge area with highback brown leather chairs and small tables. At the time I was there, a family was there with 2 children sitting at the bar. They were well-​behaved, but it sort of threw off the classy vibe and once one of them started playing games on an iPhone with loud noises, I moved to the lounge area. When we were seated I ordered a second drink that had orange and vanilla. The second was served in a tall glass but I didn’t like the flavor as much. I tried a sip of the Wobbly Mule — that’s a MUST HAVE.
We kicked things off by talking for nearly a half hour and our waitress was SUPER patient with us! Eventually, we ordered a pick 5 cheese plate. I loved everything on the plate but especially the cheddar and the candied garlic. Oh and the fig as well! Oh and the spotted trotter’s sachion as well!!! As you can see I loved it. I would definitely recommend the cheese & charcuterie here.
We had also ordered the roasted broccoli as an app. The flavors were spot on, but the broccoli was room temp, so I didn’t like it as much because of that.
For dinner, I was having trouble deciding. Our server did an excellent job in providing her description of the dishes which really sold me on the pork. So glad I did. This is the best pork I’ve had it quite some time. Although it was sliced on the plate, it was moist and juicy and had a smokey flavor. It also came with house-​made sausage– delish! Spatzel, pumpkin butter, and apples. Everything was incredible. It was just the right amount of food too.
After an amazing meal we couldn’t stuff ourselves any further with dessert, although there were a lot of tempting items! Must come back!
After all was said and done, I spent ~$ 85 on my meal (cheese & meat plate split, broccoli split, and entrée) and 2 cocktails. For the excellent experience and an ambiance that I’ve been searching for in Atlanta ever since Dogwood closed, it was definitely worth it.
Parking is a bit of a pain. They have a sign for valet but when I arrived and stopped near the sign, no valet appeared. There’s really no easy self parking nearby so I wasn’t sure what to do. Use the valet if you can, otherwise, I suggest tacking on 10 minutes to your time to get here to find parking.
Add this place to your list of places to try, and get there quick! I want to return myself ASAP so if you’re looking for a date…

Been here a few times now, and finally getting around to the whole review thing! Both times we bellied up to the bar on the Tavern side and have not regretted it so far. The overall feel of the place is great. It has an upscale ambiance with a welcoming energy that is mirrored through the staff and patrons.
The drink menu was very extensive and creative. We sampled a few house cocktails and were very pleased. The food menu was just as creative and tasty. Upon both visits, the hard boiled eggs were a must. Since the serving sizes are on the smaller side, we usually treat it as a tapas restaurant and order several things and just split them all, which works quite well. The last time we were in we got the short ribs, the baked oysters and OMG… the fried oyster bruschetta.
To dive a little further, the short ribs were fall off the bone tender and quite meaty, the baked oysters were wonderful and again, the oyster bruschetta could cause an «O face» at any given moment. To top off the food, the service is always top notch! As a local in the Emory area, this place is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots be it for date night or for a good cocktail after a long day.

There are a ton of great hamburger places in ATL, but All of my friends have been raving about the Cheeseburger at the Tavern so we had to check it out. It was excellent and they clearly do something to that cheese to make it so «cheesy, melty, and just flavorful». If you are looking for a no-​nonsense, no-​frills cheeseburger then this is in the top 3 and the potato wedges are cooked to perfection (very hard to get a crispy outside and yet soft enough inside and yet they have done it). We also got the ribs and it had an Asian twist to it — very good as well and huge portion. I can’t wait to try the other items on the menu and the full restaurant, but I’m afraid that each time I come back it will be for the burger.

This review is for the Tavern Section. And the four stars are for the drinks and service. The food would be three stars.
I picked it because it seemed casual enough for a group I wasn’t sure of the size as people were planning on trickling in and out. So when I got there I was happy when the bartender told me the tables on the Tavern side were first come first serve. I was able to grab a large table without having to wait for a complete party.
I also knew that it wasn’t going to be a sit down dinner so I was okay with small bites. I ordered the Broiled Virginia Oysters and the Southern Cubano. The oysters were a no go. No flavor and they sat in flavorless butter. I wish I could take back that order. The Cubano though was excellent. Bread was not too tough although it was toasted and it had plenty of pimento cheese to give it that southern flair. I was very happy with this choice.
Other items ordered were:
Deviled eggs-​Good
Chicken and Dumplings-​Okay
Cheese and meat plates-​Good
The food was just okay to good. I think some things definitely could use more flavor. And they really are small plates. We maybe should have ordered some meat dishes because folks were hungry at the end of it.
The drinks now. Go here for the drinks!!! I am a bourbon fan so I like the select bourbon drinks. I had The Perfect I & E and it was perfect. I also had 86 Tank Tops and it was delicious. These are real craft drinks made with quality liquor so they are potent and very good. Everyone at the table was happy with their drinks.
The service was great. Our server was knowledgeable and very attentive. I did notice that it was pretty empty in there even on the restaurant side and it looks like an older older crowd. It would be interesting to see what its like on the weekend.
The have valet parking or you can park in the lot in the back. I would go back to try the restaurant side and definitely for some awesome drinks.

I’ve been to the Lounge part a few times now. Their boiled spicy peanuts are delicious. Their specialty drinks are very yummy, but the small rocks glass is barely half full. I love craft cocktails, paying $ 10 – 13 per drink is norm for me, but please give me atleast ²⁄₃ of a glass so I don’t feel ripped, especially since ice cubes take up a lot of that space!
My mom loved the fisherman’s/ seafood soup. I had the steak. It was cooked well & the sides were good, everything had pretty good flavor, but my food was ice cold.
Before we selected our entrees I convinced my mom to give the broiled oysters a try. She hates oysters, but I thought broiled may be more up her ally. The oysters were not cooked at all, just warm! A warm raw oyster? Gross. Seriously, worst oyster I’ve ever had, and now it will probably be another 5yrs before I can convince my mom to try one again :(
I did eat 2 of the oysters to make sure the first 1 wasn’t a fluke, they were both horrible. On a happy note, I didn’t get food poisoning like I was afraid I might! :)
Overall, I’d probably give them another try, but either in the actual restaurant or sitting at the bar. Not going to hurry back though since so many better options in this city!

My partner and I came here twice in the same week. The first time was on a Monday night and we discovered that they offered a shortened special menu on Mondays only. Since we were already here we decided to stay and try the place out anyway despite the limited menu options.
We were the only people here on Monday so the staff was very attentive to us, which we liked. I did not see anything on the menu that I was eager to try so I asked our server if the kitchen could prepare anything that is not on the menu. She said she could do a cheeseburger, so I went with that. My partner ordered their ox-​tail hash.
The food was quite delicious. Only complaint would be the small portion sizes. We ended up stopping for a pizza before we went home. Definitely not too fond of that.
We came back to Ink & Elm two days later for the regular menu and on this night the restaurant had a pretty decent sized crowd. We started off with the deviled eggs as our appetizer, which were very tasty and well executed. We both ordered the skirt steak as our dinner entrée. The steak was seasoned well and cooked to the appropriate temperatures specified. The meat, however, was very chewy and not tender enough to my liking.
For dessert, we shared the blueberry cake served with a scoop of vanilla gelato. The cake was very light and decadent with crushed pistacios on top. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
The cocktail beverages here are quite good as well. My favorite was the «I love you more than cake,» the drink actually tasted just like cake. This cocktail was definitely the highlight of Ink & Elm.

I’ve heard lots of good things about this place. When Scoutmob offers a brunch voucher, we bought it immediately. The deal includes 2 cocktails, 2 entrees, a cinnamon bun, and scones.
When we arrived, parking was hard to find. The parking lot behind the restaurant is small and full. We called the restaurant and were advised to park across the street, next to the CVS. Signs at the parking lot states the lot serves several surrounding restaurants, but Ink and Elm is not on the list. So park on your own risk.
When we entered the establishment, we were immediately wowed by the décor. It’s elegant, modern, and somewhat minimalist (exposed concrete floor, roof deck, structure… etc). Love it!
The service started off rough. It took us about 5 – 10 minutes to be seated despite arriving on-​time for our reservation. We had to wait another 15 – 20 minutes for the waitress to take our orders. However, our server was friendly and pleasant.
We ordered a Bloody Mary and a Bellini. Wife’s Bellini was good… sweet and refreshing… perfect on a hot summer day. I love my Bloody Mary. It tasted very different from the ones I’ve had… but hey, I’m not a cocktail person, and not qualify to say if it’s a good thing. Be warned though, the salt along the rim and the drink itself is pretty spicy.
The food was amazing. It started with the cinnamon bun. I’d give it a 4. I especially love the white sauce (aged cheddar?). It has a citrusy taste, which brighten up the bun. My fried chicken was great. Skin was crispy and meat was juicy and flavorful (even the breast was juicy). While the kale was flavorful, I find it too salty. I also tasted wife’s white shrimp… it was fresh and sweet. Another solid dish. However, it was disappointing that the scones never made it to the table. I love scones and was really looking forward to that. What a bummer!
Overall, I’d rate this place a solid 4 stars and borderline 5 stars. However, there were some flaws especially with service.

Sunday brunch (because I love brunch, can’t you tell?)
House-​made scones — They seem to bake these scones with walnuts/​pecans/​etc in them and serve them with a dish of jam. Served hot out of the oven, these are delightful way to begin a meal at Ink and Elm.
Some sort of hash — I completely spaced on the name but this was actually quite a lovely dish. It is new on their brunch menu but the waitress described it as a variation on corned beef hash. It does have mustard in it so if you’re not a fan of mustard, it might be good to avoid this dish but otherwise, I liked the tanginess of the mustard mixed with the savoriness of the beef.
The service was very good. The waitress had mixed up my entrée and accordingly our entrees took a little while to come out so she gave us an additional side of scones to make up for the wait which I thought was a very nice gesture.
You can either park behind the cleaners or across the street at the CVS.

The dining experience here was great, after I was seated. I knew about valet parking before I arrived however, since I do not like to use it I may two futile attempts to park at the rear of the building. The roundabouts made it easier to make my approach again. Thus, I used the valet to park my conveyance.
I booked using OpenTable; I suggest making a reservation. Upon entering, I had to wait a few minutes while my table was prepared. I viewed the menu before arriving and prepared a note in Evernote to avoid gazing at the menu.
I started with a glass of Klinker Brick Zinfandel. One of the reasons I came here was to try something new; sweetbreads.
The bread, made in-​house was good. It had a good crust and flakey interior; it was served with a sweet potato butter.
The veal sweetbread (ris de veau) is served with creamed spinach, capers and lion mane mushrooms. The dish was good, the ris de veau reminded me of liver, but not as strong in flavor.
For my entrée I order the lamb duo. It is lamb lion and crépinette. It was great. The lamb is complemented with farro piccolo, roasted maitake, celery, date, romesco, and cumin salt.
I also ordered the brussel sprouts with duck fat and hazelnuts as a side. The hazelnuts was a good complement to the brussel sprouts.
Compliments to the chef that constructed these dishes!
For dessert, I planned to get a sticky cinnamon bun [listed on the menu online] however, it was not available. Instead, I ordered a slice of cheesecake made with goat cheese. It was great. To accompany my dessert, I ordered The Corrected Coffee. It is espresso and a digestif (Ransom Gewürztraminer Grappa).