Branchwater — Restaurant in Georgia

Wanted a close-by casual dinner with cocktails. We have been here a few times and the food is always good. On this most recent visit we sat at the bar because it was Saturday and no tables were available. Bartenders weren’t super attentive but it was about to get busy and we were able to get their attention when needed so it was okay. My husband had Manhattans which were fine. The deviled eggs were great and the pretzel was substantial and the sauces were good. Steak skewer with chopped salad was okay.

My issue was this. My first cocktail was a watermelon and mezcal thing. The bartender warned me it would be smokey so modified it a bit with tequila and it was great. But I saw a blood orange sour on the menu that had Basil Hayden bourbon in it, which is my favorite. I noticed, however, that when she mixed it, she used regular Jim Beam (Basil Hayden is a Jim Beam brand). When I questioned her on it, she said I was wrong about it including BH, even though another bartender piped up and said that was in the description on the menu. Then she basically said the menu was wrong and kind of snidely wondered aloud why the manager or whoever wrote the menu would have done it that way.

But here’s the thing—this was a $15 cocktail. At that price point in a suburban restaurant it should have a premium liquor in it, like Basil Hayden, no question. A Jim Beam-based cocktail should be $10-$12. And the fact that she shot me down about the whole thing, especially when it stated it right there on the menu, really ticked me off.

I know the restaurant business is tough and operating on thin margins, but this was ridiculous. I know no one behind that bar gives a hoot if my husband and I ever come back, but if you have made it this far, dear reader, just beware. The food is good but the experience left a bad taste...

We arrived at 6:55 for our 7pm reservation - which was booked several weeks in advance - and it still took a good 20 minutes for us to actually be seated. Staff kept telling people waiting that they "just need to clean off a table." I understand February 14 is a busy night but that's the whole point of a reservation.

Once we were seated we were informed that the restaurant had run out of glasses, so we couldn't even get water when we sat down. If you are running a restaurant that runs out of glasses whenever it gets busy, you're doing something wrong.

We ordered two appetizers which arrived promptly and were decent, but waited way too long for our drinks thanks to the glass situation. Our drinks arrived, then 10 minutes later a single glass of water, with the other water following a few minutes after that.

Our server was very inexperienced and either gave wrong answers or had to check with other staff for basic questions. She was trying her best (and tipped nicely for her efforts) but it didn't help the experience. The restaurant itself was very loud overall, and we waited a bit too long for our entrees. We requested boxes as soon as the food arrived, packed everything up immediately and just ate the food at home.

Overall a pretty lousy experience for a date night out. Especially considering the prices for the food. This is a restaurant that clearly used to be high-end but is now just pretending, while not knowing what it wants to be - other than "expensive for expensive's sake." Very disappointed, and won't...

Tried Branchwater last night for first time. Nice building and location. Quickly seated with our reservation. Did not take long to notice this place is L O U D. V E R Y. L O U D. T O O. L O U D. (We were not even sitted anywhere near or close to the bar...this was the main dining room when you walk in). Recommendation: Install sound absorbing material ASAP (Tapestries on wall, tapastries hanging from the high ceiling, carpets on floors, draperies around window....just do something to absord the loud clang and chatter noise).

Jeane waited on us and she was lovely and very nice. The wine we picked on the menu was not available but they had a substitute which was not on the menu. It was fine and we enjoyed it. The Brie Cheese was interesting but we were very surprised to learn when eatting it had gorgenzola cheese inside which my wife cannot stand...something we questioned even before ordering....we educated Jeane afterwards (I ate it though and enjoyed it).

I had the pork chop which was excellent (tender, moist and very tasty). I would recommend that any pork eater. My wife had the Veal Meatballs with Gnocci and she enjoyed that and took half home. The veal meatballs were very light and tasty (as opposed to a dense golf ball at other places). We skipped dessert because the noise in the dining room was getting raucous and annoying from the...