Nava Restaurant

(404) 240-1984

3060 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30305 33.8419 -84.3739

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Neighborhoods: Buckhead Triangle (Buckhead Forest), Northside, Northside, Buckhead Triangle

buckheadrestaurants.com/nava

Hours:

Lunch

Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm

Brunch

Saturday & Sunday: 11:30am - 3:00pm

Dinner

Sunday - Thursday: 5:30pm to 10pm

Friday: 5:30pm to 11pm

Saturday: 5pm to 11pm

Price:

$$$

Last updated 11.30.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Outdoor Dining, Date Spot, Group Dining, Fireplace, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Southwestern, Mexican

Smoking Permitted:

Yes

Other Locations:

What People Are Saying About Nava Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – This well-designed restaurant is a sleek collage of cool light fixtures, rustic timbers and fancy ironwork. A bronze cowboy statue sits in the entryway, and a blue-lit, cut-glass desert landscape borders the comfortable bar. Details like colorful fabrics and adobe-style walls add to the theme. Service is polished and efficient. The Southwestern menu (once carved by Iron Chef Kevin Rathbun) emphasizes dramatic presentations over authentic spicing, but most dishes are consistently prepared and flavorful. Starters include Sonoma Jack-cheese fritters with red chile jelly,…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Nava's signature drink, the prickly pear margarita, is a potent concoction of Sauza tequila, prickly pear juice, triple sec and lemon-lime juice.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. We loved the atmosphere, the service and best of all the creative and inspiring cuisine.
  2. feel comfortable taking picky guests, and I have yet to sit there going hungry or thirsty waiting for a tasty treat!
  3. Nava has it all, great food, great service, great ambiance.
  4. There is no question that this restaurant has an ideal location, and a beautiful outside patio.
  5. The restaurant and patio are beautiful and the atmosphere is wonderful.
  6. the food, ambiance, and service all create an excellent dining environment.
  7. The atmosphere is definitely cool but.
  8. Great ambiance and a perfect way to enjoy fall in Atlanta.
  9. Good thing the atmosphere is so great
  10. would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice romantic dinner whether it be with a group of friends or to propose.
dessert
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. send everyone there just to experience the fantastic drinks and desserts if nothing else.
  2. We didn't have room for dessert, but between the margaritas, the wine, the appetizers and amazing salmon we left beyond satisfied!
  3. dessert was good
  4. The black bottom pecan pie is a bit dry, but saved by the Mexican Chocolate ice cream.
  5. If you like dark chocolate, try the B&B cube.
  6. On the other hand, the desserts were lovely and the margaritas superb.
drinks
87.5% positive
  1. Outdoor drinks and bar staff were awesome.
  2. The wine is terribly overpriced and the service is wretched.
  3. Stop by have a drink outside then head to some decent Mex food in the city.
  4. We didn't have room for dessert, but between the margaritas, the wine, the appetizers and amazing salmon we left beyond satisfied!
  5. The food and drinks were amazing and delicious.
  6. At no point were we offered a wine list after our pre-dinner cocktails and the food came out so quick we didn't get a chance to order a bottle.
  7. send everyone there just to experience the fantastic drinks and desserts if nothing else.
  8. Great bartenders and a knowledgeable staff that helped me decide on the perfect drink and food.
food quality
76.95000171661377% positive
  1. While my chicken breast was juicy and tender, I just did not care for the way it or my mac and cheese were seasoned, and I'm usually a very open-minded individual.
  2. If you like Tex Mex and want to pay for good food; this is your place.
  3. The food was good, but not great.
  4. Great food, the breads, the chicken tacos, the steaks are amazing!
  5. don't even like margaritas but the bartender gave me a small complimtary one and I have to admit it was tasty.
  6. My husband did enjoy his salmon pretty well but he wasn't overly impressed by it.
  7. Nava is definitely a cool space, but the food was rather dull and the service was poor.
  8. Drinks took too long to come out and you had to flag someone down to get a fresh prickly pear margarita - which was quite tasty but probably made the same way at Chili's.
  9. The food was excellent.
  10. The blue corn chowder was excellent, and the fish dish i had was very tasty.
  11. really didn't like the salad at all or my husband's appetizers for that matter.
  12. do not waste your time on bland merluza, fancy 30 dollar flank steak, and stale dinner rolls.
  13. Try Taqueria Del Sol on Cheshire Bridge for truely great Ameri/Mex food.
  14. We didn't have room for dessert, but between the margaritas, the wine, the appetizers and amazing salmon we left beyond satisfied!
  15. Also the tortilla chicken was very good.
  16. The lime chicken was great with lots of bold flavors.
  17. We also got the filet trio, which was good, but NOTHING compared to the salmon.
  18. The asiago nachos were delicious once we received utensils and plates.
  19. The food is absolutely amazing, a must see!
  20. The food is just Damn good.
  21. Not a good food value.
  22. feel comfortable taking picky guests, and I have yet to sit there going hungry or thirsty waiting for a tasty treat!
  23. They have a great selection and great food.
  24. The food is excellent, but the service was terrible!
  25. ordered the chicken breast, which was not bad.
  26. Never thought I would enjoy grits either but I would highly recommend the smoked tomato grits.
  27. have never had a bad meal or bad experience at this restaurant and love to take out of town guests there because it's definately not run-of-the-mill.
  28. Instead of the usual blah portabello burger or boring side salad, NAVA offered the most amazing veggie dish.
  29. The food was fantastic too!
  30. The food was impeccable, all the way around.
  31. The charring on the steak was delicious, but it was slightly more done than I prefer a steak to be.
  32. was very impressed by the presentation and quality of the food, with unique flavors, freshness and the perfect amount of spice that enhances but doesn't overpower.
  33. The service was friendly and attentive, and gave great reccomendations and descriptions of the food.
  34. They were out of the tuna (which was a bit disappointing) but forced us to order the Red chili-seared salmon, which was honestly the best salmon I have ever had.
  35. This restaurant has a truly innovative southwestern menu and everything is delicious, but the lobster enchilada is my favorite.
  36. Sometimes fussy service but they don't necessarily refill water glasses and the guacamole that was a topping for my "flat iron steak came out warm.
  37. so I was going to eat my salad dry.
  38. Wonderful salads, great blue corn bread.
  39. Great food!
  40. food was average for this kind of restaurant, not really good, just ok (the price is ridiculously expensive for the quality)
  41. The food and drinks were amazing and delicious.
  42. the food, ambiance, and service all create an excellent dining environment.
  43. Despite my personal experience, everyone else felt the meal was okay to good, depending on what they had, but everything was pricey and the portions seemed small for the dinner meal.
  44. Being from New Mexico, this is terrible respresentation of Southwestern cuisine.
  45. Get started with a lobster taco (overflowing with lobster) or an interesting new take on a tamale topped with shrimp.
  46. Stop by have a drink outside then head to some decent Mex food in the city.
  47. The food was excellent and our service was great.
  48. Nava has it all, great food, great service, great ambiance.
  49. We definitely indulged and ordered two appetizers: the fritters and the salmon which were both superb.
  50. At no point were we offered a wine list after our pre-dinner cocktails and the food came out so quick we didn't get a chance to order a bottle.
  51. The meat itself, a london broil sort of preparation, was good, but the kitchen just does not know how to caramelize onions which were acrid if not poisonous.
  52. If you do not like spicy foods, do not go here.
  53. Great bartenders and a knowledgeable staff that helped me decide on the perfect drink and food.
  54. They were moist enough but only okay tasting , and I have to admit that I've had better bread and cornbread elsewhere (for starters my mother could make much more delicious cornbread).
  55. Lobster Taco's next, and that sweet meat was so delightful.
  56. Outstanding vegetarian dish
  57. The best service, food, everything.
  58. The Sonoma Jack Cheese Fritters are so delicious and the Rabbit Tostada outstanding.
  59. The snapper was not as fresh as it should have been for the price.
  60. ordered the chicken salad with blue cheese dressing as my entree and the dressing was a gross oil mixture with bits of blue cheese on the bottom.
  61. good food, unique setting
  62. My boyfriend got the absolute best pork tenderloin we had ever tasted!
  63. The atmoshere is great, the service was very professional, but still relaxing, the food and presentation was outstanding and the Margaritas are close to the best I have had.
  64. We loved the atmosphere, the service and best of all the creative and inspiring cuisine.
menu variety
92.8600025177002% positive
  1. Food is wonderful and there are many choices, but the service on our visit was maybe the worst I have ever had.
  2. They have a great selection and great food.
  3. Quick note: we (my girlfriend and I) are Atlanta foodies and enjoy the dining options we have here.
  4. The wait staff is very attentive and can give good recommendations from the menu.
  5. The platter was on the cheaper end of the menu, at around $15, so this is also a good option for omnivores who may want to watch their spending at this pricier restaurant.
  6. This restaurant has a truly innovative southwestern menu and everything is delicious, but the lobster enchilada is my favorite.
  7. Great personality and very knowledgeable about the menu and had great recommendations.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. If you like Tex Mex and want to pay for good food; this is your place.
  2. Nava is my favorite restaurant to take out of town visitors.
  3. It's a great place to take a date and visitors from out of town.
  4. This is a great addition to the Buckhead Life Group, but for me, it was moreso a great place to "try out" but will probably not be my first choice for future dining experiences.
  5. Being on an expense account I decided to try every nice place I could find in the city.
  6. Normally any restaurant in the Buckhead Life chain is a great place, but Nava didn't match up.
  7. Nava is certainly a beautiful restaurant: a nice place to take visiting parents, for example (that's what I did).
service
68.75% positive
  1. did not have reservations on a Friday night but was seated within 10 minutes by friendly (but busy) waitstaff.
  2. The service there was horrible.
  3. Service was attentive.
  4. Moreover, "sorry" was not in the vocabulary of any of the staff during this terrible dining ordeal.
  5. don't even like margaritas but the bartender gave me a small complimtary one and I have to admit it was tasty.
  6. Besides being INSANELY overpriced for what you get, the service is the worst I've ever seen, being from the industry.
  7. The service that we get at BHL locations is usually pretty snotty at times, but because we were apparently his only table on this night, our server was rather attentive.
  8. The service is always wonderful, and I love trying whatever specials they are having, or whatever else they recommend.
  9. The money we paid for dinner was not worth the horrible service we received.
  10. Nava has it all, great food, great service, great ambiance.
  11. The service was amazing.
  12. Great bartenders and a knowledgeable staff that helped me decide on the perfect drink and food.
  13. The food was excellent and our service was great.
  14. The service was friendly and attentive, and gave great reccomendations and descriptions of the food.
  15. Love the environment and service is impeccable.
  16. Upon the very nice bartenders recommendation, we started with the signature Prickly Pear Margarita's.
  17. The service was excellent and that is the only thing that I can say good about this restaurant.
  18. Our waiter was attentive, knowledgeable, and pleasant.
  19. service was poor (once seated, we had to wait 10 minutes before a waiter came on a quiet late Sunday night)
  20. Sometimes fussy service but they don't necessarily refill water glasses and the guacamole that was a topping for my "flat iron steak came out warm.
  21. Food is wonderful and there are many choices, but the service on our visit was maybe the worst I have ever had.
  22. Patrick, our server was awesome too!
  23. The wait staff is very attentive and can give good recommendations from the menu.
  24. We loved the atmosphere, the service and best of all the creative and inspiring cuisine.
  25. Lots of pretty people in an attractive room.
  26. The food is excellent, but the service was terrible!
  27. Server was very attentive but not overbearing.
  28. Outdoor drinks and bar staff were awesome.
  29. The best service, food, everything.
  30. The atmoshere is great, the service was very professional, but still relaxing, the food and presentation was outstanding and the Margaritas are close to the best I have had.
  31. We left the restaurant still hungry and angry at the poor service that we'd received from the staff and management.
  32. Nava is definitely a cool space, but the food was rather dull and the service was poor.
  33. The bartender was extremely friendly and our server was good but not great.
  34. The wine is terribly overpriced and the service is wretched.
  35. the food, ambiance, and service all create an excellent dining environment.
  36. The chef is amazing and I always recommend this place to visitors or people looking for a great overall dining experience.
value
18.179999589920044% positive
  1. The wine is terribly overpriced and the service is wretched.
  2. Despite my personal experience, everyone else felt the meal was okay to good, depending on what they had, but everything was pricey and the portions seemed small for the dinner meal.
  3. The entrees will not disappoint with such huge portions as the Cowboy Cut Beef Tenderloin (get it with the jalepeno-corn whipped potatos).
  4. The money we paid for dinner was not worth the horrible service we received.
  5. Besides being INSANELY overpriced for what you get, the service is the worst I've ever seen, being from the industry.
  6. little pricey for southwestern but a great dining experience
  7. The snapper was not as fresh as it should have been for the price.
  8. food was average for this kind of restaurant, not really good, just ok (the price is ridiculously expensive for the quality)
  9. Not a good food value.
  10. do not waste your time on bland merluza, fancy 30 dollar flank steak, and stale dinner rolls.
  11. Avoid this overpriced restaurant!
wait time
80.0% positive
  1. It's been such a long time since I've truly enjoyed all aspects of dining out.
  2. did not have reservations on a Friday night but was seated within 10 minutes by friendly (but busy) waitstaff.
  3. service was poor (once seated, we had to wait 10 minutes before a waiter came on a quiet late Sunday night)
  4. Drinks took too long to come out and you had to flag someone down to get a fresh prickly pear margarita - which was quite tasty but probably made the same way at Chili's.
  5. At no point were we offered a wine list after our pre-dinner cocktails and the food came out so quick we didn't get a chance to order a bottle.
4 Star Rating: Recommended

09/29/11

Wonderful Experience

by Sara Bell

Had an amazing time. Our server was absolutely awesome, very attentive and on the ball. The drinks that came out were very tasty (among them were the blood orange Jalapeno margarita), many props to the bartender as well. The atmosphere is cozy and very comfortable, which makes this restaurant very easy to be at.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/18/11

NAVA ROCKS!!

by Motley Q

Nava is back! The pan seared scallops over smoked tomato grits and a saffron tostada are out of this world. We sat outside on the patio and had the tastiest margaritas in town. They have a flamenco band on Wednesdays. Blood Orange Jalapeno Margaritas and well priced wine menu offers like $8 Malbec pair well with the freshest ceviche in Atlanta hands down. It's not even close. This place offers the absolute best in hospitality. From the front door to the bartenders (who mix guava mojitos among other delights) to the best service staff this side of the Ritz, they aim to please it shows. A renaissance is afoot. NAVA IS THE PLACE TO BE!!!!!!!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/06/10

Amazing food, amazing service

by melissa0116

My husband and I LOVE making the trip from "all the way out in Gwinnett" to Nava's. We have been many times, and the service and food are always top notch. We've tried most everything on the menu; appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts, and even specials(which I am often suspicious of), and have never a bad experience. And the prickly pear margaritas... OMG. You have GOT to try one!!! We've dined at several "upscale" restaurants in Buckhead, and Nava's is BY FAR our favorite!! It's a can't miss!!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

07/15/10

quality service

by mojenkens

The food was not really outstanding but it was good. It’s the type of food that I usually get at any other restaurants. The extra-ordinary thing about this place is the quality of service they offer. It was indeed so special and each guest receives the same type of treatment.

2 Star Rating: Below Average

09/21/09

Nava - Inconsistent performance

by Ady

We, the four of us, had dinner at Nava. The experience can be barely qualified as average and we rated it as inconsistent. To the side of very good entrees, such as Pan-Roasted Loch Duart Salmon, we were served a Tequila Lime Ceviche, which was simply not eatable and we had to send it back to the kitchen. I ordered a medium Filet Mignon “Trio”, which was served cold. From the three-piece served (each of 3 ounces) two were cold and well done, and one was perfect, exactly the way was ordered. The manager arrived after the Ceviche episode, with the main entrée, and without enquiring what was going on he just made a statement if everything was OK. He never returned to enquire about the $27.50 Filet Mignon.

Finally, the two deserts selected, house ice cream and banana crepes were tremendous.

  • Pros: Great deserts
  • Cons: Inconsistent kitchen

The Details on Nava Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • great amerimex food
  • poor service
  • great place
  • favorite star restaurant
  • great overall dining experience
  • beautiful outside patio
  • very attentive server
  • fantastic outdoor drinks
  • loved atmosphere
  • pricey everything
  • great pear margaritas
  • love nava
  • not like salad
  • attentive waiter
  • great recommendations
  • full appetizers
  • favorite sonoma jack cheese fritters
  • just damn food
  • great bartender
  • fantastic dessert
  • never bad meal
  • quite tasty fresh prickly pear margarita
  • nice romantic dinner
  • different texture
  • enjoy red chiliseared salmon
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