Aba, a chic SoCo spot with a lush patio under a giant oak, serves fresh, shareable Mediterranean plates like smoky hummus, kebabs, and cocktails.
"Reservations during normal dinner hours are typically available about six to eight weeks out, but if you just want to stop in for afternoon drinks and snacks—or you're okay with a 9pm meal—you can usually grab something about a week or two out. If you want a patio seat, you can make a request when booking, but they’ll be seated on a first come, first served basis. And when the weather’s nice, the patio is where everybody will want to be. That means you can sometimes grab a seat in the dining room as a walk-in, but then you’re missing one of the few redeeming things about Aba." - Nicolai McCrary
"A new concept from the hospitality group behind Aba, generating interest among food lovers." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Verdict: There are lots of better places to eat on South Congress than at Aba, an expensive modern Mediterranean restaurant. In fact, we’d probably choose most of them over a meal here. But if you really, really want to sit on their admittedly very nice patio and sip on a $25 paloma, we get it. Kind of. " - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"We’re not huge fans of the food at Aba—we’d suggest The Peacock or Ezov first for upscale Mediterranean plates—but we can’t deny that the patio here is one of the best in the whole city. It’s set under a centuries-old oak tree in a fancy development off South Congress next to Hermès and Le Labo stores, so you’ll have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into before you walk in. Grab some hummus and a cocktail, and enjoy the shade. How to get in: Reservations open up about six weeks in advance and tend to book up about as early, particularly for seating around dinner. Reservations also don’t guarantee a patio seat, but you can request one when booking, and they’ll do their best to accommodate. We’ve also had good luck just walking in and grabbing a seat at the bar without too much of a wait. " - nicolai mccrary
"Aba is an upscale Mediterranean restaurant located in the Music Lane development on South Congress. They also happen to have one of the prettiest patios in town, with multiple levels built around a 100+ year old oak tree. You’ll definitely want to grab a reservation here well in advance—spaces go quick. " - raphael brion, nicolai mccrary
