Dead End Drinks — Restaurant in Atlanta

This review is for Dead End Drinks (formerly Ration & Dram)

Short version: the changes are mostly aesthetic, but the new vibe is dark, gimmicky, and an unfortunate departure from the previously excellent atmosphere.

Long Version:

I live in Kirkwood and have been going to Ration & Dram regularly for years. It's one of my go-to spots. Great food (especially brunch), great drinks, cozy relaxed atmosphere, and consistently good service.

Recently, R&D rebranded themselves to Dead End Drinks. I've been 4 times since the rebrand. I'll start with the good news: for the most part the things that kept me coming back to R&D are still present at DED. The brunch is virtually unchanged, food and service are still great, and the nitro coffee is still the best in the city. And on warm days the patio is still fantastic.

However, the changes that have been made with the rebrand are universally for the worse. The new decor is hideous. It looks like a frat house cheaply decorated for Halloween. I literally laughed when I saw it the first time. It also significantly darkens what was previously a warm and inviting space. They've also printed the menu in a sloppy script font that's all but unreadable.

The rebrand takes one of the most loved and consistently good restaurants in Kirkwood and cheapens it. What used to feel like a home away from home now feels like a cheesy novelty gimmick. I hope they come to their senses and revert the changes. Ration and Dram was five stars all day. DED is a reluctant 4, and that's only if you manage to be seated out on the patio. If you're seated inside and forced to endure the design tragedy that is the interior...

I purposely arrived early to put my party on the seating wait list for brunch today, checked in with the curly haired hostess and was told it would be a 30 min wait specifically for a patio table since I had my dog with me - no problem my friends were on their way and would be there in 30 min. She didn’t say anything else despite me clearly being alone and making a reservation for 4 people. The same hostess then came out and called my 8 min later. She seated me and my first friend who had arrived. After seating 2 of 4, the same curly haired hostess came out and loudly chastised us that Ration & Dram has a seating policy of only seating full parties and that she told us that when we checked in - which she did not do. She spent several minutes chastising us to the point we offered to call our friends to place everyone’s order - and when I even mentioned that I specifically came early because we knew there would be a wait, she rudely told me she was “sorry she seated me early”. To rub salt in the would - the couple seated at the table next to us were seated ahead of the other couple they were waiting for with no verbal or public chastising! That couple was seated before us and their friends came even later than my 2 friends. Very poor customer service. I’m really disappointed and embarrassed, and living in Kirkwood myself - I won’t ever recommend or...

Overall, the food was alright. The experience, not so much.

Walking in at 12:35 PM, my party of 4 adhered to the 'Please wait to be seated" sign by the hostess stand. No problem, I could see they were full.

But, we waited maybe 15-20 minutes before we were even seen by an employee. I use the term 'seen by' loosely, as we made eye contact with a few of them during that time before one of them approached us to get our name down for the wait.

We sat down a little after 1:10 PM, put in our drink orders which came relatively quickly, and then put in our orders as our drinks arrived. Over the next half an hour, we decided to close out our bill before the food arrived as we had things we wanted to do on such a beautiful Sunday.

We were served close to 1:55 PM, scarfed down our food, and hit the road by 2 PM to keep to our schedule. Well, we were late, but I suppose that's on us for getting to close to the Inman Park Festival.

The waiter was friendly, and food was alright, and it wasn't too pricey.

BUT- that wait has me reluctant to return. I would personally avoid this place if you have any plans within 2 and...