Cooks & Soldiers Reviews

Three of us went on a week night and had a great time. The place fills up and gets deafeningly loud, so if you want a quiet evening this is not your place. On the drive home our ears were ringing! We were greeted at the door by the manager and promptly seated, and even checked on later a couple of times by the manager - perhaps owner. It was warm and personal. The menu is exhaustive and we needed plenty of explanations by our server, who was very helpful. We had about 8 things from the menu and all were tasty treats except the Newfoundland mussels. They came buried in some sweet, black, wet substance and were therefore a mess to eat. No bowl was provided for shells so our plates got pretty messy. But the roasted lettuce that accompanied the mussels was utterly sublime, bathed in butter. One of us wanted that as a side dish for next time sans the mussels. The dessert offerings are a bit weird. The Basque cake was a disappointment, dry and almost tasteless except for the candied orange on top. Valet parking is easy and friendly; one caveat: wear washable clothing because everything you have on will be penetrated with wood smoke.

We went to Cooks and Soldiers in Atlanta recently. My wife, two daughters and a son-in-law went there for dinner. This is one of those high energy, boisterous, well decorated Atlanta restaurants. We were able to have a drink at the bar while we waited for our table. There was a nice variety of menu options, so we opted for small plates and had our waitress pick for us. One of my favorites was smoked octopus which was as good as I've ever had. For a group our size, having the option to try more than a few items was a really good choice.

Excellent restaurant. We went to celebrate a birthday. Free sparkling wine was brought out first, all the staff was very attentive. All the dishes were shareable, small plates and large. Everything from the Marconi almonds/olives to the octopus, meatballs, tomato bread, cold smoked salmon, a barbacoa dish to the special little grilled cheese was excellent. Excellent wine list and interesting cocktails. Will definitely return.

Really innovative, unique tapas menu. Slightly overwhelming trying to figure out what to get. Waiters really know their stuff, so ask for recommendations.

The only downside was waiting an extra 25 minutes beyond our reservation (made via OpenTable). The tasty drinks, amazing food and stellar service were well worth the wait. We had "pale green things" cocktails while waiting at the bar and this is my new favorite drink! The bar was well-stocked in general and in terms of bourbons and whiskey. When we were seated, the server was super-pleasant and very knowledgeable about the menu. She suggested several tapa plates to us, all of which were delectable. Scallops were my personal favorite. The restaurant is popular, yet organized and clean. The parking is easy with a valet, and the parking garage and the walk to the restaurant are clean and well-lit. We will definitely return very soon.

A friend recommended this place from the same owners as Iberian Pig in Decatur for our birthdays dinner. It was fantastic. We started off with the smoked Marcona almonds that were so addictive. The waitress was great - friendly, attentive, knowledgeable. Had some difficulty sharing the Conejo dish as it was mostly one big bone. Definitely try their cheesecake.

We had a great experience at this tapas restaurant with our family. We chose 8 tapas for our family of 5 and had wine (they have an extensive list with many Spanish). You should expect $20 a person. It's a good atmosphere and there is a free parking garage 1 block away

After multiple visits, I will say that C & S remains the most-reliable choice for top-notch dining in the ATL. Octopus, olives, and Pato Ahumado provided a great start. Wonderful whole sea bass was one of the best seafood dishes I've ever had. A perfect Sherry flight ended the idyllic evening. Great service, atmosphere, and (most-importantly) food. Looking forward to my next visit.

I am writing this review as tribute and respect for the dessert. I’m always intrigued by the mix of reviews such platforms exhibit. In this case, I would recommend that you trust all of the 4 and 5 stars and discount the lessers that reflect an anomalous bad night, experience or disinterest in fine food. We tried three different cocktails two of them were excellent, one phenomenal. The phenomenal cocktails are found on their GT list. Our server, Deniesha, who was an incredible professional, explained that the gin and tonic is a big cultural deal there as they make the tonic and various herbal or fruit additives in house. I enjoyed the apricot “Castle & Key.” (See photo). The food was uniformly superb. We enjoyed the mountain bread, shrimp in garlic sauce with capers, scallops with squash and apple garnish, grilled oysters on toasted, pita. But, back to the dessert. I am a chocolate mousse addict. I have resisted treatment on numerous continents for a half century. I now lean into the habit. This one is award-winning. And to intensify the presentation and make this a world class MICHELIN superstar dessert, they add a super nitroglycerin-chilled scoop of dark chocolate gelato. This should be outlawed. We also had the Basque cake/torte with fig filling adorned, crowned, by a scoop of milk gelato. I can get an excellent James Beard awarded dinner anywhere in Atlanta. I cannot get this kind of dark chocolate therapy anywhere else. There you have it. Enjoy, my friends.

Food was fabulous! We enjoyed a wide array of tapas and everything was excellent! Basque cheesecake was a delicious way to end the meal! I am a big fan!

The food here was really wonderful. Eclectic and flavorful. We ordered several plates; probably 5 total between two people. We would get one and say "Holy Moses! This is IT. Nothing could be better!" Then the next would come and it would be even better. The service was very 4 star, with a lot of "tell me exactly what you want and you will get it." Yet, the restaurant felt neither stuffy nor snobby. Wonderful atmosphere, but I would say better for business, friends, or lively gatherings...ie I wouldn't call this a romantic place. Probably most noteworthy was that it wasn't as expensive as I was expecting. Sadly, I can't really remember the exact price of the items we got, but I am pretty sure that we left with a bill hovering $100 and we had multiple plates, wine, and desert.

Four of us went there Friday evening. The space is cool, however the 4 top table they sat us at was no bigger than a 2 top and the place was almost empty. The food was very hit or miss and by "hit" I mean edible. As a table we sampled almost 13 dishes and found them to range from OK to nasty. The rock fish smelled like it was 8 days old, and the suggested burger was downright horrible. Every other dish ranged from bad to just OK except the veal cheeks and duck confit which were actually good. Two out of 13 for that price is not acceptable and certainly not worth a return trip.

Cooks & Soldiers was fabulous. The food was fresh, delicious and unique. The environment was comfortable. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Great for a night out with friends or a date night.

We had wonderful food. I was surprised at how filling the plates were. I think we had a good selection including octopus, scallops, fries , iberico ham and cauliflower. All which were delicious. Service was excellent and we were happy with the way they brought the food out not too much at one time. Ambiance very nice too will hope to go back when in Atlanta again in the future.

We went here for dinner and our son said he had eaten here before in the main room. We were in a senate area closed off from the main area. If was deafening in there - no possible chance for conversation even at a table for three. Only reason this was not a 5. Our son did say it was not like that in the other room. Food was great and I had a superb cocktail If you order a main from the grill like the pork tenderloin, it is gigantic. Stick to the small plates. The potatoes were amazing as was the octopus.

The food is excellent, the wine is great, the service is amazing. But, please stop putting cinnamon in the gâteau basque!

It was the first time for all four of us and we all loved it. They serve a variety of tapas and appetizer type things which were all great. The veal dish and the Spanish omelet were particularly good. The service was exceptional - friendly, helpful, and not smothering. Dinner with a beer was about $40.

The service was fantastic! We had a nice bottle from Spain. With the perfect temperature. The Stuffed Peppadew complimented the wine. We tried a few dishes. My favorite was the Bikini that melted in my mouth full of cheese, sprinkled jamón, and truffle butter! The Patatas Murros was yummy too! We ended the night was dessert! The Crema Catalana was amazing the cranberry had was a little too sour and took away from the sweetness of the flan. The atmosphere was great not to mention! Next time I will try cocktails here!

Love this restaurant. Vibrant, Creative menu, knowledgeable friendly staff and one of the best wine lists. We grazed on small plates but the larger plates to share looked amazing as they whisked by. Sit by the kitchen to see passion at work. Will I Go Back? Absolutely!!!

Stumbled on Cooks and Soldiers after watching Cooks and Cons. One of their Chefs was a contestant. Went with another couple and everything was PERFECT, starting with crystal clear ice in a perfect Manhattan with Whistlepig Rye. We shared several small plates and finished with a monster steak for four, perfectly prepared. One of the small plates was a grilled cheese. WHOA!!!!! Prices were very reasonable, atmosphere lively and service outstanding. Don't mix C&S if you are in ATL.

I loved this place! My daughter and I visited for an early dinner and at 5:30 pm we were seated right away, daughter called to make reservation just an hour before, reservations are preferred they do get busy, as we saw almost all tables full by time we left. We shared two small plates and 2 appetizers all beautifully presented and so good ! Love the escargot and braised beef . We were pretty full by time we finished saved room to share dessert, cheese cake amazing presentation and delicious, my daughter said it was good but she had a pineapple cheese cake there with a crispy quinoa crust that was better but they didn’t have it that day . Valet parking and excellent service I will be back

We went on my wife's birthday. The service was top notch and the food was incredibly good. I highly recommend the grilled Octopus as an appetizer. We will certainly go back.

Such a great place! Delicious, beautifully presented dishes, excellent wine list and outstanding service in a stylish setting. Easy valet parking.

We had a lovely evening at Cooks & Soldiers. We went early, so we enjoyed the calm atmosphere as we sat down for our first drink. We sampled the Pan con Tomate with the Jamon Iberico, which was delicious - very authentic. Next was the Pulpo, the Duck Confit, and the special of the night which was clams and risotto that the chef was inspired to cook after he had a similar dish in San Sebastian this summer. Everything was superb. The presentation, the taste, the portions (just right for the tapas) and the service! Doug and his team took excellent care of us. Everyone of the servers was very professional. I enjoyed watching the hustle and bustle in the open kitchen. We ended with the Gateau Basque which was wonderful. The Spanish wines were excellent as well. It was one of the nicest dinner dates I have had in Atlanta. We will be back.

This is a surprising good option. The food is sort of southern/southwestern, with small plates and larger entrees to share. The array of small plates is extensive and one is better than the next. The mains are also excellent. The staff was friendly and helpful. The atmosphere had a friendly, exciting vibe without being overly noisy. You want to go here.

Have always loved Cooks & Soldiers but now it’s one of my all time personal favorites! Sat at the bar to enjoy some drinks and deliciousness and when “Daniel” heard I was starting my birthday celebration- he went out of his way to make me feel special! Aside from the attentive personal service provided ( and some celebratory cava) Daniel and Josh made me feel like I was “in the family”! Thank you for a great birthday start with laughter and appreciation! Cynthia

We placed ourselves in the capable hands of GM Nick Quinones and Chef Landon Thompson and we were NOT disappointed. We dined on a Saturday evening and the restaurant was absolutely buzzing. High energy. Not many empty tables, yet the staff was absolutely on point and never seemed flustered. Service was impeccable. Menu is different (Basque cooking), but very interesting. Chef prepared a wonderful range of dishes for us (some we loved and probably wouldn't have ordered on our own) and Nick paired them all perfectly with fine wines and a little Txakolina - which was new to us and utterly delicious. They know their stuff at Cooks and Soldiers. Great dining experience in the ATL.

Atlanta is definitely a food city. Lots of excellent restaurants, lots of chefs doing innovative and sophisticated dishes. Sometimes you want to try something new, but are hesitant to dive in. Cooks and Soldiers is a safe place to try ANYTHING on the menu. The wait staff is extremely knowledgeable...and here's the key...they are kind and patient about diners who are trying new things. No judgement, no snooty attitude if you are not a connoisseur of fine cuisine. Whatever you (and your helpful guide) select, it will be excellent. The atmosphere is charming, and the restaurant is lively without being distracting. Try the ensalada verde and definitely the octopus. Truly accessible dining.

This is a Basque restaurant so the flavors are bold and a little different from Spanish tapas. They are wonderful. You can also get a well-prepared whole fish, half chicken or large filet to share or eat yourself. It is a hip and happening place so is quite loud on a weekend night but the four of us had little problem keeping up a conversation.

First, the food was truly unique - more than we imagined for Spanish tapas....but in a good way. The rye cider cocktail was excellent. Mary, our waitress was really helpful. The decisions were tough with so many good choices. So we really appreciated her descriptions and assistance choosing! The sommelier was ridiculously good with his explanations of the wines too, making us actually vision the area the grapes are grown so well....and then the flavors to watch for in the wines. This was all for the wines by the glass, mind you so it wasn't even like we were spending a ton on a bottle. All in all, excellent food and superb service. We'd return in a heartbeat when back in town.

Table favorites: Hongos y Setas & the Bikini. We were both really looking forward to eating here and this place did not disappoint.

My daughter and I ate dinner and dessert here before attending a show at the Fox. We made reservations online and were seated immediately. The atmosphere is great. The service (provided by Haley, I believe) was excellent. She was very helpful with explanations of different dishes and made wonderful suggestions. My daughter and I shared five small dishes, and our favorites were the Lomito (pork tenderloin and it was AMAZING), the Bikini (a grown-up grilled cheese), and the Chistorra in a Blanket (very flavorful and unique). We then had the highlight of our night and the reason I'm ready to drive the 1.5 hours back ASAP, and that was dessert. The Tarta de Limon is one of the best desserts I've ever had in a restaurant (think lemony heaven in an exceptional crust/tart shell). We also loved the buttermilk doughnuts especially dipped in the peach preserves. Seriously good. As it was our first visit, the waitress also brought us a third dessert, the chocolate cake which was an excellent vegan dessert. The manager stopped by to ensure we had a good meal, and we were happy to tell her that we were thoroughly pleased with our food and the service. Just FYI, they offer free valet which was a nice treat.

Went for dinner with family and ordered lots of spectacular pintxos (starters) and great cocktails like Briza(vodka with ginger) ballot box(bourbon with sherry)and pale green thing (gin and cucumber juice) And xacoli wine We also had farro and squash salad which was outstanding, bruschetta with goat cheese, mushrooms with cream cheese, smoked almond and olive platter which was refreshingly different,Spanish meat balls and grilled cheese with jamon iberico We also had pulled beef on toast and potato fries with fondue and house ketchup After all this we had to skip desert Superb presentation of all the dishes with great taste

Ate here for a girl's night out dinner. The food was great and so was the service. It's a fun atmosphere so if you are looking to have a romantic dinner, this is not the place. A lot of menu options that are unique and tasty. Highly recommend.

We went with friends after homecoming, and they were very accommodating; our waiter was excellent. Very good small plates that let everyone select something to their own choosing.

Met two other couples for a wonderful evening of great food and tasty cocktails and wine. We started by ordering cocktails which were delicious and inspiring. Then ordered several small plates, sat back and enjoyed the conversation. Later ordered more tapas with wine which were equally delicious. Our favorites of the night were the sausage in a croissant, the octopus, the scallops, the mushrooms on toast and the tortilla. As you can tell, we had lots of favorites. Ended with dessert and port. The staff were very, very attentive and we were comped for a wine that came late. Water glasses were kept full. Empty plates were immediately removed. Reservations are highly recommended. Handicap accessible. Okay for kids, but really better for adults to really enjoy all the different flavors, cocktails and atmosphere. Wine menu includes some really great wines from Spain. Our favourite was the grenache.

Struggled to find a non buckhead place with local flavor. This was a great find. Nice atmosphere with good food. Cocktails were Nice. Nice selection of wines. Iberico ham was yummy. Try the veal cheeks. Definitely go back.

6 of my family members all gathered for an Easter lunch and were disappointed. The menu is difficult to navigate and the vegetables were all greasy and severely overcooked. The beef was full of gristle to the point where we were all pulling it out of our mouth. We will not be returning. Our waiter was fun and patient.

We had a birthday party at Cooks & Soldiers. Great selection of food for the whole table. Great service. But, it was so noisy, you couldn't hear anyone talk.

So good. So So Good. Just happened to find it and what a find. From the very helpful and friendly valet, to the host who seated us, to the sweet and knowledgeable soldier (server), to the unbelievable cooks (chefs). Everything was perfect. The restaurant is lovely, the service impeccable, and the food, impeccable. Do yourself a favor and go. You can thank me later. :-)

As I read some of the low scores reviews about this restaurant I found some reviews that described the atmosphere to be too noisy and that the staff was trying to get you out asap. From the moment we entered the restaurant we knew that we were in for an unforgettable night. My wife and I had no problem talking to each other without raising our voice. As far as feeling like they want us out ASAP it was the other way around. We were lucky to have Travis as our waiter. OMG, the way this guy describes the menu and the drinks menu is unbelievable. I was thinking about getting a second home loan just to hear him describe our next order of food. The food was amazing and very tasty. The bikini we thought it was very good but, a little over priced for a “grill cheese and ham”.

We went here for dinner and it was great. I loved the ambiance and they also have many vegan options.

The food is great. The bikini grilled cheese was the most amazing dish, but there are lots of good eats.

Doing a road trip and a friend with us said you have to eat here in Atlanta. He had been and loved it. Had met the owners in Mexico. Six of us went and I have very few nice things to say about the place except that the manager Jojo did her best to make everything okay. One guest ordered a perfect Manhattan, rocks, cherries not twist. Nope. Came up. Sent back. Nope. No cherries. I had Tito’s chilled up. Nope. Was a true martini. Sent back. I order the grilled cheese - no ham and no truffle. Literally I said “just a grilled cheese”. Nope. Came with it all. Didn’t eat it. Two guests had the shrimp and rice dish that was so salty they couldn’t eat it. Mushroom toast was the same. Jojo swooped in to try and fix the situation. She was lovely. Did a great job. Had things remade. Had the right drinks brought out - over and over again. But there are plenty of great restaurants in Atlanta to go to and I would choose one of those over this place.

Excellent variety fun tapas and good service. We needed help from the sommelier as all the wines were from Outside the US. Had an excellent variety- charcuterie, tuna, duck, lamb cheek, grilled cheese all were excellent. Highly recommended.

Not only is C & S one of our favorite date night restaurants in Atlanta, it's also perfect for special gatherings. For my husband's birthday, I chose to do a Chef's Table dinner for a party of 7 (I believe it can accommodate up to 12). Kara Mitchell was helpful in making the arrangements & sending me the menu options. I went with the "Grand Asador" option which is served family style & excludes the upcharge for certain dishes. The actual table is located at the end of the bar area & offered the perfect ambience for our amazing meal. After laboring over all the choices I went with the: Charcuterie & Cheese board (included with the Grand Asador), 2 Tradicionales (rabbit porcheta & foie gras), 3 Especiales (scallops, octopus, veal cheek), 2 Asador (fish & ribeye), 2 Veg (crispy potatoes & carrots & eggplant), 2 desserts (cheesecake & squash tart). All of the choices were printed on a custom menu which was a nice touch (I've also attached pics of our selections to this review). Both the service and the food were spectacular, I highly recommend the Chef's Table experience & the particular selections we enjoyed!

I went to celebrate my compromise and I was not disappointed. The food was delicious specially the duck tapas! The steak on point. Also we have a really good waiter his name was Paul. The entire experience was excellent. :)

What a fabulous evening at Cooks and Soldiers! From our reservation process through dessert, it was a first class experience. Mary, our waitress, was phenomenal. Her knowledge and recommendations regarding the dishes were impressive, and her warm personality and heartfelt smiles made her one of the very best we have experienced in her profession. The Tapas style dishes were wonderful and we enjoyed several as we waited for our family-style prime rib. Everything was cooked to perfection. A masterful combination of tastes and flavors. I highly recommend Cooks and Soldiers - perfect for a date night or large group. Wow!

Hubby made a reservation for our anniversary, unfortunately I was suffering from a sore throat and feeling blah. Jack, our server went above and beyond even finding me some green tea, lemon and honey. The food was very good and the prices incredibly reasonable. I plan to return when I’m back to 100%.

Michael was our waiter and he was just great: efficient, friendly but not chatty, gave good food advice. The food was remarkably tasty although a bit on the salty side (all dishes). The atmosphere is good....not over loud music, lighting set a good mood, and the portions were larger than we expected for a tapas dish. Will go back.

went for a business dinner. I told them I was vegan and they were very comprehensive about it. They basically prepared options especially for me. All were great and delicious and the attention and services was too.

We loved our dinner at Cooks and Soldiers. The dishes were all delicious and the service was outstanding. Each little dish was tasty and surprising. It isn't often I have the experience of not being able to decide what to eat because I want to taste everything on the menu! I would definitely return to sample more of the wonderful food and wine.

Great Tapas food before seeing a show at Actor's Express. Loved the bikini Grilled Cheese,Chistorra in a blanket. Server was helpful and fun. I can't wait to return and try more. Get a reservation.

Great Tapas, Awesome wine and one of the best Gin Tonics in Atlanta! Service and food are always consistent. Modern vibe for dinner or drinks with friends after work.

Very well done. The wait staff were very knowledgable and very attentive. There Were 11 of us and we were well taken care of. Food was amazing and a well stocked wine list.

I like the fact that this restaurant has a lot of good wine options. The portion sizes are small so it’s ok to order a lot. Our waitress was attentive and offered some good suggestions. If you come here you HAVE to try the cheesecake. The most unique one I’ve had so far but definitely worth the try. I’d come here again—with a reservation of course. This place gets full quick.

Excellent food! I have a severe allergy for ginger and the restaurant did an amazing job ensuring that I didn’t have a reaction to the foods. They were very accommodating with bringing me more tapas that I enjoyed since I wasn’t able to have three of the dishes. The whole white fish and potatoes were my favorite!

We enjoyed our dinner at Cooks & Soldiers. The Castellucci Group certainly knows how to deliver small plates. Our starter, Tostada Barazki, was the only slight disappointment as we felt it to be a little bland and perhaps could have benefited from citrus or vinegar. We followed with Farro y Calabaza, Pez Espada, and Magret de Pato all of which were flawless and greatly enjoyed. The swordfish and duck were perfectly done. The Corn Soufflé was a highlight because the cippolini onions made it special. We ended with the delicious seasonal fruit clafoutis served hot in a cast iron dish and suspect these are baked to order as there was a slight delay before it was served. The wine list is medium length but contains good choices. We had Cava Macabeo to start and found it light but pleasant. Godello Albariño accompanied the swordfish and was excellent. Vizcarra Tempranillo accompanied the duck and had good body and a slight tannic edge. We switched to La Cortuja Granacha which was smoother and had a little more body. The service was absolutely perfect, that balance of attentiveness without intrusion. The space was all hard surfaces and quite loud, making it difficult to have a conversation. It seems that loud background music and a high noise level are viewed as positive but we do not agree. I wish restaurants could be more like European ones regarding noise control.

At most restaurants, we love to sit at the bar for dinner, and we also love eating small plates. Cooks and Soldiers suited us perfectly! The bar is small, but awesome. At the far end, a guy hand cuts ice cubes for drinks, which is kind of mesmerizing to watch. Getting pelted with a rogue ice chip was a welcome part of the experience. At the near end, you can watch a chef make the pintxos traditionales. We had such an all-round excellent experience, we went back two nights later, which is always fun because restaurant staff generally remember us. Here, we were rewarded with a few pieces of fresh-cut, melt-in-your-mouth serrano ham and other tasty bites. The favorite was the Brocheta de Tocino (pork belly) - the only dish we had both nights - otherwise, we explored the menu until we were full. We shared five each night, and therefore got to have nine different menu items. All were THE BOMB! I decided to "splurge" on a specialty cocktail and ordered the Briza. It was equally deliciously hand-crafted as the food, so I had a second one. Our only regret is that we didn't have more time in Atlanta to make a third visit to Cooks and Soldiers. If we every move to the city, we'll probably get a condo upstairs, and if not, we will stop in whenever we're within a 90 minute drive.

We were in town from Naples, FL, where there are precious few ethnic restaurants. Our visit to Cooks & Soldiers was a delight! Basque Tapas, with Basque cocktails and Basque wines, were all completely wonderful. Our server, Deneisha, was our tour guide and she recommended various dishes, saying, "You cannot leave here without trying" this or that one. She was right. We ate lots of goodies but our favorites were the Hongas Y Setas, smokey mushrooms on toasts; the tomato on toast with jamon, the cheese board, the veal cheeks and the duck on toast. We had two desserts, and declared the chocolate bonba the winner of those. The GinTonic was incredible with housemade tonic. The Albariño wine was incredible. If you have not had really good tapas, do not hesitate to try this place. The staff is so knowledgeable, you won't choose the wrong items. We loved Cooks & Soldiers. Go. And ask what the name means!

Great Atmosphere + Delicious Food Excellent location for friends and family; atmosphere is inviting. Nice full bar. Many items on the menu are tapas, which great to experience the full cuisine; many of the entrees can be shared as well. Recommendations - House Salad, Devine Vinaigrette Dressing - Cheese Board - Grill Cheese, it is not regular cheese. Sooo Good - Scallops - Mushrooms on Toast The service is also good. They are very attentive.

Atmosphere electric, loud but vibrant, food good (octopus a must try) but not over the top..grilled cheese was just that, meatballs and sauce unreal..best ever..very enjoyable

We had been to the restaurant before so are on their mailing list so when we saw their Tamborrada event we signed up immediately! Their $65 VIP package includes all the food you could possibly eat plus wine, beer, gin & tonics plus an abundance of water!! Oh and the band did to great sets - the 2nd had the whole place hopping, maybe the drink helped to. The event opened at 4:00pm so if you weren't there early you could not find a table but there were plenty of places to stop with you plate to nibble on as you made your way to the next food station. Valet parking next door made it easy getting to and from so with that all said we cannot wait until their next great event!

Cooks & Soldiers is in an attractive modern space. Service was outstanding from the moment we walked in the door. Three of us shared a variety of small plates. All were excellent, not a disappointment in the bunch. The wine list is largely comprised of Spanish wines, and the sommelier was helpful in making a decision. The restaurant is not inexpensive, but given the quality of the food and service it’s a good value.

The reviews were right. Really great experience. They offer valet parking. Great appetizers. Loved the fish dish. The mushrooms were great. Great service too. No military discount. I will definitely go back!! Must visit!!

Great food! Great service! We had a blast while we were there. The small dishes make big group meals fun! Everything we got was super delicious.

The standouts for the evening were the bruleed fig and the veal cheek. Both were delicious. We ordered about 10 dishes that we shared. It was unexpected and appreciated that our server stopped us from ordering more food than she thought we could manage.

Have read many reviews of C&S and it lived up to its many accolades. Every dish was superb - based on authentic Spanish small plates, but with additional touches that elevated them to minor masterpieces. I had two dishes that were totally new to me - a duck confit pintxos (shredded duck + tart cherry + blue cheese on toast) and a veal cheek small plate. Both were excellent! Youngish crowd but a few Boomers like us scattered around! Lots of energy - spreads from the busy kitchen right through the room. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves (including us!). We scouted the wine list ahead of time and narrowed our choice down to 2 Spanish reds. The Sommelier gave us a very detailed description of each one and we picked the one that he recommended for our tastes -- and it was the less expensive of the two! One caveat, the markups seemed to be high on the wines so some research beforehand can be helpful!

Excellent place for variety and shared dishes with friends. This place has a lot of seafood options to be a Spanish restaurant. Our vegan friends enjoyed throughly! All and all great food and cocktails!

This place is a real gem, other than it's pretty loud inside...the food is totally on point! One dish topped the next. We must have tried half the menu and it all truly was incredible. If I had to pick one, it would be the sausage wrapped in a croissant. The drinks were excellent too. Service was spectacular this night. We will definitely visit again the next time in Atlanta.

On a teacher retreat with SCAD we were brought to Cooks & Soldiers for dinner on our final evening. All I can say is wow! The food is awesome, environment extremely comfortable, and the staff beyond any expectation. Two in our party had issues with food allergies, every effort was made to accommodate us, with a commentary with each dish served to ensure we knew what could and couldn’t be eaten - in fairness most could be eaten because the amazing chefs altered the dishes to ensure we COULD! In addition, we were looked after by a wonderful lady, Virginia, who was incredibly helpful and attentive. What an amazing advertisement for a restaurant - a lady who showed just how much she enjoyed her job and was absolutely devoted to making sure all diners had the best possible experience! Thank you for a wonderful dining experience.

From the moment we were greeted at the door to when we left the restaurant, my family and I felt as we were part of their family. Our chief server explained the Basque traditional meal types and how to make our selections in order to most enjoy our meal. Ironically we ordered our entree first, the Chuletón a 1 kg slab of prime ribeye to would make vegetarians rethink their life choices. Next the PINTXOS ESPECIALES, Basque small plates to be shared amongst your party. We had the grilled octopus, poached lobster tail, and the sea scallops. Then we selected the three cheese platter and the lberico Jamon. Everything came in the reverse order of our selections, you order the items that take longer and work you way backwards. We were presented with each plate and given the time to enjoy very succulent flavor and texture. I won't bore you with the individual reviews of every item. Suffice it to say, everything was delicious and a true pleasure. I don't think you could go wrong. Take a moment and enjoy a great meal at an excellent restaurant.

My wife and I just ate there last night for Valentine's Day. Let's start with the service, which was very attentive. Recommendations may have been spotty but sometimes that can be attributed to the chef too. We started out with the olives and Jamon Iberico. My wife and I just went to Spain a few months ago and were really lookingv for a great Spanish restaurant with some Iberico Ham and really like The Iberian Pig (same owners). It's hard to screw up olives and I would say the Jamon Iberico was just as good as what we had in Spain. Definitely the highlight of the meal. Next was the Hongos y Setas / coal roasted mushrooms with goat cheese creme fraishe and black truffles, This was excellent and tied right up there with the ham. Next was the Pulpo / grilled octopus green olive, jalapeno, chickpea, soprassada and haricot verts. We did enjoy this one. More of a char and spicy taste which I like. We liked it wasn't amazing. Last was the special pork dish that was on the V-Day menu. For a small plate of pork that was $23 I was expecting to be amazed but out of everything that we had this was by far the most disappointing. It was barely warm, wasn't that tender and was truly lacking any flavor. It really tasted as if a decent piece of pork was baked with no seasonings and then served at just above room temp. When you have the most expensive dish on the special V-Day menu and it is highly recommended by the waiter you expect it to be the best dish. It was the least favorite of both me and my wife and so for that I have to give them a 3 on food and value.

Fantastic meal with great service! Smoked Mushrooms (Pan De Setas) is an absolute must. We ordered it again at the end of the meal, they were so good. Plus the Tartare is delicious. Highly recommend!

Pricey and the drinks were just ok to me. Not a huge fan of tapas, just came with friends. Probably won't return!

I've been here twice now (four years between visits) and this is a great place to crush some tapas and get some unique brews on tap. On our last visit, we were pleasantly surprised when the staff kept leaving us additional small dishes, complements of the house. I can't honestly remember what all we had, but suffice it to say that these guys are on top of their game and they do a nice job. I hope it's not 2023 before my next visit.

We have been to Cooks & Soldiers many times since it first opened and we always love going back. The chef has new additions to the menu regularly based on what's in season. We always have the bikini when we go and you should too! We enjoyed everything we tried. Our recent visit was a date night - although we do love going with a group so we can try even more dishes. Don't miss dessert when you go either. We always ask our amazing server, Laura, for recommendations and she never disappoints us. If you have questions about the beverage program ask - and they are happy to come discuss the options with you too!

Nice atmosphere and very knowledgeable staff. Interesting tapas menu that could have been executed better, but maybe I caught them on an off night. Enjoyed the octopus and veal cheeks. Duck played were ok, not spectacular. Great drink selections and beautiful people abound!

We were blown away by the food - unique and so well done! the service was also great. highly recommend

Do NOT use the scan to pay. There are undisclosed additional fees!! We loved the food and the service was very good, but at the end of the meal they bought a new scan to pay bar code to the table (I think Sunday was the name of the scan to pay). We scanned and paid and then noticed an additional charge of $8.96 that no one had mentioned. After complaining about this they (hopefully) reversed the charge and we paid the normal way with two credit cards. Unfortunately, catching the undisclosed fee left a bad taste in our mouths.

Excellent cocktails, creative menu, interesting blend of flavors, diverse room full of diners all prove the appeal of this menu across a wide range of tastes. Subtract points for presenting all the plates at the same time even after our instruction of how we wanted it served, and the overly, unpleasantly, and unnecessarily loud atmosphere. As always, the sound distracts from both conversation with your fellows, and the food itself, as the sensory input to the eardrums and the tastebuds simultaneously is overwhelming.

This was our 1st visit to Cooks and Soldiers and it was horrible and I wish I could give it 0 stars. The drink was ok, but my daughter was served a 2 chicken wings tapas and the chicken was raw. Plus, I told the server I was looking for seafood and I chose a white fish tapas, and she said it could be prepared without the bacon. My dish came fried in several pieces of bacon and large slices of pork belly, it was horrible. The manager came to our table to acknowledge their mistake and we told her my daughter was served raw chicken and didn’t notice until she bit into it. Courtney a manager gave me her card and she said she will check on my daughter tomorrow to see if she’s ok because of the raw chicken. She never came back and yes, we still had to pay full price for our meal. My daughter replaced the chicken order with another dish, and they removed the cost of my fish. We left very disappointed at Cooks and Soldiers but the server was nice and apologetic. I don’t recommend anyone to visit the place.

From a hospitality view, I tend to be very critical and C&S was a wonderful culinary experience from beginning to end and surpassed all observations! The food was delicious—one after another competiting for “the winner”. Brie was our waitress was so outgoing, enthusiastic and delightful; a compliment to Nick the GM who is very attentive and genuinely engaged with the guest!

We’ve been fans of this restaurant for years over probably a dozen visits. We used to recommend this to out of town friends. I can’t recommend it any longer and don’t think we will be back after our last two visits (I wanted to give them another shot as any restaurant can have a bad night). The cocktails used to be refreshing and innovative. Now they are watered down, poorly mixed, and don’t come out until you’ve already had two courses. The food has always come out as it’s ready. The service team used to bring out a dish with pride and explain the dish. Now, it’s rushed onto your table, no interaction from the staff, don’t even bother to clear plates that are finished. The food used to be thoughtful and well prepared and plated. Now it just comes out looking sad, no thought to the plating or presentation. This used to be a restaurant that had some great dishes, a strong bar and really great service. It’s sadly lost all of that and us as a customer.

Cooks & Soldiers is all about the cuisine of the Basque Country in Spain and France. Great tapas menu. Vibrant atmosphere. Good service. Highly recommend.

My brother had been here a few times, and decided, correctly, that I would enjoy the offerings. We shared several items from fusion salad (Ensalada Verde) to grilled octopus (Pulpo), finding all but one selection to be perfectly prepared, the only "miss" being a rather bland Cana Klasikoa. Dave enjoyed his glass of Mencia. I had a flavourful bottle of non-alcoholic Estrella Galicia. The atmosphere was electric and the serving team was magnificent. I would go here again, on a return trip to Atlanta.

Loved catching up with old friend over a delicious series of plates to share. The octopus in particular was exquisitely prepared. Would absolutely recommend and intend to return.

Some of the best service that I've had! Personable and fun, the servers made good suggestions for food and drink. We had a group of 10 people so we tried many different tapas style plates. The octopus was tender with great flavor (not rubbery at all), the wild mushrooms were amazing. I didn't have anything I did not enjoy. Wrapped up the evening with a nice selection of desserts. The cheesecake was amazing!

I took my fiance for his birthday as a surprise, and we both really enjoyed ourselves. It was just the two of us, and this restaurant was a great choice! The decor fits the style of the Westside: open, airy, and eclectic. Yet, it still managed to provide some intimacy with our corner seat. The food was fresh, delicious, and unusual. Our choices: Mussels come not in your typical white wine or tomato-based sauce, but are rather roasted and then tossed in yummy, spicy sauce. Veal cheeks were succulent and melted in the mouth. My guy really enjoyed this dish. The pork belly had a sticky sweet coating and was deliciously fatty. I love pork belly, but this was rich enough that I couldn't finish my skewer! The roasted potatoes were crisp, hot, and nicely seasoned with fresh herbs. Our fave (we had 2 orders!) was the cold smoked salmon on toast. Tasted of fresh sea water, enhanced by the caviar, onion, grated egg, and creme fraiche. Our server was great. He was very knowledgeable and attentive without hovering. He also gave us 2 complimentary shots of champagne for my guy's birthday. Service was fluid, and the kitchen is on point. The servers, even those not working our table, were friendly and would take a moment to chat as they passed. Excellent experience with delicious food. We'll definitely visit again!

This was a great Spanish wine and food experience. We shared several small plates, and everything was very good. Our two favorite dishes were the Roasted rabbit porcheta and the Wood grilled Berkshire pork tenderloin. We had three different Spanish red wines by the glass, and they were excellent: 2013 Olivier Rivière, La Vallada, 2016 Vizcarra “Senda del Oro” and 2013 Barahonda Barrica Monastrel. There is one downside to this restaurant. We ate on a Friday night, and the noise level was ridiculous. We had to shout at each other to be heard ...

First time dining here. Was very impressed. Given how busy this restaurant is I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly, attentive service we got from the staff. Everyone went out of their way to give us excellent service. We has reservations but decided to dine at the bar because there were some empty seats and we could watch all the action near the door and out the window. Food was great. Our steak was cooked perfectly. I was especially impressed with the bartender going out of his way to me a fantastic mocktail. I don't drink alcohol but do enjoy a wonderfully made non-alcohol cocktail. He made me a twist on a moscow mule and he took his time muddling, tasting, tweaking until he had it perfect. I was so impressed with that level of service.

This was our first time and I enjoyed the food...most of the dishes were Spanish inspired. The restaurant has a hip vibe and I would return. Valet parking is complementary.

Cooks & Soldiers is one of the more creative tapas restaurants in Atlanta. Most of the small plates are both original and fantastic. The specialty gin and tonics are also creative and delicious. Cant wait to go back.

After a challenging day at a trade show, we were eager to find an oasis from the constant chatter and a shelter from Atlanta’s heat and humidity. Having dined at C & S in the past, we anticipated that our expectations would be met. Sadly, we were less relaxed after our visit than before. The C & S Basque Country menu is loaded with creative delights for all palates. Unfortunately, service was like “Beat the Clock”. Our choices of many small plates and tapas arrived one immediately after the other, with barely enough room on our four-top to provide sufficient parking space and before we were able to leisurely finish our cocktails and move to proper accompanying wine. (And, one of the C & S pluses is the extensive wine list with Tempranillo for any occasion!) Oddly, our delicious Mejillones (perfect combo of mussels, ham, and a sassy red sauce) was removed from the table before we finished the serving (although returned after we made some noise). Other high points on the menu included the roasted eggplant in a coconut broth, the Spanish octopus with lavender potato, and the coal roasted mushrooms. If we’d been able to properly enjoy our cocktails, if the service had been properly paced, if the table surface had been cleaned after the serving frenzy without our need to make the request, and, most importantly, if we had been afforded time to savor the food at a proper pace, C & S could have been just what we needed. Unfortunately, our experience was rattling. My advice to diners would be to pace the ordering, as the plates are generally shared. Avoid placing the entire order at once! And, consider ordering the enticing wood-fired entrees for family-style sharing, as they require 45 minutes for preparation. The potential is certainly there but management needs to step in!

Loved it. 4th or 5th time here. Lively but not crowded on a thursday night. Whole branzino (for table) and octopus were outstanding. Drinks, plates, deserts and coffee $75/head before tip. Strong recommendation.

Everything was great (the food, location, valet parking, atmosphere)! Definitely coming back! Thank you.

Excellent service, food that punches you in the face with flavor. This place has it all! I travel for business quite often and sit at my fair share of bars solo. The staff were super friendly. Michael helped me pick a few items out on the menu. The food arrived promptly and was so delicious. If I lived closer I’d be a regular for sure. Courtney gave me suggestions of a few local places to try while I was in town and was super friendly. It’s nice to meet new people who are passionate about their work. Bravo C&S! Five stars all around. Oh, doesn’t hurt the restaurant is modern and gorgeous…. If you haven’t been to C&S - you’re missing out.

Our daughter turned 30 recently and she wanted to try out a new place and chose Cooks & Soldiers. A friend of ours had been there recently for farewell drinks and let us know that they have valet service...THAT is where the attention to customer service began. The two valets helped us out of the car and advised us on the best way to get to the restaurant and they were genuinely nice and friendly. Fortunately we had reservations so we were seated pretty quickly at prime dining time on a Friday night. We were seated near the kitchen (which in this case was a treat!) Every person we encountered on this busy Friday night was pleasant and seemed to want to ensure our experience was nothing short of awesome. And, "No," they didn't know we were celebrating a birthday...they just know we were two empty-nesters with a young chick eating dinner. Our server was Haley...we asked her advice on several things...starting with the cheese plate we were pondering for an appetizer...not only was she knowledgeable, but her descriptions for each cheese was SPOT ON! Why ruin a good thing?! We asked for a wine suggestion after explaining what we normally drink, she suggested a NouNat Chardonnay out of Mallorca (I think)--it was a lovely Chardonnay made in the Burgundy style. We advised that 2/3rds of our group was gluten free and got advice on that and dessert...our daughter enjoys bourbon and scotch and decided to opt for Scotch after Haley's input there too---Our daughter would much rather try a glass of Scotch or Bourbon out before buying an unknown/untried bottle at a liquor store...Haley hit a home run there too. We had other wait staff bringing us food and wine and whisking our empty plates away and refilling our water glasses...they were ALL very nice and efficient...but Haley...she's a GEM! Our daughter worked in an upscale restaurant in her teens and twenties, it was obvious that Haley, like our daughter got to try the dishes and libations at Cooks and Soldiers and because she had could share what she had learned. We've lived in the South most of our lives and know that service tends to be better/more hospitable in the South...In a town where you can choose from a fairly long list of excellent eating establishments, your food, service, ambiance or location need to stand out...we found Cooks & Soldiers OUTSTANDING...and if you get Haley as your server, prepare to be WOWED!

Large rooms with no intimacy in seating lends itself to slit of noise. The possibilities to have a lovely dining experience have been overlooked for maxing out seating with not even thoughtfulness to lighting or comfort. The tapas that were eaten were quite nice: smashed patatas, mussels, duck breast, sautéed mushrooms but an excessive use of olive oil made them gr easier than necessary. We asked for service to be slow and thoughtful because we were not in a rush. Three came at once and a fourth was sent back to come later. The wine list was lively and good but the prices about $2.00 higher per glass than should have been. Shall not return.

we arrived at 8:00 for our 8:15 reservation. we were told that the our table would be ready soon, they were "just finishing dessert". As of 9:00 we have still not been seated. Avoid this one -- lots of other restaurants in Atlanta that are better managed

This was so good, it was worth a return visit in a city full of good restaurants. The menu is so creative, and the food is wonderful. Must-go dining.

This place is great for visiting with groups (colleagues or friends). Order bunch of tapas and the group is set. They also have good beer and wine selection

First time at Cooks $ Soldiers, and the entire experience was a truly good night out. The small plates were all wonderful - we had 6 small plates between the 2 of us and all were outstanding. Each plate stood on its own as distinctive. The coal roasted mushroom in the PINTXOS TRADICIONALE was just as good as another review said it was. The waits was knowledgeable and attentive but not intrusive, and the music was great for a rainy Sunday night dinner - soothing but upbeat, pretty much like the rest of the evening.

I had some great expectations heading here. Our experience was a great staff. We tried three dishes and did not enjoy any of them. I have many other places that I would rather spend my money.

Josh was our waiter and if you have a good sense of humor, we highly suggest you request him. He did and excellent job of narrowing down what wine my two guests would like. And it was spot on. All the Tapas dishes were delicious especially the "Grilled Cheese".

Had a very enjoyable dinner at C&S. The choices on the menu were substantial and large enough to share bites. The octopus was a bit rubbery and bland. The mushrooms were great. Service was awesome and the the server Jen was very knowledgeable. A very fun spot for dinner.

Place has a good location, great atmosphere, very nice fine dining restaurant, cocktails are good and the food is tasty. I would love to come back ! We were so excited and comfortable at the same time with the flavors and cocktails that we forgot to take pictures, but if your are visiting Atlanta and you would like to have good drinks and tasty food come and try Cookd and soldiers!

The best tapas in Atlanta, in my opinion. My wife and I had six shared plates. The server was well-informed about the dishes and helped us with some wine pairings. The meatballs were remarkable--tender as hell--but the pulp (grilled octopus) stole the show. It cut like butter and melted away on the tongue. Also good was a kale and mixed greens salad. Yes, I am over kale, but this was bright and fresh. Duck confit was wonderful. Perfectly rich and slightly sweet. I thought the tomato confit on the pan con tomato kind of denied the boquerones their pickle center-stage, but it was fine. As we kept ordering, I was thinking we were running up a substantial bill, but six small delicious plates with a couple of glasses of good wine came to just over $100 for the two of us. Pretty good deal! On a busy night the venue can get noisy. I had to cup my ear and lean in to hear my wife. The owners might consider some noise abatement.

First time to Cooks and Soldiers and can highly recommend! The atmosphere is very industrial chic, easy valet parking available and a great bar. The service was impeccable and there is a wonderful beer and wine selection. It is definitely the food that makes this a must-visit. We tried everything as the menu consists of small plates. The octopus, veal cheeks, yellowtail, pork loin, duck breast and scallops were all amazing. Do not miss the Bikini: a melting your mouth grilled cheese!

Just happened to be in Atlanta looking for something good for dinner. I used the open table app to see what was near and this popped up with little to no wait time. They have complimentary valet parking. Upon entering the greeters were very friendly and welcoming which is always a plus. The waiter recommended some of his favorite and explained the menu well since this was our first time there. The prices are very reasonable and the food was delicious. It was very crowded and seems to be a popular spot in the area

Stumbled upon this place and regretted every one of the hour and forty minutes it took to not get our meal. The waitress was intrusive, unhelpful, and assured us that the food would appear very soon and that she would bring steak knives at that point. Her response was the same each of the four times I asked about the entrees. After an hour and forty minutes my party had had enough. The manager then appeared and wanted to know if there was a problem and assured us the meal was being plated at that very moment. Check please! The manager charged us for only what we had consumed, some drinks while waiting for the nonexistent food, and she stood by my side and glared at me as I paid, I guess thinking I would dash without covering the cost. She didn’t realize that by 8:30, with no dinner, I did not have the energy to dash. Why the long wait? Why not offer a round of drinks on the house? Why not just comp the meal? Why are they even in business?

Tapas restaurant. Great to go with friends, have some wine and eat some Spanish tapas. Great ambiance, simple and elegant. Had a great time with some modern Spanish cuisine.

This restaurant has modern look with excellent food. We tried multiple small plates (tapas). All were very flavorful. My daughter and I went on to have the 32 oz steak. It was a great experience. We asked for find medium - it was done to our satisfaction. Beer prices were in the high side.

Terrific shared dining. Highlights for our large group were the Cana Klasikoa (goat cheese with onions and peppers), beef barbacoa, farro and sunchokes and sweet potato. We had a lot of fun trying creative Spanish dishes. The Spanish wine was so good that everyone was taking pictures of the bottle. I am going back and intend to eat here as often as I can.

Went with a group of about 10 people. One of our members set this up so we were sitting at the Chef's Table. We go there and ordered drinks. When we sat at the table, we looked at the menu and saw all the good things. Our server suggested he bring out one helping of everything. We enjoyed all the tapas items they had. It was great to have little tastes of everything. Our server was knowledgeable about each selection. The evening was quite enjoyable.

***Atmosphere*** Really fun spot. Has a modern feel while still being warm and inviting, and its located on some prime real estate in West Midtown. Good place for a romantic dinner, a celebratory night with friends, or really any occasion. ***Food*** The tapas are Basque, not what you might think of if you're accustomed to tapas elsewhere, but don't let the weird spellings littered with the letter "x" deter you. The Chistorra in a Blanket and the Ibérico Albondigas are delicious. The mussels are not in the shell and are served in a sort of soupy goodness that's great for dipping bread. Even the grilled cheese is amazing, but anything with jamón ibérico usually is. Wine list is fantastic, the cocktails were delicious (specifically the Smoking Gun). Overall we enjoyed everything. ***Service*** From the moment we walked in the service was exceptional. The manager checked in multiple times to make sure we were doing well throughout the meal, but with our fantastic server (Laura), we were well taken care of. The support staff was impressive as well.

The service and food has been unmatched. Their menu features a variety of entrees and shared plates that are sure to please all. Accommodating hostess and waitress made the night even better.

Although it was tough to get in any where. We decided to eat late here. It was 2 couples and we ordered a cocktail while we waited to be seated. The atmosphere and the drinks were fantastic. The food was incredible as well. The Bikini and the Pulpo (spelling) were the favorites at the table both ordered more than once. And with an extra drink at the table and 10 different tapas it was about $40 a person

Our GPS directed us easily to this restaurant. While it as easy it find, traffic was a nightmare due to the Falcons game that was going to start not a little later that same night. When you pull up to the building, there is a clearly marked sign for the valet parking which is fairly close to the restaurant. When we entered, we were warmly and checked our coats. Just beyond that is a nice, dimly lit, long bar. The bartenders were friendly. The bar was well stocked. Once it was time for dinner, we moved into the dining area of the restaurant which was a nice large open area. When we were sat, our server came around to see if we wanted anything else to drink and see if we had any allergy or food restrictions. The 2 people sitting next to us were vegan and we are gluten free. This was not an issue here. In fact, when the vegans ate their food they said it was among the top 3 of all of the places they have ever eaten out. Since we have never eaten here before, I am not sure what a normal meal service is like but I believe it is tapas style. Because it was a Christmas party, we were served more family style: mushrooms (which everyone LOVED!), potatoes (very good), green beans, chicken (very good), fish (had a lot of bones in it), steak (a bit rare for most people's taste) and more but overall the food, drinks and service were very good. The atmosphere is very romantic. Dimly lit.

FOOD: Good and delicious tapas, completely up our alley we love tapas and almost everything here is good COST (out of 4$): #$$ SERVICE: Good and attentive prompt service DECOR: sexy contemporary with lots of metal windows and minimalistic decor, clean lines RECOMMEND: YES would definitely recommend and would definitely go back (we've been back several times actually) OUR DINNER: Had the veal cheeks (oh so so delicious), octopus (very good), patatas potatoes (good), chorizo hash (ok), shrimp (very very good), meat board (ok, some of the meats a little tough), mushrooms (so good)

Cooks & Soldiers is hands-down my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. It's our "go to" restaurant for family events. We went there last night for my wife's birthday. On the four criteria of food, service, wine/drinks and ambience, they knocked it out of the park as they always do. And ask to sit at Laura's table. She is my absolute favorite waitperson anywhere!! There's nobody better.

4 of us descended on this restaurant at someone's recommendation and we were not disappointed. The wait staff were wonderful and fun and it is a nice, relaxing and casual experience. The food was particularly good. Other than we ordered too many dishes, is was great. There were a lot of subtleties in the preparations. A pork tenderloin was the most tender and delicious I have ever had (Lomito). I expect it might have been cooked sous-vide as it was so soft, regardless, delicious. A pork belly dish with plums/prunes (Tocino)_ was really quite good too and two of us were taken by how great the prunes were - recipe kindly provided. Based on that, not straight forward which reflects the complexity and mixtures of tastes many of the dishes had. While we were going to share one dessert, our amiable waitress brought out 4 on the house! All very also delicious and pushed us into a post-prandial state of bliss. Can't wait to go back.

I very much like tapas bar restaurant dining, and Cooks & Soldiers offers a terrific venue and menu for like minded patrons. Very loud atmosphere with blaring music. Millennials and Gen X/Y will dig it, but tough for Boomers with less than keen hearing abilities. Service staff could use a bit more polish and politeness. During a noisy/busy Friday night, our waiter stood a few feet from the table describing specials and taking orders. Please move around the table for each diner's questions and orders so that don't have to strain to hear you, or shout to order - thank you. A 2nd glass of red wine ordered mid meal was neglected and then served with dessert? At the end of dinner with an empty restaurant, the check and credit card sat on the table for well over 10 minutes waiting for pickup. Paella tapas plate served at 9:45pm offered stale rice w/ dry/overcooked seafood. Chef stopped by the table later and offered profuse apologies, thank you. Kitchen needs to rethink how to prep and serve this plate fresh throughout the evening. Celeriac puree in the veg melange was coagulated - needed to be thinned out so that it served as a velvety dipping sauce for the roasted veg. Lightly blanch the brussel sprouts before roasting so that are not under cooked. Positive notes - excellent cocktail menu and solid wine list. Other dishes were spot on in flavor. Good restaurant with potential to up its game with a bit more focus on the details.

One of the best places for tapas in Atlanta. It is located on the west side of Atlanta. It is a little loud and not cheap but great food. The octopus is wonderful and the kale salad with spaghetti squash is great. Great selection of cocktails and excellent service. The staff of the restaurant again was wonderful and very very helpful. Valet parking on 14 street.

Our waitress. Anna, helped us select some delicious options from a very interesting and varied menu of pintxos or small plates. We loved everything we had but the duck thigh and pulpo were special. A nice Tempranillo complimented the meal. We recommend this place highly.

After perusing the menu online and reading all the fantastic reviews, I was excited to try this restaurant. My husband and I, accompanied by two others, visited about 3 weeks ago and found the fare a little inconsistent in quality and the space lacking in comfort. While the overall space is interesting, the four-person table appears to be the same size as the two-person table. We found it cramped and not very conducive to ordering multiple small plates or to sharing. We ordered a variety of pintxos tradicionales and enjoyed about half of those ordered. I really liked the Foie Gras and the Salmon Ahumado. The Tostada de Conejo – roasted rabbit was good but failed to stand out in any way, and my husband found the Pato Ahumado – smoked duck confit – to be too sweet as the tart cherries weren’t really tart. The Tortilla de Chorizo – Spanish omelette, of which I had a bite, wasn’t very spectacular, but then I’m not a fan of omelettes. We also ordered a variety of pintxos especiales and found about half of those to our liking. Persimmon Salad was okay, Perca y Membrillo – roasted rockfish was so strong that we asked it to be removed from the table, Veal Cheek was tender and had good flavor but was so salty that it needed the bed of mashed potatoes it was served on to cut some of the salt. Two of us ordered the Vieras – butter roasted scallops – the first came out cold while the second dish was nice and warm. After hearing the description of one of the day’s specials, a burger with fried lemon slices, one in our group ordered it and was not impressed at all with its flavor even after removing the lemon slices. For dessert we ordered Gateau Basque - Basque cake, Cheesecake – Pecan, and Buttermilk doughnuts. I don’t think any were completely eaten. They were good, but like many of the items tasted, they just weren’t spectacular. All in all, I would've given Cooks & Soldiers 3.5 out of 5 if I could've. I would return to try the "Woodfire grill to share" but unfortunately with the mindset that it's probably not going to be as fantastic as the price would suggest.

I've been here a few times for various occasions: business meeting, ladies' night happy hour, and most recently, I went for a late night dinner (around 10p) with my boyfriend and his parents visiting from out of town. Everyone enjoyed their wine and tapas. Our waiter was very attentive and offered suggestions for tapas pairings and wine choices. We sat outside on the patio with heaters that kept it the perfect temperature. The view of midtown was also a highlight of sitting on the patio.

Free parking nearby. Reservation was promptly met for dinner rush time. The menu has many light dishes to choose from and some entrees for the serious diner. Extensive and complete wine list, concentrated in spanish wines. We were 4 and tried 7 of the small plates, which were excellent , the escabeche, octupus, duck. The rabbit comes whole...a bit too strong flavor....but this must be it. Hailey took really good care of us. We were surprised by the buttermilk doughnuts with two toppings. Would happily return !

We are halfway through our sampling across the Atlanta Top 50 restaurants and C&S and is our favorite food experience so far. Our hostess took a very personal approach to guiding us through the evening. She shared her history in the Atlanta food world and why she liked certain aspects of several of the dishes we considered. It was an informative behind the scene look into how the kitchen is operated. We stayed on the seafood side of the house and started with some surprisingly fresh Octopus. A favorite we learned to enjoy on a recent trip to Greece and have rarely found done well in the Atlanta area. Followed with the mussels, scallops and bonito. Out of these three the scallops stood out for both their plump size and zesty sauce. Great for dipping bread to concentrate the flavors. We have already put this on our standard rotation and will be back soon.

Met a friend here last night for dinner and opted to have a drink at the bar before our reservation. The bartender "made" blue cheese olives for my dirty martini...which was both thoughtful and delicious. He was so accommodating we opted to have dinner at the bar. We ordered several amazing tapas and dishes. When we decided to switch to wine, we were allowed to taste 3 before choosing. Food and drinks were incredible, but the amazing staff here really makes this place exceptional. This was my third visit...but definitely not my last!

I never leave reviews but I had too for this restaurant. It was our first time here and We had such a great experience ! The food was absolutely excellent / reasonably priced. The service is above & beyond. Big thank you to our server Alfred who was awesome! he took great care of us and even gave us a dessert on the house. We accidentally left our leftovers and he came running out to catch us! Super nice of him, we really appreciated it. And the whole staff here is excellent! Every person on the floor from what I could tell was actively working with each other to give great service. People constantly filled our waters, cleared plates, etc...it really is impressive when the whole staff has a great sense of teamwork and work ethic. We will definitely be back!!!

After our first time there we were hooked! The food is great and service is outstanding. Having spend some time in Spain this is some of the most authentic and finest Spanish food this side of the Atlantic. I would highly recommend this place for all your special events.

Really nice dinner spot!! Me and a group of my co-workers dined at Cooks & Soldiers for a Holiday Celebration. The food choices are different from the norm. The small plates are great for sharing and gives you a chance to try something new. The service was excellent. We all enjoyed ourselves. The Atmosphere is great. You can talk and be heard without having to yell. Definitely try the small plates. The salmon small plate, the potatoes (Fries) small plate and the Bikinis (small grilled cheese) are all to die for.

First time here on our anniversary. The tapas are tapas super tasty and the drinks are refreshing. We got about 5 tapas throughout the night. The bikini, the caracoles sofrito ( snail rice dish with garlic parsley cream.) and brocheta de tocino (spiced pork belly) were our favorite dishes. Our server was also very friendly and knowledgeable as she had a few recommendations.

Loved this place. Kept seeing it on Open Table and finally decided to give it a whirl. It was excellent. The service, the food, and the space all impressed. There wasn’t a bad dish brought to the table. Give it a shot. Loved that every single employee had a mask on. Felt very safe.

My wife and I took our son and daughter in law for what we thought would be a nice casual dinner at Cooks and Soldiers. You know, cocktails, tapas, and a bit of wine. What we experienced was really much more. The food was outstanding. We sampled numerous small plates but the one that stood out was the Pulpo. The squid was tender and oh so delicious. Also recommend the Vegetable Melange. Smokey flavor vegetables not too soft, not too crisp. Along with our meal we enjoyed a bottle of the Txomin Etxaniz Handarrabi Zuri, a slightly effervescent rose from the Basque region. It was light and refreshing and perfect with our meal. Can't wait to return and try some of the small plates we missed on this outing.

We went to celebrate national grilled cheese day last night. They were sooo good, but really rich. We also had great wine, marinated olives and a smoked salmon on toast with caviar. Wonderful flavors. You will need reservations. It was packed.

Incredible experience. We came with 12 including one vegetarian and none of us went home dissatisfied. The appetizers were amazing and a couple of guys eat octopus for the first time and were blown away. The vegetarian dishes were incredible and the choices were abound for everyone. One of our friends comes to this restaurant with a vegan friend every time she is in Atlanta so very Vegan friendly as well. And service was casual but very good with great suggestions.

Unbelievably creative and delicious!!! Very informed server who ordered for us. Delicious wines and fabulous small plates to share. They do great things with kale!! A happening place for sure!!

My first time at Cooks and Soldiers was for a birthday celebration. My family of picky eaters enthusiastically eat the grilled octopus, pork loin, grilled cheese( these are elevated to greatness), veal cheek and more. The flavors of all the food seem to "pop" in your mouth. I have returned to the restaurant for other occasions and am always impressed with with how courteous and knowledgeable our servers have been. I can't wait to go back!

We came in late at night and told our server that we were STARVING, and she was ON IT. (Thanks Penny!) The food came out fast and delicious AF. The toasts were all great (highly recommend the Pan Con Tomate and the Caña Klasikoa with goat cheese and pistachios). The Farro y Calabaza with squash, broccolini, and beets (I don't even like beets and I loved this!). And definitely order the meatballs and the Bikini (aka "grilled cheese) so you can dip the sandwiches into the meatball sauce. Mmmmmm... The only thing we didn't love was the octopus and the carrots & eggplant, and the servers literally flipping tables and examining the bottoms of them(?) while we ate. (But I get it, it was late, and that has to get done some time. Still... weird. But a testament to the how good the food was: It didn't stop me from eating every last bite.)

We had business dinner here with 12 people. Free parking was available right next to the building. The reservation was waiting when we got there, the waiters were attentive, and the food was wonderful. Everything was ordered in advance and the kitchen sent out all the various courses at exactly the correct time. The only hint of a problem were drinks as it took a while to get them after they were ordered. And it did tend to get loud. Other than that, I would highly recommend this restaurant.

My boyfriend and I ate here for the first time last week. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by name and were promptly shown to our table. Our server, Justin was awesome which made this special evening even better. The food was incredible and the wine list was extensive. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, and our personal favorite was the Smoked Pork Belly. We stuck with the smaller plates all evening and it was worth to try all the different options. If you’re looking for a (fancy) date night and great food, Cooks + Soldiers is the place to go! Cheers!

We really enjoyed everything we had here. The tapas were great and different, not same old Patatas Bravas! The bar had a great feel and the bar staff were great. Octopus was a little slimey and undercooked, not charred enough for us.

Got dragged there by my friends and a the end of the dinner I was sold. First you must try Fideu of langosta and the octopus. I was pleasantly surprised by the caracoles sofrito ( escargot fried rice, sound weird but it’s really good) the brocheta de froid gras is also wort it. We had the chuleton and for the meat lover our get , just go for it. We’re super full but had the cheese cake who was amazing. I’m definitely coming back!

Nice location, ample parking in attached garage. Our party of four was seated at a very small table, but were promptly relocated after our request to move. Service was excellent and staff was very knowledgeable and helpful in explaining the dishes. We were not impressed with the food. Understandably, tapas dishes are small, but pricey and really not enough to share. Had we been blown away by the taste, the price would've been acceptable.

Really fantastic dinner date for my wife and I to celebrate our 21st anniversary. We love tapas and we were not disappointed- loved the froie gras on toast - great first bite and pairs well with the Spainish Rose Champagne we ordered. Next we had the Shishito peppers with the octopus dish - both very nice and good portions. We also had a very nice mezcal cocktail to spice it up a bit - highly recommended! Next up was the pork belly dish that was amazing - very good portions and just yummy comfort food, perfectly done. And with that we had an order of the fries with manchego cheese foam with duck confit - oh my - that was amazing: I will be back for these and I have raised the bar for “cheese fries” after these amazingly delicious frites! Another good cocktail was the bourbon “Son of a Gun” which was very nice as well. And our great waiter (Alfred) offered us the desert menu and we could not say no - we order the sugar/cinnamon doughnuts (nice but nothing special) but the second dessert we had was the Basque cake - wow wow wow - just exceptional flavors and so light - great finish to a really special night. Thank you Cooks & Soldiers for a great dinner and excellent service. We will be back!

It’s really a shame that we don’t eat here as often as possible, living in Atl. It’s a great atmosphere and fantastic food.

Again wifey and I are out and about check some restaurants in Atlanta as we are newbies. So tonight was our small menu hopping. We stopped at the Optimist first for oysters, more on that in a different review. We then went to Cooks and Soldiers. At first being a northerner I was not impressed with my waiter, I felt he was being pushy. He turned out to be great, provided great advice and gave great service. We came during CHG restaurant week and were treated to a pulled porked appetizer. It was tasty, we had a Spanish Chardonnay which paired well with our food. My wife and I are Chardonnay lovers. We met the owner and the chef, overall a delightful experience

I was really looking forward to Cooks & Soldiers — unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. We weren't as hungry as I thought we would be (I had scoped out Yelp reviews before and had an idea of what to order). So we ended up eating a little lighter. The cauliflower steak was lame, and the ratatouille was even worse. We barely even ate it. The scallops were really good, and we liked the olives, but they were just olives. I think C&S has the potential to be better than it was; it just depends on what you order.

While visiting Atlanta, we did a little research as to which restaurant to try while there. Cooks & Soldiers ambiance, menu and location looked perfect for what we were looking for and thankfully they did not disappoint! I love the small plates concept, as we were able to try numerous items (they all looked and sounded amazing). The wait staff was terrific. They not only knew what they were talking about, but seemed to genuinely love the food. For that reason, we chose two items and let the waiter pick three more he thought we shouldn't miss. Everything was spot-on awesome. We will definitely be back.

Visited the bar and restaurant with wife and another couple on a Saturday night in January 2019. We decided to share the tapas plates and it's a great decision. We tasted pork tenderloin over grits, grilled octopus over garbanzo and egg plant , pork belly skewers, sun chokes with farro, salmon with toast, tuna and foie gras, It was the perfect way to enjoy great tastes and not have too much of anything. I enjoyed a gin and tonic and we all had wine. Try this if you haven't yet.

We went to Cooks & Soldiers for a belated Father's Day celebration, and had a delightful evening. The food did not disappoint and our waitress Laura had spot-on suggestions for wine selection, food choices and desserts. All in all, a stellar experience.

Went to this restaurant for the first time and really enjoyed it. Great atmosphere. It has a varied and interesting menu. The sommelier was very knowledgeable and was able to clarify differences between the choices we were considering. Would definitely return.

Last summer we spent 3 weeks in Spain and I really enjoyed Basque cuisine and was looking forward to a similar experience. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The place is obviously very popular and was packed on Sat night. The music was so loud that we could not hear each other (and I have no known hearing problems), the noise was exacerbated by everyone in the room yelling in attempts to make a conversation. In Europe (including Spain) the level of noise in most restaurants and bars is minimal allowing for a normal conversation. The small plates and the pintxos that we ordered were interesting, but I was hoping to see some traditional options. The wine and cocktail lists were offered a good selection of both. The service was efficient, but our server seemed to be upset (although it didn't affect the quality of the service). Overall, not bad, but I don't understand all the hype. Rather dissappointed.

Now, this is a restaurant worth the trip. Our party of four eagerly sampled a variety of tapas from braised beef on toast points to scallops and duck breast. Every dish that arrived at our table was equally creative and delicious. The Hongos y Setas (incredibly delicious mushrooms) was my favorite. The desserts were equally enjoyable, the chocolate factor could be pumped up in the custard.

We ate here with our teenage son and daughter on a Saturday night, looking for something a bit celebratory and different. We leave for Spain in a week and the Basque cooking intrigued us. Our reservation was ready when we arrived and we were served by an exceptional waiter - who truly made the entire experience exceptional. He guided us through the menu - focusing on hitting just the right amount of food. We started with the Hongos y Setas, featuring just the right amount of truffle, Patatas (a high brow "french fry"), and the not to miss Bikini. While waiting for the pork chops and cauliflower (we elected to have a main) the Iberico Albondigas was enjoyed by those seeking a bit of spice. The Credo y Cidra did take a while - so make that decision with that in mind - however, it was absolutely fabulous. Actually it was so good I would have returned just for that alone. The deserts were wonderful - we had two for the four of us and it was plenty. We will definitely return. The only thing we will do different is ask for a table with upholstered chairs - the chairs were hard and somewhat uncomfortable.

I went here with very high hopes after reading all the reviews. The service was great. The atmosphere was beautiful. The food was just OK. We had octopus, scallops, shrimp and mushrooms. All came out tasting flavorless, cold and stale. Now I know this is tapas, but for what they charge the portion size should be larger. Some of the plates are entree prices and tapas sizes. As far as the specialty drinks are concerned, you need to have the taste for scotch or you will not like what they have. They do have a large wine list though. Overall I would not recommend and I will not be back.

If you have a nut allergy, proceed with caution!!!! Our guest spoke to the waitress with concern about the number of items on the menu containing nuts and the concern for cross contamination in the kitchen. We requested all our items for the entire table be prepared nut free and were assured that this wouldn’t be a problem. However they brought out two items that contained nuts. Fortunately our guest did not consume either item. One you could tell by appearance that it was topped with pistachio nuts and the other was discovered by taste. We were horrified and discussed leaving immediately. Since the dishes don’t all arrive at the same time we gave one back to the waitress and one to the manager. They apologized but our evening could have ended in disaster if we had not been on high alert. If you have the slightest allergy of any kind, avoid this place. They are too careless to accommodate your concerns.

Good wine list with many Spanish wines in keeping with the theme. We shared the Foie Gras, Pan Tomate with Jamon, Octopus(which was awesome), Scallops, and the grilled cheese. Well presented and authentic. Great service.

There are few restaurants where a Vegan can go and have a beautifully prepared multi-course meal paired with great wine. Cooks and Soldiers doesn’t disappoint. I asked to spend no more than $50 and for the server to surprise me. She came back with a five course meal with some things that weren’t on the normal menu. Half plates made it work. The wines were 1/2 glasses (extra). I began with a bowl of marinated olives as an appetizer. Nice! Then the salad - a marinated pumpkin, persimmon, and pepitas. Basically, a pumpkin and sweet potato salad with roasted pumpkin seeds, green onion and beautiful complimentary dressing of herbed olive oil, lemon and pumpkin seed oil. It was paired with an Organic 2016 Ercavio Rosado, Tierra de Castilla DO from Spain. It was among the best salads I have had in a long while. The second course is a farro piccolo and smoked sunchoke with bits of roasted cauliflower and tomato in an orange vinaigrette. The farro tasted like it was cooked in a rich broth. Scrumptious! The wine was a 2016 Columna Albarino Road Baixas DO, again from Spain. Next came roasted carrot and eggplant that almost tasted like it was smoked. It was set atop a hazelnut romesco and topped with peanuts and parsley. Phenomenal! This dish is on the menu, but made Vegan by cutting the honey among other things. The wine was a 2014 Izadi Rioja DOC from the Basque country of Spain. Course #4 was another off menu dish: sweet potato boats stuffed with a variety of sautéed smoked mushrooms with a meaty flavor, pistou, thin slices of marinated red onion, fresh dill and smashed sweet potato. The paired wine was a 2015 Guimaro, Ribera Sacra DO, Spain. It was my favorite of the regular wines. For the finale, they brought me a Vegan chocolate custard with Carmel, espellete and nuts. This is on the menu and is Vegan, but it would be hard to believe. Heavenly. A glass of Verdehlo Madeira from Portugal made the evening complete. These meals are rare, but Cooks and Soldiers is the kind of restaurant that pulled it off beautifully. Thanks to my server, Laura, for choosing a wonderful menu, the chef, Matt, for having fun with my meal and Nick for choosing an outstanding list of wines. If you love all kinds of food I encourage you to put your meal in the hands of those who know best. You will rarely go wrong! Cheers!

This is a great spot for Spanish oriented wine and food. I met a friend and sat at the bar. Great ambiance and nice view from the bar looking outside. We tasted a number of great Spanish wines and settled on a bottle of Tempranillo. Over the course of the next few hours we sampled a number of tasty small plates like their Pulpo and Cordero tartare. Great food and drink - especially for the price!

Came for a casual dinner, the serving staff were friendly enough and knowledgeable about the menu, she had a great wine recommendation. The Pintxos were the lacking part for me, the lamb chops were dry almost jerky like and the grain salad it was served with was over acidic. The scallops were cooked perfectly but everything else on the plate lacked flavor and purpose, butternut squash puree..flavorless. None of the others starters stand out as memorable. Ordered the large ribeye and this part sort of erased the blah first half. The steak was cooked to perfection, was it the best steak I've had? Far from it, but in Atlanta this is decent. The end of the meal ruined all the good that had been done. It was my husbands birthday and they brought out these two biscuits dry and brittle and STALE...unacceptable. we ordered the doughnuts, the cheesecake, and the gateaux. I won't pick apart each one but really their pastry chef needs to go back to school. That gateaux was dry, flavorless, and presentation can't even save you. As a fellow chef, I'd like to say well done for effort but this place reminds me of why we have no Michelin stars in Atlanta. Your at a good start but the journey is longer yet C&S.

We were staying a short distance from this restaurant while visiting Atlanta, and decided to check it out. The restaurant was beautiful, wide open spaces and cozy nooks with tables. The menu was varied, but in some cases non-descript. What we expected on a few dishes was totally not what we received. The flavours were good, however, and it was a great experience. The service was not the most prompt, I'm not sure if it was the location we were seated, but we waited several times for plates to be cleared, etc. Given the pricing on the menu items, we expected a higher-end service quality. I would definitely go back, and hope that the service would be better next time around.

It pains me to write this review. Pre-Covid C&S was one of our favorite places and we've know Fred since Double Zero was on in Sandy Springs and Iberian Pig Decatur was a hot new place. We knew Chris, Marissa, Laura and Cara. Sadly the trials of Covid have the team completely changed over. I get it. Sad. That said the new management still has their CRM system. They should still know we have been there ~100 times. Chris used to come out and welcome us. He'd pour a splash of some cheap white wine or sparkling wine. We drifted in with our waitress (who did great) asking us "have you ever dined here before?" In this era of masks and social distancing, CRM is important!!! The new C&S gives all digital menus. I'd really rather have a disposable one. Usually we take our time and order multiple rounds of food. Having to reload the menu on your phone and everyone staring at their phones made tapas less intimate for a group. The menu has been skimmed down and prices raised. Bikinis are now $9 but still as good as ever. Some portion sizes seem smaller, like the Gem salad which was tiny. See my pics. Also, many of our favorite traditionales were gone like the duck and rabbit. There were also very few Especiales that looked appealing. The albondigas are an exception and were better than before. Wine list is really, really young which is disappointing since Spanish reserve wines are released later and they could have older wines on the menu. The drink list is also disappointing. The cocktails are all gin heavy. The Iberian Pig makes a great Old Fashioned with bacon infused bourbon (delicious ). They can't make it at C&S and their house old fashioned has a BURNT MARSHMALLOW on top. Disgusting thing to do to a fine drink. Make ups on wines by the bottle appear to be about 200-250% above retail. A bit steep. Sadly after several months of cleaner eating, my wife and I both found the salts and fats of the food to be quite off-putting. We both felt bloated afterward, probably because there are almost no fresh options with veggies or lean meats. Yuck. Unfortunately, we will not be back.