Duke's Hideaway at McCray's — Restaurant in Atlanta

I was so excited to come here during the opening week. I came here with a group of 6 girls for a birthday party. From the jump, the server was off, making us feel rushed and telling us they only served rum so that basically all the drinks were the same. She had black hair with green money pieces. To note, most of the drinks are rum-based but there is a tequila and gin option. Our group of 6 ordered the flashing skull (1-2 people) and another bowl type drink that said it was for 2-3 people. When we we’re almost finished with the flashing skull drink another server/busboy came by and grab the drink and hauled off. We had to shout for him to bring the drink back as we were not completely finished. We did not do this in any type of manner other than “omg sorry but we just want our last few sips” - the drink costs $35. At this point everything was fine and we were having a good time. The server then comes up to grab the drink a few minutes later when we were done and starts telling us that if we steal the glass its like a $200 charge. We informed her that we had no intention to steal the glass, that if we wanted a skull shaped glass we would order it off of Amazon, and that we only reacted to the other server that way just because we were not finished with out drink. Everything was said in a friendly manner. She was casual in her response but from the beginning everything seemed very passive aggressive. A few minutes later, someone comes over to our table to notify us that there is a water station if we need. I was so confused at this point of why we were having our first drink carried away, being accused of trying to steal a single skull shaped glass, and being told to drink water. We said oh thanks for letting us know and continued to try and have a good time. Not even 5 minutes go by and the host passive aggressively drops off four cups of water at our table and walks off. I am leaving this review in hopes that this situation will be addressed with staff. I have worked in plenty of restaurants and I understand unruly customers but we did not do anything to cause any trouble, yet I feel we were consistently disrespected and looked down up by staff. Is this place supposed to be a fun bar to have a good time with friends or another pretentious uptight fugazi bar and restaurant? Seems...

HEY ATLANTA: Ignore these clowns who are inconvenienced by waiting a bit to get up to a capacity controlled environment…they have no clue how a tiki bar (with multiple ingredients and processes) menu takes to make efficiently for the masses. This staff, the creativity of the cocktail menu, and the atmosphere are all in line with what you should expect from a high quality experience that makes you feel at ease and almost like you’re on a tropical vacation. I’ve had nearly 10 of the tiki drinks (I live upstairs) since they’ve opened within the month, and every single one is made with creativity and care. Every restaurant and bar that opens within the first few months experiences hiccups. This concept along with the Baxter below are exactly what the Beltline needs. Yes, you might wait a little bit, but would you rather go up there in mass crowds without any kind of control and wait minutes upon minutes for drinks in a crowded environment? Or, would you rather have a better experience by letting them filter and control who goes up there at what time? The staff is great. The drinks are on point. And for everything they have to offer it’s a great asset to the Atlanta culinary scene for such a growing area. If you do have to wait for the tiki bar, go hang out with the awesome bartenders at the Baxter and they will give you a couple to go drinks while you’re waiting in line. They also have an excellent menu if you want food after having a tiki drink upstairs. Long story short, ignore these haters who have no clue how new restaurants/bars operate & adjust, and give this place a chance. Be patient and...

I first set my eyes on McCray’s Tavern strolling the Beltline, the glow of its patio lights calling me in from just down the road. Now? It’s become a weekly ritual.

On this night, we came early, Guinness in hand, Exploding Kittens on the table, and laughter spilling louder than the cards. The spinach & artichoke dip arrived molten and rich, devoured in record time. Then came the double smash burger, crisp edged to perfection, layered deep with flavor, a burger worth writing poetry about.

As trivia kicked off, the energy shifted locals leaning in, teams huddled, the hum of friendly competition filling the air. Between questions and bites, McCray’s reminded me why neighborhood spots like this matter: great food, great beer, great company, and memories that feel a little warmer every time.

If you’re wandering the Beltline and hear the laughter drifting from McCray’s, follow it. You’ll be glad you did....