Hartley — Restaurant in Atlanta

I go to a lot of ATL restaurants. And this was by far the worst restaurant experience I’ve ever had in my life. I went in with a friend on a SLOW Monday. Made a reservation. When we arrived there was a line at the hostess stand. Waiting almost 10 minutes before we were finally greeted by an employee. We told him we had a reservation and he looked at us like he had never heard the word reservation before in his life. We were finally seated. Took about 5 minutes before we were finally given menus. Waters were another 5 minutes. Water tasted stale. our server was terrible. We ordered drinks and he was walking away as we were talking. I’d like to emphasize this was a slow night. Only 4 tables in the restaurant at this time with multiple servers. I have lots of sympathy for servers because I am a server/bartender and been in the industry for the last 16 years. But he was so terrible there’s no excuses. As he walked through the restaurant he was looking in any direction but his tables. Like purposefully trying to ignore us. After being at the restaurant for almost 40 minutes we finally got our drinks. They were terrible. Completely unbalanced signature cocktails. We had to flag down a manager to get any help. When our server finally came to take our order he had a terrible confused attitude. Forgetting to ask obvious questions like the temperature for the meat. When the food arrived it was delivered by a food runner not our server. From the time we ordered food we did not see our server till we had to flag him down to get our bill. The food was mediocre at best. I ordered the duck. Was given an extremely small portion. Server never came to check on us after the food was delivered. We had to get the manager again to request condiments and more water. We even finished our drinks and was never asked if we wanted another round. They were not good drinks but not asking a customer is terrible form. We were beyond ready to get out of there. It was a completely disorganized restaurant. The manager even seemed confused. When our server dropped the bill off after a good 10 minutes after picking up the bill to process the card he didn’t say have a good night or any closing remarks. Just dropped it on table without looking at us. Again this man was not busy. He had 2 maybe 3 tables by the end of our meal. I was watching him hoping validation for his terrible service would appear but it did not. I even saw other customers looking around trying to find their server or a manager. No one looked like they were having a good time. This was not a cheap place our bill was at 150 for not much. The only thing I can compliment is the food presentation. It was pretty. Flavor was lacking though. Literally just a terrible experience do not go here and...

This was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in a while.

I put in a request for a reservation which was accepted. I arrived at the restaurant, waited at the valet for someone to take my car. No one came. I then went to the parking garage.

Walked from the garage to the hotel lobby then told to go to the restaurant. There was no one there. I went to the bar & informed them of my reservation - I was told the restaurant was closed for a private event. Why accept my reservation ??

I was told I could sit in the lounge and get service, so I sat in the corner & waited to receive service. I waited 20 mins before someone felt compelled to come to my table with the menu & water. And another 20 waiting for the waiter to come back & take my order. They didn’t. I went back to the bar to place my order but no one was there.

The bartender was inundated with things and was running around while the other waitresses weee gathered not attending to the guests in the lounge. The managers were walking around, especially one with one of the loudest clog heels I’ve ever heard in my life. They both walked by, saw me & the other guest standing waiting to be served & did nothing.

The bartender finally came back and I placed my order with her and went back to my table.

Waited about her 20-30 mins for my food which was served by one of the managers who seemed to have remembered what his job entailed.

Why did I stay & endure this - I was starving. It had taken me hours to settle on where I wanted to eat & I thought I would have a pleasant experience. Also, I already paid for parking. Regardless of how long I stay - there was a charge.

The food was okay - I was starving so anything went. I had the Half chicken. Chicken was a bit dry & hard in some areas. Tasted and felt like it was cooked previously and just warmed up not fresh. Which makes me wonder why it took so long. Farro wasn’t fully cooked. The crawfish croquet was pleasant - they came out looking a bit burnt but was okay.

Honestly won’t be back for the restaurant or the hotel. Big kudos to the bartender who tried her best to tend to all guest. Management needs...

We chose The Hartley for our anniversary dinner, and it was truly unforgettable. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel celebrated with a thoughtful handwritten “Happy Anniversary” card and complimentary champagne to toast the evening. That kind of personal touch set the tone for a night that felt incredibly special.

To start, we shared two delicious appetizers: the Crawfish & Jalapeño Croquettes and the Crispy Jambalaya Arancini—both were perfectly crisp, flavorful, and a great way to begin the meal.

For entrées, I had the Alaskan Halibut, which was delicate, buttery, and beautifully prepared. My husband ordered the Rainbow Trout, which was equally impressive—fresh, flavorful, and expertly cooked.

We paired our meals with two standout cocktails: the Grant Park and the Southside Sipper. Both were refreshing, well-balanced, and elevated the entire experience.

A live guitarist was performing and singing throughout the evening, creating a warm, romantic atmosphere that made the night even more memorable.

And the dessert? Absolutely unforgettable. The Peach Almond Cream Tart was divine—so good, I joked that I could’ve eaten seven. It was the perfect sweet ending to a flawless meal.

From the food and drinks to the service and ambiance, The Hartley exceeded every expectation. It’s the kind of place that makes a special occasion feel even more meaningful. We would absolutely recommend it and can’t...