Bulla Gastrobar — Restaurant in Atlanta

Extremely confused why this place has 4.8 stars when was easily one of the most below average and at times straight up gross meals I’ve had in Atlanta.

My friend and I each got the prix fixe meal, each of which came with a drink, first course, second course, and dessert.

The drink was a “lavender” margarita in which the lavender element was a dried up sprig shoved into the drink (no lavender flavor whatsoever); the margarita itself was indistinguishable from a generic mix you would get at Kroger.

For the first course we got the Montaditos (brisket, tomato marmalade, guindilla, tetilla cheese), which was easily the best thing we ate but was still just okay, and then the saddest excuse for a charcuterie board I’ve ever seen in my life - tiny portion of prosciutto, cheese, and candied walnuts, and again, on par with something you’d get at Kroger for a quarter of the price.

Next, was the biggest offense - the “carbonara,” which was literally just jarred Ragu Alfredo sauce doctored up with frozen peas, pancetta, and raw egg. I don’t know how many times I have to scream this from the rooftop but carbonara does NOT have cream in it! This was Alfredo sauce (that they CLAIM to make in house, but I don’t buy it as it is the exact consistency of Ragu) that they are misleadingly advertising as carbonara.

Our second entree (see photo) was extremely well done and ungenerously portioned 4 oz of pork chop slathered in that same disgusting, viscous Alfredo slop and plated with the saddest freezer-to-fryer French fries, two measly shishito peppers, and one sad roasted red bell pepper.

And then there was dessert! We got the passion fruit flan, which was about as decent as the Montaditos, and the most lovelessly executed churros (see photo) I’ve ever seen. Literally just sweet French fries in the shape of churros with granulated sugar dumped on top (vs rolled in cinnamon sugar as they should be) served with a chocolate sauce that was literally just chocolate milk and a caramel sauce that tasted like nothing at all.

I try not to leave negative reviews for restaurants but the extremely high rating paired with the price tag ($115 total for the bill after tax and tip), just left such a bad taste in my mouth (literally). I don’t mind paying for fine dining, but there was nothing “fine” in the slightest about that.

I’m so tired of people overhyping crappy Atlanta restaurants that are doing the bare minimum and then raking us over the coals on the bill. People have compared Bulla to the likes of Cooks + Soliders and the Iberian Pig, which is just insulting. Those places actually take care and craft to create their menus and food. I can only describe my experience here as soulless and sloppy.

Save your money and taste buds and spend your date night at Applebees, which I recommend 10x over...

Addended review:

Visited Bulla Gastrobar at the recommendation of some friends for the NYE Prix Fixe. There was some issue upon arrival where our party was told by the hostess that it was too large to be seated indoors and would have to be seated on the patio. The restaurant attempted to be accommodating and brought heaters, but this simply could not keep up with the 45 degree temperatures in Atlanta. I stepped Inside to speak to a manager who immediately pushed two tables together and seated our party inside. After this, I was in a significantly better mood and able to take in the remainder of the experience.

The Prix Fixe menu consisted of a 4 course meal (two more tapas like plates, a larger plate, and dessert) consisting of some of their regular menu items as well as champagne. I chose the salmon tartar, the montaditos, and the arroz caldoso with the tres leches. The salmon was decently seasoned although they were a bit light on the avocado. The accompanying sauce was unexpected but pleasant. The montaditos were a touch dry but the pepper and jelly were a nice mix to that dish. The arroz caldoso could have had a stronger flavor profile but was a nice mix of chicken and seafood in a tomato based sauce with rice. The tres leches was also a bit dry. Overall, it was actually a really great menu for the price ($65).

The timing of the courses was pretty good although there was a slight discrepancy at Times with food of the same course coming out in a slightly staggered fashion.

The customer service was really excellent. A manager stopped by multiple times to check on our party and apologize profusely for us having to sit outside initially. We received a free beverage and gift card for a future visit to make up for the inconvenience which I thought was a very classy touch.

The ambience was great, everyone looked great to celebrate NYE. They do validate parking at the deck that’s nearby, but I found street parking right outside.

Overall, I...

Foodie Friday Birthday edition @bullagastrobar in Midtown, Atl.

We had a blast here. It is a beautiful restaurant with Spanish Tapas flare, has a private dinning area over looking a park, and the customer service was awesome.

Starters: Crispy Calamari ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Calamari was fresh, bright, salty and well cooked. Amazing dish!!

Chicken croquettes ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ We all really loved this dish as the chicken on the inside was curried!curries!! Talk about yummy!!

Chorizo cheese dip ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ A tomato based chorizo? Who knew!! It was awesome because it had great balance not just being a big bowl of cheese.

Meals: Bulla Burger ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ This was great!!

Paella Mixta ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ A giant paella that included Calamari, clams, shrimp, chicken, and chorizo!!

Mallorcan style lamb ❤️❤️❤️❤️ The lamb was fresh and very tender but had absolutely no seasoning kick. Not bad, just underwhelming.

Drinks: Forrestor Sour ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Dark Rum Mojito ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Ibiza sangria ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ All of the drinks were great and strong but we'll crafted 🍷🍷🍷🍷

Dessert Torrija Basically the best French Toast ever, covered in honey with salted caramel gelato.

We will definitely be back, but would skip the Mallorcan style lamb!! Enjoy your food travels!!

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