Cafe Lily

02/17/09

Unpleasant Surprises

by EmoryDevil at Citysearch

I was quite disappointed by my Valentines Day experience. First, while I understand having a different menu for the special day, no mention of such was made on the website, so I was annoyed to arrive only to find all the cheaper options had been removed or re-priced. (Seafood-vol-vent is listed on the website menu as a lighter entree at $15, I was charged over $20 for what was a small enough portion that I dont think it was a different dish.)

Additionally, at a place as nice as this, and for the prices charged, I dont think its too much to expect my shrimp to be competently de-veined.

05/17/09

Can't wait to go back

by Louie1 at Citysearch

My wife and I visited Cafe Lily for the first time over the weekend. We were both impressed with the quality of the food and the great service. Our server, Mitchel, was fabulous and very attentive.

My wife ordered the Ravioli di Zucca (with butternut squash) and I had the Ornithenia Souvlakia (chicken with roasted potatoes, peppers and onions); both dishes were wonderful and the dessert was even better. The restaurant also has a delightful ambiance that was perfectly suited for a romantic evening on the town. I highly recommend Cafe Lily and look forward to our next visit.

• Pros: Great food and wonderful service
• Cons: Parking can be a bit tricky

05/13/08

Highly Recommend

by butterflynorman at Citysearch

Excellent Food and wonderful atmosphere. Great place for a romantic date. I recommend the lamb with mint.

05/11/08

best restaurant in Decatur

by decaturfam at Citysearch

Cafe Lily gets it right EVERY time we go there. The food is delicious, and the service is prompt, polite and they don't rush you through your meal. The bar is great too, and is a great place to eat your dinner if you don't have a reservation. They have a nice wine list, and will offer samplings if you are not sure what to order. Everything about this place is great and we love going there!

• Pros: food, service, ambience, wine list
• Cons: haven't found any yet

04/04/08

Sit at the bar!

by pashman at Citysearch

I am writing this review for all you red wine drinkers out there. My wife and I love this place, mainly because of the excellent zinfandel wines! We like sitting at the bar so much that we don't even bother trying to get a table any more. We just stroll in and tell the hostess we want to eat at the bar. Our preference is the bar in the main dining area but the bar actually wraps around into the next room and you can sit there too if you want a little more privacy. The bartenders are extremely nice and very willing to help you figure out exactly which zinfandel is right for you (even if that means three or four free samples). I didn't read all the reviews but I'm sure many have noted that Cafe Lily has one of the largest selections of zinfandels in the Atlanta area. Personally, my favorite is the Frog's Leap but it all depends on your tastes. By all means, if you don't like zins, there are plenty of other red and white wine options to choose from. Wine drinkers will appreciate that the bartenders are very generous with their pours and will sometimes even top off your glass if they are near the bottom of the bottle! This is a very good thing...

All the food is great but my favorite dish by far is the scallop risotto. Regarding price, it isn't cheap but you get what you paid for...give the bar a shot! You won't be disappointed...

• Pros: Friendly Bartenders; Excellent Wines
• Cons: Expensive

11/21/07

Sweet little restaurant, Stellar food

by olafatl at Citysearch

A definite favorite. Food strikes a balance between familiar and artful. Service is top-notch and the vibe can't be beat. Worth the drive to Decatur!

• Pros: Food, vibe, food, wine list, food
• Cons: A drive if you live in Atlanta, but worth it!

11/11/07

very good food, great prices

by alwayseating at Citysearch

We have been to Cafe Lily twice and will keep going back for more. The food is very good, portions are tremendous, and the service is very good as well. We haven?t had a bad bite yet. The daily specials are always interesting, but you?ll be sure to find something from the main menu which has plenty of choices. The wine list is great and if you love Zin, they have a substantial Zinfandel list. Right in the heart of Decatur, you can?t go wrong, and on nice nights the outdoor seating is quite inviting. Go, you?ll love it!

• Pros: value, food, wine list
• Cons: none to speak of

09/17/07

Always great food and casual atmosphere

by kareenand at Citysearch

Since we have moved to Decatur last year, we have eaten here probably 20 times and the dishes are consistently great and the staff has been excellent! The patio area is remarkably serene and pleasant, seeing that it is on a busy street. I recommend CL to anyone that loves great Italian food.

05/21/07

Why do we even go to other restaurants?

by highheelshoeshopper at Citysearch

Seriously, my husband and I love this place, we have never had a bad meal here. The atmosphere is great, the food is fantastic, and we always get great service. I love that I never feel rushed to give up my table.

• Pros: food, service, atmosphere.
• Cons: none

03/04/07

Good food, not so great attitude

by jenka1 at Citysearch

My husband and I like to go out to eat for the whole experience, not just the food itself. But let me first-off state that the food at Cafe Lily is divine, absolutely delicious, and totally drives the cafe into one of the best places in the ATL food-wise. But their attitude left much to be desired. When I made the reservation (for 8 pm) they said the table was already reserved for 9:30 and did I think we could be out in an hour and a half? I said, "yes," and thought that was the end of it. But when they seated us at our table they reminded us that we had to be out by 9:30! How's that for a romantic evening? "By the way, much more important people are going to be sitting where you are at 9:30, so you better get out." Then, we arrived at 8:03 (would have been earlier but finding a parking space is a nightmare) and stood for several minutes while 3 couples came in after us and got seated immdiately! I assumed they were royalty from another country, of COURSE. The dining room is very pretty and romantic, and we had a nice meal, but when we were done (by 9:00 pm, well before we were due to get booted) we waited for a full 20 minutes before our bill even came. Not even water in front of us on the table, completely trapped with no way to pay up and leave. Just ruined it for us. And the crux of it all is that the food is DELICIOUS. My husband had the lamb, and I had the butternut squash ravioli, and they were both superb. They have no reason to be so tacky in all other areas. Anyway, I will go back just because the food is so darn good, but I will likely try it on, say, a Tuesday so that maybe they won't be expecting the Queen of Sheba to sit at my table precisely an hour and a half after I get there.

• Pros: The FOOD is SO good.
• Cons: Server & hostess attitude, no parking