Cakes & Ale
| Address: | 155 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030, USA |
| Phone: | +1 404-377-7994 |
| Site: | cakesandalerestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Working: | Closed 8AM–10PM 8AM–10PM 8AM–10PM 8AM–11PM 8AM–11PM 9AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
CH
Chris Prestel
I feel bad giving two stars, honestly, but the service I had here made me not want to go back. The food was amazing, dont get me wrong, but I had some issues with the service. The dinner started off great with a very attentive server, but things went downhill quickly after giving our order. The meal was interrupted on several occasions by people changing out my silverware for reasons I dont know why. At one point, they took my fork and never returned with a new one. Then the food came, which was great, until there was a very much alive spider on my salad. Having not seen our server for about 25 minutes, we stopped the server at the table next to us to ask for his assistance. He took the salad, and promptly returned with a new one - end of story. No real apology from staff which I kind of expected. We then waited another 40 minutes (20 after we finished eating) for our server to stop and check in with us. At this point we wanted to leave and asked for the bill. I expected the salad to be removed from the bill, especially since no one wanted to eat the new salad but it wasnt. It may have been an off night. Like I said, the food was amazing, but I was less than impressed by the service at a fine dining establishment.
CH
Chelsea Flaherty
Cakes & Ale was one of the BEST meals Ive had in Atlanta (well, technically Decatur) in quite some time. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection! My friend and I started off with the raw oysters and the tuna carpaccio. The oysters were dressed in a mignonette, so for you non-oyster fans out there, it helps disguise some of that "ocean-y" taste. For the main course, we shared the swordfish and the rib-eye. I thought it was odd that the server didnt ask how wed like the rib-eye cooked, but that didnt matter, because the chef prepared it medium rare (more on the rare side) -- just the way I like it. Sadly, I didnt get any dessert, but Im looking forward to going back to try the bacon ice cream, which Ive been told on numerous occasions is a must have. Lastly, being the wine-o that I am, I had finished my glass of vino before I had finished my rib-eye. I firmly believe that nothing goes better with red meat than a glass of red wine. Well, our server must have felt the same way, because he surprised me with a complimentary glass to finish off my meal! Thats what I call excellent customer service. In conclusion, I cannot wait until my next trip!
BA
Baby Sitter
We have been looking forward to C&A for a while now. Its consistently ranked in the top of Atlanta restaurants. The issue started when we booked our reservation and were offered poor times despite apparent hesitation from the hostess indicating better times were available. After some discussion, we were told we could be "squeezed in" at 6:45. The whole thing seemed odd. When we arrived at the restaurant, there multiple empty 2-top tables (we were a party of 2). Our server did not come to our table for approx. 15 minutes. When we arrived, he "filled" our water glasses with air as his pitcher was empty. He left and failed to return for approx. 15 more minutes. It got to the point where we had to ask another waiter to help us. That waiter tried his best to help us, but the whole thing was awkward because the first waiter kept creeping back in. The food was pretty good, weve had better, though. It took a while to get our final plate of food. The restaurant still had open seating throughout our dining. It was a very disappointing experience.
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Brittany Smith
Everyone should treat themselves to a delicious meal now and again, and Cakes & Ale is the place to do so. I enjoyed my table for one near the front close to the bar as it made for good people watching. The bar is well-stocked with good whiskey including the elusive Colonel E.H. Taylor Rye. Bread service was just enough to nibble on until my salad came, Radicchio and Romaine. This simple salad was wonderfully dressed, and I couldnt get enough of the breadcrumbs. My ribeye with squash was seasoned and cooked perfectly, the best steak I have had in a long time. To finish, I ordered the cake of the day, a lemon tart with whipped topping and cappuccino, and I honestly am not sure which was better. My excellent meal would not have been nearly as great without my kind and attentive server, Heather. She kept an eye out to refill my water on time every time, and she took the time to make conversation with me between her other tables. I cannot wait for my next visit.
KA
Kajal Sachania
This place came highly recommended and it was a huge disappointment. Firstly, we arrive at 6:30 and were not served any bread till an HOUR later. It took our waitress one hour and 30 minutes to finally come and take our appetizer order (we also placed our entree order at the same time). Finally, after waiting an eternity (it felt like) our entrees came out and let me tell you...it was highly underwhelming. The portion sizes were so small, I almost thought I had ordered a $26 appetizer! Finally, after the waitress came back to take our plates, she finally bought the check, which took her another 20-30 minutes to get return to our table. I will NEVER visit Cakes & Ale again. One time was too many for me. If their pricing was a half of what it is now, I still wouldnt come back. Maybe the bakery is better?? OH and top of that...they CHARGED for the bread they bought in the beginning...how cheap and ridiculous is that!?!
FO
Food Republic
One of the best-known restaurants in Decatur is Cakes & Ale, located just a few steps from where the trains disgorge packs of hungry Atlantans on a nightly basis. True to its name (which comes from a quote in Shakespeares Twelfth Night), Cakes & Ale serves some fine drinks and has an attached bakery. But the highlights of the menu are the simple American dishes created with the finest of local ingredients and served in an unassuming atmosphere, a philosophy that chef/owner Billy Allin learned during his years working at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Even the Red Staters of Georgia drop their guard and embrace their inner hippies reading over Allins menus.
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Raj
Bartender is on point. He made some amazing drinks; best Ive seen/had in a while. Definitely a good spot to grab some handcrafted drinks. Apps went well with the drinks too, so 5 stars if you stay at the bar. It was all downhill from there. Service was really really slow and lacking. Food was extremely disappointing; lacked seasoning and creativity. On one dish we even asked the chef to come up with something either flavour. It came out without seasoning and a basic garlic aioli; thats something youd expect at a Chilis. Go for drinks, skip the meal.
JA
James Diedrick
One of the best restaurants in Decatur, and certainly the best dining room (other contenders, like 246 and Kimball House, are just too noisy). Food is beautifully prepared; at our last visit we had two entrees--quail and monkfish--and both were superb. The wine list is outstanding, and includes some excellent Loire valley by the glass values, including a racy cabernet franc and rich Chenin Blanc. Wait staff is attentive but unobtrusive, desserts are great; no false notes!
CR
Craig Schlozman
Excellent stand-out restaurant in a long row of fun, new restaurants catering to a younger crowd. Appetizers of fried risotto balls were a bit heavy, and the African squash dip was out of this world. Served with pomegranate seeds and warm naan bread, it was a highlight of the menu. The black bass wrapped in parchment comes with a fun unwrapping by the wait staff. A large wine list and a helpful knowledgeable staff will keep diners coming back.
