Daniel B.
Yelp
I had a great time at Hal's "The Steakhouse," formerly known as Hal's on Old Ivy. For a classic, local steakhouse experience in Atlanta, I recommend this place. That's all you need to know. If you want details, keep reading.
At the time of writing this, Hal's has a 4.0-star average rating from 930 Yelp reviews. I can see why some people would rate this place "only" four stars. For example, my wife's reasons for giving Hal's four stars are: (1) there was no cocktail menu, (2) the Lyonnaise Potatoes weren't the best (still good, just not as good as she was expecting), (3) her empty cocktail glass sat on our table for the whole dinner and she was never asked if she wanted another drink, (4) the servers appeared stretched thin and she felt like we were just another cog in the wheel (her comment: "The service did not match the food."), and (5) the interior (e.g., the carpet) was dingy, worn, and musty. That's all true, but I thought the food, especially the steaks, really stole the show and the old-school atmosphere, for me, was a lot of fun.
Hal's opened in North Buckhead in 1989. It's still located on Old Ivy Rd NE, so I'm not sure why the name change. A second location opened in Nashville this year (2024). Hal's is hidden off the main roads, Piedmont and Roswell. Parking is valet only. Bring cash. It costs $5 plus tip. I saw one guy not have cash on him. He paid and tipped using his phone, which wasn't ideal since it held others up.
Our party of four had a Saturday reservation at 6:15pm. We arrived on time and the place was packed. At one point, the downstairs bar was standing room only. We ended up not being seated until close to 6:45pm. A little annoying. Book your reservation using OpenTable and earn dining points which can be used to redeem restaurant discounts, Amazon gift cards, hotel stays, and more. Hal's awards points - not all restaurants on OpenTable do - so that's a plus.
This is a two-story restaurant. There are bars and dining rooms both upstairs and downstairs. We started off at the downstairs bar, getting drinks and watching baseball on TV. There were young, attractive female bartenders wearing leggings and tops showing off cleavage (some midriffs), very typical of a Buckhead bar/club. It was an interesting dichotomy to what the older male staff wore: dress shirts, dress pants, and neckties. It's all part of the "old-fashioned" vibe of this place. At the time we dined here, Hal's website said Hal's is "where Atlanta's power dinners happen." That wording has since been removed. Now it says Hal's is "the epicenter of Atlanta's most influential gatherings." Dining here, I felt like I was in an episode of The Sopranos (and I loved it). We dined upstairs, next to the elevator and entrance to the French Quarter, New Orleans-style indoor patio.
Here's what we had:
Cocktails
* Woodford Reserve Bourbon Old Fashioned x3 ($16.50 each)
* Hendrick's Gin ($13), French 75 cocktail (+$1)
Appetizers
* Oysters Bordelaise x2 (3 for $15; we got 6) - oysters dusted with cornmeal, flash fried, topped with garlic sauce
* Escargot ($13) - baked and served out of the shell in a garlic butter sauce
Salads
* Caesar Salad ($12) - romaine lettuce topped with homemade croutons and tossed in Hal's tangy Caesar dressing
* Hal's Chopped Salad ($13) - greens, carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, asparagus, blue cheese, Hal's Vinaigrette
Beef, Lamb, & Poultry
* Filet Mignon (12 oz, $72) - center-cut filet mignon grilled and finished with a butter sauce; cooked medium, with Mashed Potatoes
* Filet Mignon Au Poivre (12 oz, $72), add Broiled Lobster (+$43) - center-cut filet pressed in peppercorns, pan-seared and served with a cognac sauce; cooked medium rare with Creamed Spinach
* Prime Bone-In Ribeye x2 (22 oz, $88 each) - grilled and finished with a butter sauce; both cooked medium rare and both with Creamed Spinach
Sides
* Sauteed Mushrooms ($12)
* Onion Rings ($12)
* White Truffle Macaroni and Cheese ($14)
* Lyonnaise Potatoes ($11)
* Brussels ($13)
Desserts
* Bread Pudding ($11.95)
* Chocolate Cake ($11.95)
After Dinner Drinks
* Espresso Martini ($18.50) - Ketel One vodka
* Irish Coffee ($14) - Jameson whiskey
The food was amazing. Our Prime Bone-In Ribeyes were up there among the best steaks we've had in Atlanta. They were perfectly cooked and seasoned with outstanding flavor and texture (juicy, tender, rich). In general, all of the food was incredibly rich and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed the Oysters Bordelaise and Escargot. My favorite side was the White Truffle Mac and Cheese (highly recommend). As for the drinks, they were nice and strong. Even the Bread Pudding, made with bourbon sauce, was quite strong. The Chocolate Cake came with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. We came to indulge and, all around, I thought Hal's delivered. Even their complimentary garlic bread was exceptional. It was just saturated in butter. Warm, crispy, scrumptious.
The servers seemed overwhelmed and very busy during our visit.