Arnette's Chop Shop — Restaurant in Brookhaven

I will say this restaurant is definitely a 5-star experience in general but the 4 stars is relative to other steakhouses. The food was great but I have a few qualms. The first and largest is the fact that they charge $5 for bread service. In fact, we told our server we didn't want bread service but one was brought to our table anyway. I thought maybe it was complementary because we ordered food but then saw the charge at the end of the night. I paid it and didn't say anything because we ate it. While the bread itself was good, it was nowhere near as good as the service at Marcel, which is included in the price of the meal (and includes Olives and Prosciutto to boot). Regardless, most of not all high end steak houses I have been to do not charge for bread since you're typically spending $100-200 per person so this was a big "what the heck" for me.

We opted to start with a dozen oysters. They were good and tasted fresh. Service was a little odd. They provided enough horseradish and cocktail sauce for 4 dozen oysters and I would have a appreciated a small spoon or something for the mignonette but none of that was a major detraction, just details.

For our entrees, I opted for the dry aged KC Strip. I would have preferred a longer dry age but the strip is my preferred cut and I didn't feel like ordering a 36 oz tomahawk. The steak seemed well cooked (honestly it was so dark I could only judge by taste) and well seasoned. Overall I was satisfied with this. My wife opted for the off-the-menu A5 Kobe ($30/oz minimum 5 oz, she ordered 6). She enjoyed it and I also thought it was very good, however, I have some doubts about the authenticity. My wife and I had the privilege of honeymooning in Japan and so I have tasted the real thing, and while eating this "A5" I saw some pockets of fat that I don't normally associate with the uncannily even marbling of the real thing. I can't say for certain that it wasn't A5 Kobe but I can say it wasn't as good as the stuff I had in Japan. Again, my wife was not complaining but I'm going to nitpick a $160 steak. I will say about the selection in general that it is impressive and one area where Arnette's has an edge over other steakhouses. I want to come back if for no other reason than to try some of the other cuts they have on offer.

We ate 2 sides, the haricot vert and the brussels sprouts. I thought both were delicious, though the haricot vert with the chili oil was quite spicy. I personally enjoyed it but waited until the end of the meal to eat it because I didn't want to demolish my taste buds. Again, I think the selection of sides is an area where Arnette's separates themselves. So many choices that I'd like to come back and try.

Drinks were very good, but in my opinion a bit overpriced. $18 for a negroni is pushing the limit. I would expect $14-16. I still ordered 2 drinks because they were good though.

Service was another strong suit. Our waiter was excellent, just the right amount of attentiveness. I will say that all of the food came out surprisingly fast, almost shockingly so for the steaks. This worked for us, but be aware if you are looking for a long-ish, paced meal, you'll need to manage it yourself or ask your server to do it. At the same time, it's good to know that if you really just want an excellent meal but are in a time crunch that it should be possible.

In the end, this is a very good steakhouse with enough variety that I want to give it another try, but I do think they need to just offer the bread service gratis, at least if ordering entrees. I also think it would be beneficial to offer a copy of the Kobe certificate of a authenticity to those who order it, as was the case when we ate it in Japan. As I said at the beginning, this is a very good restaurant but for a meal that now ranks as the 2nd most expensive of my life (and most expensive steakhouse meal by far), it didn't quite live up to that billing. IMO, if an experience like this is once in a blue moon or lifetime, I think Marcel or Kevin Rathbun's...

This technically is a five-star review. All the services were great the first time we went. We had a great time. However, I had a bad experience with valet; Awhile back at a different restaurant something was actually stolen out of my car. Therefore, I choose not to allow valet to enter my car and always opt to park myself. I have no problem with paying valet fees; I just do not want anybody in my personal space. So, the first time I went, I told the valet I would like to park my car, and he allowed me to park. I tipped him $15-$20, if I’m not mistaken. The food and atmosphere were excellent. As an official New Yorker, I travel to many different places, and sometimes I miss home. This restaurant gave me that Downtown Wall Street steakhouse vibe, with nice lighting and a good atmosphere. It was one of the best experiences I've had while in Atlanta GA.

If you look at the images, there’s a lot of food because we went two nights in the same week; that's how good the food was. But, getting back to the server, her name is Debra. She was very helpful. The first thing that impressed me was the server assistant. He came to the table, introduced himself, and assured us he was here to make our experience great. From there, I was already impressed. The atmosphere and vibe were just right. Debra came to the table and explained the menu, the bread service, and how they donate to the food bank. We got the bread service, which came with three different butters. I don’t eat bacon, so I didn't try the bacon butter, but the other two were great. Cherry on top is the bread is from a local bakery and some of the proceeds go to a great cause as well. The experience was excellent. I enjoyed the food and drinks; they were magnificent.

Actually, the first drink I ordered was a Moscow Mule, but it didn't come in a copper cup and didn't have the taste I was looking for and I sent it back and ended up getting a peach martini that was very good. I only needed one to feel a little tipsy, as I'm not a heavy drinker. The overall experience was great. I would give this place a five-star rating. The reason I deducted one star in my review is to make others aware of the incident I had when entering the place during my second visit.

Upon my second visit, there was a different valet, and I asked him if I could park my car myself. Initially, I said I had no problem paying, but he gave me pushback and explained what he needed to do. He also expressed concern about me potentially dinging other cars. I agreed to park in a spot where I wouldn't be near other cars. I was pressed for time because it was 9:27 PM, and I knew the place closed at 10 PM. The gentleman had me waiting at the valet for 5 to 10 minutes before calling another valet to direct us to a parking area. When we reached the parking area, there was ample space and no obstruction of traffic. He could have directed us sooner.

I felt that he intentionally delayed us, and I believe he made me wait to park in that particular spot. This situation dampened my experience and I felt my concerns weren't taken seriously, especially considering my previous bad experience. I wanted to bring this to the attention of the management, especially after having such a great experience the first time with Debra.

Now, as I walked in and went to the host, I was instantly welcomed warmly and mentioned that I would like to be seated in Debra's section for another win and had a Great night and felt like family. Next up I will get my own set of knives engraved. It’s all about the...

We had a party of 5 at 7 pm on a Friday night. We had a reservation, but at 7, it wasn’t crowded. It got more crowded as the night went on.

The outside and inside were super nice. The ambiance is on point. They had beautiful lights and candles. It can be very romantic.

We enjoyed 3/4 of the cocktails we got. We got Up on the Roof ($14), Sloe Train Coming ($15), The Rising Sun ($14), and Port Old Fashioned ($14). The only one we didn’t like was The Rising Sun. It smelled like straight whiskey and pretty much tasted that way too.

For appetizers, we got Bacon ($10) and Tuna Crudo ($16). We had heard great things about the Bacon, but it was really fatty and it just didn’t live up to the hype. The Tuna Crudo was better.

For entrees, we got Louie Salad ($22), Lobster Spaghetti ($34), 14 oz. Bone-In Filet ($64), and Burrata Ravioli ($21). The Louie Salad was a slightly spicier than anticipated. The salad itself wasn’t dressed, besides what was on top of the fish. The Lobster Spaghetti was good, and we liked the sauce, but it was overpriced for what it was. The 14 oz. Bone-In Filet was just average. We’ve had much better steak. The Burrata Ravioli was also a letdown. I wanted the sauce to be creamy, but it was pretty much just oil.

For sides, we got the Brussels Sprouts & Apples (without Bacon) ($12) and Dauphinoise ($12). They were okay. They were good portions for sharing.

We looked at the dessert menu, but weren’t tempted by anything so we didn’t get dessert. We told them when we made the reservation that we were celebrating a birthday, and the hostess even confirmed when we got there that we were celebrating a birthday, so we were surprised when we didn’t get any special dessert.

Overall, very cool ambiance. We would maybe go back for a drink and a burger, but there are much better steak places in Atlanta. We do not recommend going...