Banu Mediterranean Grill — Restaurant in Atlanta

Our family loves trying new restaurants. My husband found this jewel. We went in with zero expectations and left completely blown away. As someone who constantly chases the perfect grilled meat, I can confidently say this place delivers, and then some. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere that set the tone for our experience.

We ordered the Family Platter, featuring lamb chops, beef kofta, chicken adana, grilled chicken, and buttery rice. We also ordered an additional grilled shrimp entree. Each bite was more delicious than the last. The grilled chicken was moist, tender, and bursting with flavor. It’s rare to find grilled chicken kabob that isn’t dry, but this was some of the best I’ve ever had. Every cut of meat was expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection. And, the grilled shrimp were buttery and delicious.

The sides held their own, too. The tabbouleh salad was impossibly fresh, vibrant, herby, and hands-down the best I’ve ever tasted. The cheese rolls were another standout, light, flaky phyllo wrapped around warm, melty cheese without feeling heavy. We also enjoyed a sampler of three spreads (all excellent), and I’m already planning my return just to try the baba ghanoush we skipped this time.

To top it all off, the chef personally checked in on us, and the staff couldn’t have been kinder or more attentive. It felt like dining with friends who just happen to be incredible cooks.

My personal metric for a great restaurant is simple, would I come back? In this case, I’d eat here every day if I could. And honestly, I just might be back before the...

When traveling, I usually only make judgment calls off reviews or word of mouth on the "gems" in the area. This was strictly from reviews. So I invited my manager out for a nearby, local dinner and off we went. I bring that up, because the parking lot is going to throw you a little. " Did you bring me to a gas station for dinner?", he asked. I laughed and said " Hell, if I know?". Always up for an adventure, My gut said Let's go! And 💥 Boom! Gold Strike! Beautiful people, beautiful atmosphere, beautiful food as soon as you walk in the door. We came early before the crowd started to arrive for regular dinner service and a private party in an area out back. I should've eaten less and taken more photos. Our kind server Dana (sp?) is "Ace". Everyone was positive, engaging, and kept eye contact if something was needed. Just trust me on this one, The Hummus and Baklava/Turkish Tea are worth the trip alone. At the end of a solid dinner, the Owner/Chef came out and spent some time at our table. Her first question was NOT, how was everything? Her first question - " How could I have made your meal better?". You just did it, Chef. Keep asking and keep tasting. The hearts and hands preparing the food are tasted at Banu. I'm back in Atlanta next week and looking forward to the lamb. All the...

Overall this was an “ok” experience. The food was satisfactory simply because the kitchen was not paying attention honest they were doing. Rice was very dry. Vegetables ( tomato) not cooked well and the taste was lacking flavor. The salmon was ok. The tea was not Persian but more Turkish. Sugar came in a salt shaker. Service was friendly but I had to ask for things that were missing. Atmosphere- decor was awesome and cozy. This restaurant has a great deal of potential because they have a separate banquet hall for parties. In my opinion, fire the cooks ( they have attitude and very stubborn- especially Moustafa) and put someone in the kitchen who truly knows food and make a choice, do you want to serve Persian or Turkish. The mixed fusion is confusing. In Atlanta, Persian usually does better than Turkish. There was no bread or Sabzi offered. Was it worth it for the price? Absolutely not. We showed that we enjoyed it but quite frankly and honestly the food was not up to standard. I ate mine cause I was hungry but I’d never order it again. As much as I would love to put an awesome review, the truth is that food was not good. I would fire the Chef immediately. Total for 2 people with a $7 tip was circa $70 but the value of what we got was right at $50 with tip. Heavy price for...