Watershed

Light, airy atmosphere combines with great food to create a big success! Food is southern with a flair, and there are options for even the pickies... more

Watershed is a charming little restaurant that has a very soothing feeling once you walk inside. In terms of the food, it is best described as inv... more

We went to watershed twice; once for brunch and once for dinner. Brunch was lamentable - everything was over-salted and the service slow. Dinner was not much better. While the hummus and crudite platter was tasty (then again, how hard is it to mess up hummus?), the pork chop -which our waitress recommended- was forgettable. The chop was over-salted (do we see a trend here?), and the accompanying mac&cheese featured a chalky texture. The collard greens were overcooked (and over-salted), even by southern standards. The salmon croquettes were delicious - crispy on the outside, tender on the inside -, but the accompanying broiled tomato (or whatever it was) tasted bitter and had a slimy texture. For dessert, we had the ""parfait,"" a sickly-sweet concoction that was far from the French ""perfect."" We won't be going back. Pros: service, ambience Cons: parking, prices, food more

I've been wanting to dine at Watershed for a long time, and finally had an opportunity when my boyfriend and I were in the neighborhood. We were apprehensive at first, I couldn't remember if the menu was pricey, and it was lunchtime on a Saturday. Parking was a bit of an issue, the dry cleaners located near the front of the restaurant has a drive-thru, so I couldn't circle around back to look for parking since cars were lined up waiting to pick up their dry cleaning. Luckily a patron was leaving their spot near the front. When we walked in, the host told us it was going to be a 30-45 minute wait, even though there were plenty of open tables. They must have been low on staff, so we opted for the bar. Service was relatively friendly, but a little slow at times. We ordered the White Truffle Chicken Salad Sandwich and the Butternut Squash Pancake with Cabbage and Roasted Tomatoes. The elderly couple sitting next to us were regulars and were in a wine club through the restaurant, and there seemed to be a lot of confusion with that. They were patient with the server. My boyfriend loved his sandwich which he said was extremely fresh. I guess that they probably used locally-grown organic produce to create it. The pine nuts and celery were really nice touches. I enjoyed my plate of food though there were a few weaknesses in the cabbage and roasted tomatoes. The cabbage was decent, but nothing spectacular, and the tomatoes were too sour. The butternut squash pancake was delightful as were the beets that came with the dish. We left quite content. Overall, it was a good place to eat, and I'd go back. I'd be afraid of the prices at dinner though. Seems like a place where you could really lose your cash over a few bottles of wine. Pros: decor, clean bathrooms, good food Cons: long wait, a little pretentious more

this was a great last minute find for dinner. I made reservations on Opentable just a half hour before showing up and I could not have been happier with the result. The service was fast, waiter was incredibly friendly, and we didn't have to ask once for more water. I would suggest the hummus ($10) dish to start, it comes with fresh hot pita, as well as a plate of fresh veggies to be dipped. I ate the grouper special ($27) for the main course and it was absolutely fantastic. It came with whipped butternut squash and sauteed kale... Delcious meal. My dinner partners each enjoyed the pork chop (about $20) and the full chicken ($18) which is an amazing deal... I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice dinner with family, friends,co-workers, or clients. Pros: Service, Food, Wine List Cons: Parking, Loudness more

Watershed is one of the best restaurants in Atlanta. Sure, the famous chocolate cake and fried chicken bring folks in, but I've had everything on the menu, and nothing's bad. \r \r Lunch? Burger - HEY SUNDAY PAPER STAFF - WHERE'S THE WSHED REVIEW FOR BEST BURGER?\r \r Brunch? Back to the basics. Eggs, bacon, and grits - you've never had 'em like this.\r \r Dinner? Take advantage of the winter menu. The beef stroganoff is perfect.\r \r Just try it!\r more

The positive reviews of this place are mystifying. The decor is disjointed at best with a strange hospital-color theme, and has no place in a former garage that faces a parking lot and busy street, complete with headlights often shining through the rolling garage door front to disturb your meal. The service started out overbearing and finished non-existent, with empty drink glasses for the last 30 minutes. The food did not compensate. The appetizers are oily, salads are bitter and boring, and main courses are so salty it's amazing no one had a brain hemorrhage waiting for a glass of water. The owner's celebrity must be the main reason this place survives. There are lots of great restaurants nearby. Take the $35+ it costs to have dinner here and spend it somewhere with decent food and/or atmosphere. Avoid this place at all costs. Pros: Maybe meet an Indigo Cons: Just about everything else more

I've been going to this Decatur institution since The Indigo Girls, Scott Peacock, and Edna Lewis made this a destination. New Southern Cuisine, hip atmosphere, and a glass of wine, work for me. Lunch is always yummy, especially the grilled shrimp on toasted bread. Get a slice of that Carmel Apple Cake, and see how fast you fall asleep, when you get back to the office. But Tuesday nights are special. Peacock has perfected a fried chicken receipe,learned from his mentor, the late Edna Lewis, the soulfood queen! He soaks the chicken overnight in buttermilk, and tosses lightly in peppered flour, and fries in a skillet! Oh Ms. Scarlet, you don't know what you are missing. Come early, unless you want my chicken bones! Pros: Scott Peacock's Fried Chicken, Carmel Apple Cake Cons: Parking Can Be Tricky, If Driving! more

I met with a friend for lunch yesterday at this Decautur spot. While I was not happy with the limited menu, I was happy with my choice of soft shell crab sandwich. I look forward to trying their fried chicken tuesday soon. The dessert was alright but not spectacular. The service was excellent. Pros: service, ambience, food Cons: limited menu more

Some of these reviews must have been written by jealous competitors or backwoods yokels. Hip and trendy spot should not be confused with its ""gas station"" heritage. OUTSTANDING FOOD and reasonable service considering crowds. A nice take on southern food. Do make a reservation, though. more

I had heard about it a lot, but always thought that southern food is not my cup of coffee. Well, good food is good food in every country and kitchen. Watershed is a restaurant that gives you satisfaction in every possible way. On a Monday night every restaurant in Decatur was empty, but watershed was packed, I said OK we will see: Being known as ""very critical person"" my wife replied: You will love it and will not find anything wrong. She had been there and loved it. \r Started with Keylime Martini and hummmmmmmus:both amazing \r Next: great Pinot Noir, I still do not know what the name was, and will ask them about it. \r Next :Duck dish, with simple mayo garlic sauce. OK I have to write a book about this dish to discribe how wonderful it was, but I won't.\r She had a vegetarian plate which was excellent. \r Ohh service: Top noch. \r Restaurants are hard to keep 100% consistant, I think as a review writer we have to consider this fact. That is all I have to say about the negative reviews about this place. When I have a bad experiance I go back and check again, of course if there is some hope left!!!\r Pros: Food, service, coctails more

When we arrived at Watershed for dinner, we were told that we would not be able to sit until 80% of our party arrived despite the fact that the restaurant was practically empty. We quickly decided to have a seat at the bar until the rest of our group arrived. After waiting awhile for the bartender to notice 8 people had just sat down, we finally got our drinks. The waitstaff was lounging at the bar, apparently not busy. Even though we only had 9 people at this point, the hostess sat us down. The waitress was efficient but not very friendly. The food was very good (I had the salmon croquettes and a bowl of the tomato-basil soup-delicious!) and everything was fairly priced. Overall, the food was very good but the waitstaff needed to be more motivated and less snooty. Pros: Seasonal Menus, Price, Good Wine Selection Cons: Poor Waitstaff, Not Much Parking more

My Partner and I went to Watershed for our 12th anniversary a month ago. We enjoyed everything about the experience. The little shop was fun for a few minutes to just browse and relax, (we didn't buy anything). We sat at the bar and the bartender recommended a nice little wine for me and some cool tastey beer for my partner, no pressure to rush. The server was very pleasant, timley and accurate. The food was great and I think not a bad value at all. I'd recommend it to anyone intown or visiting. Special occassion or not its a great place to go... Enjoy more

Watershed was one of my favorite places in Atlanta; after reading the negative reviews on the website I was surprised. However it appers that the quality of service has recently declined significantly; recently I went for fried chicken night and was very disappointed. The restaurant was overcrowded, no parking was available, and even though we had reservations we had to wait beyond our reservation time. Then we were told there weren't enough chicken dishes for everyone in our party. Service was rather poor (it used to be excellent). Our waitress was very unattentive. I'm afraid I cannot continue to recommend Watershed to friends, especially for fried chicken night. I hope that management gets their act together and improves service back to what it used to be. I also believe they have raised their prices without adding any additional quality to the menu. Pros: good food Cons: fried chicken night, poor service more

I recently visited watershed for dinner with friends. I was terribly disappointed with both service and food. Service is pathetic and the food was less than average, far less.The restaurant was recommended by a friend, however I will never recommend to anyone. While the decor is nice enough all else is lack luster.Reservations were made for a party of seven, upon arrival we asked to be seated, however the hostess did state ""we dont like to seat large groups until all have arrived"" 2 of my friends were running a bit late. So, the other 5 of us stood in the doorway for 10 minutes until the rest of our party arrived.I felt the attitude of the hostess inappropriate, and down right rude. Needless to say, I wont be back, they can seat whom ever when ever they like. Pros: good parking Cons: service, poor quality food more

I was visiting from San Francisco and heard about this place. I went on fried-chicken night and it was very good. The waitress realized that we were not from the area and began suggesting things on the menu that the evening a real southern experience. I haven't had very much southern style food before but I liked my experience here very much. more

Watershed is one of the worst restaurantsmaybe the worstI have been to in Atlanta. The decor is almost as unimaginative as the overpriced, bland food. Unseasoned vegetables and tough cuts of meat are sure to disappoint. The atmosphere is cold and unwelcoming. The sale of penny candies, greeting cards, and body wash in a hallway adjacent the dining room coupled with cheap glassware and utensils, a chipped painted floor, and uncomfortable seating render Watershed akin to a snack bar in a Walmart (no offense to Walmart!). The service was fine, but no match for other restaurants around town. Needless to say, I will never, ever be back. Cons: overpriced, unromantic, noisy more

I have eaten at Watershed 4 times; three were at Brunch. I've always enjoyed the food--it's simple fare cooked simply. Service has always been extra-friendly. I agree it is not the fastest in town. The atmosphere is not typical--it IS rather stark-- but that is part of what makes it so appealing. Adaptive reuse of space is part of what makes ITP dining so much fun! Pros: Friendly Service, Fresh Ingredients, Quirky Atmosphere more

Maybe it's because we did not order the ""signature"" dishes (fried chicken, chocolate cake), but the food was a huge disappointment. The service was very slow, and next to our table was a big puddle of ""something"" seeping from the kitchen area collecting onto the floor which they were mopping with towels. I was served a big thick slab of fish that was raw and nearly frozen in the middle, and inedible due to the toughness. It was also visually disgusting. I rarely (read never) return food, especially considering the long wait, but I literally could not cut it without a steak knife. They finally replaced my meal with a lackluster chicken breast (I felt that they should have ""comp'ed"" the meal out of decency, but this was not offered). It was several weeks before I could stomach the idea of any fish again. Pros: innovative Cons: , noisy, slow service more

I loved this place.... the shrimp and grits were delicious. I wanted to try everything on the menu. The service was excellent, even though I heard them say they were short staffed. I can't wait to go back and try the things I missed... A+++ more