Canoe

this is one of our favorite outdoor dining options. we brought lots of out town guests and we always leave happy. more

great feel more

I first went to Canoe in 2000. I went with someone who is now an ex. He introduced me to Canoe and it's something I continue to thank him for. Our children were little back then, but over the years it has become a tradition in our family to visit Canoe for special occasions, or just because, and here's why: The service is real; not just staff who don't care pretending that they do. No, at Canoe, you will be treated like you're the most important guest that night and if you're not, the management will do things like bring you the entire dessert menu as an apology for a late seating or disliked entree. I grew up with a dad who ran restaurants for a living, so i know a little about food and service and I can tell you, Canoe is a shining star in a constellation of Atlanta eateries. First of all, the food is just magnificent. Though the menu changes, you never have to fear that your favorite is no longer on the menu, you'll be sure to find a new favorite right away. The service is outstanding: They call you by your name, the staff is trained in how to serve, so they attend to your every need, they know how to suggest food, they pay attention to your table and they make an expensive meal feel like it should: special, delicious, memorable and worth the money you're about to lay down for it. I have been to other restaurants that boast a similar price tag, but I have never found one in this town that is actually worth the money except for Canoe. It has become our go-to restaurant for special occasions because we're never disappointed. In fact, if we all had to list our favorite meals of all time, our family would recount a list that's about 90% Canoe entrees or desserts. My kids are older now, they're bona fide teenagers with palates of their own and time and again, they request Canoe for our special occasions. In fact, we're going there tonight to celebrate their recent successes in school. How lucky are we that we know already that tonight is going to be one of those warm, happy memories that brings smiles to our faces for years to come because our chosen restaurant is so consistently excellent? (pretty darned lucky, I'd say.) more

I've been to Canoe several times and I've always had pleasant experiences. So when I needed to hold an event there I thought it would be perfect. There were about 16 people at this event and the server was amazing. She was helpful and attentive and I cannot say enough good things about her. The food was also great. HOWEVER, planning the event was not pleasant. Every time I called, the head of event planning told me she had to many calls to remember who I was. And she was never very pleasant to talk to. Her assistant was very nice I must say. After the event, I never heard a word...no 'thank you'...or 'how was it'...nothing. I don't think I would go back for an event at this point. My closest friends are sales managers at some of the nicest restaurants in Atlanta and they all concur that the customer service in the planning area was not stellar. more

Love everything about Canoe-the way they remodeled the space after it was flooded-the wine list is great and the food never fails to impress. Love the coconut ice cream here and the fact that the chef was able to get it for me even when it wasn't on the menu. Brunch here is one of the best in town!!! more

The place is very good and very relaxing .. a great place to stop by after work . The food was descent , and I love the service ! Pros: place more

The Canoe is truly an exceptional place to celebrate special occasions. My partner and I went to this place to celebrate our anniversary. I really love the ambiance. It was so relaxing and tranquil. The sumptuous food and the excellent service even made our night extra special. We will certainly be back more

I've been here once with my friend and we had a wonderful experience. It has a really cool atmosphere that set the right vibes. We were served with wonderful good tasting food and the wait staff was so nice. We were really satisfied during that first visit and are already planning to go back next week. Pros: excellent food and service more

My husband and I recently celebrated our 3rd Anniversary at Canoe. It was one of the most wonderful dining experiences we had. The wait staff were so friendly and accomodating. The food we ordered were truly exceptional. We certainly love the setting and the environment. This place is truly incomparable and we will definitely go back. Pros: good-quality food, pleasant wait staff more

My wife and I finally visited Canoe after meaning to for months. The view of the Chattahoochee was not disappointing. While not as personal as Ray's on the River, the seating nearly right above the river is very nice. The service was pretty good. Our hostess was polite and the waitress was more than happy to offer suggestions. We particularly enjoyed the arugula salad, but the barbecued pheasant was burned as though it had been cooked by a boy scout on a bonfire. The parts that were not burned were good, but unfortunately, that was only about 40% of the bird. I ordered the rabbit, which was decent. The preparation left it tender, although it lacked fresh flavor and tasted well over-spiced.. This, however, was far superior to my wife's dish. She ordered the steak and fries. The aroma of the dish was a bit repulsive (truffle oil was liberally applied to the fries), but we have eaten such dishes before. But as she ate, the aroma became too strong. Even I was not hungry after eating half my dish - not because I was full, but because the unappetizing smell of her french fries. We were unable to stomach dessert. Overall, the dining experience was decent, but certainly not worth the cost. We have eaten at several nearby restaurants offering similar fare, and have found them to be a far better value. Pros: Variety of dishes, view, overall service Cons: Poorly cooked food more

My family and I have dined at this restaurant many times. Our latest outing was on Easter. We sat outside on their patio which was just beautiful. Their menu has changed somewhat so my sister and I didn;t care for what we ordered. Our waitress wasn't all that great. not as friendly as we usually get. food is pricey. but sometimes its workth it. for us, we think they changed chefs because the last couple of times that we've been there it hasn't been all that great. I will say that most of the staff there are very friendly and the atmosphere is just beautiful inside and out. more

The view and atmoshpere are good. great date night. For the price, food should be better The service has an attitude and if it were not for the wines, it would be 3 star. Overall the food was fresh, well presented, but lacked that special kick to make me want to go back again for that money.There are better places for less money around Pros: view, wine Cons: service more

I took my fiance to Canoe last night for his birthday dinner. The staff was very friendly, professional and knowledgeable. We loved the atmosphere- elegant, but with a rustic, upscale lodge feel. The wine was excellent and the food exceptional- the best I've had in years. Will definitely be back soon! Pros: Best food, staff, atmosphere in town Cons: Cannot think of any more

Great food and wine in a fantastic location. The service was excellent as well. Prices are a bit steep but the value is there. Recommended for special occasions. more

I had dinner at Canoe with 4 friends last night and it was a divine experience! We were greeted by a charmant hostess who led us to the table they had set for us outiside overlooking the chattahoochie river. Istart...absolument delishious! Our waitress was very knowledge about the food and wine and had the perfect temprament (not overzealous yet confident and likeable). I had the lamb ribs with apricot sauce to start...absolument delicious! I had the veal as my main course and it is the best veal I have had to date: utterly oozing with flavour and cooked to perfection! I finsihed off the evening with a tangerine icecream atop a slice of blueberry cake and that did not dissapoint either. I'm quite hard to please but Canoe lived up to the hype! I cannot wait to return to Canoe for brunch! Pros: Scenic location and a festival for the palete! more

This summer I tried Canoe for my boyfriends birthday and it was amazing!!! We sat outside right near the river. The entire staff was fabulous from the hostess to our waiter. Our waiter was exceptionally knowledgable of the menu and very helpful he greeted us by name and had already been informed it was my boyfriend's birthday and wished him happy birthday. It was GREAT food and GREAT service. On top of everything else it was one of the most romantic places we have ever been! I HIGHLY recommend Canoe to anyone and I will absolulety be back in the future. Pros: Great food, service, and setting!!! Cons: none I can think of! more

Canoe is a fantastic spot in the heart of Vinings and right on the Chattahoochee River. This is the place for date night on the North side of Atlanta. The meals are wonderfully prepared and the ambiance might even be better. Don't go if you're prone to sticker shock as this will not be the cheapest meal you have ever had. It might be one of the best and you're going to pay for it! more

We went here a few weekends ago for my best friend's 30th birthday dinner & were all impressed. When we initially looked over the menu, we were surprised that the main dishes were so unusual (rabbit, pheasant, etc.), but everything ended up being really tasty! The waiters were all fabulous, too! Unlike many of the other nice restaurants around town, they were not only attentive,helpful & knowledgeable--they had tons of personality & were each very humorous! They made our night special by paying attention to details--for instance, since my best friend had been drinking martiniis while we were waiting on the rest of our party to arrive, they brought her a chocholate martinni at the end of the night (on top of a plate that had ""Happy 30th"" written in chocolate). While this seems like a small detail, it made the experience more individualized than if the staff had simplty brought the traditional piece of cake! Pros: Service, Dishes more

Overall, it was a good dining experience. My husband and I brought his visiting father here as a farewell dinner. We had 7:15 reservations but didn't get seated until about twenty minutes later. The food had some hits and misses. For starters, they bring by this massive basket with delicious bread, but give you one slice each and never offered anymore in the twenty minutes waiting for our food. For appetizers, the mussels were very good; however, the smoked salmon which was highly recommended by our waiter was a little salty and hard to swallow. Our main courses were very good. We tried the scallops, rabbit, and skate wing which was their special that night and would say was probably my favorite of the three. The rabbit was extremely tender and tasted very much like chicken. Definitely worth a visit especially for the ambience. more

We dined with Canoe on Sunday, November 8, 2008, while in Atlanta for a business convention. We picked Canoe based on strong reviews at this site and on Zagat. The cab ride from downtown was $25 each way, but the time and expense were well worth it. Canoe is a gem. We started with the squash soup. I had the Grilled Berkshire Pork Tenderloin entree which was as moist and as tender as any pork tenderloin I have ate. My wife had the pheasant. Both were excellent. Our server was a star, knowledgeable [she could explain the ingredients, seasoning level, and preparation method of every disk we considered], attentive, and personable. Some waiters and waitresses with this degree of knowledge can be snooty or elitist with a ""Miami"" attitude, but not at Canoe... where the service was top-notch without ego or stuffiness. Pros: Superb Food, Excellent service, decor, value more