The Colonnade Restaurant is located at 1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta GA 30324 near the Morningside/Lenox Park neighborhoods (technically bordering them). You'll find the restaurant on the right crossing over Piedmont Rd if you're traveling from I85 onto Cheshire Bridge next to the Cheshire Motor Inn and across the street from Onyx (huge club with lots of neon).
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An Institution. I’m almost embarrassed to say I’ve been in town almost 25 years and haven’t been to the Colonnade before. I guess that’s easy enough to explain, I typically chase down new and unusual places on my own, occasionally dragging others with me. I think the Colonnade is different because it’s more about going with a group of folks and enjoying the experience, not as much about the food.
Started off in the bar. Drinks are strong and straight forward (no mixologist here). These are just like Mom used to make (assuming she made stiff drinks.) Cozy spot that reminded me of my shag-carpeted basement in the 70’s with the addition of a lot of regulars that seem to know employees and other diners already.
On to our table in the back. Very happy that it’s energetic but quiet enough to have a conversation with everyone at a 6-person round. This being my first time, can’t say much about the evolution of the menu over the years (or the lack of), but I can say it has many of the southern favorites you’ll find at any cafeteria or meat-and-3. A little amazing is the list of sides, though understand that when you order something like Brussels Sprouts, you don’t get the balsamic braised and bacon’d version so common these days, but you WILL get the southern standard of boiled Sprouts. I went with the fried chicken that was as good as promised. Crispy, moist, and not a bit greasy (and enough to take home for a snack later). For sides I did the collards (good) and the sweet potato soufflé (meh). Note that my word processor put the accent on “soufflé”... not something you find at the Colonnade! Around the table, the fried chicken livers, chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, and other orders of fried chicken (notice a fried theme here?) all were given thumbs up.
All in all good solid traditional southern food that is very tasty, though maybe not something I’d eat every day. Like I said, I think you go for the experience with others, not as a food destinations.
And the big news of the night? They now take credit cards (NO AMEX). Did you feel the earth move?
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High-End Southern. The Colonnade is an Atlanta institution. While it has usually been known as a place “for the grays and the gays”, it is a fine place for everyone.
Visiting on a Saturday evening at 7:30pm, we found an hour wait. The place doesn’t take reservations (or credit cards) and isn’t open for weekday lunch. I guess that the obvious popularity of the place means that they don’t have to deal with the amenities of credit cards or reservations.
There is a pleasant (but crowded) lounge where good value drinks are served along with free bar snacks.
The food is very good and quite fairly priced. The chicken liver appetizer is large and delicious (and I’m really not a fan of chicken liver). The entrees of fried chicken and fried shrimp were great. The sides of collard greens, mashed potatoes, rutabaga and brussel sprouts were all fine. The prime rib special was absolutely huge, enough for dinner and two lunches the next day.
Service was fun and friendly and made for a really enjoyable evening. Thanks Eric!
I would be happy to return any time.
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