Livingston Restaurant & Bar

This review is from a staff appreciation luncheon that my office had at the Livingston back in November… just remembered that I had not Unilocaled this place :-)
Unlike my other reviews this one will be short and sweet. Because this was a staff luncheon we were only given two choices for our entrée so unfortunately I was not able to be my normal inquisitive self and try other things on the menu.
Had the shrimp and grits and the chocolate cake… both were superb and the cake has a surprise in the middle, see my pictures. My only disappointment was just like my other reviews… small portions but hey when the boss is paying who can complain right! LOL :-)
You guessed it… just like other midtown restaurants pretty, but expensive so dig deep in your wallet if you want to enjoy the Livingston!

My friend Neepa works here and they have great food. It can be really busy if something fun is happening at the fox and it is kinda in a hotel but the food is great. Also, a little on the higher end $$$. Not sure who said it was $$, definitely will run you more than 11 – 30 per person. Great food though. And good for a date night too.

I came her for Dinner on a Sunday evening and really enjoyed my experience. The supper menu is not huge so I asked the waitress (who was SUPER nice) what she recommended. She suggested the salmon or scallops, so I chose the scallops since that’s something I never order. After placing my order fresh bread and cornbread arrived with butter that tasted homemade! Literally within 10 minutes my scallops were perfectly seared and on the table. They sat over a creamy oyster sauce and came with shredded brussel sprouts. The meal and the bread in my opinion were delicious and a nice change from chain restaurants… I could definitely taste the quality.
Atmosphere: It’s across the street from the FOX, so imagine that if there were a show it would be very crowded, but on the I went it was not. I am on the hunt for a wedding venue so I did take the time to notice that the Livingston had the potential to be an excellent and sophisticated event space. Great architectural and classic touches while being modern at the same time. The restaurant was dark with candles on the table so it would make a good date night spot as well. After dinner you can easily walk over to the bar and lounge if you’re not ready to head home.
Service: Everyone I came in contact with was excellent. Top notch service.
Overall I really enjoyed my evening and I’m glad I stopped in. I hear they have a wonderful New Years Eve dinner and party, and they validate parking which is a plus!

Thanksgiving buffet was good, nothing more or less.
The dining room we were seated in across the hall from the room with the food was not very inviting, did not realize until we went in there to get food that we might have been able to sit in that room, which was considerably brighter.
As far as the personnel, greeters, food service people at the buffet, our waiter, all were 5 star!
I guess we expected a bit nicer ambiance and buffet for a special occasion at a special hotel

I loved the atmosphere. The old mixed with the new was very well done. We had the mussels to start and they were outstanding. My friend had the duck which was also excellent but seemed to lack a sauce. I ordered the scallops. They were cooked perfectly. The Brussel sprouts were bland. And once again the dish lacked a sauce. I ordered a dirty gin martini and it came garnished with a lime instead of olives. Which I’ve never seen before. Maybe I should’ve stuck with a speciality cocktail. The service was disjointed. Once we got close to the end of the meal it seemed like every 2 – 3 minutes someone came by to try to clear our plates. The waiter was okay, he seemed very distracted. Overall, it was a decent meal but it didn’t blow me away.
I love the proximity to The Fox, it’s perfect for dinner before a show. But I really think that is the only reason I will visit again.

Very poor service. Manager did not seem to care. Food was late. They forgot to put dressing on my salad. I asked twice and never got what I asked for. Food quality was average at best. would not go back.

Not as impressed as I had hoped for. I could make most of our food at home better than what they did.

Ok overall I enjoyed Livingston. The breakdown:
I am a native Atlien and had never been here. I guess it just never made my list of foodie stops to hit in over a decade, because let’s be honest, it’s been on the block for a min! Pun intended… it is right at the corner of Peachtree and Ponce. Anyhow, I went on a Sunday evening and my friend and I had the place to ourselves. So that really allowed us to take in the ambiance and it is magnificent. Beautiful rich textures and warm inviting lighting. It’s very easy to relax and enjoy your meal here. We were greeted by our server Rob who my friend later called Ron… sorry Rob! Rob was amazing. Top notch, no BS, straight up cool dude who knows the menu like a Jedi knows mind tricks. He gave us a sample of a red zinfandel by the name of Plungerhead, in fact I made note of this by the label itself which cleverly displays a man with a plunger on his head. It was rich and fully of body and left us wanting more.
After we received our wine, we discussed our top picks and Rob sealed our selections but providing us with his on takes on the duck and the scallops. Both were sublime and we cleaned our plates to say the least.
I cannot recommend Livingston enough to locals and those visiting Atlanta. You will not be disappointed!
–Bön Appétit

Midtown Restaurant Week! Yay! Whenever these occur, my friend and I independently come up with our faves on the list and find a place that matches. Livingston worked for both of us. Added bonus is the validated parking. We walked in a side entrance of the hotel to get the restaurant and it really is a lovely place. Since the weather was nice, we decided to sit out on the patio so we could people watch.
First disappointment of the night was that they had changed the fixed price menu. I HATE when restaurants do that. It really isn’t fair. You get people in there under false pretenses. It wasn’t all changed, but we chose the spot specfically to get the One-​Hour Petite Filet with
blue cheese grits, charred broccolini, and caramelized onion marmalade. Which was no longer on the menu. It was replaced with a 6-​hour london broil with potato gratin, tomatoes and onions, and green peppercorn demi. Ugh.
Started off with the asparagus frites. AMAZING!!! One of the best things I have eaten. I felt that we were in for a good night. Unfortunately, it progressively got worse after that. The london broil wasn’t that great. The potato gratin was so stiff and not tasty at all. I was expecting some ooey gooey cheesy gratin. This is a brick. Ended the night with the carrot cake twinkies. Oh boy, so bad. Man! I spent over $ 50 on dinner and only liked my appetizer. Sad.

Maybe my favorite hotel restaurant out of NYC or LA ever. I ate or drank here 4 times in 2 days, which should in and of itself be an endorsement. Of course I am in love with Georgian Terrace, which I got on Travelzoo for just 131 a night, about half of the normal rate.
I am returning to Atlanta and if I don’t stay with friends, I will return to the GT.
The Livingston (New American with a Southern flair) elegant and very cheap for what it is. The breakfast comes with the room (at least on my package), but all entrees 10 to 12 at breakfast and brunch both.
The small plates were my favorite, though. An innovative fried green tomatoes – not the kind you’d get in some neighborhood joint the equivalent of the BBQ Frank Underwood eats in House of Cards – befitting a sophisticated New American in the much gentrified «midtown» area of downtown Atlanta across from the legendary and refurbished Fox Theater. Two days in a row I ordered the chicken liver, just 6 dollars. I’ve paid far more for pâté an chicken liver mousse both not half as good.
Midtown is close to the downtown area with the Peachtree Plaza dining court (Homeless Pee Aroma Fast Food MARTA station would be a better name), but downtown itself is really nothing special, whereas Midtown is charming and old.
Specialty cocktails are a few dollars less than they are in LA and NYC, which is always nice. Bartenders are friendly and make good recommendations. The clientele is a mix of locals and those staying in the hotel. I don’t usually rely so heavily on a hotel restaurant for meals on a trip but this the Livingston serves innovative, locally sourced dishes which go far beyond «hotel» fare.
Next time I go, I will have the shrimp and grits. I loved the brisket sandwich but had a bit of my friend’s entrée, much lighter than I expected it to be, and it was delicious.

We went here for Midtown Restaurant Week! The Prix Fixe menu was amazing! The Fried Green Tomatoes were beautifully presented and tasted great. The Asparagus Frites were also very tasty! The second course was the One Hour Filet atop the most creamy, delicious blue cheese grits you will ever eat. We loved it!

Awesome buffet brunch in a beautiful building/​setting. Lots to choose from and my favorites are the fried chicken, the mushroom/​shrimp gravy that goes perfectly on your grits and plenty of salad, eggs, sausage, bacon, and of course desserts.
$ 20 a person isn’t bad given the amount of food and relaxed environment. The only feedback I have for Livingston’s to make this better is different size plates and bowls. They only have large dinner plates for everything and it would be nice to put your grits in bowls or have smaller dessert plates, etc. Also, the servers are very nice and cordial, but there only seemed to be 2 people for the entire place and that was definitely a huge backup in dirty plates being left on our table. Again, very nice servers, but just not enough of them and please note that 18% gratuity is automatically added to your check.

I came to The Livingston for a bridal shower. The event was held on the second floor of the restaurant in a private space overlooking the Fox Theater. Based on the venue and the food I have to give a mixed review.
THE VENUE (⁵⁄₅)
Gorgeous was an understatement! The only decorations required were flowers for the table. The architectural details took care of everything else: a marble staircase, the balcony overlooking the first floor, and mirrors reflecting light around the space.
I don’t have insight into details like the price to rent the venue, how hard it was to reserve the space, the ease of working with the event coordinator, etc. But, I do know that the location provided the «wow» factor the bride was looking for. It was an elegant and impressive space.
THE FOOD (²⁄₅)
Guests enjoyed mimosas and could choose from one of two starters (Local Field Greens/​Tasso & Corn Chowder) and one of three entrées (Shrimp & Grits/​Slow Roasted Beef Brisket/​Truffled Chicken Salad Sandwich).
The Tasso & Corn Chowder was made with house bacon and Tybee Island shrimp. The chowder had a nice smoky flavor but it was too thick for my liking. There was literally one shrimp sitting in the middle of the bowl as a garnish.
The Shrimp & Grits was described as «turnpike grits, andouille sausage, turnip greens and caramelized onions» and although I usually like shrimp and grits, I didn’t enjoy their version.
The grits were drowned in pot likker from the turnip greens. The flavor was good but it was too much liquid. It was almost like eating a soup with grits in the bottom of the bowl. Not my thing. I will say that the two servers attending to our large party did a great job.
All in all, I have to give The Livingston 3.5 stars. I wouldn’t return for the food, but the staff was attentive and there are few venues in town that can match the vintage sophistication of this restaurant. It is an unmistakably classy venue for a special event.

I have always wanted to do a show at the Fox but prior to that do dinner across the street at the Livingston. I love places that let you reserve via Open Table. This gauranteed I would be in and out in time for my show (plus you earn points redeamable for $) Note: you can request seating on the patio up front but you gotta ask and do it quickly because it is limited.
I assumed this place draws in the tourists. I should have also assumed they would cater to southern fare. I wanted something healthy but it’s hard when all you see is fried and pork. To give them credit they did have scallops and a bone-​in chicken too but maybe I’m just too picky.
We started with a drink– their Martini’s are weak. I measure a restaurant by how they make this drink. I also had one of their ginger drinks-​it was ok.
On the plus side we did get yummy bread and cornbread with our meal.
My date got the Scallops– not bad at all. It was swimming in brussel sprouts which where delicoius. Just wish it had more of the side.
I got the Tofu– they could have given me more veggies (kale, beans, edamame-​barely any). Also it was on a bed of white rice– would have preferred qunoa or something healtheir but that’s just me. It was a bland dish. A veggie or tofu dish can taste amaziing but they haven’t quite mastered this.
My friend got the Shrimp and Grits– they wheren’t bad but the grits wheren’t rich and fluffy the way I’ve seen them in countless restauants. I would pass on this if I came back.
Another friend got the Chicken-​this was a generous portion of bone-​in chicken. It was moist and flavorfull. Just not a fan of eatint bone-​in food in a fancy restauarnt.
Added note: the wait staffis superb. The friendlest people but the meal took 35 minutse to arrive which was odd considering the place was half empty.
Overall, this place is great if you want to take someone out on a nice date. To me it’s over priced and servings are too small. I don’t mind paying more and getting less but that means quality over quantity and I just don’t see that when the flavors are just ok. Not one dish popped out as amazing.

Beautiful surrounding and literally right across the street from The Fox Theatre.
Like many restaurants, Livingston gets really busy pre-​show at The Fox, which is why my friend and I dined here right before seeing Wicked.
Upon entrance, a chic chandelier hangs from above. Yes, I totally wanted to «swiiiiiing from the chandelieeeeeeer, from the chandelieeeeeer.» There were no hostess so we stood a couple of minutes. All the waiters were all pre-​occupied so we went up to the bar and asked how things work as far as seating. So it’s first come first serve unless you have reservations. Luckily, a high-​table of two left and we were seated!
MENU:
Very simple menu with starters, small plates, and drinks, of course. This menu changes seasonally or every month or so I believe. A full restaurant menu is available upon request. I ordered a starter and small plate. Very light meal.
FOOD:
–Ham Croquette Starter ($ 6 – 7): It was okay. A fried ball of shredded ham. I bit into 2 small bones after slicing the ball into small pieces. I definitely wasn’t expecting that. The meat was tender though, but a tad salty.
–Local Lettuce ($ 7 – 9): Delicious. Simple bed of salad with oil and light vinaigrette and feta cheese. 2 slices of apple. Refreshing and tasty.
SERVICE:
Once we were seated, service was great. We were checked on by at least 2 – 3 different waiters/​waitresses. Very attentive considering how busy they were and people just entering and exiting.
Overall, I’d like to try their actual menu aside from the starters/​small plates they provide. 3 stars. An extra due to exceptional service.

Super pretty atmosphere with a winding staircase and a nice view of the fox. I had the fried green tomatoes as an app and they were ok. I wouldn’t recommend them though. For dinner I ordered the scallops and they were delicious. The sauce they come in is amazing!
I was a little surprised with the wine selection. I thought there would be more of a selection. If you are just wanting to oder by the glass then there are very few options.
The food came out surprisingly fast, but I was disappointed in the service we received from our waitress.

A great location right across from The Fox Theatre. It’s really nice, inside and out. This was our first time here. The service was pretty good. I ordered the brick chicken and it was delicious, tho the side was a little peppery. My husband’s steak was tough and his potatoes were dry. We shared a chocolate lava cake for dessert, but it was all chocolate and no lava. My husband says he wouldn’t go here again, but since my dish was good tho the dessert wasn’t, I might try this restaurant again.

Warning, if you make reservations on a show night at the Fox, they will call and attempt to confirm your reservations and if they don’t speak with you, they will cancel! Unfortunately, the woman who called had such horrible English skills that I couldn’t understand her, so I hung up on her twice because I thought it was phone solicitation.
We arrived for our pre-​show dinner and the hostess tells us that our reservations were cancelled because we did not confirm. I show her the 2 phone calls on my phone and explain that we could not understand her and it should have been stated or emailed when the reservations were made that we had to confirm to keep them. She blows us off, so I ask to speak to the manager. They then agree to seat us and seat us at a shared table next to the bar. I call the manager over again and they seat us at a lovely table, and things improve dramatically for the rest of the meal.
All of our food was phenomenal. Our server Timothy was prompt and attentive. The manager ended up sending over desserts (also excellent) to make up for the reservations/​confirmation snafu. We were done with time to spare to attend our event at the Fox.
It seems that this place is turning around in both service and food quality and we will definitely return for dine for events at the Fox.

Horribly slow service… if you can get service at all. My wife and I attend 10 – 12 events a year at the Fox Theatre across the street. Prior to the shows we like to grab a cocktail and perhaps an appetizer from the local establishments. In the 5 – 6 times we have had the misfortune of walking into the bar at the Livingston the service has been incredibly slow, inept and borderline rude. The one time we tried to get a table in the main dining room there were roughly 10 empty 4-​top tables and the hostess, who was also running food, apparently could not muster the mental faculties to seat us.
Don’t even think of sitting outside unless you have an hour to kill because you will wait most of that time for someone just to take your order. Were they understaffed, probably, but even the few times it was slow in the bar it took 10 – 15 minutes to get a drink and even longer to track down our server to get our check.
Understand, this is not a knee-​jerk review from a one time experience. This is the result of consistantly horrible service in the bar area and the greeters in the dining room. As far as the food, it’s OK. Overpriced for what you get for munchies at the bar but not terrible. It is the positively horrendous service that makes me wish I could hand out a 0 star rating.

I made reservations through Open Table on Unilocal and upon getting to the restaurant found out they were closed for a private party and yet they STILL had us covered. They were awesome!!! With the exception of 2 other parties in the dining room we had the place to ourselves, it’s the closest I have come to having an upscale restaurant to ourselves.
The drinks, food and service was great, although our bourbon connoisseur at our table insists we were served the wrong bourbon and I know he knows his stuff. Our waiter insisted we were served the correct bourbon. This was the only negative to our evening here.
I am not going to even discuss what we had for dinner since their menu is ever changing and obviously will not be of help to the next diner.