Hal's "The Steakhouse" Reviews

The preparation of the food was very good, but this was one of the WORST dining experiences I’ve ever had because of the unbearable noise and slow service. As soon as we ordered it was clear that we should have gone somewhere else. The entrees took 2 hours to get out, and the whole time we had to lean across the table and yell just to carry on a conversation. Also during this excruciating wait, water was dripping on my daughter from the A/C vent. We asked to move, but we were told that there weren’t any available tables. My ears were still ringing when I got up this morning. They did bring us free desserts to “compensate,” but all we really wanted to do was get out of there. For $400, we expected a much more pleasant atmosphere. Huge disappointment and will never go back.

From the moment we were seated, our waiter, Alberto, was right there. He let us know we were in charge of our dinner-order what you want and when you want it. Reminded me of European restaurants where you have the table for the night. It was not our first visit so we knew what to expect. For us a party of 6 celebrating our daughter’s birthday, it was a celebration. And celebrations are loud and fun! My special appetizer of lobster and sea bass for entree were outstanding. The other 5 had fabulous bone in filets. And cheesecake for birthday girl was large enough for all to enjoy. Go for the food and be prepared for a different atmosphere than most restaurants-loud and fun!!

Friends who dine out 3 times a week told me this is the best steakhouse. I had a not so nice dinning experience with my Hal’s Ribeye... The meat was of (at best) average quality, even though correctly grilled. I left half of it and service did not even comment on that. Good that I had a nice company, otherwise would be a bad night.

Hal’s is a little bit of New Orleans trying to be a NY steak house. In the end it comes across as a businessman’s oasis, with a touch of interesting meetups. It is located, unobtrusively off the intersection of Habersham, Roswell, Old Ivy and Piedmont, on a quasi-dead end. With very limited parking, valet is offered and they have the process down to a science. You enter from the side into the bar area, a long highly-buffed wooden structure with about twenty stools, plus 4-5 high top tables. Cigar smoking is allowed in the bar and there were several patrons partaking. With no barrier to the dining area, there is a high likelihood that you will receive a dose, now and then, of the cigar smoke while you eat. In the front corner of the bar is an old-fashioned piano man, singing tunes from the last 50 years. You will never know which decade the next song originated from. The walls are covered with memorabilia, the tables are all wood, wood seats, and the dining area probably seats about 100 patrons. When we sat, the server immediately offered the menus, wine lists and all of the water glasses were filled. He was a NY steak house clone with a southern accent, and he recited the specials flawlessly. We had a large group so we ordered a lot of the appetizers to share. There were roasted and raw oysters, clams, calamari, shrimp, fried crawfish, and others. All of them were delicious. If the rest of the meal was on the same level it would be a great night. My favorites were the fried items. When the appetizer plates were removed, our salads arrived. I ordered a Caesar and it was disappointing, not that it was bad, it was just the run of the mill Romaine thrown on a plate with some dressing and croutons. It was more a time filler than a course. Service between the salads and the entrée was painfully slow. Other tables surrounding ours were served much quicker. When the entrees arrived, and I had my first taste, it was well worth the wait. I ordered the special Chilean Sea Bass over spinach and covered with a lobster sauce. The size of the fish filet was enormous, the size of a good strip steak, and when I tasted the first bite I was extremely impressed. It was cooked to perfection. It had just a tinge of crust and the interior was moist, flavorful and worked really well with the spinach and sauce. It was a major hit. I tasted the strip steak from one of my colleagues and it was delicious, with great flavor and seared to a crispy exterior with lots of butter. It is rare that a fish dish at a steak house is this good. For dessert, we ordered a bunch of them. The cheesecake was probably the best of the desserts, but I thought the addition of the turtle sauce was unnecessary, great cheesecake needs no toppings, and the sauce was over the top sweet. I would stay away from the crème brulée, it was watery and under-sweetened. Overall, I really liked Hal’s. Would I take my family? Probably not; the portions were just too large and the atmosphere is not a family-oriented environment. Make sure you bring a good credit card as it is not inexpensive

I have lived in Atlanta my entire life, and 3 years ago was my first experience at Hal's Steakhouse. It was excellent then, and it's excellent now. I take out of town guests here whenever I get the chance, and I have been doing that for the past 3 years. The steak and wine selection are great, and the staff/ambience is very classy. Keep up the good work Hal's.

We recently dined here for our anniversary dinner. It was a wait but it went by fast while enjoying the bar scene. They have a full bar and everything was great! I highly recommend the oysters, the blackened Filet, 22oz Bone in Ribeye, white truffle macaroni and cheese, barbant with blue cheese, the cheesecake with strawberry, and cremè brûlée. Everything we tasted was amazing and flavorful. I would consider this the BEST steakhouse in Atlanta. The cuts of meat were great in size and taste. The service was exceptional. Our waiter Chad, was friendly, attentive, entertaining, and knowledgeable. Chad truly made the experience enjoyable. We hope to sit in his section next time. Thank you Chad!!! Overall, we will be returning again very soon.

In Atlanta for the weekend. Have heard Hals was excellent so we went. The steaks are as good as you can get, cooked just as ordered, top quality and just the right amount of seasonings. Service was not as good as expected for a top notch restaurant. Kick up the service an it would be hard to find better. Atmosphere is great, noisy and happy. Great place to enjoy a great steak!!

We went for the Steaks! Our Waiter, "Bobby" recommended the Hal's Ribeye 20 oz. It was perfect! I also enjoyed the Shrimp Remoulade appetizer, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions and the Pasta Asciutta (angel hair pasta dish). Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. Bobby was attentive and his recommendations to all our dinner guests were spot on! I will definitely come back when visiting Atlanta!

Hal's is top rated for a reason. Great valet parking to start the experience. Professional, friendly welcome from the hostess desk. Excellent service from our waiter, Doug. Delicious food. Great atmosphere.

I loved everything about this place save one (below). The escargot was amazing! The wine list is fantastic! The service from Jamal was excellent! My steak was amazing! We had a reservation for 7:30pm on a busy Saturday night and they sat us immediately. The ambience is truly old school -- almost "Goodfellas" like -- and was super cool. I will definitely be back even though the temperature was a little high.

Took my wife to Hal’s for our 23rd wedding anniversary, pulled up and place looked promising went to our table and discovered we were out at Avery small barely 2 person table pushed up against a was in a dark area of the place. Waiter was great his name was Shawn , bread was awesome and drinks were good too now for the food , we ordered the not on the menu deep fried lobster not one for eating seafood I didn’t try it but my wife said it was awesome her salad said was horriable for a $10.00 salad I ordered a steak and it was cooked perfectly but was over seasoned with salt that first bite burnt my tongue and ruined my steak I still ate it out of hunger ! It’s not overpricy but not cheap prob give it another try without the table for 2 and the over-seasoning!

Big fan of this place and apparently everyone in ATL is as well! Great crowd on a Tuesday night which is always a good sign. The Filet Mignon was amongst the best cut of meat I've had, cooked perfectly at Medium Rare. Mashed Potatoes were delightful and service was impeccable. On a side note the waitresses were beyond easy on the eyes as well. This place exemplifies everything you'd want to see in a steakhouse. I'll be back.

My meal was so good and filling! I had to take the rest of the food home!! This steak needs absolutely no sauce and the lobster tail was delicious. Hal’s has the best creamed spinach I ever had in my life! Better than Ruth’s Chris! It’s a little dark and loud in there but seriously the best steak I ever had!!!

This is fine for the Buckhead afterwork crowd. The food is average for a steakhouse. Not great, not bad either. But my goodness do they pack you in! The tables are packed together and people are constantly bumping into you. Don't think you are going to have a private conversation because the only way to communicate is to yell and well that ends that because other diners are literally 12 inches behind you. I'm shocked the fire department hasn't stepped in. Anyway I don't understand why anyone would ever go there for a special occasion or with clients - really any of the old stand bye Atlanta steakhouses are better options for that. Side note - gratuity is included on ALL checks. But the waiter may not tell you. So if you don't notice it, consider it an initiation charge if you double tip. And you may not, because the main floor is so dark it is extremely hard to read anything.

I have been wanting to try this place for quite some time. Finally, a friend of mine and I were able to get a reservation the Wednesday following Christmas for dinner. Reservations are definitely needed for this place and in much needed advance. They do have valet, which you basically have to use since there is no other parking. But, it is convenient, so definitely worth it. When I walked in, I was hit with smoke and noticed a cigarette machine to my right. As someone with asthma, this is such a health risk and huge turn off. However, I walked on in to the hostess station and asked to be seated as far away from the smoke as possible. They seated us upstairs to where we could not smell any of the smoke. I started with a glass of pinot noir and my friend just had water. For appetizers, we started with the friend calamari, which was so good. They also gave us some garlic bread, as well. For dinner, I had the blackened filet, which was so good. My friend had the filet mignon, which he loved. We had 3 family style sides: onion rings (very good), sauteed spinach (excellent) and potatoes (excellent). The food and service were great. It is pricy, so be prepared. The only downfall to this place is the smoking and it would have five stars if not for that. This is definitely more of an adult type place and I would not recommend it for children.

Hal’s is always busy and always loud. The upstairs is a little less noisy. Also annoying is the complete lack of self-parking, which seems to be commonplace in Atlanta. You have to valet, so just be prepared. The food is phenomenal. Bone-in filet and truffle Mac are not to be missed! Great wine selection as well.

Wow, I’ve wanted to eat here for a VERY long time. What a disappointment. We took people out for a business dinner and could not hear each other talk. The owners should consider installing baffling to minimize the sound. It was so loud, 20 minutes after leaving the restaurant our ears were still ringing. I feel bad because I chose this restaurant and all anyone could talk/yell about was how loud it was. Then, all of a sudden they turned on music which was barley audible and added to the noise level! What a crazy night and waste of $370 for 4 people. We would have been better off at Houston’s. The hostess was prancing about in a midriff bearing top... and another was seen rubbing on her chest... wow. I would have fired all of them. Certainly not what is expected in a high end establishment. 2 stars because the food was good and hot when it arrived, but the over all ambiance of this restaurant was a zero. I really wanted and expected a much better experience.

We came here with a group of friends before a comedy club. For our reservation size (10) they made us fill out a form that could charge us up to $500 if we didn’t show, but we weren’t planning on bailing so we went ahead with the reservation. Food was amazing. The Brussels sprouts were AMAZING. You may think you will share them, but if you like Brussels sprouts you will want them for yourself. They know their way around a steak and everyone was very satisfied. One friend ordered medium/well and the steak came out well and they were happy to fix it. It’s pricey, but worth it.

Excellent steaks! I mean really exceptional. Good calamari and sides, but not exceptional. Service is friendly and attentive, but not as polished as I would have expected.

We had a reservation for three people at 7pm and were not seated until 7:35 even though we were all on time. We requested a quiet table and were seated in the middle of the room between two large parties; one of which was pretty rowdy. There were smokers at the bar, overall it was very noisy. Our waiter was wonderful. My steak was over-salted. I do not plan to return.

The steaks are impeccable! I had the Ribeye drowned in butter. The cream spinach was awesome. We sat out on the porch, which I would highly recommend if at all possible. The inside can be a little loud.

No Oscar needed ...flavor ! Great atmosphere , even better when someone Els else is paying. Bar tenders upstairs were slow as f)&&)$$!!!!

Impressive restaurant. Excellent food, very good service, busy. Filet outstanding, onion strings buttery and good, pasta sauce uses excellent sweet tomatoes. Garlic bread very good.

Think twice before going to this restaurant, especially on a Saturday night. There are to many there restaurants out there that appreciate your business. We have been eating at this lrestaurant for years and this was one of my husbands favorite restaurants. Not anymore. If you have children or with your family, be aware that they will cram large parties in a small area and these diners do not care about the conversations they are having, plus they are very obnoxious and drunk. Of course, the more drinks the server sells, the more money he makes. The food was always excellent, but now the portions are smaller especially the swordfish and the prices have gone up. We called management twice and they could not give us the courtesy to ever call us back. Even the waiter knew we were not happy- and he did not offer to move us to another table.

it was very nice, the table was great, service was outstanding. the menu had something for everyone steak was cooked to all our request for medium and the medium rare

I ordered the bone-in 14 ounce filet that’s not on the menu with mashed potatoes, and my son, a student at Georgia Tech, ordered the regular fillet with a side of pasta. All of the food was fabulous! The steaks were prepared to perfection. The waiter was very good. He had a great personality. The additional waitstaff cleared plates and refilled glasses promptly. It is very dark inside, and it seemed a bit smoky upon first entering. But, the waiters have flashlights to help if you can’t see the menu. Lol Save room for dessert. The Crème brûlée and the Tiramisu as well as the espresso we ordered to go along with it or fabulous.

The Prime Bone -in Ribeye was absolutely amazing! If you are a steak lover you must try this delicious piece of meat. We shared asparagus and white truffle Mac and cheese and were in heaven. I love the knowledgeable wait staff and the old school understated dim ambience .

I arrived early and was seated in the back of the restaurant (I suppose since I was by myself and didn't have a reservation). My waiter, Scott, was very attentive and knew the menu well. I ordered the baked oysters for my appetizer and three filet medallions topped with crab meat as my entree. Excellent margaritas - they used my favorite tequila that I requested. It does get dark in the restaurant and, even though it was a Wednesday evening, it was quite crowded when I left. Service was very attentive but not overdone and I felt pampered. The steakhouse has been open a long time and they pride themselves on their food and service. I have to agree!

Hal’s is tucked on a small street just off Roswell and Piedmont roads in such a way that our GPS was confused. We got there after cutting through a small shopping center. The only apparent parking option was no charge valet. We waited for all to arrive before being seated (bar area was full and sadly had cigar smoke which costs a star). I had the chop salad which was great, my associates were pleased with the wedge salad and escargot. We all had the filet. Taste was great, I felt it was a little charred. Veggies were average. Wine list fantastic as were the cocktails. Service professional and attentive (only issue was bus boy tried to take plates before we finished). Hostesses friendly. Standout was the valet, they were full of energy and on the ball. The musician in the bar was too lout in the already noisy restaurant. I’d return but would make sure I was seated as far away as possible from the smoke from the bar.

A little expensive, but good was great and portions were large. Had the duck & Lobster bisque...yum!

When we visit Atlanta Hal's has been our go-to restaurant for years. As I stated in the title, don't pass on their veal dishes. While known for their steaks, their veal is the best I have had. Extensive wine list adds to our pleasure! My mouth waters thinking about another visit!!

Hals is my go to place in ATL. It's almost impossible to get a bad meal there. The steaks and fish are unbeatable. The live music adds a great touch along with the wonderful and efficient staff. The bar scene is terrific and the friendliness of everyone involved is hard to beat. Do yourself a favor and try this place at least once…you'll be back!

To say I was appalled at the lack of covid 19 protocol is a understatement. To begin with no temperature checks, no social distancing, no masks mandate except employees. We went there because my husbands daughter made reservations for his birthday. We wore masks and I waited outside until our table was ready. We had reservations at 8 and it was almost 8:30 before we got a table. I felt very uncomfortable in this venue, because they were packed in there. The food was very overpriced and my steak was too too salty. We had a 45 min wait on our food in a overcrowded noisy venue. I would have left but this was my husbands birthday and he looked forward to this nite that his daughter planned for him. Next issue to address was there was a customer so drunk at the table behind us and he kept interrupting in our conversations . The last issue is the dresscode. The dresscode states that women must be appropriately covered and not too revealing. They claim that this eating place is a family reataurant and it felt more like a pickup spot for drunks and ladies for hire. I workout everyday and I truly appreciate good health, body image and class. Upon leaving the restaurant a lady was going in the facility with a 100% see through shirt with no bra and her chest was not covered. Once outside their were ladies in thighhighboots,shirts cut down to thigh stomachs and cutoff jean shorts. It was apparent they were escorts and they had juat left this facility. I felt like I was in a low class bar and I will not go back.if you have a dresscode you should wnforce it and not allow women of the night to come almost naked to your facility.

Amazing food, ambience and great energy. The dinner was far better than i expected and worth the wait. The staff was friendly bubbly and gave great special recommendations.

I had one of the best stack in Atlanta. The food were really good. I enjoyed the ceaser salad and the filet. Also the side dishes.

This is a MUST do in ATL!!! Food is heavenly and way beyond expectations...On to our server..ask for ROBERTO he is just fantastic and you will never want for anything, he is very knowledgeable regarding the menu and wine list, made great recommendations. The only downside is it is noisy and some patrons are obnoxiously loud for being an upscale higher end restaurant which does take away from the experience.

Arrived 30 minutes before our reservation and was checked in and invited to sit at the bar either downstairs or upstairs. We chose upstairs and were promptly greeted and served by the bartender. At our reservation time, a host came to the bar and confirmed our name and seated us. Our party had the filet, ribeye, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts, seafood gumbo and lobster appetizer. Everything was perfect! Service was outstanding. We will definitely be back. Tables are close together and noise level was a little high but it really did not distract from our experience. Prices are consistent with the service and quality of food.

Dined here, on a recent trip to Atlanta for a football game . The loudness of the upper and lower rooms made it impossible to talk even to someone seated next to you. Escargot average, shrimp romelade not good. Shrimp very small. The bread brought to the table must have come from Winn dixie . Come on people. I knew the meal would be sub par from the bread at first bite.Sea bass ok . Nothing to write home about. Little square potatoes served with steak not as good as what make at home.. The filet was the only good thing about the meal. Needless to say we will skip Hal's on our next pre football game in Atlanta.

Went with friends and husband for a nice dinner; my first their fifth time there- entrance impression only valet parking available; lower level looks like a night bar extremely dark and smell of food is everywhere at very entrance but the hostess was nice The food was below average crispy calamari was the best appetizer the escargots were way too salty as was the entree that needed to be replaced; the wine choice was pretentious and overpriced and did not match the quality of food; osso bucco the bone was too dry so no bone marrow the sword fish too salty and the young waiter eager to give his recital of specials had little understanding for relaxed jovial bunch like us and left us offended for having been interrupted more than twice with questions; the poor guy also dies not understand when one pronounced the name of wine and food ( italian) properly as it should be so he needed an interpreter and did not bother to apologize for his attitude

This place is killing it, they were packed with people, and more waiting to get in and the steaks aren't cheap but you get your money's worth. Now this is an expensive night out but it is pretty darn good as the crowds prove. We had a party of 15 and almost everyone got a filet served different ways. I love steak aupoive and theirs was very good. Every fillet is 12 ounces and believe me it is big enough for two. Only 2 people finished the whole thing I am a big eater and left a small hunk which pissed me off but I was full. And then we had desert, we rolled out of there, with doggy bags. I also had escargot to start and it was good and garlicky and served with garlic bread.

Went with close friends for a holiday celebratory dinner tonight - service and food was excellent. Turned when one friend spilled a glass on himself, immediately had two odd “managers” hovering from table at about 10 feet away, monitoring, was odd but dismissed. Later one came over and asked us to stop with our profanities, which none of us were doing. Had further conversation and they said people were leaving because of us (although it was 10:30 pm and clearly they were finished dining). Very insulting after we spent a few thousand on dinner and many of us dine for pleasure and business at local steakhouses multiple times a month — Hal’s if off our list permanently, it was like a thuggish press by terrible managers.

Hal’s was highly recommended. Celebrated my wife’s birthday. Food and service were superb. Expected noise/ conversation level to be elevated. Steaks and sides were wonderfully prepared. Lobster bisque was tasteful and enjoyable. Celebration slice of freshly cut strawberry cheesecake tasted homemade and was more than enough for two to share. Our Server Alberto was excellent and attentive. Valet parking was convenient and the two young men worked quickly and purposeful. Pianists was good, but the music faded into conversations. Hostesses were polite and we were seated immediately although we arrived early for our 715 PM Reservation. Make Reservations. Hal’s is very crowded on Saturday evening.

My husband loves all steakhouses but this is his favorite! The decor here is typical steakhouse (dark, wood and leather, masculine) but the food is superb. My husband would eat their filet every day if his wife and his doctor did not both object. My favorite is the sea bass when it is on the menu - sweet, flaky and moist! The sauteed mushrooms are also delicious. Make sure to ask for Guido!

Omg who is their General Manager or Executive Chef? Serving stale garlic toast to the subpar filet, details are being overlooked. It’s so loud and noisy you can’t hear the person next to you and they are serving lousy food. Just what is the attraction?

First of all, people are reviewing the background noise in this restaurant, so I'll start by saying it's not that bad. If you want a romantic dinner where you get lost in each others words and stares, probably won't happen here. But if you love great food and seeing people not on their cell phones throughout dinner, Hal's is it.

We had a group of 7. Main floor. The jacket code not enforced. Smell of cigar and cigarette smoke was obvious but I got used to it after a while. (No smoking on second floor). Our waiter was very good and took excellent photos on my I phone! The food and drink very good, but pricy. Everyone had steaks but me (salmon)…..the shellfish appetizer for the table was very good. Was a Wednesday evening, crowded! Many regulars. They even reserve stools at the bar.

I dined there again in early January. My previous reviews have of course been deservedly glowing, but in June I took the time to note some room for improvement. I am delighted to say that I saw that improvement first-hand during my recent visit, and I was very pleased. I was first happy to note the the hostesses were dressed in an elegant manner that I found more appropriate to a family restaurant. They are very nice and work hard, so I was happy to see that. The next pleasant surprise was in the wine list. It had been refreshed. Some new wines and more variety with good value for the dollar included. I was especially pleased with the refined champagne choices and with the new California reds. Quite nice. The food and the service were as usual, outstanding. The second floor sitting was as usual more to my liking than the first floor (it is less noisy and a lot less smoky). I don't think that I can claim credit for the changes, but I will certainly say that I enjoyed them. They enhanced an already fine dinging experience. I shall be back. With guests.

We had a very fun group of 23 in a private room. From start to finish everything was amazing. Service was extremely attentive, food delicious, and all had a blast! And we are picky Cocktails especially the dirty martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives were spot on. Steaks perfectly cooked. Sides delicious and the lobster bites off the menu a big hit. Large group parties are often difficult to manage but these guys were pros! If a larger group - and you wanna have a lot of fun Hal’s is your place

This not only a great steak house but i think one of the best in the country. The service is outstanding and the steak was even more than being awesome one of the best steaks I have ever eaten.

In a town where there's a fabulous steak house on every corner, Hal's is a top contender. Their steaks are by far some of the best I have eaten in the south. In several dozen visits over the years I have had only one steak returned, that came out just a little too quick. In all fairness the place was packed with a wait (as usual) and one minor fau pa out of dozens of great meals is negligible. If you want a steak you'll remember or sea bass to die for, you owe it to yourself to find this hidden gem in Buckhead. I suggest a taxi or uber as the parking is valet only or you walk a good distance.

Three of us, professional associates, went here to mix good food and wine with serious business talk. The former was aplenty, the latter was squelched in the most inhospitable restaurant atmosphere - loud, loud, loud! We were seated upstairs, passed through the downstairs area, and both are ridiculously loud. An excellent rating is squeezed into so-so because I couldn't hear you! The appetizer baked oysters were great, and my salmon steak with a spinach side order was very tasty. "My guests' steaks were fabulous," they shouted at the top of their lungs!

Great selection to start with- large party of 18 for us, rather noisy as an old house steakhouse might be. But the ambience is part of it... Easy simple menu, all about the steaks. And an amazing wine list to boot. Given so many people I ordered a double magnum to start- nice array of red wines from around the world, mainly napa (yay!). Oyster appetizers were a hit (cooked and raw). All steaks turned out to be fantastic- all sizes/shapes. One note, the smallest tenderloin is huge, so split it as we did! The Sides were all consumed. Great job to Hal's team!

We have gone to Hals for years and we have always highly recommended this place to any and everyone. We have made special trips to Atlanta just to eat Hals. I guess all good things DO come to an end. My husband and my daughter and I sat at one of the round tables in the bar area. He has always worn a jacket to dinner but for some reason he didn’t tonight. He had on a nice v-neck t-shirt, a Lv belt, khaki jeans, white Common Project shoes on this Thursday evening. As we walked in, the security officer told him he needed a jacket. This was so unusual for us! So he directed us to the jacket rack and stood at the door and held the door watching to make sure he put on a jacket. He never complains. Ever. But putting on some other common place jacket not knowing who or how many people had the jacket previously was about the most disgusting thing. I asked if he wanted to wait and come back some other time. He reluctantly pulled on the jacket and then the officer closed the door and went back to his duties outside. We ordered wine, appetizer and steaks. As we had our drinks and waited for our steak we watched (we were two small tables Away from the hostess stand) a group of thugs come in. The officer brought them to the maître d. They big guy with a black graphic T on carrying a ball cap and wearing about 4 HUGE obnoxious gold chains with a charms stood next to the hostess stand talking to maître d for 3-5 minutes. He finally sat him with a woman and maybe two other men. One of the men had on a white t-shirt with light-colored ripped denim jeans. No one in the ir party was dressed nice or came close to the dress code. Obviously, my “preppy” casual man was none too happy. We made sure to wait until after our food and eat first. As we waited for our food and ate we watched women come in with dark extremely ripped jeans, a blonde guy who was wearing a black ardidas t-shirt, jeans and addidas running shoes. (I have a pair just like them that goes with athleisure). We watched about two more guys come in with t-shirts and jeans on. And I should have taken pictures. My Husband looked like he could play on golf course, these thugs literally looked like thugs. We decided to say something to maître d on our way out . He said he missed them. We told him that was a lie because the thug with all the gold chains on with charms as big as my hand stood there and talked to him. The security guy brought this thug in to him directly. I told him me knew him. He said. So…whAt do you want me to do. We Wanted to know why he had security officer stand over us like he was a criminal and this thug life walks in and looks like he has never seen a jacket and sits down. He said they have DRESS code to keep gang members out. When I say this guy looked like a thug that is an understatement. It was pretty unbelievable. I wish I had thought to get pix of everyone and that would be all you needed to know. I will say that the guys in t-shirts graphic t- cheap t-shirts looked like they belonged in a gang! As long as that HOSSTESS leader is working the clientele will be thug- life. We won’t be going back. We will go to Chops or Rathbans steakhouse. By the way, my daughters steak and mine were both undercooked but we didn’t complain. The Brussels sprouts were not good at all and her mashed potatoes were mediocre. Not really worth $340!!!

I have been going to Hal's for over 25 years and it is ALWAYS great food! Their filets are the best I've ever had! They must have a secret way of injecting butter into their steaks to make them so tender!

Amazing steak and atmosphere. One of the top steaks in Atlanta or anywhere else for that matter! Great ambiance especially upstairs at the bar.

Best food, music, atmosphere and sevice! Hakan made our night very special! Will definitely return😍

Disappointing experience. The service was non-existent. We ordered our steak medium. It came out raw...lIterally. Couldn’t find wait staff to help. Finally we found someone to take it back to the kitchen. It came back...still raw. Like still red/gelatinous in the middle. Servers were absent again. This whole time, my drink glass was empty. I will not be going back...too many other strong steakhouses in the area that deliver a better experience, especially for the price point.

Melt-in-your-mouth filet, exceptional mashed potatoes, perfectly cooked and seasoned asparagus! Great Bar with live pianist playing all your favorites! What else can I say!

The steaks were good, it got very noisy in there, to the point that I could not hear my dinner companions. The food portions were generous and tasty. This is a nice place to go for a special occasion.

I must say I didn't know what to expect other than the hubby and I going on a date to get a good steak. I was a little overwhelmed at first because the restaurant was dark and very crowded. However, it was a unique experience and the steak and creamed spinach was top notch!

I've been to steak houses all over the US, and this is now one of my true favorites. Our ribeyes were cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor, my salad of chopped tomato and onion was both creative and exceptionally tasty...as was our shared appetizer of brussel sprouts. The service was very attentive but not all intrusive, the drink pours were generous, as they should be in a top of the line steakhouse. One hint- we ate upstairs, which was a bit quieter than downstairs and away from the smoke of the bar. (hard to believe any place allows indoor smoking anymore.) All in all, a superb experience for those who love steakhouse cuisine...and who doesn't?)

Got a recommendation from an Uber driver for this place while my wife and I were deciding between Del Frisco’s and The Palm. We went with his suggestion and have to say this was one of the best meals I ever had. We took cues from the waiter on the grilled oysters and were blown away. Both had bone in filets that were cooked to perfection, and complimented it with the lobster Mac n’ cheese. I have eaten at steakhouses from NY to Seattle and this one is in my top five. Top dollar for sure, but worth the money for what we were served. Definitely doing this one again.

My daughter and son have been here and RAVED about how great the 12 oz. filet was. They were so right! We had a fried lobster appetizer. WOW! We had sautéed mushrooms and truffle Mac & cheese! PERFECT meal! Best steak I have ever had and well worth the price!

My wife and I shared our 23 anniversary here for dinner , heard a lot about it and I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could but not 4 ! 1 it’s expensive for the food and my steak was very salty I mean I needed an extra blood pressure pill I think salty place was dark and we were set in a small space with barely enough room pushed up against a wall ! Wait staff was nice but all business the lobster Mac and cheese was great and that’s why 3.5 star prob just for that!

Hal’s Steakhouse in Atlanta was excellent. We had mussels, calamari (hands down the best calamari I’ve had in years), and gumbo, which everyone really enjoyed. For the main courses, we ordered the trout with crab meat, snapper with artichoke and mushroom, blackened salmon, a 12-ounce filet with grilled shrimp, and a 22-ounce Cajun-style ribeye. Everything was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The restaurant was very busy for a Tuesday night, but our server Brandon was outstanding—attentive and professional. Great experience overall. Highly recommend if you’re in Atlanta.

If you go, ask for Jorge - he is a great waiter - Knows his wines, will steer you in the right direction on the type of steak you want. The steaks were very good - not excellent - but very good. The atmosphere is old NYC steakhouse - loud, smokey and full of business guys who are drinking too much and all talking at the same time - kind of entertaining after awhile. For the quality of steaks this place is significantly over priced. If you know your wines they are charging 5 to 8 times what you can get a good wine for.

Faultless service with a smile, blended with a great atmosphere and classic choice of steaks. I look forward to coming back here when I’m back in town.

We have been coming here for many years both as a couple and with the family. Cocktails ate still stellar - strong and delicious. Bartenders are great! Disappointed recently with the quality of the food. Really dry tasteless garlic bread, lobster mac and cheese without any lobster, lobster le beux without any crabmeat but same price. Ordered the Hal's Signature ribeye and got the regular ribeye. Very disappointing. They need ro stop skimping and remember that loyal clientele notice this.

I am 40 years old and had never been Hal's. McCendricks has always been my favorite upscale Steak House in Atlanta. Bones is obviously top 3 as well. But I have to say, Hal's was truly out of this world. I mean, what a meal! I had to go Ribeye and the Jumbo Lump Crabmeat as a side dish. Also, you have to get the Brabont potatoes with garlic and butter. I couldn't stop eating them. Everything was executed to perfection. Pricey but an unforgettable experience. Steaks have more flavor than you think possible. Can't wait to go back.

Amazing food and service! Truly an outstanding meal. We asked for a quiet table away from the bar area and it was perfect. They allow cigars in the bar area which I don’t love, but where we sat it was a non-issue. The creamed spinach is fab and truffle lobster Mac and cheese is beyond! My husband’s steak was beautifully cooked and seasoned, and my sea bass literally melted in my mouth. Will be back!

Hal's is a wonderful steakhouse with southern flair. It has a great neighborhood and local vibe. Ice cold martinis, mouth watering steaks, delicious sides and a friendly staff - what more can you ask for? We hope to be back soon!

Came to celebrate a birthday with friends and family. Absolutely one of the best meals I have ever had. It's going to be hard to top! Our waiter was outstanding. He was attentive and didn't miss a beat. Food was beyond delicious. The only thing that I felt that took away from the experience were the scantily clad ladies with their almost exposed breasts in the bar area. It is still possible to be sexy and classy without looking cheap and trashy. You'll still get those tips without showing your tits. I get that Hal's is an old-school establishment ... but have some pride in yourselves ladies.

I really enjoyed this place. The ambience was relaxed and fun. It is not a quiet place but everyone seams to be having a good time and enjoying the food. Service is very good and constantly looking to satisfy customers needs.

We were here with a group for business and someone had brought along an extra person (without asking). We asked the host to add a chair to our group and he told us it was a fire code violation and offered no alternative to solve the problem. Our hostess had to step aside and work out a solution so that we could all sit down. After that, all was good. Good food, good service, very expensive.

For Hal's to be known for its steaks, they apparently do not know how to properly cook a medium plus steak. The sauteed mushrooms tasted like they had soaked in garlic all night. I ordered the cheesecake with berries, it tasted liked garlic probably due to me eating some of the mushrooms. The server did take the steak off our bill since they messed up on the preparation of it. I have had better tasting food at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. I cannot stay enough the staff was amazing.

My husband thought it would be nice to celebrate my birthday at Hal’s. Out of the entire experience only our food was prepared properly and delicious. We were sat around the corner in the dinning room by ourselves with the view of the valet team parking cars, really put a damper on the atmosphere. If we wanted to eat alone we would have stayed home. Our server brought the decanter for the wine and noticed black crud, he scratched it with his finger nails and said oh it’s on the bottom and then proceeded to pour $145 bottle of wine into it. Appetizer plate was brought out still wet from the dishwasher, steak knives reset with food crusted on it. I appreciate the sentiment of a surprise dessert, but not while we are still enjoying our entrees. Service and eye for details were lacking. In all it was a disappointment.

The menu has a number of items that would satisfy any pallet. We ordered the bone in rib eye with creamed spinach and trout with spaghetti. It was pricy but well worth it. Our waiter, Dennis, was fantastic and provided many menu and non menu suggestions. I’m a foodie and everything exceeded my expectations. Will definitely visit again soon.

First off, why do they call themselves "The Steakhouse" when they essentially only have 2 cuts of steak available? Anyways, the host stand is in the worst possible place. There is no room for anyone to maneuver. And the tables are packed so tight that you can't enjoy your meal because of being so squished. All that aside, our biggest issue is we didn't receive what we ordered. My wife ordered the filet medallions, but instead they brought her a filet. When we asked out waiter he said that he substituted her order out for the filet because it was a better cut of meat. He didn't ask us or give us a heads up. He just took it upon himself to give my wife a different steak because he thought it was better. She also ordered it medium and it came out rare. Needless to say, for the amount of money we spent for this subpar experience we will not be going back. In fairness though, their mashed potatoes are some of the best I have ever had.

Our meals were so delicious, from Hal's signature rib eye steak to the duck. Service was excellent. Hal's is an old-school type restaurant; very noisy in an energetic way. Very pricey, so be prepared to spend plenty. Great for a special occasion dinner.

Paid $275 for a bottle of wine and more for a nice steak. It was a great dinner then the next table started smoking. Asked the manager to this. Was offered to be lived a table away. Didn’t matter - the place stinks all over downstairs. Manager told me I should have known. Uh, maybe you should’ve told me your restaurant smells nasty. No serious steak joint alllows smoking these days. Hal, I have no idea why anyone goes to your restaurant. Food is crappy, place smells. If you want a real steakhouse, go elsewhere.

Wife took me there for my birthday no social distance people was on top of each other bartender was not wearing a mask

I don't eat steak, but my boyfriend does and he loved the steak he had here! Service was excellent! We didn't feel pressure to order lots of wine or anything (he doesn't drink and I had only one glass)! I ordered that chicken and it was great too. Only thing we didn't care for was the chocolate cake that was just flavorless and dry. Would return!

Amazing blackened fillet, good Merlot, average espresso but a great evening! Food was excellent, tender meat, tasty, friendly staff and fun, if noisy, vibe.

We decided to go to Hal’s to celebrate some good news, choosing this restaurant over others in the same category. Big mistake. We had to wait 90 minutes for our table even though we had reservations. The restaurant is dirty and was so crowded that we cowered in a corner while waiting just to be able to get some distance from other people. The tables are crammed up next to each other and we constantly had people bumping into us (mostly wait staff). The staff were wearing dirty clothes. There is smoking in one section but you can smell it all over the restaurant. It was super loud and we had to yell at each other to be heard. Eventually we just stopped talking to each other. The food was average at best. My steak was not prepared correctly and the sides were not special at all. The steaks were extremely salty as well. No distancing and no masks. I really hope I don’t get sick even though I had a mask on unless I was eating. The only highlight was Howie, the magician. He was absolutely delightful and amazing. But not enough to make up for the horrible experience.

Hal's is just easy. It's easy to get to, it's easy to get comfortable, it's easy to like. And when my friend from New Orleans came in, after hearing us rave about Hal's, he found out how easy it was to like everything about Hal's. From excellent cocktails, oysters as an appetizer, with an imitation from Drago's in New Orleans, we moved effortlessly into the outstanding steaks. Ahh, the steaks. They're easy to love, easier to devour. From there, to the dessert endings, was almost anticlimactic. But we left happy. He left impressed. And promised to take his opinion of Hal's back to to N'Awlins - totally impressed.

Hals is one of if not the best restaurant in Atlanta. We went with a party of 4 and all raved about each course - waiter was super and the wine suggestions were a perfect pairing for each meal. We will be back next time local !!!

Service was basically perfect. Super friendly staff and very attentive. Food was good but nothing stand out. Huge portions. Steak cooked pretty perfectly. Sides and starters were all again good but no standouts. Calamari was sliced too thinly and overcooked. Lobster Mac was pretty darn good. Overall enjoyable experience. Service definitely stood out.

It was our friends birthday. What a great way to celebrate! Steaks, martinis, and wine..... love the old feel with low lighting. Two bars, one downstairs and one upstairs. Our waiter was super nice, knowledgable and expedient. Did I mention it was my first time there? Glad I was able to finally go! Hal himself was there and came to our table to say hello. Wonderful experience!

I love Hal’s for old school classic steakhouse. The appetizers need to be updated to include a seafood tower like newer steakhouse, but they can put their version together. Everything is so good the steaks, the fish, the lamb chops stellar. The waitstaff is excellent and the atmosphere is old school library like setting.

I made a reservation at Hal’s over a month in advance. I’m not sure how late you can still make one, but they were quite crowded when we dined there on a Saturday, so my advice is to book early. We arrived around 6 p.m. They feature valet parking in a short loop in front of the restaurant. Note also that when you leave the restaurant, you cannot really turn right (towards Piedmont Ave.) as Old Ivy Road dead-ends just before that for some reason. You enter via a ramp from the valet station. They had a security guy manning the door when we got there, though the area didn’t seem unsafe by any measure. Maybe they have a fair percentage of rich diners and they just want to discourage any sort of ‘invasive’ robbery… When you enter, you are facing an elevator up to the 2nd floor. Turn left instead to the host station. The interior or the restaurant here was very dark. Maybe it was just the transition from the bright sunlight outside to this interior, but as we were led up the stairs beyond the elevator, I had to take it slow and pay close attention to even see the stairs. We ended up circling around to a sort of windowed balcony on the 2nd floor, which was quite light and airy (especially compared to the stairs). The overall vibe I got was ‘money’. This is a relatively expensive restaurant, and the clientele seemed to reflect that. There was significant percentage of ‘old money’ looking tables, along with a mix of families celebrating graduations, and younger tables of people gathering for whatever. There were a few couples like us as well. Service was swift and efficient, as tends to be the case in places like this. There is no shortage of servers and they tend to combine on a table the way pit crews handle formula 1 cars (in a generally good way). We both got the filets, where were both large, expensive, and a good cut of meat cooked very well. There are a few ‘standard’ side dishes also, though you can up-change them. We both liked our mashed potatoes, though the portions there were more modest compared to the steaks. We split a salad which turned out to be a good idea, as even split we each had plenty. We also split a dessert, which was also large. As for drinks, they appeared to have an extensive wine menu. I heard an adjoining table negotiating for what sort of scotch they would get in their cocktail, and the list seemed to go on for a while. So I you are in to higher end spirits, this may also be the place for you. This may have just been related to where we got seated or the nearby tables, but by the end of the meal the noise level had ramped up significantly. It had been much quieter at the outset. I’m not sure which noise level is the norm. Overall, we both liked our meals here quite a bit. It is certainly not a place that we’d go on a whim, but for a rare splurge meal, this is a great option.

Hands down the best Steakhouse in Atlanta. I was in town for a conference and researched several places, even went to Bones the following night but I still wasn't as impressed. At Hal's, my steak came out within 15 minutes of me ordering it like they literslly put it on the grill after the waiter put our orders in. Delicious cheesecake as well. Must try.

As a frequent traveler to Atlanta, I’ve always heard to eat at Hal’s. I was excited and was looking forward to a great dinner. Valet was great. I visited with some co-workers and at first we went to the downstairs bar area. Immediately after being seated, my eyes were watering. I turned around and there were several gentlemen smoking cigars. I was surprised that’s allowed in Georgia. Immediately, I asked the server to move. We were then seated up stairs. This time near the area of the traffic of where folks were walking including servers. I was frustrated and it’s hard to eat with so much commotion around. I felt like I was at the circus. It was a Monday night, not a typical busy Saturday night. It was storming that evening so that may have caused some disruption. I left almost all my steak on my plate. They didn’t even ask why? I think they knew they were getting on my nerves. Again, I’m professional and gave them a great tip and left. The rest of the week was perfect in all the restaurants, I visited. Not sure I’ll give them another chance but if I do, I know to run up stairs far away from the smoking.

The steaks were excellent as was the service. I was a little thrown by some of the negative reviews I read here but yes, the steaks are dearly priced. Good steaks are in that price range at all tier 1 steak houses. If you want inexpensive steak, try Western Sizzler. True, the service is not swift. If you are looking for speedy service go to McDonalds. On the other hand, if you want excellent steaks, delicious side dishes and unhurried, knowledgeable service this place is tops. Don't know how I missed so long but it is now on my A list.

Our group of 12 had dinner here in this traditional, classy steakhouse. We sat upstairs near the bar area and were delighted with the service and food. The dirty martinis were perfect as well as the appetizers, main entree (filet) and sides. A wonderful establishment in Atlanta.

We enjoyed Hal's on my birthday as a special treat last weekend. It was an amazing meal and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The portions are huge, and my date and I split a 12 ounce filet and still had steak to take home afterward. Our server, Guido, was very efficient and helpful with suggestions on the menu, and on wine selections. Here is what you need to know before you go. There are two levels - upper and lower. The lower level is somewhat dark and noisy and the tables are close to one another. We sat along the wall for a bit more privacy. The upper level is a little more open and not quite so dark. Service is excellent, but don't go if you are in a rush. It is a place to relax and enjoy a wonderful meal. Overall - a great experience.

Beware of serious smoke in the bar. Great food but ruined by a few local smokers who inundate the bar with their cigars. Would not have gone here if I knew that. Ventilation is not sufficient.

You would think that a high end steakhouse such as Hal's would have NYE down to a science. We waited an hour for our reservation, and if it wasnt for our diabetic friend might have waited another hour. There is no mention of not bringing your own wine. This is the only place it ATL that doesnt allow. I eat at great places and this was disappointing. I'm in the customer service business and they flat told us after our wait that we could not have our wine. To me, I would accommodate anyone that had to wait that long. I was not the only one, as many other people were saying the same thing

Last week had dinner at Hal's. The restaurant has a great reputation and is a favorite for the locals in the Buckhead area. I found the food and service are excellent. However, the noise level was almost unbearable. The place was crowded and even the waiters had to lean over next to each guest to take their order. Also, there is an isolated, enclosed area near the bar where cigar smoking is allowed. So you frequently get a whif of cigar smoke while dining. Hal's has excellent food and service. So if you are not bothered by noise its a great place to visit. However, it is not a place for conversation or business to be discussed.

First time visitor to this long established very popular restaurant. If you like steak this is the place. With a great atmosphere and nightly entertainment this restaurant is nicely laid out with bars on both floors and the service is very friendly and attentive. The variety of dishes is extensive and they also have a great wine list to suit all pockets. Very popular so recommend you make a reservation. Will definitely look to return the next time I am back in town.

I enjoy the food at Hal’s and the service is exceptional when they are not busy! But they have always been busy when I’ve visited. I would definitely make sure to make reservations before heading over for dinner. The Trout Almandine with Pasta is my favorite!

Hal’s at one time was wonderful for intimate fine dining. It has radically become the place for young up and coming, networking folks (for whatever reason). The steak is superb but hard to tell anyone because you can hardly hear. While smoking is identified for one particular area, smoke does not know. Fried onion rings are delightful. Wait staff works hard to please. So loud not sure we will go back.

This place is good. I want to say that first. We eat at a steakhouse for our anniversary and Hal’s was next on the list. We hat hit some biggies in ATLANTA; Bones, Capital Grill, Pampas, etc. and this ranked right up there with the food. The atmosphere is much different. Hal’s looks like the Mob runs the place. It’s dark and tables are packed in really tight. Compared to the noise at Bones, this place sounds like a mix of a train station and a guy juggling chainsaws. It’s loud and somewhat distracting. It’s amazing food, but be aware that you might be shouting at times to hear each other. Still, I would highly recommend giving it a try!

Classic steakhouse. The place is packed on a Thursday night. Can’t even get to the bar. Seemed like sportcoat for men’s dress attire. Lots of choices for red wine, but all very expensive. Ribeye was excellent. Best steak I’ve had in a long time. Rack of ribs was excellent. Lobster bisque was excellent. All the complaints, bottle of red wine was served cold. Red wine should be served at room temperature. And crème brûlée was slightly burned where they overused the torch on the top of the desert. Overall, good service, fancy place, and excellent food.

This is by far the BEST steak I’ve EVER tasted! Cooked and seasoned to perfection! Had Oysters, lobster Mac, mushrooms, salad and brownie cake. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT! It’s pricier than most but so worth it

We had a business dinner at Hal's while attending a conference. This is a old style steak house! The food was amazing. Even though it is a steak house I had the sea bass special and it was outstanding. Friends had the bone in rib-eye which looked unbelievable. We had calamari and beef carpaccio. Both were excellent. The wine list is extensive and there are many reasonably priced wines to choose from. We had a Malbec from Argentina. I was glad I was on an expense account when the bill came. It was worth every penny.

There is a piano bar that is piped through the restaurant, so if you're looking for quiet, this ain't the place. They do have an excellent wine list and the steak was perfectly prepared and terrific. The trout was ok. Service was impressive.

We went for my birthday a couple of months ago and everything was great. The entrees were great and the table ordered some sides that were absolutely outstanding. We had brussels sprouts flash fried with applewood smoked bacon and caramelized onions and they were hands down the best I've ever had. We also had mac and cheese with truffle oil that was to die for. It was crowded and can be a bit loud, but the food is definitely worth it.

I’ve been going here for 10 years. This is by far the best steakhouse in Atlanta. Their martinis with blue cheese olives are amazing. For appetizers, we had mussels and the lobster laboe (don’t know if that’s how you spell it). Main dishes filet, Hal’s ribeye and lamb chops. Sides white truffle Mac, mushrooms, and creamed spinach. For dessert, they gave us a complimentary tray of dessert (4 items). Our waiter Evan was stellar. The service was impeccable, truly 5 star.

As a frequent diner and local restauranteur i must say that this place has run its course. Dinosaur comes to mind! If your still hanging with the Johnny's Hideaway smoking crowd then this is your place !! A couple of D's come to mind. Dark,Dirty,Dinghy and DONE! But lets be fair. The steaks are still outstanding. The service is still OK depending if your lucky enough to get an old timer to wait on you, and the cute bartenders over pour every drink. Bet their making good$$$$ !! And oh and yes, the piano guy is amazing!!! But that's where it ends. The place looks very very tired. The hardwood floor bar top is a petri dish of i don't want to know. How anyone could eat there is beyond my gag reflex. The bar downstairs looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 10 years, Very appetizing! Dinner upstairs is at least tolerable but again very unappealing and dated. The wait staff acts like their doing you a favor just waiting on you. Each one of them need to learn what HOSPITALITY means. We got the distinct feeling that this place was on the down slide and that ownership is just riding the storm out. With so many better options in the buckhead area i can't believe that this place still survives. So, in closing, if a great steak in a dated, dark,dingy and smoke filled restaurant sounds good to you then run there and enjoy yourself!!

We went to Hal’s for a graduation dinner. The steaks were awesome! My bone in rib-eye was soooo good. My wife’s filet was great as well. There were 6 of us and our waiter Jeff was excellent. We are relatively new to Atl Buckhead and will definitely be back!!!

The food was appalling, I ordered well done steak and it came out pink! The ambiance was awful too and the security outside is totally rude and looked me up and down as if I do not belong there

Last Saturday some friends and family gathered at Hal’s to celebrate! Although a little crowded on the first floor, the bartenders made drinks that more than compensated for the wait for a table. Of the seven of us, four had steaks and the other had lobster as the main course. What can I say? Both were absolutely delicious! The service was excellent: the waiters displayed a real desire to ensure our satisfaction. I wanted to have the veal, which I gathered was excellent and had been recommended by a friend, but I went for the steak and oh boy! It was wonderfully prepared and filling. The sides were excellent as well, and the prices were reasonable. If you are ever in Buckhead—a fairly ritzy area in north Atlanta—give Hal’s top priority. You will be glad you did. But, make a reservation! It was packed!

The appetizer and salad was good. The bread was alright. We left because the restaurant does not believe in social distancing. We arrived for our reservations @6pm by 7pm it was so crowded, we had to leave. If you don't care about the pandemic, then you visit this restaurant.

We booked a table last minute as we were going to comedy show across the street. Seated right away. Ordered salads and just after starting they decided to a a fried lobster tail which came out in like 3 minutes. Filets were excellent. Brian provided outstanding service. All around great experience.

My friend and I went to celebrate our Bday 🥳. It was nice we valet parked. It was only $5 The atmosphere was nice. My friend and I had the snapper she had bake and I had the fried. It was a good size but it was missing the season for me I had a side of Mac n cheese and it was missing the salt. The garlic bread was good. We don’t drink so we had a glass of coke. I will go back and try the steak which they are none for. I waiter was awesome.

The ambience is great for a date with that special someone. The food was amazing and the service was great. However I felt like our waitress was a little over bearing.

We have been dining at Hal’s on Old Ivy for many many year, Decades, We love & plan & look forward to our next meal at Hal’s each time we make a reservation from the time we decide to return till we get there. We have probably had everything ever served on their menu & specials. My 2 most favorites are the filet, & filet Oscar style, & the Chilean Sea Bass sautéed so the outside is crispy & the inside is creams & delicate but not raw & gooey. It is in my opinion best served with creamed spinach & the fin curly fried onion threads served on top like a piece of edible art. The only problem is I love to have left overs & my husband loves to eat his dish & mine as well so there is rarely any leftovers. We have celebrated may special meals here birthdays, anniversary’s & graduations, friends visiting from out of town or out of the US. It is one of our very favorite restaurants of all in Atlanta area.

When we first entered it was the bar area - cool old school bar vibe but very noisy. We proceeded to walk up a few flights of stairs. There is an elevator. Got to the dining area, again so noisy you would not be able to have a conversation during dinner. Luckily, our hostess go us out of that room and into a lovely air conditioned sunroom. It was perfect. Our waiter was very good. I had wanted a Basil Hayden Dark Rye but they did not carry it. Our baked oysters were tasty,and so were the filets and sides. Creamed spinach and sauteed onions were prepared nicely. We will definitely be back.

1. Table of 10 booked weeks ahead for 8PM on Sep 27th. Table wasnt ready until 8:30 after multiple trips to the seating staff zero apologies - they just didnt care 2. After seating drinks orders were missed / wrong wine brought out (more expensive than ordered) 3. Didnt get food until almost 10PM!? Half of it was wrong or not cooked correctly and had to be sent back :( 4. When the updated food came back one of the steaks (supposed to me med-rare) was COLD in the middle - like fridge cold. Was disgusting. Asked for the manager and he just didnt care - took the food away and nothing else came back leaving 1 diner with no dinner! 5. Bill was completely wrong! Instead of taking off the bad food they 'comped' the sides and left all the food orders on the bill! 6. When talking to the manager after he didnt say anything - wouldnt even engage in a conversation. APPALLING experience - never again

A really great steakhouse. I spend so much time in the Buckhead area in Atlanta, mostly visiting family, that I was surprised that this restaurant had escaped my attention. I heard about it while being driven to Aria in the hotel car because the couple accompanying me were going there and I later heard that they had loved it. My mother and sister, who were my dinner guests that day like steakhouses, but they are very hard to please. They loved it. Points for me! They have two floors and there are bars in both levels. The lower level is smokey, dark, noisy and fun, but if you are not looking for that, perhaps the second floor is a better alternative. Be prepared to use your phone flashlight to read the menu, however. We sat in the the first floor dining room which has a view of the open kitchen and the bar. It is smokey. Annoyingly, this is yet another Atlanta steakhouse where cigar smoking is permitted at the bar (I do not know if they allow smoking on the upper floor). Their air system is very efficient, but I still despise the smell of cigarettes or cigars while I try to eat. Still, I only got a brief whiff of cigar smoke. Most of the time you smell the smoke from their wood cooking fires. In fact, when I got back to my hotel, my clothes smelled of the cooking smoke (and it smelled delicious). The service was excellent and the food was really great. We started by sharing a lobster appetizer. The lobster was beautifully tender and quite delicious and my sister had it for her entree which was also perfectly cooked as was the lobster in the penne and cheese side dish that I ordered with my steak. We all had the lobster bisque. We all agreed that it was too salty but it was so good that none of us would send it back. It was, other than the saltiness, the best I have ever had. It was not overly laden with cream. Rather it was a beautiful balance of light creaminess and delicious lobster stock flavors with perfectly cooked small pieces of lobster meat. I had their signature steak, a bone-in ribeye trimmed to the eye. It was seared beautifully on the outside and rare as I requested inside. It also remained warm throughout the entire meal (and it took me a while to eat this generous portion). I found that especially surprising because it was a cold winter night and the plate was not heated. So they carefully cook their steaks and the result was truly enjoyable. The use of butter to finish it adds to the flavor and it was not overly salty as can often be the case. It was very crusty on the outside and perfectly red inside. My perfect steak. My sister had the lobster and a small filet mignon. The surf and turf was not listed on the menu, but the waiter immediately told us that they had it when we asked. My sister found the steak, which she likes (oh the humanity) well done, to be perfectly cooked. Cooked through, but not dried up. My sister loved their onion rings and the brussel sprouts with bacon (I thought the sprouts were a bit overcooked). The lobster penne in cream was delicious. They have an extensive wine list and our waiter told me that it changes often. It had very good wines at reasonable prices and a lot of very expensive ones and all kinds of things in between. What you would expect in a fine steakhouse. Mom regretted having a big lunch. We will have to go back the next time I am in the ATL.

New Year's dinner and we enjoyed every bite! Okay, we couldn't finish it all but OH MY, it was delicious. The snapper with artichokes and mushrooms was divine! The guys really enjoyed the steak.

Great food, live music, and two very large bars. The downstairs bar is a cigar bar, and it was full. The staff was excellent, food and presentation was great. I had the 12 OZ Filet and it was done perfectly, along with a side of asparagus, and small potato. We had Osters for an app that were really good along with escargot. Great wine, beer and drink selection.

So in Atlanta this is a legendary restaurant known for awesome steaks and fantastic service. Well tonight they lived up to every expectation we had. We had a small group, a table of four. Everything from the appetizers to the salads to the steaks were awesome. The steaks are some of the best I've ever had. I personally had the Rib eye and it was excellent. My wife had the Filet and she said it was nothing short of perfect. The other couple also had steaks and were equally excited about the quality of their meal. I loved the ambiance of this restaurant and our service was great. We will definitely be back in the near future.

Hal’s is fantastic food, there’s no denying that! The staff is friendly, fun and attentive. Definitely see Sam and Lacy at the upstairs bar, they are so fun!! But if you are dining on the weekend, understand that your 9:15 reservation means you are being seated at 10 PM. And that sucks! Especially if you book a party to come out and celebrate with; they just can’t seem to manage their throughput. But the food is stellar and the staff is awesome so as the locals say “it’s worth it.”

Dear Sammy and the Hal's Team, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the remarkable response we received following our recent visit to Hal's. As you may recall, our initial experience was marred by an unfortunate incident that left us deeply disappointed. However, the next evening, we were pleasantly surprised when Sammy, one of the owners of Hal's, reached out to us personally. Sammy not only offered a sincere apology but also took the time to thoroughly investigate the situation. He reviewed video footage, consulted with staff, and engaged in a thoughtful conversation with us, listening attentively for over half an hour to our feedback, which he carefully noted. During our conversation, we emphasized the importance of a more measured and discreet approach when addressing issues related to attire, especially in situations where there might be ambiguity. We suggested that assessing the situation calmly and consulting with management first would be a more considerate approach, and Sammy wholeheartedly agreed. He even mentioned that he would bring this valuable insight to the next staff meeting to ensure such incidents are handled better in the future. In addition to addressing our concerns, Sammy showed incredible compassion and understanding regarding my partner's health condition. He went above and beyond by sending a stunning bouquet of flowers with a personal note to my partner, Carita. This gesture touched our hearts deeply. We are genuinely appreciative of Sammy's dedication to making immediate changes to the dress policy and improving the way such situations are managed. It's evident that Hal's is committed to ensuring every guest receives the respect and consideration they deserve. We now look forward with anticipation to revisiting Hal's in the near future, not only to experience your renowned cuisine but also to say hello to Sammy and, hopefully, meet Mr. Hal himself. Thank you once again for your swift and compassionate response. It has truly turned our initial disappointment into a positive and hopeful experience. Warm regards, Matt

The place was packed but with smoking allowed at the bar inside and wood floors and high ceilings it is also extremely loud. Food and service were average. I won't be going back as there are many other good restaurants available.

Words are not enough for Hals steak house my husband 50th dinner was more than exceptional.They made use feel good and our server Jamie gave us the best advice on the steaks and sea bass. Jamie was like a football coach when he told us the specials for the night. We loved it Thank you Jamie for great service in the middle of a pandemic..lol

First off, make a reservation a couple of weeks in advance, especially if you want to go on a weekend night. The place is consistently packed. Our server Jim was excellent, and had great recommendations. The one thing I'd suggest are more non-seafood appetizers. For drinks, I had the Old Fashioned & my wife had a Kentucky Mule. Foodwise, I started with a caesar salad. For entrees, I had the Hal's Ribeye. It is one of the best steaks in Atlanta, bar none. Had mashed potatoes as the side. My wife had the Filet Mignon, which she thoroughly enjoyed. For added sides, we got the Brussel sprouts & truffle mac & cheese. Everything was just phenomenal. They had live music playing while we ate, which was a great touch. The place has the great "old school" steakhouse feel, and the entire menu delivers. Valet is a minimum of $5 or park in a lot next door with ParkMobile.

Food/service good. Discrimination at the door and in restaurant. No social distancing. Never going back.

Great bar scene. Amazing steak. Fun night. Don’t forget to get lobster lebeau if they have it as a special

Visited with adult children on a busy Friday evening. Table off the bar. The restaurant is extremely noisy and smoky with cigar and cigarette smoke. We couldn’t hear the waiter recite the specials. We ordered cocktails to start and could not believe how strong they were. We enjoy a stiff drink but these were ridiculously strong. Switched to wine. Seafood appetizers and salads average not great. Garlic bread good. The saving grace was the quality of the steaks which were outstanding. Service was friendly but the waiter spilled clarified butter off one plate to the floor narrowly missing my son”s girlfriend. Too crowded for great service; the waiters have no room to maneuver. We probably won’t return notwithstanding the high quality steaks. None of us could hear each other and with so many great steakhouses in town we’ll opt for different vibe where we can have a conversation and enjoy a less frenetic pace.

I’ve eaten at Chops, Bones, & MaBellas steakhouses- my 3 Favorites until I dined at Hal’s- my new Fave #1! The VERY BEST. “Pittsburgh grill” steak I’ve EVER had! Perfectly grilled to a medium rare plus temperature! Delicious sides & wines complete the meal for a perfect 5 rating! Price comparison to MaBellas is high, but it falls in line with Chops & Bones!

This was our 3rd visit...shrimp remoulade and grilled oysters still great...filet was very good but not outstanding (for the price)....I tried the lobster bisque and while it was pretty good, it was not the creamy bisque base I am used to...it was in a thinnish (not watery) brown (perhaps dark roux with a seafood broth base) base and I did not care for it very much. Be sure to request seating if it matters to you! We had reservations and the restaurant was packed....after waiting at the jam packed poorly placed hostess stand, we were finally led around through the restaurant and then back to the front as our presumed seating was not available ...up a very steep set of stairs to a small room that contained TWO pre-set tables for large groups and our ONE small two seater table.....loud groups (not their fault) and poor placement as well as small table really diminished our pleasure with the experience.

My husband travels all the time and no other restaraunt has made him change his mind that Hal's bone in filet is the best ever. On a side note I highly recommend making reservations in advance. My husband and I got lucky last night that our concierge at the JW Marriot was able to get ahold of someone on staff there who squeezed us in.

As usual, Hal's meal was a dining experience! Excellent food. Extensive wine list. Reasonable pricing for an upscale restaurant. Valet parking.

Great atmosphere, great steak, great appetizers and excellent service. The 12 oz filet was cooked to perfection and delicious. Also was thoroughly entertained by the piano player, great job! Can't wait to return! As a bonus got to meet Hal what a super guy!

Excellent food and service! Fun place; but, a little noisy for me. We ate upstairs and the chatter was very loud and everyone seems to scream at each other so they can be heard. I certainly would not recommend this place to discuss business for a large table.

It is an annual tradition to for a special a Birthday Day celebration at Hal's. They have in my opinion the best steaks in Atlanta. We were disappointed this trip. It started off with the parking valet. They only had one when we arrived and there were empties in front of the restaurant so we had to wait on the street until the attendant showed up from parking a car. He was hustling with a smile. He took our car to park leaving they others in front of the entrance to the restaurant. Our steaks were not like they have been in the past. They were cooked to perfection but were too salty. We mentioned this to our waiter and he told us others had mentioned that also. We we left the restaurant there was a line waiting for their cars. They still only had the one attendant. He came running up to all of us and got tickets from everyone waiting - about 5 of us. Then ran off with the keys for everyone. The first on up was ours. We felt bad for everyone else still waiting. The attendant still had a great attitude and was still hustling. Really felt bad for him.

I dined there in April to celebrate my mother’s birthday, and again in May during Mother’s Day Weekend (mom really likes it). My fourth and fifth visits, if memory serves me. We again asked for a table on the second level. Still loud, but no smoking at the bar and a lot less of the cooking smoke smell as well (it was all over my clothes after my first visit with a first floor table). The food and table service are great, as usual. The oysters bordelaise and lobster appetizers for the table were wonderful. I prefer the lobster bisque to the frankly disappointing gumbo. I have now tried the regular ribeye and the signature ribeye. I prefer the slightly smaller signature because they get a nicer crust on it, at least on one side, even when perfectly medium rare. The butter finish is also to my taste. The bone-in filet was delicious, and juicy, even when ordered well-done (not my taste, but, c’est la vie, my mom and sister like it that way). Sides of lobster mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts were quite nice. Hot pudding with ice cream, to share, was wonderful with a glass of port. But I have covered much of this before. Let me take a moment to discuss the things that I wish would improve. The hostesses are perfectly friendly and welcoming. But I can do without the much too tight and revealing outfits. It’s a restaurant. Families go there. Elegant and modest would work fine. This and the smoking mean not child-friendly to me, which is ok. But adult-uncomfortable with family is not great. Less seriously, but important nonetheless, the wine service is not up to the level of the food and table service. They do not allow you to bring your own bottle for any uncorking fee, which is unusual. That meant that on both occasions our table had to wait several minutes for the champagne to get cold enough. And my first red wine choice was not available. I don’t mind the splurge. I gladly treat myself and family and friends to a nice meal. But I won’t waste money on restaurant wines, especially when the table will have multiple bottles. For example, I regularly drink Cliquot at home, had a bottle at home the day before. But the price difference between Veuve and Chandon at the restaurant is more than I can abide. I won’t do it on my own dime, and I would not be extravagant on someone else’s or on an expense account. Sorry. These are peeves. It’s a great restaurant. I just suggest some improvements.

First off, the food and service were great. Had the grilled oysters to start. Definitely recommend. My problem was the place was absolutely packed and the tables are right on top of each other. The staff is wearing masks, but it seemed pointless with so many people seated in the place. We should have gotten up and left, felt unsafe. Would definitely not go here again until COVID is over. I pray we don’t end up with it in a few days.

Visiting Georgia's World Congress Center a couple of weeks ago for an international expo and while downtown Atlanta offers a ton of historic southern fare options as well as many contemporary opportunities, we choose to venture to an Atlanta classic in the Buckhead market in Hal's on Ivy. While the dark and somewhat oak grill haze reminds you of some basement located Fremont St steakhouses in the old Vegas strip where The Rat Pack may appear at any moment, the Cajun themed menu of spectacular gourmet steaks and seafood, including a multitude of raw, baked and grilled oysters for appetizers or a snack with your 100's of selections of spectacular wines makes this an exceptional choice for any occasion and while an after dinner cocktail usually suffices for the closer on a dinner of this magnitude, you cannot take the check without a scrumptious heaping helping of Cajun bread pudding ala mode with an outrageous bourbon sauce. This was the first trip to this highly recommended restaurant for 3 of the 4 of us but will not be the last.

Food is pretty good, but not great. Very loud atmosphere and tables jammed together. Excellent service, but go elsewhere

We came for a birthday dinner. I request a quiet corner where I can talk. We were seated at a quiet corner as requested...thank gawd! Andre, our server, was great. The food was delivered piping hot (except for the expresso at the end..luke warm) and the service was friendly. I am SO GLAD that they tucked us into a quiet corner around from the main dining room. When we left, the noise in the main room was too loud and with the music from the bar...no way I would eat in that room.

This is one of my favorite restaurants and I think the best steak in town. The filet is perfect and their sides are bonuses.

We took a friend from out of town to Hal's for dinner last evening. Another friend has always raved that Hal's had the best filet in the city. Well admittedly the food was quite good. But the service was awful! We waited and hour and a half between the 1st and 2nd courses and got some lame excuse about a new computer system. A manager did come over to apologize but offered nothing else like a drink or dessert. They clearly didn't care if we came back or not. I don't know if I'd give them another chance. But for the food being quite good I'd definitely never go back.

This is my favorite steak of anywhere in Atlanta. The quality is consistently tender and flavorful. I also enjoy their flash fried oysters and creamed spinach but everything I have eaten has been good. They also have good service. Love Hal's for a birthday dinner because it is a little bit pricey.

I have visited steakhouses across the entire country . its not uncommon to see price gouging that almost always leaves me with a..."i could done this so much better at home for fraction of what this cost.". I honestly can't say that about Hal's. My filet was freshly cut, tender, perfectly seared and done exactly the way i ordered it. the Cognac and peppercorn sause is fantastic. extensive wine list that was very nice, even by the glass.

We go here almost every year for birthday celebrations. There are other fine steak houses in Atlanta but you will find many business/convention patrons at them. Hal's is where the locals go for great steaks. Yes, the entrees are expensive but we can never eat all of our steaks because of the huge size.

This is one of the darkest restaurant I've ever been in but the food is awesome and the service is exemplary. It's a classic in the Atlanta culinary scene and amongst a city that boast some very renowned steak eateries.

We walked into Hal's to a jam packed bar and were immediately escorted to our table. The restaurant is hugely popular for people of all ages. You will primarily be joined by many older and middle aged people as well as young sexy dressers in groups. It reeks of old Buckhead money. The décor is classic elegance as you would expect for a long-time Buckhead restaurant. The cocktails flow non-stop and Hal's offers a wonderful selection of tasty choices to suit your desires. We had dirty martini's and wine both were right on point. The prices are high but if you want quality and excellence, this is the place to go. The food is perfection! We started with the chopped salad filled with yummy chopped lettuce, tomatoes, crunchy celery, cucumber, bell pepper, and sprinkled with blue cheese.bacon and a wonderful vinaigrette with the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Hal's know how to prepare steaks with "James Beard" expertise. Each steak is served with beautiful, simple seasoning, grilled, crispy edges and a center prepared according to your requested temperature. Creamed spinach and garlic bread accompanies each steak. The creamed spinach does not prove to be a filler veggie. It is creamy goodness with a hint of garlic which marries with an excellent steak like wine goes with cheese. We ordered a side of Truffle macaroni and cheese made with penne pasta, loads of cheeses and cream and the evidence of delightful truffle flavor. You will want to pause and enjoy it's rich, deliciousness with eat bite. We opted not to have dessert because we were so incredibly satisfied. Bottomline: we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Hal's and can't wait to return for a meal again soon. Guido was our server and he was very attentive and friendly even in the midst of busy tables.

I am over Hal’s. They want a kings ransom for food that is no better than your average midrange diner! I have been here many times and have not been happy with the food. Actually I have left ILL after eating the lobster mac & cheese. Everybody complained about the salt on their food. There are 1 million better choices in Atlanta!!

Oh my goodness, the food was absolutely amazing. And our waiter, Mike, was pretty funny. I had one of the evenings specials, which was steak medallions served Oscar style. Our table also have the brussels sprouts and the truffle mac & cheese as sides. Everything was absolutely fantastic. Great place for a business dinner. The only thing I really did not like was that they allow cigar smoking inside. That was a bit intense, and is the only reason I am not giving them five stars.

This is the best place in Atlanta for a steak! The service is firsts class. The food is by far the best of any I have ever had anywhere. The atmosphere is first class. If you go on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday, ask for Guido as a server. He is by far the most wonderful server I have ever had at any restaurant!

We recently dined here for our anniversary dinner. It was a wait but it went by fast while enjoying the bar scene. They have a full bar and everything was great! I highly recommend the oysters, the blackened Filet, 22oz Bone in Ribeye, white truffle macaroni and cheese, barbant with blue cheese, the cheesecake with strawberry, and cremè brûlée. Everything we tasted was amazing and flavorful. I would consider this the BEST steakhouse in Atlanta. The cuts of meat were great in size and taste. The service was exceptional. Our waiter Chad, was friendly, attentive, entertaining, and knowledgeable. Chad truly made the experience enjoyable. We hope to sit in his section next time. Thank you Chad!!! Overall, we will be returning again very soon.

High End, Who's Who, Business, Entertainment, Corporate, Sports, Self Made $$$$$ frequent this location. It's like a country club, lot's of regulars. My choice is to sit at the bar or bar table area. Staff are very attentive and handle the crowds with enthusiasm Live Music in bar area Steaks are outstanding, filets cut at least 2 to 3" thick my recommendation. And for those looking for a place to smoke a fine cigar before, during or after dinner ...yes you can at Hal's in the bar area. Can't wait to go back.

This is old school steakhouse. The way it is supposed to be. A very conservative dark rich atmosphere, perfect bar area, live entertainment downstairs. The waiters are exceptional and committed to serving their customers with the utmost attention. The steaks, sides, drinks are all an experience everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy. If I lived in Atlanta this would be a once a month experience. This is a must when visiting the area. For those complaining about "social distancing".....here is a great idea.......call Domino's and stay inside your house with that mask strapped tightly to your face.......

Our steak was well prepared and tender. We had a pre-dinner salad that was less memorable. The bar tender was friendly and the cocktails were good. it was a birthday celebration but no celebration was made by staff.

We had dinner with friends last night at Hal’s on Old Ivy in Buckhead. This is a great place. The Lobster LeBeau appetizer is delicious. I had the bone-in ribeye and my wife had the filet mignon. Everything was prepared to perfection and awesomely delicious. The bleu cheese roasted potatoes are great. Wanted to try the lobster Mac & Cheese but maybe next time. Service was mediocre and has fallen off since my last visit. My three favorite steakhouses in Atlanta now are Kevin Rathbun’s Steak, Bones, and New York Prime.

Just reviewed under Hal’s steakhouse - BEST STEAK EVER! Pittsburgh grilled steaks are phenomenal! Pricey but worth it!

Great location with valet. Classic food and great bar(s). Service is old-school .. efficient and professional.

We had reservations for 10. We did have to wait a little bit but what a wonderful place! From the wait and bar staff to the hosts. The place was packed and yet everyone smiled! We had such a great time and the food was phenomenal!! I would go back to Atlanta just to go to Hal's!!

Usually, Hal's is where you go to get good service and stupendous food. However, tonight was just a money grab. Mother's Day. Not typically open on a Sunday, and I see why. The hostess didn't know how to seat customers..... really? Had our name called twice and we had to fish her out in order to be seated. Typical for an Outback... We sat down at 5pm. Our waiter was ready to out the door at 5:05pm. So sad for the Mother's who wanted service with a purpose. Steak was ordered Medium, came rare. Everything was rushed. So sad. Next time don't be open if you don't want to live up to your known potential.

High end steak and drinks place with live entertainer. Dark lower level and brighter upper level. Best steak in Atlanta. Has a local (Buckhead) flavor. Valet parking

Met golfing buddies and enjoyed good cocktails and entres. A real old fashioned steak house. Super service as well.

Hal’s has been around a long time because the food is good and the atmosphere is fun. Galatoire’s in New Orleans exists on the same formula. There is better food and better wine elsewhere, but , as a restaurant experience it is good and familiar.