Thrive — Restaurant in Atlanta

My friend and I came here on Valentines day. We sat at the bar to just order drinks and appetizers before the Hawks game. The bartender did not greet us at all. After a few minutes she shoved drink menus to us with out saying anything. After a few more minutes we had to just ask her for our drinks because it was clear she was not going to ask us what we wanted. Mind, that we were the ONLY two people at the bar. She just went on slowly making drinks and chatting to the other waitstaff. We got our drinks which were in glasses that were hot out of the dishwasher. To me if you are going to charge 12 for a drink, care and detail should go into every part of it including a chilled glass. My friend ordered the Moscow mule which was good but my pomegranate martini was basically a Shirley temple with tequila. Not good. Then after still not being asked what we would like to eat we finally just shouted to her what we wanted to order. She put it in with out even looking at us. We did get our food rather quickly and the guy that brought out the food was very kind and friendly. The food was very very good but because of the service I will never be back here. When we were done with our food she didn't bother to remove the plates or even check up on us of how we liked the food. After our plates were empty for some time, we realized she was not going to bring the check unless we asked. I will not be back here. How hard is it to make eye contact and at least be polite to a bar that has just two people at it....

My experiences at Thrive in Atlanta were as diverse as night and day, reflecting a range of service standards and atmospheres.

On my initial visit, unfortunately, the experience left much to be desired. Upon arrival with a friend, we found ourselves waiting by the entrance for an uncomfortably long five minutes without being seated. Even after moving to the bar area and waiting an additional ten minutes, we were left unattended, feeling invisible amidst the sparse crowd. The lack of acknowledgment or service was disheartening, and we departed without so much as a word exchanged with any staff member.

However, my recent visit to Thrive painted a vastly different picture. Returning with a group of friends for drinks, we were met with attentive and friendly bartenders whose knowledge of their craft was evident. They took the time to engage with us, offering recommendations and ensuring our satisfaction throughout the evening. The vibrant atmosphere and excellent service made for an enjoyable outing, a complete turnaround from my previous encounter.

In sum, while my initial experience at Thrive left much to be desired in terms of service and attentiveness, my second visit showcased the establishment’s potential for delivering top-notch hospitality. The disparity between the two visits suggests a need for consistency in service standards. Nevertheless, the positive experience on my recent visit leaves me hopeful for future...

I wish Google Reviews would let you write 2 different Reviews for a location. I wrote this one 8 years ago: Food looks & tastes perfect. Upscale look with satisfying flavors! Variety of food options is exceptional. Cocktails are worth it!

But then last night I visited Thrive again and it is still an amazing experience but I wanted to give a little more detail so here is my updated review: Our party of 5 ladies dined at Thrive before a concert at The Tabernacle. Thrive validates parking so that was great and the Tabernacle is an easy walk at only a block & 1/2 away. Three of the ladies in our group are AA friends, so we didn't have alcohol and we were very happy with the selection of tasty mocktails in the "Designated Driver" section of the bar menu! We shared apps including fried green tomatoes, burrata, pot stickers, and watermelon salad. All were so yummy!!! Several ladies ordered sushi for their main, one ordered shrimp & grits, and I ordered the pan-seared salmon. WOW!!! Everything was made to perfection and so delicious!! Our waitress, Melissa was so sweet and attentive. Thrive is such a beautiful restaurant with cool decor and lighting that we just had to take photos of our group in the lounge. We all would highly recommend Thrive and with free garage parking it's easy to go...