Tulum Kitchen and Bar — Restaurant in Atlanta

I found this new restaurant on Instagram and bookmarked it for my solo trip to Atlanta. The restaurant was only about eight minutes from my hotel and I made it a point to visit on my second night in town when I called to make a reservation for one, the host informed me, very politely That Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are some of their busiest nights, and that reservations were full. She informed me that I could come and get on the waiting list for seating, which could be roughly 30 to 45 minutes or have a seat at the bar. There's not much parking, but the restaurant is rideshare friendly, and they do have valet, I chose to go using rideshare upon arrival. I was completely thrilled to see such a beautiful, outdoor ambience. It was very welcoming and they had security so I felt safe. There's a wonderful outdoor seating area, but when I arrived, there were not many people sitting outside I was able to sit at the bar immediately. I didn't wait at all. It was roughly 8:15 PM on a Friday night. The security said it might've been the weather that made it a little less busy at that time but inside the restaurant was packed and it looked like everyone was having a great time. When I said at the bar I was given a coaster that I could tap on my phone for the menu. You are able to request a hardcopy menu in your hand if you are not phone savvy. The drink I ordered was: Destination Tulum -a fun Tito's based cocktail shows up with the bright flavors of lychee and pineapple and is far from a slow sipper! This cocktail is a show-stopper!! It was so good and well-made definitely gave me the buzz I needed. I had a total of three throughout the evening. For an appetizer I ordered the chips and guacamole. I was not let down absolutely yummy. For dinner, I ordered the lamb chops meal. It came over rice and with mixed vegetables. I had the lamb chops medium well and the chef did a wonderful job. Cooking them exactly how I prefer. The lamb chops were nice and juicy. The portion sizes were amazing they definitely give you your moneys worth. While I was dining, I was greeted by a nice gentleman who overheard my conversation with the bartender regarding November birthdays. He bought me a shot and we toasted to our November birthdays. As I was leaving, it was told to me that the gentleman was the general manager. He carried himself very well, and was very present in operating the business. And I thought he was just some random. When in fact, he is a very hands-on general manager. The bathrooms were clean they were beautiful dancers that were swinging around fireballs. That totally captured my attention. I had never seen anything like it in a restaurant in the United States. as I was leaving, I decided to sit outside in the front patio area on a lounge couch. The security team politely turned on the heater, and I was able to order another drink and chill out while listening to great music. This place is a must go to!! I cannot wait to return and bring my friends. I had a great time. Thank you for amazing food, amazing service, and the southern...

Hi there!

I recently attended an event hosted by a friend to celebrate women at this restaurant. The aesthetics are cute, and the atmosphere has a lot of potential, but unfortunately, the service left much to be desired.

The issues began with parking. We were informed that valet would be complimentary as long as we mentioned the event, but upon arrival, that was not the case, causing confusion and frustration right from the start. for good faith presumptions, I’ll say this is outside the scope of the restaurant (hopefully) and a reflection of the contracted valet services. Even so, if they’re not doing what they’re contracted to do, please consider changing contractors to preserve the Integrity of the business (or discuss with property management if it’s a service included in a NNN lease).

Inside, I arrived at 2:30 PM and placed my order at 2:50 PM. I ordered an espresso martini, our food, and a bottle of still water. The event provided complimentary mimosas on behalf of the host. Despite repeated requests, we did not receive water until 3:27 PM, and the espresso martini and mimosas were still missing at that point.

The fish and grits arrived at 3:35PM, and the French toast did not arrive until 3:57 PM. By that time, I was still waiting on my cocktail. Although the flavor of the food was good, the temperature was not fresh and hot, which diminished the quality. Also French toast was a little dry although flavorful. It could use the cream sauce to ensure moisture retention.

One of the most concerning aspects was the disorganization and competing energies among the waiting staff. Servers appeared to be sharing tables without clear communication, and one server even stated he couldn’t fulfill basic requests (like silverware or water) because it wasn’t “his table.” Several guests asked to speak with a manager, who eventually came to address the issues but appeared visibly annoyed. Another attendee requested a new server because of the commentary from the server.

As a fellow entrepreneur and business consultant, it’s clear that there are systematic and operational challenges here. Staffing issues might be a factor, but there are ways to alleviate stress and improve customer experience:

Offering a simplified menu for large events can help the kitchen and servers keep up.

All Hands on Deck Policy: Empower staff to assist guests even if it’s not their designated table.

Controlled Seating: Instead of filling the space to capacity, implement a waitlist to maintain service quality.

Improved Communication: Clearly outline valet policies ahead of time to avoid guest frustration.

On a positive note, the DJ and live entertainment were great additions, but it was difficult to fully enjoy the experience given the service challenges. It’s disheartening to see such a well-intentioned event, which brought together over 30 professional women, hindered by these issues. I hope the management takes this feedback to heart and makes necessary improvements to better accommodate...

Wife chose this place for date night. I should have taken photos of the outside as it was the perfect set up for outdoor dining and the weather was perfect. We sat inside and the vibe is awesome inside also. I was expecting The restrooms to be as elaborate as the dining area, but they were clean/had everything needed, no issues. I give more in-depth reviews on higher up restaurants like this. there’s a sign for public parking that was free, which is cool. I imagine most people will pick valet as the public parking was hard to spot but very adequate once we found it. The servers, greeters and bartenders are very knowledgeable/nice and attractive. The cleaning staff is top shelf. I didn’t like the Turquoise collar shirts as they looked a little regular compared to the restaurant look. It’s not super large on the inside, but it’s a good layout with the outside dining also. After the server, explain the menu it makes you want to get a drink, even if you get a non-alcoholic option. All the drinks look amazing. Atlanta prices can really go up for crafted drinks. The menu had affordable options and very expensive options. Of course, the options that are affordable are things you can get anywhere so the menu pushes you to order the top tier items. Only one salad option and sides for the vegan. The empanada looked like a good option, but we ordered the steak and the oxtail tacos from the entrée side as appetizers. They were both delicious especially the oxtail tacos. The steak tacos needed more toppings, but were delicious. The taco shell fell apart on both and we just ate it with fork the rice and black beans. The black bean portion came out smaller on one order than the other. Decent priced with the sides for a sit down plated restaurant. Didn’t like dessert options. Steak, lamb chop, and lobster was over priced to me so I went with the whole snapper. a big whole snapper from the market fresh could easily be $25 a fish so with two sides and all the preparation I believe $49 was fair. The fish was seasoned amazing. It was of the better snapper’s I’ve eaten. The rice was the same as I had with the tacos, and the salad was really good. The salad and rice are very light/small and the fact that my date and I split the tacos and fish, I was still hungry after and spending $160 total, with tax and tip 20% gratuity automatic. I would have tried the empanadas and the snapper bites from the appetizer section, but for the most part, the items I ordered would be the same items I’d order again if I was to come back. Because of the menu options, amount of food on plate and price, I couldn’t quite squeeze a 5-star even thought the service and cleanliness is 5 star. I’d recommend this place for date night/drinks but I’d let them know the prices...