Empire State South

Food was pretty good except for the cold, hard, tasteless cheese course. I know that you are trying to copy California hip and chic. However, after 4-5 visits, I still have a hard time getting used to, in a rather expensive restaurant, waiters who dress like homeless people and a decor which apparently is supposed to look like a seedy barn, and which succeeds. The $19 glass of ordinary Beaujolais (not even Beaujolais Village) which I had, was inferior to the 4.50 Euros glass of Chiroubles which I had in Lyon last year.

It's such a quaint place hidden in the middle of midtown. I definitely recommend trying everything in their menu especially if you're with a big group of people, it's the best time to do it. Everything was very nice. They even had a rhum from Haiti that they were using in one of their drinks that was delicious. I definitely recommend, it's a must try!

Came with reservations for a party of two, four course dinner and had a great time! The wait staff was super attentive and friendly.I’d highly recommend getting the roasted duck breast for a delicious classic, and the wintergreen salad for a tasty surprise combination of flavors.The price for a four course dinner includes gratuity, so be mindful when looking into reservations. They also have a snack menu if you’d like to try delicious food on a budget!

I've had the opportunity to eat several times at Empire State South. Every time I'm in Atlanta I make sure to eat here. I was a little disappointed that the menu had changed exclusively to a tasting menu. But the food was still very good, as was the service.

It was a delightful experience. Next year we will ask for a space that is a bit more quiet. There were quite a few of us in one room while I noticed tables free in other areas that had fewer people. Jane

We had the four-course New Year's Eve dinner, with wine pairings, for our 10th anniversary. The food was delicious, of course, but the sommelier really made the experience. Highly recommend the farm egg!

Delicious prix fixe menu (not sure if this is now their standard dinner service?) - but the selections were varied and we all enjoyed them immensely. Expert sommelier and impressive wines. Friendly yet casual staff with a cool vibe - great bar too. Recommend as a foodie destination and different feel when in Midtown!

The menu is imaginative and amplified by the wine pairings. Stephen's wine knowledge runs deep with experience and adds a great level of entertainment. Really enjoyed our in town.

Great vibe in the dining room. Great service. Nice atmosphere. I did come for the food though. Tasting menu had great descriptions but each dish came out cold. The cauliflower soup was delicious despite the temperature. We sat about 10-15 minutes between courses…possibly longer. Textures were off but flavors were there. All in all the expectations were high based on the price point and menu descriptions. My wine was perfect and we should have just had four bowls of cardamom ice cream.

What an amazing dinner! We did the 4 course tasting menu with wine pairings. The sommelier was top notch with describing every pairing and the food was so good it was hard to pick a favorite! What an awesome place!

We haven't been to Empire State South since before the pandemic and we're delighted by how great it still is! The tasting menu was amazing and they were accommodating to allergies/food restrictions. They were incredibly knowledgeable and the wine pairing was one of the best we have had. I would highly recommend for anyone looking to treat themselves to a fun dinner!

If you've never had a farm egg, travel to Empire State South. Travel from wherever you have to in order to experience it. It's something I keep going back for, over and over again. I'm never disappointed by it. Custardy, crispy, colorful, and seasonal, this dish is a top contender for the best egg in the world. By far.

ESS is always one of the best meals we have all year. The tasting menu was perfect and the wine pairings were all excellent. Can't rave about this place enough, just go there! Can't wait to go back soon.

"Poor" seems unfair, but "average" is too much. I'd call it "2.5 stars - below average," if possible. We enjoy Hugh Acheson on Top Chef appearances and such - so we thought we would enjoy his restaurant too. While we didn't dislike the restaurant, we did feel like it wasn't worth it. 1st courses: - Hamachi & shrimp tartare -- just too much of a good thing with nothing to offer a change up in texture or flavor - Belgian endive salad - quite tasty; my wife's order of this helped me get through the tartare 2nd courses: - fois gras - tasty if you like it - farm egg - too much of a good thing. the giant bowl of fried rice was, again, one long note once the other parts of the dish were devoured. Dish was unbalanced. - gnocchi - too soft, just mush. I've had beautiful pillows of gnocchi before; this was not that 3rd course: - trout - not that warm, not very flavorful - tenderloin - steak was delicious, but it came with a solid half-inch of horseradish cream on top of the entire steak. After scraping the entire glop off the top, the thin remains of the cream were more than enough for the tasty steak 4th course: - flourless chocolate cake - i like a rich, heavy cake, so I liked this. But it was RICH and HEAVY, so be warned. Didn't have enough ice cream for the cake. - apple crisp - HEAVY on the apple, LIGHT on the crisp. Not great. - creme brulee - super loose creme, almost a wet pudding. wine pairing was nice - delivered promptly, not skimpy pours. Mixed drinks were tasty too. Our waiter was SUPER smiley. Almost unnerving in how much he smiled. Friendly and all, but ... a little like the Joker. It wasn't bad -- but when the check came, there was a bit of a feeling of "oh, this wasn't worth that."

Wow, just wow. Wonderful food & inspired wine pairings in a casual yet elevated environment. Staff were friendly and helpful. Great overall experience, I can't wait to come back to Atlanta just to eat here!