Dogwood Restaurant

From the moment you walk in through the door, the vibe of Dogwood is nonchalant sleek. We knew that this would not be the type of night to order two bottles of wine and talk about boys at a high volume, as if we were the the Sex and the City girls, Atlanta edition. Tonight, we were going to be fancy. The four of us arrived having our hearts set on the dish that we had heard and read about, the fried chicken. Being raised on true southern food may have created a biased opinion, but Dogwood has sophisticated southern comfort cuisine that would impress everyone from the inexperienced to the refined palette.
It became very clear that our server highly underestimated our love of grits as the four of us savagely cleaned the grits flight and debated ordering a second. The flight consisted of grits prepared and presented three ways. Pimento cheese, pulled pork and a beer battered fish all served over creamy grits in separate small dishes. I personally apologize for the photo that was taken after a few bites. We like grits.
Our «supper» of fried chicken was served with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. The chicken was moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. Collards have never been a love of mine but these collards were perfectly salted and flavorful. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and rich. Each girl at the table took a bite and agreed that this delicious. Since we were seated near the kitchen, the expediter made sure to ask how our meal was and I think we were all surprised that it wasn’t as expensive as we thought it tasted.
Dessert and cappuccinos were ordered and the chocolate molten cake with ice cream just melted in our mouths. During dessert we remind ourselves that we are breaking every diet that we promised we wouldn’t break next time. The serving sizes were more European than American.

What a wonderful restaurant!!! Room was delightful, and service/​attitude was professional, thought cold and curt. Food was divine — that’s the main draw.
Good selections of wine by the glass ($ 9 – 12). We shared the grits flight starter ($ 10), which was fish, pork, and cheese — all good.
Mains were fish of the day (redfish with champagne sauce – out of this world!!) @ $ 32 and pheasant breast (flavorfull but too dry) @$ 28. Bread pudding @ $ 7 to finish was not too sweet, and not like New Orleans style — could have been a little moister or soaked more.
All in all a most pleasant experience, and we will look forward to returning.

Dogwood, to put it succinctly, is just spectacular!
This restaurant is incredibly upscale and unique, and I was impressed with it from the moment I walked in. The staff is very professional and attentive here, with our waiter staying on top of absolutely everything.
The food is outstanding! We had the Grits Flight for an appetizer, which is a must-​get for everyone. I had the striped bass, which was a phenomenal dish! I was totally impressed with my meal here.
Needless to say, I will return next time I am in Atlanta! Kudos, Dogwood!

Okay to be perfectly honest I had no desire to go to Dogwood. The menu is brief and I tend to be picky. Nevertheless this was the place of another Birthday meal — this time dinner.
From the host staff to the elegance of the restaurant I was immediately pleased.
The butter was whipped — plus number one. The salad was fancy and good if small. The Fish special was DE LISH. I mean it was just wonderful. The service was perfect. I can hardly wait to bring my parents here the next time they are in town. I am cheap and this place is a little more upscale pricey than my typical price point but it was definitely worth it.
Best Birthday Meal yet. Thanks Casey!

Fabulous restaurant, plain and simply.
The food is fantastic. My first experience with Dogwood was my partners birthday dinner about 3 years ago, and since then I have probably eaten there 5 or 6 times. The atmosphere is lovely, classy and comfortable. The wait staff are very professional and attentive.
One of my favorite appetizers is the grits buffet, its hard to describe, but simply delectable. I call their food… Southern fusion (maybe that’s what they call it too). I mean, southern food is either good or horrible, there is not much in between, but Dogwood puts such a pleasant and elegant spin on traditional dishes… plus they add a very nice splash of flair.
I highly recommend Dogwood before an evening of theatre at the Fox or for any special occasion, or just for a nice romantic dinner.

Another excellent meal at Dogwood. We started in the bar with classic cocktails: a Manhattan for me, a vodka martini for my wife, and a gin martini for my brother. Other than the Manhattan being shaken (a big no-​no), the drinks were good.
Dinner started with the grits flight for me and my better half. How somebody can transform something as simple as grits into a culinary delight is beyond me, but it works. The trio this night were pimento cheese, fried fish, and pulled pork with chow-​chow. Unbelievably good. Entrees were fried buttermilk chicken with mac and cheese and collard greens (the chicken was still sizzling hot at the table); braised short ribs with polenta (really tender beef), and flat iron steak with blue cheese grits and fennel (perfectly seared steak and loads of flavor in the grits).
Every time I eat here, I’m amazed how much flavor they can pack into a single plate. One of the best meals in Atlanta.

What a great place to spend Valentine’s day! We were seated promptly on arrival. A huge plus for a busy night.
The wine selection was full of great choices and unlike many places, there was not bait and switch on the vintage years.
I had the carpaccio as an appetizer. It was good but nothing special and they could have thrown out the burnt toast and toasted me up a new piece.
My husband had the pulled pork grits. They were to die for, and I’m not really a fan of grits! He also ordered the apple & bacon fritters which were outstanding and could have served as a dessert. In retrospect I would substitute either of his choices for mine.
He had the scallops, which were on the special Valentines menu. They were pan-​seared only on one side, which he found odd, but he enjoyed them. The pesto was very spicy which he did not love.
I had the short ribs. The meat was very tender and tasty, the polenta was creamy and delicious.
The service was attentive without being intrusive and we did not feel rushed at all. Some of the best service we have had in Atlanta.
Overall a very great meal.

Delicious — definitely a new American fine dining restaurant concept with Southern influences. I wouldn’t classify Dogwood as only «Southern» since most of the dishes have their own unique touch added.
The grits are nice and creamy but each have their own topping. The trio of tastings is good if you want to try all three but I think the one with fried fish is worth skipping and the one with bbq pork was the most flavorful ($ 4 per grits or $ 10 for the 3).
The entrees are all solid and have outstanding, flavorful sides. The pork «porterhouse» came with mashed yams and collard greens… delicious! Entrée dishes range between $ 20-​$ 30 with the exception of the NY Steak at $ 38.
Great for a date spot, small group dinner, or business meal.

Great service, great food, period. We were looking for something close, new, and good on the day before Christmas Eve, and OpenTable led us to Dogwood. I mean, grit bar — what could go wrong?
Nothing, that’s the answer. There were a lot of moments that, in other fine dining establishments, would have made us feel awkward as guests. Showing up in jeans when we didn’t realize we’d be the only ones there like that? No problem. Entering the restaurant through the back-​door elevator that took us past the storage locker? Greeted heartily at the door by a waitress who asked us kindly to «follow her to the host station.» We were coat-​checked, seated, and enjoying our experience immediately.
The waiter was polite and helpful but not pushy. He led us to a terrific mouthful of wine that we never would have selected on our own (but wasn’t more than we indicated we wanted to pay) and matched our food selections. He explained the somewhat opaque grit situation, and we were blown away by the flavors infused in those little bowls of pulverized hominy.
The mains were equally impressive. I love me a braised short rib, but this one was in another league — beautiful presentation under a cheesy, fresh cube of brussels sprouts, and just the tender morsel of beefy goodness that it should be. Part of me wondered if the parmesan overwhelmed the beef a bit, but the totality of the dish was terrific. My companions had the pork tenderloin and the steak, and both were outstanding — the braised fennel that came with the steak was particularly good.
The only pedestrian thing here was the bread pudding for dessert — not bad, just not in keeping with the stellar nature of the rest of the meal. No complaints here, though — I’m a Dogwood fan, for sure.

Impeccable service at every point. Dogwood is cool, sophisticated, and does things with an understated panache.
The valet service was convenient and friendly. We were professionally greeted at the door. Our server was most helpful, representing the house well expressing informative exuberance over every item on which we had questions.
For starters, I had the apple bacon fritters. Annie had Wagyu carpaccio which was better than the fritters but the fritters were pretty good. The carpaccio was sliced «vapor thin» with a nice drizzle and capers. Everything worked well with this dish especially the mustard sauce.
The duck breast has good taste. However it was a little chewy and not crispy at all. The «forbidden rice grits» added an unwelcome earthiness to the plate. The butternut squash mouse, however, was excellent and we wish there had been more.
Ah but the pork chop was possibly the best I have ever had. Perfectly grilled to a nice medium rare, it had great taste and consistency. The sweetness from the pomegranate molasses gave a nice bright flavor to the meat without over sweetening.
Next time we will order from the grits bar.
Although a few things on the plates did not work for us, you have to appreciate the creativity that goes into everything they do at Dogwood. Overall, a great experience!

Didn’t really know what to expect from this place. I think I showed up right when the place opened so they we still setting up so I was little bombed about that because I had to a wait a lil while…
But one interesting thing was the grit bar, I didn’t think that was something that I would care for, but boy was it good, I had the sampler of all three and I have to say that the pimento cheese was the best the running up has to be the vodka tomato sauce.
For Dinner I just had to try the fried chicken collard green and mac & cheese, I dont think my mother could have made that dish any better then that.
The wine selection on the wine was a plus for me always, and they have there on special brew of drinks that they make in house.
So once again this is a really nice spot for a date !

A good friend had gone to Dogwood several times in the past and told me how good the food was. I decided to go this weekend to treat another friend to dinner for her post-​birthday celebration. I have to say that Dogwood was one of the best restaurants I’ve eaten at for dinner this year.
The food was really delicious. We both ordered summer inspired cocktails. I had the Strawberry-​Ginger cocktail which had a nice ginger kick to it. My friend had the Melon Citrus martini which she liked.
We started off with a salad that we both shared. It was made with Baby arugula salad, Champagne vinaigrette and pickled strawberries. I loved the balance between the tart dressing and the sweet strawberries. We also devoured two baskets of Bread with our dinner. I really loved the butter spread that it was served with.
For my main course I ordered the Charred Berkshire pork tender loin, Georgia gouda grits, butter beans with bordelaise sauce. Everything was seasoned to perfection including the butter beans. The Pork tender loin was charred on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. It was as if I was eating a grilled steak. I loved it. My friend ordered the Bacon wrapped Halibut with lady pea & corn succotash, with crawfish-​tomato butter. It was really tasty. The bacon definitely added flavor to that dish.
For dessert we shared the Chocolate Truffle cup cake with ice cream and caramel sauce. The Chocolate was dark and rich. I asked the server what kind of chocolate was used. She told us that they used melted Ghirardelli chocolate inside the cake. It was delicious.
Everything about Dogwood was five star including the service, décor, food and drinks. I definitely recommend this restaurant. Since it is located a block or two down from the Fox Theatre, it would be a perfect place to go to dinner before a show.

What a fabulous end to an evening that didn’t start out well. I’ll just say that we started at another «Southern» venue & the noise after 5 minutes drove us to leave… not a good way to start my birthday celebration. I pulled up the Unilocal app on my Pre & remembered Dogwood. It had been on my list to try, but the timing never worked out (closed on Sundays). Next, I pulled up Open Table & within 1 minute had a reservation for 2 on short notice on a Saturday night. Gotta love technology.
We showed up 15 minutes early for our reservation & were greeted by two nice young women who showed us to the table. What a delightful change to the previous dining room we had been in. The décor is subdued & lovely; high ceilings & plenty of fabric absorbed 75% of the ambient noises.
Within moments, our server came & introduced us to Dogwood & offered to walk us through the menu. ‘H’ (her preferred moniker) was knowledgeable & thrilled to have newcomers with a sense of adventure. She asked how we happened to find them, so I told the story of my desire for upscale Southern fare & the ability to have a conversation without having to yell. This garnered quite a smile & guarantee of an excellent meal with a slow pace & nice atmosphere.
Decision time… almost impossible. As it was my birthday, I had planned to splurge with several courses. I decided that since I intended to have dessert (not always a given), I would skip the Grits Bar & choose an entrée that had grits as a garnish. Tough choice, but I didn’t want to have to be rolled out of the restaurant.
To start, I had the butter lettuce salad with a delectable buttermilk dressing sprinkled with Tartufo, an amazing semi-​soft cheese with truffles. How does anyone turn something so simple (salad with Ranch dressing) into such an amazing dance of the palate, I will never know. The crisp lettuce paired with a ranch-​style dressing, that was neither gloppy nor thick, & an earthy cheese was an amazing start to this meal. The flavors just washed away the poor start to the evening readying me for the rest of my meal… my taste buds were awake!
Meanwhile, my mother opted for just one starter, the crispy oysters with a caramelized fennel & onion jam, sauternes sabayon, & fried shiitakes. Talk about marvelous! Thank goodness I come from a family of foodies who don’t mind sharing. The perfect sweetness of the oysters with the zingy foam of the sauce & the tangy jam — very well rounded plate. My mother was in Heaven & I was a bit envious, until… my second starter.
After my first bite, I considered ordering a second plate. Whoever thought to country fry an already braised short rib is my new hero. Paired with a skillet creamed corn & a green onion relish, I just could not get enough. I noticed an eyeful from the kitchen as I used my knife to cut into the softest, most falling-​apart short rib in history, but I was trying to garner the best crust-​to-​beef ratio. Honestly, it was so perfectly cooked, they should have taken the knife from my hands. This was upscale Southern cooking at its most inventive; taking a playful spin on Country Fried Steak & make it undeniably required by any diner is just brilliant.
On to the main event. The Entrées section of the menu caused the most indecision. How to choose among such inviting choices? Thank goodness for H & her menu walkthrough. She made the Berkshire pork tenderloin sound like a symphony of flavors that could not be passed up. And she did not disappoint! Beautifully charred & cooked to my requested medium to medium-​rare, lightly dressed with a New Orleans bordelaise sauce, it sat atop cheese grits (skillfully infused with Thomasville’s own Sweet Grass Gouda cheese) & perfectly sautéed kale. Now usually, I avoid all hearty greens as my previous experiences have been pitiful (& I graduated from Culinary School), but this was delicious. The sweet yet mild grits were heavenly & just reminded me to return soon to attack their Grits Bar. Unfortunately, after my previous courses, plus sampling my Mom’s as well, I was only able to eat about half of the generous portion on the plate — thank goodness for to-​go boxes. Especially since I was planning on a dessert, I had to take it easy at this point. My Mom enjoyed the honey-​glazed duck (also cooked perfectly to her taste) with sweet potatoes & poached pears; it was exquisite.
As if we could handle anymore more, H presented me with a gorgeous plate with a S’mores crème brûlée (chocolate topped with a toasted marshmallow goo) & a gingerbread biscotti. On the side, was a lit birthday candle. Mom opted for the Strawberry-​Almond bread pudding; also yummy. An absolutely perfect ending to an incredible meal.
H was an amazing server with incredible knowledge & a knack for reading her customers. Dogwood is a definite choice the next time you have a craving for something new out of something old. A kick to those flavors you crave & to bring any out-​of-​towners to show off how Southerners do it best.

I really wanted to like Dogwood, but the main course didn’t live up to my expectations, but the service exceeded them — hence the 3 stars instead of 2.
I was in town for business and dining alone so I sat at the bar. I was warmly greeted by the bartender (who ended up providing me with excellent service throughout my meal) and started with a delicious glass of Riesling and a bowl amazing corn soup (best part of the meal I promise you). This soup was great — velvety, smooth, rich. I was looking forward to the ribeye I ordered for my main course and was then sorely disappointed. There was enough crushed peppercorns on my plate for about 26 people. I’m not kidding you. It ruined the steak and it even ruined the starch that was under the steak because the entire plate tasted like peppercorns. Blech.
I did try an amazing cocktail after dinner that was made from an orange infused vodka and a few other delicious sounded items (vanilla something?). I would go here again for soup and cocktails.

Our meal at Dogwood on a lovely Saturday night was splendid.
Right from the get-​go we enjoyed ourselves. The valet was pleasant and even drove our car in front of the restaurant when we left. The best valet experience I’ve had in Atlanta.
The décor in this restaurant is very relaxing. A lot of subtle grays and blacks and whites that was very calming to us all. If you need a place that is trendy and beautiful, but not crazy and loud because it’s too trendy I would recommend this place highly.
Our server was very attentive and friendly, though the quail she gushed about wasn’t anything spectacular.
The bread and butter was soft, warm, and tasty.
For entrees we ordered parmesan flounder, Georgia trout, short ribs, and the quail special. The fish entrees each had two pieces each and were universally liked. My short ribs weren’t anything special, but it’s possible that I don’t really like short ribs.
My girlfriend had the quail and I sampled it as well. Really nothing great about it. It was stuffed with nothing memorable. It’s hard to make quail look pleasant to eat, and they looked ridiculous here. A better plating is needed for these little birds.
Raspberry bread pudding and chocolate crème brûlée were pretty good. The bread pudding was the winner by far though.
All in all a quiet and pleasant evening. Even this review makes me want to fall asleep.
You can certainly find better food elsewhere, but this is a great alternative to the noisy places closer to the Fox.
Tips: Parking is valet and free on Linden Ave right around the corner! Ask for a quiet spot and they’ll put you in great booths near the back.

I came here for a conference back in Atlanta, and I had purchased a Groupon for this restaurant a while back (because I knew I was going to Atlanta for this conference). Turns out it was a pretty good pick.
I ordered a glass of red with a salmon with lemon grits and truffles. The first time I had grits, I didn’t like it so I was a little apprehensive about trying it again and with salmon, no less. But it actually came out really, really good! I was pleasantly surprised. The salmon was sort of sandwiched between the truffles and grits, and the combination was simply delicious. I also didn’t think that little plate of food would fill me up, but it most certainly did! (It must have been the grits).
I would definitely come back here again some day.

When Southern food meets upscale dining, you have Dogwood. My friends and I made last minute reservations here after trying to get into some other restaurants, and Dogwood definitely delivered. First off, none of us were dressed appropriately for a restaurant like this, but they were not condescending nor did they turn us down. Rather, they seated all 8 of us and provided us with great service.
Second, the food here is just delicious. I started with the pork belly, which is amazing, and also had some of their grits with pulled pork. Quite frankly, these were the best grits I’ve ever had, and even without the meat, they would have been the best.
For my main course, I got their fried chicken breast with collard greens and macaroni and cheese. For a chicken breast, this was fried to perfection, crispy on the outside, and super juicy on the inside. However, there were two things I didn’t like very much about this dish– the gravy they put on was way too creamy and heavy, and the mac and cheese was not the greatest. They would do a better job of putting the mac and cheese in a separate dish so that it doesn’t get soggy.
This is definitely 5 star food, at 5 star prices– will probably run you $ 40 – 50 a person, and a bit more if you drink. However, I think it’s well worth it, especially for a special occasion… or just a Saturday evening ;)

The only thing stopping me from giving a full-​stop five stars is that I was too full to order an entrée, so I have yet to experience the sum-​total of the deliciousness that I am certain to be a full Dogwood meal! Everything I did have– everything Emily R. and I both had, at our semi-​dinner after last weekend’s UYE in the bar area — was soo good, I can’t wait to return for the whole shebang.
First of all, I simply love the place itself. So pretty, well-​adorned in a modernist yet soothing, upscale Southern style (think of pretty, pretty Dogwood prints of different kinds on the walls– just enough to get the message across yet never verging on overkill), beautiful muted tones to the walls and chairs, a lovely view of the main dining room when you go upstairs to the rest rooms. .. just totally well-​done, all over.
Second, excellent service. From the attention we received from the bartenders during our UYE time — drinks brought quickly, all tabs tracked separately, plates of yummy sliders brought out to keep us happy — to our super waiter, Ron, the service was terrific.
Third, the food! And, really, what makes a foodie happier than too many good things to pick from — so many, in fact, that you end up not being able to eat everything you’re dying to try? Yes, that’s what it was like. Simple things like the bread they serve — hot and delicious with (a personal peeve of mine when not done right) perfect-​temp butter. Ideally spreadable — does it really get better than that? Well, yes, it does, since you asked. .. I finally got to try the «grits bar»! Oh my, so good they’ll make you slap your mama. Seriously.
Emily and I had two grits picks: the fried green tomato (a perfect, thin slice of fried tomato yumminess) with blood orange «hollandaise,» and the pimento cheese and bacon. Totally divine. Not huge portions, but perfectly cooked and seasoned Anson grits — the best kind, of course! — and, unfortunately. .. enough to make us realize we couldn’t do justice to the entrees we wanted (we were lusting over the fried chicken with mac-​n-​cheese and greens, and the night’s panko-​crusted grouper special with a parmesan risotto).
What did we do? Ordered dessert of course — and decided to come back for those entrees! The night’s dessert special was a homemade blueberry and peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. I don’t even like desserts that much, but Em made me try it. .. and it was so good I was glad she did!
My
coupon will be used verrrrry soon for my next visit. I am confident I won’t be disappointed, and I can’t wait to report back to you all!!!

Sometimes I wonder if Anthony Bordain was right when he said Tuesdays are the best night to eat out b/​c the chef is well-​rested after a Monday off, and the food is fresh. We came on a Thursday.
We loved the ambience but the food turned out to be rather disappointing. I was in the same party of 6 as Soomy S, and while I’d say my food overall was «just ok» (loved the soup though) — her food was not even that.
As for me, I got one of the last two «$ 25 Bloom Plate Specials» which includes any choice of soup or salad, the daily special entrée, & any dessert. I started with the «Sweet Corn Bisque» which I enjoyed — it was creamy, sweet, smooth, and liked how the smoked bacon bits made for a perfect sweet/​salty taste. A friend who got the «Soup Flight» tried all three soups and thought the Sweet Corn Bisque was the best, too. I also sampled a couple salads: «Heirloom Tomato Slices» (just ok) and «Pickled Watermelon w/​Arugula & Fresh Mozzarella» (pretty good).
My entrée was the «Kobe Beef Meatloaf w/​buttermilk bacon smashed potatoes & squash casserole» which was pretty heavy & dense — and not exciting either. Honestly I would’ve liked to pick something lighter but couldn’t do any substitutions, and the $ 25 pre-​fixe dinner was the best value. I sampled a few other entrees, too — scallops (salty), the buttermilk fried chicken (just ok), and unfortunately Soomy’s grouper (way overdone) & halibut (way undercooked — like frozen). I felt really bad for her and was glad to see the manager try to address it by offering her to order something else (which she declined), and take care of the bill. It didn’t erase the problem but at least it was addressed.
For dessert, I got the Blackberry Shortcake w/​Sour Cream Ice Cream which was just ok. Also sampled a friend’s Peanut Butter Ice Cream & another friend’s Watermelon Sorbet — those were much better.
As for service, props to the Valet guys — they were great & brought our cars to the street so that we didn’t have to walk back to the garage. Host was very welcoming, too.
I don’t think I’ll be returning to Dogwood anytime soon — too many other good restaurants in Atlanta to try! But if I do, maybe I’ll try Tuesday next time :)

So, one of the bartenders, Doc, that I had met at another restaurant totally called me out for taking pictures for my Unilocal review! At least it was a decent photo!
I was on the search for somewhere to take family visiting from out of town, and lo and behold– recalled that it was Midtown Restaurant Week! Dogwood’s menu looked appealing & I thought it would have a vibe the ‘rents would enjoy (read: not extremely loud).
As other reviewers mentioned, the space is lovely — very calm. Decorated in a lot of creams and dark woods, the kind of place you don’t want to spill a glass of red wine. Just as their vibe is contemporary Southern, I’d describe the décor as contemporary classic. Plush seats, round tables that are great for a party of six, too. Décor is simple, with some black & white photos of, what else but dogwoods, and artwork.
Our waitress was friendly and professional, and service is what you want at a place like this — timely but not too fast.
The absolute favorite of mine? The grits bar! As a starter (and in true Southern fashion) you can get grits with one of three toppings.. . and these grits topped the charts on my «Top Grits» chart!
Glad to hear they are open for lunch — this for sure has ‘business lunch’ written all over it! A lovely space, and literally it was impossible to tell that they had been open for just shy of a month, as the experience/​service was flawless.