Chops

Outdated, uninspired, overpriced, anti-​human garbage.
For the money, worst restaurant I’ve been to in Atlanta.
Don’t go unless you’re 70 and your doctor has prescribed a flavorless, rushed, manufactured diet.

Ordinarily, I’d give the establishment 5 stars. On an occasion I was more observant than others & had higher expectations was on a recent birthday dinner at Lobster Bar.
The service was fine, top notch as a matter of fact. Our waiter made great suggestions, answered our questions, and provided prompt, attentive service throughout our evening.
Before this experience, I thought I couldn’t possibly order anything wrong at Lobster Bar. But much to my disappointment, I was wrong. I know I like Dover sole from other establishments & I really looked forward to enjoying my favorite meal. I ordered the Genuine Holland Dover Sole (filleted table side), sautéed with evoo & capers; while my companion ordered the Hong Kong combo — Panama Seabass & Norweigan Salmon with soy broth, ginger, spinach & rice. Never in a million years would I have imagined his dominated my dish in every way!!! Shocking! I’d had Dover sole numerous times & never met one I didn’t like — until the night of my birthday at Lobster Bar. But it wasn’t all a loss. We started with some excellent oysters & my companion was generous in sharing his delicious Hong Kong combo. Now I know, apparently you can go wrong here. Next time I think I’ll stick to crab, scallops or grouper. Thanks for the A+ service :) Better luck next time with my entrée option if I decide to give it another go.

If I move to Atlanta, I’ll come here every chance I get. Completely blown away with their food and service. Only complaint was that Toni Braxton was a few tables away and she was loud as hell. Aside from the fact that she was pretty ratchet, that was cool. Lol.

Best crab cakes in Georgia. Coming from the northeast I’ve had some great seafood in Maryland and Boston. I’d put this place up there with those cities. Also best dirty martini I’ve had in Atl and they use an amazing vodka called double cross.

Went to Chops for my coworker birthday. Very pricey. I had the crab cakes. Its 2 for $ 38. It was good but not worth $ 38. And it didn’t come with a side or anything. Rice would of been nice or something. I got the potato tots and that was $ 10 for 5. Once again… Very pricey. Only good thing was the Smokey Manhattan drink. It was $ 10 and very strong. I wouldn’t come back here. Just not my type of restaurant. My friend said the prices are anniversary dinner prices and i couldn’t agree more

Not sure if this was a bad night for Chops, but was not impressed. We had a table of four. The service was quite pitiful throughout the evening which was puzzling since we had two waiters. Our waiter greeted us on arrival but took a while to get water. We were ready to order when our bar drinks arrived but he dropped them off and left. Two of us got our salads, but had to wait for the rest of the table to get theirs. Our main courses were brought not by our waiter, and instead of asking who got what, they just put it on the table. After we finished our main course, our waiter came by and looked at the empty plates but didn’t clear them. I have never waited so long at a fine dining restaurant to have my plate cleared. We sat waiting on our check and had to flag down the waiter and ask for a check.
The price point is too high for subpar service. Not sure if they were understaffed, but management should go to Bones and learn what upscale service really means. Also it was freezing in the restaurant. The food was average and the service was well below average. On the plus side, it is a very beautiful place.

I have been looking forward to dining at Chops for a while now. Having tried many of the other famous steakhouses in Atlanta, such as Bone’s, Kevin Rathbun Steak, The Capital Grille (Buckhead), McKendricks, and Stoney River Steakhouse (Alpharetta/​Duluth/​Cumberland Mall), I can finally cross Chops off my bucket list of steakhouses to try.
My girlfriend took me here for my birthday, and I must say, I was not disappointed. We were greeted promptly by the hostess and I was immediately told happy birthday by the hostess and the servers when seated. The ambience of the restaurant was upscale and formal (formal dress code required). Nevertheless, there were still some customers who were casually dressed in t-​shirts.
We started off by ordering a large bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water ($ 5.50) and a glass of a 2012 Ladera Cabernet ($ 22.50), which I wouldn’t get again, just because it’s an overpriced wine in my opinion. For appetizers, we ordered the shellfish tower ($ 55 for 2 people), which included: 4 fresh oysters, 4 jumbo shrimps, 2 half lobsters, and a bowl of fresh crab meat. The oysters, shrimps, and crab meat all tasted fresh; however, the lobster was a bit overcooked. We also received a complimentary basket of bread: onion, raisin, French, and etc. with a side of butter. For our main dish, we ordered the 32 oz bone-​in-​ribeye for two ($ 78), cooked medium, with a side of mashed corn ($ 9.50), and the off menu item of lobster mac & cheese ($ 28). For dessert, we received a complimentary banana cream pie.
The star of the night was the 32 oz bone-​in-​ribeye! The steak was cooked perfectly, red and juicy center with a crisply cooked and tender exterior. The marbling on the steak was perfection! The sides were also one of the best sides I’ve had at a steakhouse. The mashed corn and lobster mac & cheese are must order items! The banana cream pie was a sweet and delicious way to end a perfect evening.
Overall, my experience at Chops was one of the best steakhouse experiences I’ve had in Atlanta. I would definitely come here again!
Pros:
–BEST BONE-​IN-​RIBEYE IN ATL
–attentive and courteous staff
Cons:
–noisy atmosphere for a upscale/​formal restaurant
–a bit overpriced $$$$

It’s my second time here and it was just as good as I remembered.
Tonight, we celebrated my bf’s bday and it was a treat!
Walked in, expecting a quiet night out on a Sunday but the restaurant was very full and lively with families and couples abode. Luckily, with a reservation, we were seated immediately.
For starters, we had the seafood platter ($ 55) for 2 with half of lobster, 2 ginormous shrimps, crab meat, 2 fresh oysters for each person. My favorite was the oysters, being so fresh and plump. All others were so chilled that I couldn’t taste anything, so I wouldn’t really recommend the seafood platter.
For our entrée, we ordered the 32oz bone-​in ribeye ($ 78) + off menu, lobster mac n cheese ($ 28) + mashed corn ($ 10). Everything was perfect!
Bone-​in was everything I dreamed of when it comes to a good steak! Actually, best steak that I’ve had and still the best in my books. Meat consists of tender juicy meat with bits of fat that are succulent and full of buttery/​salty/​peppery flavor! Glad that I got to share this place with my bf, who’s a steak lover.
Avid corn lover, corn mash as a side order was the choice to go. Most places fall short and ruin a simple dish such as creamed corn, but Chops made them perfectly fitting, without cream and with pinch of lime juice.
Mac n cheese is another dish that is simple but can easily go wrong. At Chops, we ordered the off-​menu lobster mac n cheese and lobster sure was the star of the dish. What was unique was the perfectly cooked pasta, uniquely long shaped, and oddly different cheese flavor. Everything was good, minus the cheese flavor that I couldn’t just grasp, but the lobster made up for it. Lobster cooked this way was much more enjoyable than the fresh lobster that was on the tower.
Lastly, to end our feast/​celebration, we ordered the banana cream pie. Pie crust was too plain, but the banana cream was heaven! It wasn’t overly sweet and the banana and cream was perfectly balanced and fresh! It was a great night!
Couple side notes:
— Bread basket was delicious with varieties such as raisin bread, what seems to be onion roll, and more…
— Service was fine, but maybe take some pointers from Chama? to go over and beyond… Also, it wouldn’t hurt for management to be friendly to not just the regulars and maybe you can gain future regulars as well.
— I’m so sorry to the valet! Honest mistake, I handed you a $ 1 over the $ 5 bill… It was so busy that you might have not noticed, but wish you would have stopped me so that I don’t have this guilty conscious right now… (valet is $ 2, not including tip)
The end.

I am never disappointed when I come here! It is a little pricey however the fried lobster is absolutely amazing! I always sit at table 8 and the staff works together to make sure all of your needs are met. I absolutely adore all of the managers its always first class when I go to chops and the food is very consistent

All I can say is this is the place to dine when you want to
— have excellent service
— have very good and well prepared foods
— make a good impression with friends and loved ones
Pricey– yes! It’s pays to have the 3 bullets points all under one roof. The service was beyond what most Unilocal artist review about. These service technicians were unbelievable! I am planning to go back at least once every two months because places like these are where the magic begins.
Tip:
— this is not the place to take pictures and review Unilocal vendors. You should take a picture or two and proceed to enjoy the dining experiences. Review later when you are «basking in the afterglow.»
— order a bottle of wine for starters: the selection are Primo and the ambiance requires a bottle to savor each moment.
— Best Value:
Order your
ultimate dining card and receive a 20% increase when you reload your card!
Again:
— I want to enhance the imagination of my dining experience to take you to the next level. Check out the single picture I uploaded. The «Bone in Ribeye was grilled to perfection. I added the lobster for 29 bucks– I’m speechless to share the flavor combination. Check out the flared pinky photo and use your Yimagination.
Nate C

Chops was delicious!
We had about an hours wait for quick notice.
The salads, The Wedge & Cezar was good; the apps included Lobster Mac-​N-​Cheese and delish fresh bread. For the main event we had the Porter House and Soft Shell Crab. To finish the food orgy, we then dove into a Cream Brûlée with fresh Berries and with fresh brewed coffee.
Excellent Meal & Excellent Service from our server

Best seafood restaurant in Atlanta, in my opinion. I love the fried lobster tail. Highly recommend the seafood trio! Crab cakes are also superb! Beautiful setting.

Absolutely all around wonderful experience. From the staff to the food, everything was fabulous. We celebrated our anniversary there and the staff was wonderful at congratulating us and making sure our special night was special. We tried the fried lobster appetizer on the recommendation of our server and it definitely didn’t disappoint. The steak was Coke perfectly as was the Seafood Trio meal. We’ll definitely go back. The entire staff was friendly and awesome at their jobs.

Steak was great and cooked as requested along with a very nice veal chop and certified A5 waygu. Crab cake was one of the best we have tried. This is an old school steakhouse with almost a hint of cigar box in the wood paneling. The only weak points were the potatoes. The «Specialty» house tater tots were almost offensive and the lyonnaise were just average. The curly mac and cheese w/​smoked Gouda was as good as it gets the fresh corn mash was a nice addition.
We visited as part of a weekend steak tour and found the service and ambiance to be most inviting.
wine– they have a very nice selection of wines but do not have a sommelier and the staff tried to hide this – just be honest please; this was the only hitch in service. We found some very nice wines and were please overall.

i have been here numerous times and i have even suggested this restaurant to others. Our decision to go yesterday was last minute while in the area. We made a reservation and arrived ontime to be greeted by a friendly female who took our name and said it would be one moment. The Maitre D asked us our name three times while the woman tried to tell him who we were and that we were assigned to table 7. The Maitre D looked as us and said… we have a dress code and I don’t think you meet the dress code. He struggled with this within himself while finally telling the hostess to show us to our table. All three of us had on sweaters and dark shoes.
Our meal was great as always and the server was awesome. However, we watched many others walk into the restaurant dressed the same as us and it did not appear to be a problem, which put a bad taste in my mouth which made my dining experience not what I expected.
245.00 later it is time to leave. As I am waiting for my party to come from the bathroom I am troubled by two things that I see. One was a male guess dressed in a t-​shirt, jogging pants, and purple and black Jordan basketball shoes. The second thing I saw was a roach enjoying itself while it casually walked around.
It is important to note that my 245.00 spends and and supports the business just like any other. Often times people get caught up in their title and position and forget their place in the world and that we are all people. My sweater does not make me less than the woman in a dress and heals.

Fiancée and I came here for a nice little celebration dinner. We called the day we wanted to go and the only reservations they had available was at either 5:30 or 8:30… Since we aren’t 100 years old yet, we decided to take the 8:30 reservation. This must be a super popular place if they don’t have any reservations for 3 hours on a Monday.
We pulled up and a valet took our car. The valet was quick and efficient (PS: Valet charges $ 2, not that this should be a consideration when going here, but just a note) We went up to the upstairs of the restaurant and right away noticed the smoky (not overly though) smell of cooking steaks. They had a wine cellar right as you walk in with all sorts of nice bottles.
We were seated by a nice gentleman in a jacket at one of the tables where we could overlook the restaurant. We saw all sorts of people there, some in jeans, others in shorts (that part was a bit shocking, I thought it was a dressier place…)
We ordered a couple of their cocktails, which were made perfectly. We ordered an appetizer of calamari. It had a sweet n sour sauce on it which was just slightly spicy, more of a tang than a spice. It was crunchy and had just enough sauce to be delicious. It also had red and yellow peppers cooked with the sauce.
We ordered a steak and split it. It was probably the best steak I have had. My only critique is that the steak became cold too quickly. I know a lot of other nice steak places either use hot plates or pour the hot au jus sauce on the plate right at the table… This would probably have been the only thing that I would have liked to have seen done differently.
We also ordered the Gouda Mac-​n-​cheese and the roasted big carrot. It sure was a big carrot. It was huge. The Mac-​n-​cheese was ah-​maz-​ing. It was creamy and had a specific flavor (likely the gouda) that is unlike other mac I have had. The carrot was meh. It had a good glaze on it, but it was just a big soft carrot. I maybe just prefer my carrots to have more texture than just squish.
Overall, an amazing meal. I am excited to have a reason to go back.

$ 250 later and I’m pleased with mostly everything and hopefully will go back.
Every summer the Buckhead Restaurant Group does what they call Summer Dine Around where they give out $ 25 gift cards each month of summer to try different Buckhead restaurants. I think this is the first time I’ve received one from Chops so I was looking forward to going and with it being my birthday month, and hearing all the rumors of how expensive this place is, I found someone I knew would pick up the tab and made reservations.
I’d viewed their online menu, and it listed Oyster Rockefeller and Lobster Seafood Ceviche appetizers but our waiter stated that neither was available as they are considered specialty items and he would have someone update the online menu. I wasn’t sure if that means you have to notify the restaurant ahead of time that you want those items or they simply had run out of the dish for the evening. I looked at the menu today and both items still appear.
We started with the Lobster Bisque Cognac w/​Lobster Morsels ($ 20) and something called Panama Shrimp ($ 16), which is basically a four jumbo shrimp cocktail. It comes with a cocktail sauce and some other sauce that is mustardy in taste, but tasty.
It was the best lobster bisque I’ve ever had, but would recommend against paying the extra $ 6 for the lobster morsels as I received only three chunks of lobster meat and it didn’t add anything to the bisque flavor wise.
I have to laugh, because the guy I went with is very low key and claims that the only time he gets to be a baller is when he goes somewhere with me. That being said, he ordered the steamed and cracked lobster, which is offered at a market price and in size offerings of 2−5lbs. He ordered a four pound and when the waiter mentioned to him that whole lobster contains approximately 12 oz of meat per pound so he went with a smaller 3lb, when I mentioned to him that when you get whole lobster from the market or Kroger, those are generally 1.5−2 lbs. When his 3lb ($ 84) lobster arrived to the table, it was huge and I just had to have some for myself. DELICIOUS! He also asked for sauteed broccoli and was brought out steamed broccoli (($ 9.50) and it was hard to cut, it could have used another few minutes in the steamer. Made me think. damn, how much broccoli could we have brought from the farmers market for almost $ 10. He also ordered a bowl of steamed rice, which we noticed today we were not charged for on the meal, so there are items available that are not on the menu.
I ordered the porterhouse lamb chops ($ 44) medium well and left on the bone, what came out was more along the line of bone in lamb shanks, I also added the organic mushroom toppings. ($ 4) They were sort of well-​rare it there’s such a thing, but after helping my friend eat some of his lobster, I ate a small portion of lamb and requested a to-​go box for the lamb and looked forward to eating them for lunch today. I requested the sauteed spinach, which does not appear on the menu, so be sure to specify if you want sauteed spinach or creamed spinach, which does appear on the menu.
I spent $ 34 on two glasses of wine, a very lush Cabernet, and I made note of it to find at my local store. The by the glass wine menu is general in nature, but a look at the entire wine menu is intimidating to someone like me, there was one bottle that was $ 750 for an entire bottle of Australian wine. I looked the wine I tried up today and it goes for $ 54 a bottle at Total Wine. He had a margarita and left more than half of it in the glass.
$ 2 to valet your car, and that does not include a tip.
Our server name was Renato and I would recommend or request his section if I ever return. He was attentive and had a very pleasant attitude. Excellent service.
Best birthday dinner I’ve had in years. I’m excited about going again and sitting at the bar area, which seemed very accommodating in what is such a high end restaurant.

Looking for plump, meaty, fresh, over the top lobster? WOW. All I can say is the lobster with stuffed crab was divine. I couldn’t even finish the other half of the lobster because they gave SO much crab for the lobster stuffing! I also ordered the ahi tuna tartar and the presentation was beautiful with thinly sliced avocado layered on top. The sauce they had with the ahi tuna brought enhanced the flavor that much more :)
A big fan of their assortment of breads they offer initially, although probably not the healthiest. It was a mix of a bread basket and pastries, I was confused with some of the bread options.
Service was spectacular. We genuinely had an incredible time here at CHOPS. Absolutely will be back for a special occasion!

Chops is an Atlanta institution. Whenever a conversation about steaks comes up, Chops, Bone’s, Hal’s, and Kevin Rathbun are among the steakhouses most often mentioned for having the best steaks in town. Chops boasts it is consistently named one of the top 10 steakhouses in the country. I have had some phenomenal steaks here and would have to say this restaurant lives up to the hype.
Chops is a Buckhead Life restaurant. Some other restaurants in the Buckhead Life group include Atlanta Fish Market, Bistro Niko, Kyma, and Veni Vidi Vici. Chops is located next to the St. Regis hotel. The restaurant and hotel share the same driveway, but have separate valets. The valet for Chops is also used for Japanese restaurant Umi.
Chops, the steakhouse, is located on the 2^nd floor. Chops Lobster Bar is located on the 1^st floor.
This is a popular restaurant. It seems to be busy no matter what night of the week it is. A lot of businesspeople dine here. It’s not uncommon to see a lot of old men in suits. There’s sort of a high dollar, high power type atmosphere. The restaurant itself has a very traditional and elegant look and feel. The dining room is decorated with dark wood and etched glass. It’s classy. The bar is nice and there’s an open kitchen where you can see all the action.
The specialty is seafood and steaks. On the seafood side, there are stone crab claws, Maine lobster, jumbo shrimp, cold water oysters, mussels, crabs, crab cake, and assorted fish such as Atlantic swordfish, Chilean sea bass, Scottish salmon, black grouper, and Dover sole. Classic cuts of steak are offered in various sizes. They include filets, New York strip, rib eye, and a dry-​aged porterhouse.
Expect to spend roughly $ 10 – 20 per appetizer, soup, or salad, $ 7 – 10 per side, $ 30 – 40 per most seafood entrees, and $ 30 – 60 for most single cuts of steak. Steak toppings, such as sauteed foie gras ($ 15), are additional. Chops offers a 12 oz authentic wagyu Kobe New York strip for $ 90. The wagyu is 100% A5 authentic. Its traceability is certified by the Japan Meat Grading Association. It’s rare to find this meat served at a restaurant in the U.S.
A plate of complimentary breads are served with each meal. They include a variety of breads including a raisin/​berry bread and a rye bread baked with shallots inside.
The Burgundy escargots are phenomenal. Six come with each order and are served in «pastry crusted crocks» — basically, in small bowls with a crisp, puff pastry top. The escargots are plump and delicious. They are served soaked in a rich butter sauce. While there’s no «right» way to eat this dish, I found the best method is to flip one of the crocks upside down on a plate and let the escargot and sauce fall on top of the crust (photo:
). This way, you’re guaranteed to fully enjoy all the flavors. It’s fantastic.
When choosing your steak, a general rule of thumb is the New York strip is more tender and has less fat (marbling) while the rib eye has more marbling and flavor. The filet falls somewhere in between. The 20 oz bone-​in rib eye is a thing of beauty (photo:
). It’s thick, somewhat juicy, and quite flavorful. I recommend it, especially if you have a big appetite. It’s a huge steak. Excellent quality.
The specialty «filet pepper steak» is also great. This house-​prepared steak is crusted with cracked black pepper and comes in a brandy pepper sauce with mushrooms, a port-​braised shallot, and potato confit. Presentation is outstanding (photo:
). The sauce is exceptionally tasty and borderline addictive. I especially enjoy the braised shallot.
I like eating vegetables with my steaks. They have jumbo asparagus which comes with a savory Hollandaise sauce. The green beans are also very good. They are cooked with shallots and butter. Creamed spinach is another nice option. If you want to go with starches, get the truffle Parmesan fries or Lyonnaise potatoes (sliced and sauteed potatoes and onions).
If you manage to save room for dessert (good luck), the rum raisin cake is terrific.
Service is outstanding. All of the staff I’ve encountered here is polite, courteous, and professional. They are on top of their game. The business is run like a well-​oiled machine.
As with other Buckhead Life restaurants, valet parking is $ 2 and doesn’t include gratuity. Reservations are highly recommended. Book for free on OpenTable and earn dining points.
Something fun to look at is a magazine article framed on the wall just inside the front entrance. It shows a layout of the dining room and points out where famous people (celebrities, athletes, politicians, etc.) have sat.

Chops’ manager invited me back after I had a subpar first experience. They definitely did a much better job the second time around. This time the service was amazing, very attentive.
I started off with the ceviche. It was delicious. It was presented on a plate, with plentiful pieces of fish. Everything was flavorful and a good portion.
I got the 8 oz filet. I normally order my steak medium rare, but I found that Chops cooks the steaks less than most restaurants. So this time I got my steak cooked medium and it was exactly how I normally get it. Juicy inside with a red center.
For sides I got the creamless corn mash and the sweet potato mash. The corn is amazing. The sweet potato mash could have used a little bit more seasoning but overall was good.
They give 3 different types of bread: raisin, sourdough and I think the other one was some sweet onion bread.
Chops definitely did a much better job and won me back over. I’d recommend this place. Be aware it is pricy, but it is a steakhouse.
If you have a Buckhead Dining Group gift card, be sure to know that you can’t use the card for tax or tip.