1856 - Culinary Residence — Restaurant in Auburn

1856 – A Southern Stage Worthy of the World’s Finest Tables

Dining at 1856 is akin to discovering a perfectly pitched note in a symphony of culinary legends. As seasoned patrons of the world’s most exalted establishments—from the pristine precision of Le Bernardin to the architectural elegance of Per Se, the emotive balance of Jean-Georges, and the exquisite minimalism of Masa—our standards are drawn from the apex of global gastronomy.

Yet within the heart of Auburn, 1856 delivered an experience as moving and masterful as any we’ve encountered. Led by Reese, whose quiet confidence and command—refined by her Fort Benning background—infused the evening with poised excellence, we encountered not only technical brilliance but a depth of service that was both intentional and human.

From the first pour of butterfly pea tea, presented with poetic flourish and expert insight, we were drawn into a progression of courses that paid reverent homage to the greats. The plates echoed the style and soul of Michelin’s finest—without mimicry, but with inspired interpretation. Each dish spoke with a culinary fluency that suggested years of mentorship under master chefs, though here, it is student hands—guided by vision and discipline—that execute with such clarity and heart.

Our table included a Forbes and Michelin-certified trainer and a luxury marketing consultant, individuals who’ve dined in rare air—where a seat commands $1,000. And yet, nowhere—at any price—have we experienced such comfortable perfection. The coffee service, a final act in this well-scored performance, was as refined and intentional as anything we’ve seen at Masa or Atelier Crenn.

This is Auburn hospitality elevated to a global standard. It recalled that pivotal moment in The Bear when Ritchie steps into his own, not through ego but through empathy, realizing that true excellence lies in making someone’s night—because it might make their day. That ethos lives here.

I gain a teary eye of pride as I write this, because—“I believe in Auburn and love it.” This is one more reason, as an Auburn man, that those words in our creed ring more true than ever.

And so, with great pride in my alma mater, and in brotherhood with my fellow and future alumni, I implore you: take the journey. Experience what Auburn is offering the world through 1856. Support these rising stars—our future leaders of industry—who are quietly mastering the art of luxury service with soul. As Jerry Inzerillo has so often declared from the stage at Forbes award after Forbes award: “They are doing great things—absolutely great things.” Auburn is no longer just part of the conversation. It...

My recent visit to 1856 - Culinary Residence Restaurant was, in a word, abysmal. This unforgivably pretentious and inhospitable “fine dining” establishment. Is nothing more than a mediocre dining experience draped in self-importance.

We were well aware that this was a fine dining prix fixe restaurant and that it might not be ideal for children, but having traveled extensively with the family, including dining at top-tier restaurants/ Michelin star restaurants across the US and Europe, we assumed there would be some modicum of flexibility. We were gravely mistaken.

From the moment we sat down, it became clear that the management's inflexibility was not just a policy but a point of pride. Despite our polite requests for a simple substitution or even just a small plate of something basic for our 8-year-old daughter, we were met with a stone-cold refusal. The audacity of this place knows no bounds—they wouldn’t even let us bring in outside food for her! Our daughter sat there, visibly upset and hungry crying while we endured course after course of bland uninspired, pretentious food that she couldn’t eat. They even suggested we go outside in the middle of our meal, feed our daughter with outside food and then come back to finish our meal.

This restaurant has the pretense of a Michelin star establishment without anything to show for it. The food definitely wasn't worth the discomfort and frustration of staying any longer. Ultimately, we couldn’t endure it any longer. We left in the middle of the meal to find somewhere else where we could feed our child, who was understandably distressed.

The only saving grace was our waitress- she was great very welcoming. She really tried to help.

In all our years of dining out with our child, we’ve never encountered such a lack of empathy or hospitality. A restaurant that values its ego over the comfort and satisfaction of its patrons, especially a child, is not one worth visiting. Avoid 1856- Culinary Residence restaurant at all costs unless you enjoy paying exorbitant prices for mediocre food and being treated like an inconvenience. This place is nothing more than a hollow shell of pretension, with no substance to back it up.

Auburn has so many great restaurants- skip this one - your palate and your wallet...

*Update: I came here again recently, and I saw significant improvement! I was so pleased. I got the sampler (last image). The coconut soup had a genuine coconut flavor that was absolutely incredible, and it was the perfect temperature. The chef that was on duty was smiling and communicating well with the students. Awesome job!

*Original Review: There is a lot of potential here! I would like to see improvement on the dishes temperature wise, taste wise, and presentation wise. The soup came out nearly cold. It had minimum flavor and did not offer a true coconut taste despite being called a coconut soup. I did enjoy the texture though! The salad did not have much flavor despite all of the toppings. The Strawberry Sundae was not terrible, but I felt the appearance could have been way better. The presentation was overwhelming. I did enjoy watching the team cook the dishes, but I didn’t see much communication nor inspiration, and that affected the outcome of the dishes. I did like the flower drink A LOT! It was quite nice...