Atlanta's French staple with a new school philosophy.

by Ryan Sims

In Short

Adjusting to a new menu and restaurant concept after the departure of famed Chef Joël Atunes, Joël Brasserie aims to lighten the fine-dining mood that often leads to stuffiness by adjusting the whole attitude of the restaurant. Chef Cyrille Holata focuses on rustic, homey dishes that include local produce and farm-to-table ingredients whenever possible. Options like the sea bass with crispy skin left on with delightfully hearty confit of tomato and thin stew with tiny, skinny mushrooms translate well what the chef is trying to accomplish. Fresh soups accented with sorbet provide contrasting flavors, and the desserts are nothing short of sublime. Other ways Joël Brasserie is trying to lighten up include wallet-friendly nights such as pizza and beer night and half-priced wine nights.

11/17/08

A shadow of its former self

by TimTheFoodie

I took my wife to Joel again this week-end, and the term 'disappointing' definitely comes to mind. The place was half the size, and while cozier, the change came as quite a shock.

I guess maybe they just aren't getting the business.

If there were any specials, and I suspect there were, we weren't told about them. The food was well prepared, but $39 for the lamb, and side dishes extra was a bit steep.

Then we are told the had run out of souffle. How do you run out of something on a Saturday night, especially since we are 'early diners'. Their claim to fame, the wine list was wide ranging, but again pricey. $138 for Justin Isoscelles(sp) is over the top.

If you have this much money to spend on dinner go to Quinonnes,

for a few bucks more you'll have 3+ hours of wining and dining.

11/09/08

Don't bother with the new Joel!

by gourmetgirl92

Don't bother with the new Joel!

I was visiting Atlanta and my friends raved about Joel. I ordered a simple meal that included a Caesar salad as my first course. The salad came using the tough ends of romaine, poorly dressed and in a tiny bowl. That was followed by a plate with John Dory - fish that was obviously previously frozen. The dessert was the only redeeming part of the meal. My three friends had similar mishaps. And the restaurant was so noisy that we had trouble carrying on dinnertime conversation. The bill came and I was shocked to see how pricey it was for a lousy bistro meal. Don't waste your hard-earned cash!

08/26/08

Amazing food, Horrible service

by bskinne

The food was incredible, as was the atmosphere. However, the service was dismal. for the extensive wine list, both our server and so-called "sommelier" were both very uninformed and unknowledgeable about the wine. Food came out wrong, and the server had little to no knowledge of the menu. I went with my boyfriend, and our bill was close to $400. For the money, the service was appalling and did not compensate for the food, no matter how great it was.

02/25/08

Slight Attitude of Indifference on recent visit

by ssilvera

There was a time before Joel closed for renovationt that friends and I were a fixture to the bar lounge two, maybe three times a week. Polished, low key and attententive service. At one time they had an excellent bar manager, Pam, wonderful service and an occassional live jazz band. I recently visited Joel's because I hadn't been in some time and felt way turned off by an attitude of indifference on the part of someone in the wait staff. He was snobbish to the point that I felt like I'd be darned if I spent any of my money there which is sad because there is nothing negative that I could have said about Joel's prior to this. Unfortunately, your staff is a reflection of your entire business, even if you don't uphold that type of behavior. I can spend my time and money elsewhere.

• Pros: True Fine Dining, Bar Atmosphere
• Cons: Snotty Attitude

11/28/07

Great food!! Great ambiance!!

by ian1979

Went a couple of times and had a great experience every time. Menu has a very good variety of food to choose from. The appitizers are to die for, plus they have great deserts. Would reccomend making reservations and bring a bunch of money, but it is well worth the price.

• Pros: Very good ambience, great food and wine
• Cons: Very expensive

11/19/07

Joel is now petite in size but not in price

by atlantajan

In 2007 Joel was reduced to about 1/3 of its original size as it was rarely filled and had an enormous bar area that stayed empty. The new space is cozier but you have to exit the restaurant for restrooms located in the office building lobby, which is a bit odd for a pricey French restaurant. The cuisine does not stand up to the high rating given by the Atlanta paper's dining critic. The place is a bit expensive and overall not near the value of food to price that is readily available all over Atlanta. They do have a $39 fixed price menu but you must be seated and have the order in before 6:30. Our dinner for two (one each drink, app, entree, dessert, and no wine) plus tax and tip was $180 for the two of us. Valet Parking.

• Pros: One of few Atlanta restaurant serving mostly French cuisine
• Cons: Pricey, restrooms down the hall outside of the restaurant

11/15/07

Everything you dreamed it would be

by tootsemikayla

We had finished our errands early and showed up 1 hr early for our resvr. Said we could sit at the bar but they promptly sat us. Server was very eager to explain the menu and get us our drinks.

We had the lentil soup and the mushroom, riziotto pastry. Both were like nothing you ever tasted before, excellent.

Next we had the skirt steak and scallops. Everything just melted in your mouth. Interesting flavors and the best quality ingreidents.

Would go again in a second. I do recommend though if you are a couple to ask for a booth when making your resvr. We were seated on the long bench and you couldn't help but to hear the conversations of the people next to you they were so close.

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Price

10/31/07

Come for the food: Chef Joel Antunes hits every note perfectly with his inspired French menu.

by Contributor

The Scene
Anyone who has eaten at Joel in the past will hardly recognize the place. The once cavernous dining room has been halved in size and warmed up with dark-stained hardwoods, plush upholstered banquettes and an intimate bar. One glimpse of the towering wine rack that dominates an entire wall, and the 30-page wine list makes sense. Though the updated decor lacks the modern panache of the original, it certainly is cozier and less intimidating.

The Food
Thankfully, the menu of impeccably executed French classics was merely tweaked rather than overhauled. The buttery flavor of a portion of seared Hudson Valley foie gras is offset by slices of roasted mango. A Kurobuta pork trio (sausage, cheeks and thick-cut bacon) is sophisticated but deeply satisfying. Fricasseed chestnuts, warm and autumnal, meld gorgeously with porcini ravioli. For dessert, the light-as-air mango pavlova, a crisp meringue filled with mango pastry cream accompanied by tropical fruit sorbets, steals the show.

04/13/07

Great wines. No. The best wines...

by andicati

Probably my next favorite restaurant after Bacchanalia. The key draw for me is the wine. There are few restaurants in the country that have two sommeliers on staff each shift. I describe the wine experience I am looking for (body, character, etc) and I encourage them to surprise me with something new. I have only been disappointed once out of about 20 occasions. I have never paid over $60 for a bottle and I have enjoyed some fabulous wines. Their wine list is impressive, probably one of, if not THE most comprehensive in Atlanta, but rarely have I actually used it to order. Many of the sommelier suggestions have been off-list. Oh, yes, the food. A mark of a great kitchen (and Chef) is the willingness to "tailor" their dishes to your needs. This they do very well. I usually order a "bowl of rice" as another reviewer phrased it, risotto with Porcini mushrooms and black truffles if available. Delicious. Not on menu. Service has been varied over the years from tardy to perfect, but always friendly and courteous, despite my pretentiousness. Ask for a tour of the kitchen after the dinner and if it is quiet enough, your waiter will give you a tour of one of the most capital intensive, multi-station kitchens in the country. Eat at this restaurant with an open mindset rather than a formalaic one and you will be happy you made the effort.