Bistro Niko
Accessibility:
Located
in Buckhead. It is a 15-minute drive, which was closer to 30 minutes with
traffic if you were planning to go around dinnertime. I would suggest Marta.
Walk to the north ave station, which is accessible by the Tech Trolley! Get off
Marta at the North Springs station and the restaurant is right outside of that
Marta station. It’s the easiest way to get there, especially if you don’t have
a car.
Affordability: $$$ Upscale and pricy, paying for the gourmet meal and atmosphere. Average meal $30.
Best Time to Eat: Dinner, possibly a late lunch. Due to the upscale atmosphere and the dress of the customers it is probably best for a nice dinner. The waiters also said they get a lot of costumers after work to have a cocktail or appetizers.
Atmosphere: Formal. The atmosphere is what makes the restaurant. Outside there are little tables and woven chairs to create the feeling that it is an actual restaurant in France. Inside is a very fun and exciting atmosphere as well. There is an original looking bar with nice tables. The inside is small enough where it is an intimate setting but you don’t feel too close to the tables next to you.
Service: The waiters and waitresses were very friendly and many of which spoke French, which was fun for me. Also the service was in a very timely manner even though the restaurant was very packed. They accept reservations as well, which I would recommend if you are planning on eating anytime from 7-9.
Food quality: The food is at a more gourmet level and therefore small portions but very rich and filling. I got the tarte au saumon, which was a flatbread pizza that was delicious. The lunch sandwiches are also very good. The menu for dinner changes slightly and becomes more formal. Overall I felt as if no one was displeased with the quality of his or her food. As a whole though some diners believed the main courses to be only average compared to the higher price.
Affordability: $$$ Upscale and pricy, paying for the gourmet meal and atmosphere. Average meal $30.
Best Time to Eat: Dinner, possibly a late lunch. Due to the upscale atmosphere and the dress of the customers it is probably best for a nice dinner. The waiters also said they get a lot of costumers after work to have a cocktail or appetizers.
Atmosphere: Formal. The atmosphere is what makes the restaurant. Outside there are little tables and woven chairs to create the feeling that it is an actual restaurant in France. Inside is a very fun and exciting atmosphere as well. There is an original looking bar with nice tables. The inside is small enough where it is an intimate setting but you don’t feel too close to the tables next to you.
Service: The waiters and waitresses were very friendly and many of which spoke French, which was fun for me. Also the service was in a very timely manner even though the restaurant was very packed. They accept reservations as well, which I would recommend if you are planning on eating anytime from 7-9.
Food quality: The food is at a more gourmet level and therefore small portions but very rich and filling. I got the tarte au saumon, which was a flatbread pizza that was delicious. The lunch sandwiches are also very good. The menu for dinner changes slightly and becomes more formal. Overall I felt as if no one was displeased with the quality of his or her food. As a whole though some diners believed the main courses to be only average compared to the higher price.
Anis Bistro
Accessibility:
Not
the easiest to get to as a college student. It is only 6 miles away from tech
and a 17-minute drive but with Atlanta traffic we all know that it could be
longer. I would suggest Marta for students without car accessibility but there
is no direct track and therefore it would be a 44-minute Marta ride.
Affordability: $$ Not the most expansive but not cheap. But $35 can get you a three-course meal.
Best Time to Eat: I went for Sunday dinner and after reading reviews it seems as if dinner is the best time to go. Anis still has a very good brunch menu that is served Mon-Sat. Also the dessert is to die for so there’s a plus to going for dinner.
Atmosphere: Casual. The best atmosphere I have ever encountered in a restaurant. It is in a little old country house that was renovated into a restaurant. This is to create the feeling of what it would be like in a real French restaurant, not simply the stereotype of one. After having visited in France I believed Anis Bistro to be the most authentic to a French experience. There was low lighting with chandeliers near the front. Also there was a small area outside where you could eat as well.
Service: All the staff spoke French, which I very much enjoyed. I never had to wait too long but the staff wasn’t always quick and on top of things, yet they all knew the menu very well.
Food Quality: Expect the food to be slightly more gourmet than casual. They serve authentic French food, which some Americans might not be used to. I ordered the scallops, which were delicious and perfectly cooked. They are best known for their fish. My friend ordered the tomatoes and mozzarella, which she very much enjoyed as well.
Affordability: $$ Not the most expansive but not cheap. But $35 can get you a three-course meal.
Best Time to Eat: I went for Sunday dinner and after reading reviews it seems as if dinner is the best time to go. Anis still has a very good brunch menu that is served Mon-Sat. Also the dessert is to die for so there’s a plus to going for dinner.
Atmosphere: Casual. The best atmosphere I have ever encountered in a restaurant. It is in a little old country house that was renovated into a restaurant. This is to create the feeling of what it would be like in a real French restaurant, not simply the stereotype of one. After having visited in France I believed Anis Bistro to be the most authentic to a French experience. There was low lighting with chandeliers near the front. Also there was a small area outside where you could eat as well.
Service: All the staff spoke French, which I very much enjoyed. I never had to wait too long but the staff wasn’t always quick and on top of things, yet they all knew the menu very well.
Food Quality: Expect the food to be slightly more gourmet than casual. They serve authentic French food, which some Americans might not be used to. I ordered the scallops, which were delicious and perfectly cooked. They are best known for their fish. My friend ordered the tomatoes and mozzarella, which she very much enjoyed as well.
La Madeleine cafe
Accessibility: Although
it is a 20-minute drive and 30 minutes by Marta it is right near Perimeter
mall. So as students who finally adhere to their shopaholic impulses and go
shopping they can grab a great meal as well! Once on Marta starting at the North
Ave. station take the red northbound train to the North Springs station and La
Madeleine is a quick 3 minute walk from there!
Affordability: $ cheap and buffet style so you can just get some soup or a sandwich for around $10. There is also the option for a better main course if you want to order of the menu and it is still cheap at around $15.
Best Time to Eat: Breakfast or lunch is what I recommend. It is a Panera esque kind of meal so some might not find it filling enough for a dinner. But if you were looking for something light dinner would work as well! There are baked goods all the time so you can always drop in for a quick snack.
Atmosphere: Casual. The atmosphere is okay. It is a quaint little restaurant with an open counter with all the food so costumers can choose to walk by all the food and make their selection in a buffet style. There are a lot of little tables and a back room for bigger parties. It is more commercialized due to the fact that it’s a chain restaurant so less room for originality. It’s decorated more cheesy than authentic when it comes to looking like a French restaurant.
Service: You simply go through the line and pick what you want so there isn’t much to say about the speed of the service. The servers are always kind and you can order in French if you want to. They are very efficient with getting customers through the line, never a long wait.
Food Quality: The food is always hot and some of it is even made to order. I got a croq monsieur sandwich that was delicious and made very similarly to the croq monsieur sandwiches that I ate in France. My friend got the French toast that was made in a very original way. Unlike just pieces of toast or bread it was a lot of round bread balls covered in a cream cheese like syrup. They were delicious as well. After reading other reviews the food is known to be good but simple, nothing overly gourmet. It’s the place to eat for people who want to eat Americanized French food.
Affordability: $ cheap and buffet style so you can just get some soup or a sandwich for around $10. There is also the option for a better main course if you want to order of the menu and it is still cheap at around $15.
Best Time to Eat: Breakfast or lunch is what I recommend. It is a Panera esque kind of meal so some might not find it filling enough for a dinner. But if you were looking for something light dinner would work as well! There are baked goods all the time so you can always drop in for a quick snack.
Atmosphere: Casual. The atmosphere is okay. It is a quaint little restaurant with an open counter with all the food so costumers can choose to walk by all the food and make their selection in a buffet style. There are a lot of little tables and a back room for bigger parties. It is more commercialized due to the fact that it’s a chain restaurant so less room for originality. It’s decorated more cheesy than authentic when it comes to looking like a French restaurant.
Service: You simply go through the line and pick what you want so there isn’t much to say about the speed of the service. The servers are always kind and you can order in French if you want to. They are very efficient with getting customers through the line, never a long wait.
Food Quality: The food is always hot and some of it is even made to order. I got a croq monsieur sandwich that was delicious and made very similarly to the croq monsieur sandwiches that I ate in France. My friend got the French toast that was made in a very original way. Unlike just pieces of toast or bread it was a lot of round bread balls covered in a cream cheese like syrup. They were delicious as well. After reading other reviews the food is known to be good but simple, nothing overly gourmet. It’s the place to eat for people who want to eat Americanized French food.