Dante's Down the Hatch

02/15/2008 Posted by dayandstay

We went for Valentine's Day--which by far one of the worst nights to go out in Atlanta. However, we were seated promptly. I was surprised to know that we were greeted by Dante himself. I recommend the cozy cabin if you are on a romantic date. The waitstaff was very attentative to us. We had the Mandarin fondue platter and it was great. If you are looking for a nice restaurant to go for a date night this is it. Great conversation in a cozy setting and a bit of smooth jazz!!!!!

Pros: Not having to wait to be seated on a busy night.

Cons: We had to share our cabin with another couple.

01/11/2008 Posted by tangogolf

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Pros: Used to be great

Cons: Poor wait staff that gets it cues from poor management

11/18/2007 Posted by optimisticsam

Our party of four attended Dante's on a quite Sunday evening. Our server Harold was great, extremely knowledgeable, chatty, friendly, and conscientious. His attention to us, and the feeling he genuinely cared about our experience was a refreshing change from the norm; not to mention he fit the motif of a pirate (something that goes well when you are eating on a ship!). The food was delicious; the meat tender, the vegetables fresh, and the wine excellent. The atmosphere was unparalleled, a quirky combination of antique and unusual. The crocs add a nice flare, as do the mannequins, model ships, and the many pictures of notable figures of America with Dante. This is a restaurant I would recommend to anyone; an experience that will not be forgotten, nor topped in the foreseeable future. Thanks Dante! (and Harrold!)

Pros: Ambience, Unparralled Service, Plenty of Seating, Great Drinks

11/02/2007 Posted by dbell26

Dantes is hands down the best and most romantic fondue restaurant in Atlanta. The service was great; I never had to look for my waitress. It has a very unique setting with the ship on the inside of the restaurant, the dimmed lights and the live jazz band. Don’t miss out on this wonderful restaurant.

Pros: Good location and very unique dining experience

10/07/2007 Posted by hoyne

Food and atmosphere great, but the service was exceptional. Our waiter, David, is a genuine young man. He had an energy that created an easy rapport and we enjoyed the evening because of him. The rest of the staff also was very attentative, but David stood out. He made certain we had everything we wanted and left out no detail in providing outstanding service. The one thing we really wanted to was to meet the man himself, Dante, and we did. He approaches every table and stops to have some light conversation. We were very impressed. Well, wew can say without hesitation we had the best experience at Dante's and we will be back. We don't dine out often in our home town because we are so busy, but rest arrured...we'll be back (and it's not that close to home, but we don't care. It is worth the drive)! Dante's is now #1 on our list and we are not easy to please when it comes to dining out. Thanks for the wonderful experience Dante, David and staff. 31

10/04/2007 Posted by motogrrl2003

The only reason that I gave this place a second star is because of the neat decor. The food was really mediocre and overpriced. They don't cook in the sauces like other fondue places, instead they bring you a vat of oil and you fry EVERYTHING. It was cramped and dirty too. Will not go back.

05/20/2007 Posted by busybody404

We made reservations a week in advance for Dante's on a Saturday night so our seating was prompt. We sat at the Wharf and while the view was nice, the food and service were horrible. It took the waiter almost a half an hour to take our entree order. We had to get 2 orders of cheese fondue and the second time they brought it out the bowl had half the amount of cheese as it did the first time. We complained to the waiter and he said, "Sometimes, that happens," but did nothing. The waiter recommended that 3 adults share the mandarin fondue platter. The 'platter' was actually saucer size and had no more than 8 ounces of combined meats. For the amount of food we got, the food was grossly overpriced. For a second, I thought we were on candid camera. The saucepan they gave us to cook the meat in was so small, none of the meat stayed on the skewers so we spent a lot of time fishing for food. I’m almost embarrassed to say that the highlight of the meal was leaving although it did take the waiter another 10 minutes to break a $20 after bringing us the bill. The entire experience was pretty comical. I have heard their chocolate fondue is really good. Too bad we didn't make it that far. We were so disgusted; we left and went to eat at a restaurant down the street. Spent the same amount of money and brought home to-go bags. Save your time and money.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Food, Price, Service

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03/19/2007 Posted by crankeeyankee

A group of us went there for a party and had a wonderful time. Our food service was excellent with well defined "best practices" for fondue fun and safety followed by very prompt food delivery - thank you Lindsay. The establishment is very unique and full of character, just like its owner Dante. He's a salty old-dog whose got a story from every port he has ever been and pictures on the wall to prove it. However, some may find the opinions that he so generously shares a bit distasteful. I personally did not take offense, but some members in my group had their delicate feathers ruffled. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a unique dining experience in Atlanta, but with a few caveats. The food is very expensive and you don't get a lot of it. Grab a burger on your way there so you don't leave hungry. If your sensative to sterno fumes you may want to sit at a table in the open and avoid the confined cabin spaces with poor air circulation. Now that I've been there and done that, I will set sail for other ports around Atlanta.

Pros: Plenty of parking, interesting decor, excellent service (thanks Lindsey)

Cons: Expensive, very small portions, sterno fumes over powering in poorly ventilated booths

03/18/2007 Posted by melrbs98

My boyfriend and I ate here for a romantic weekend and the service was aweful. We ordered a fondue dish so this means we cook our owe food. Well we only saw our server twice when we first got there and when it was time to pay. Our food was brought out 40 minutes after we ordered it by another server. The food and the jazz was excellent. I will be a very memorable night because my boyfriend proposed at this restaurant but I would not recommend coming back

Pros: Very romantic and great jazz

Cons: service was aweful and the wait time for food was horrific

03/12/2007 Posted by ragsmith

I have been to Dante's several times for both dinner and just for the jazz. The atmosphere is very unique and the jazz is excellent. If you are visiting Atlanta or have lived here several years, Dante's is a must see. Perfect for a romantic date or a night out with family and friends. Be warned, the chocolate fondue is the absolute best you will ever have, but you have to order it in advance!

Pros: jazz, atmosphere