Better Half

Hands down-​my favorite restaurant in Atlanta!
Perfect date night experience.
My husband and I sat at the bar and enjoyed watching the chef plate our food. Everything was beautiful when it arrived and delicious.
We also sampled the wine flight-​paired wines with the dinner selection.
I love that the place isn’t fussy and pretentious. The wait staff is happy to have you and very accommodating.

I found Better Half through OpenTable because it’s a 1000 point reservation. The restaurant is in an interesting location across the street from a car wash/​restaurant which is an awesome concept that I wish would come to Orlando (assuming the food is decent). Anyway, Better Half is a small, intimate space with all the food prepared behind a counter at one end of the room. If I ever have a chance to return, I’d like to sit at the counter and watch the chefs work. I’m amazed at the quality of the food given the limited space. Based on the reviews I read, I ordered the silk handkerchief pasta which seems to be one of their signature items. The dish was very flavorful. It’s not a huge portion but I was satisfied and happy to have room for dessert. The pink peppercorn semifreddo was very unique. Honesty it’s been awhile since my visit so I don’t remember the details but I know I enjoyed it. In addition to what I ordered, the meal also started and ended with small complimentary items, which was a nice touch.

Loved the atmosphere and décor! Felt comfortable from the start. Apps were just OK but the mains, «silk handkerchief mushroom pasta» and snapper were as good as it gets. The peach desert was excellent but could have used a bit more sauce– a little dry.
Wine pours were generous and service was excellent.
I would definitely return.

A wonderful meal with an important out of town guest. An incredible find in Atlanta, Better Half is the the kind of place that becomes part of the local legend and terroir of a city. Beautifully presented food by people who are intimately involved with the preparation and selection of the dishes. Very much recommended as an inherently «Atlanta» destination.

Not sure what the hype is. The food is good, but not 4.5 stars. Also, they don’t have a full bar. The portions are fine, but the plates in general lacked variety. I wasn’t impressed by anything really.

So had reservation for my wife’s birthday for 6 of us. Called because she was sick to cancel. Was told they didn’t know if I could cancel and that open table might charge me $ 150 ($ 25 per person) for the cancelation even though I called to make reservation direct (not open table) with the restaurant and when I did this was never told to me. Don’t care if food is good or not, if this is the level of service to expect I will never go and tell everyone I know this story and to never go. Btw — was hung up on and when calling back only got message system.

This place is awesome and the chefs are rock stars! We had the 9 course tasting menu and sat at the bar so we could watch the chefs create food that was art. The staff is very friendly and our server Nicolle made us feel right at home and was terrific in describing each of our courses. This place should be on everyone’s list to go to if they are in Atlanta. Thank you Zach and Cristina for a truly memorable meal and unforgettable evening.

Outstanding restaurant. Food is as good as other top restaurants in Atlanta like Miller Union, Bacchanalia, etc. We had the 5 course dinner with wine pairings and loved everything. The staff is very friendly. We can’t wait to go back.

Fried food or heavy cream are a part of every dish, and not in a way that’s remotely worth it. Not balanced and taste is hit or miss. If you’re in the mood for comfort food and not looking for a healthy meal then you’ll be ok here. If you are at all health conscious and looking to have options on the menu, this isn’t your spot.
Got the duck tomal, truffle gougre, grilled spring onion (one of better dishes), swordfish (salty, and crispy saffron grits were blocks of fried grits with no taste), handkerchief pasta. Main dishes were underwhelming. Appetizers were fried.
Cool place esthetically, but very loud. Limited mixed drinks (2 exactly — one vodka and one rum, said they are in process of expanding bar).
Maybe we hit an off night.

Went with the tasting menu w/​wine pairing and it was good. Not great but good. What stood out to me was the cauliflower purée and the swordfish. If I was back in ATL again I would definitely come back but chose a few a la cart options. Also, although the wine pours in the pairing were quite generous I wasn’t really impressed by the selection.
In any case, the chef’s passion for cooking and creating is obvious in his dishes. This restuurant is definitely a must-​try when visitng the area.

The restaurant is located at a not safe area with limited parking spaces.$ 55 for 5 course tasting menu is definitely worth the try!

Every single meal I have had here has been out of this world. The food is beautiful but not fussy. The atmosphere is cozy, a little silly but incredibly unique while being very welcoming I honestly can’t even review all of the dishes I’ve tried here over the years… I’ve done the 9 course tasting, 5 course tasting and a la cart many times. «Old faithful» being the handkerchief pasta is something that I dream about getting every time but each time I am distracted by another dish (always delicious) that never fails to blow away my expectations. My suggestion is that you go several times to try a variety of dishes… but don’t get too attached as he mixed it up completely every week! Only the magical pasta remains each week
This is definitely my favorite in Atlanta!
If you get the chance to interact with Chef Zach — considering yourself close to a celebrity. He never tires of the large and adoring crowds (or at least would never share it). He always make you feel like you are the most important diner in the room!

Came to Better Half with my better half. *Guffaw* Bu-​dum-​dum-​psh!
Here’s what we had:
1) garlic shrimp, roasted carrot, pickled fennel, coconut broth, rice grits– The shrimp in this dish does not come out as you’d expect. It’s buried/​mashed inside an ommlette-​like square cake. But man, it’s good. You can taste several different flavors through this dish, but they’re all unified by the sauce that everything sits in. As a starter, this really piqued my taste buds, and gave me a sense that perhaps this meal won’t just another average «new southern/​american» type of place (which I’ve honestly become jaded about).
2) roasted scallops, parsnip purée, bacon succotash, whipped lemonade– I only got a bite or so of this dish, but the scallops were perfectly cooked all the way through but still tender, and the bacon succotash provided salt and a touch of vinegar to balance out the scallops’ flavor.
3) beef flat iron, bone marrow bread pudding, sweet potato confit, red onion caramel– This was my dish– and I’m so glad it was. Flat iron steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare– flavored perhaps with a tad bit too much salt at first bite– but as I went along, I realized that it actually brought out the flavor of the meat itself. BONE MARROW BREAD PUDDING. Foodgasm from first bite to last. RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. Made me laugh several times because I was so happy from eating it. It’s been a long time since food did that to me. Get this. While they still got it. Sigh. So good.
Since our meal was going so outstandingly well… we figured that we’d order one more main to call it a night.
4) silk handkerchief pasta, wild mushrooms, tomato marmalade, porcini cream– Every bit as good as others have written about it. Perhaps a bit too much sweetness with the tomato marmalade, but that’s me being picky. I wish I had another portion (we split this one) all to myself.
Tonight’s meal convinced me to come back for the chef’s tasting menu…5…maybe even the 9 course menu…
One stain on the whole night– we had to wait about 20 minutes despite having a reservation made via Unilocal.There should probably be an option in which you choose «table» vs. «counter/​bar» seating.

Damn… Walked here on a whim yesterday for date night with my love after an impromptu visit to the High Museum. Apparently we needed a reservation because the joint was slammed but they allowed us to sit at the little bar area where you can watch the geniuses (chefs) in action. We had, SUCH, an amazing meal with a view and great service to boot.
The menu is not one of an extensive nature, but I venture to say EVERYTHING on it is scrumptious and you can’t fail with any choice. Our appetizer of goat cheese filled pepper was so delicious. For dinner my boyfriend had the mushroom pasta and I had a crispy fish whose name escapes me. Fish was good and all, but boyfriend’s pasta obliterated in the tasty department. Dang! Major food envy. Our dessert was also killer and a perfect end to a lovely little meal. We will be back. Believe that.

I’m finally DUCHESS at Better Half!!! I’ve been coming here since 2014 and will continue to come here as long as they’re willing to feed me. I’ve made it a yearly tradition to dine here on my Birthday (But I also visits once in awhile in between). And I would treat myself to a 9 – 11 course meal with a few cocktail drinks. Everything is still amazing and they still continues to excite my palate with their daily menu changes. The one thing that won’t ever change on their menu is the Silk Handkerchief Pasta. If you haven’t tried this, you really need to. It will change your life.
I still prefer to sit at the bar so I can interact with my neighbors and the chef. It’s a privilege to be fed by the chef himself. He interacts with everyone and answers any questions you have of your food. Some of this plates are hand made by him — it’s something I would totally purchase if he ever sell them.
I’ll be back in a few weeks. :)

A long-​time friend and I decided to check out Better Half in the Westside/​Home Park neighborhood. If I had known it was adjacent to Wagaya, I most definitely would have visited earlier! The interior appears casual with an artsy edge, but the plating is modern and chic.
Parking can be a bit of a hassle, since it shares a baby lot behind the restaurant with other businesses. However, despite coming by on a weekend evening, we managed to snag the last spot. So you may as well check it out just in case you get lucky. If not, I am sorry in advance for the awkward struggle when exiting.
Their menu changes pretty frequently, if not daily. And while the flavors may change, the «mains» stay the same for some time (i.e. fish, gnocchi, pasta, meat, etc.) I would go with the Gnocchi, since they give you a decent portion. My friend opted for the Rabbit Entrée which was just too pretty to eat! When the proteins came out as cut up sausage-​like shapes, we were initially confused. I think we were expecting an actual leg and breast that the menu had described. Still, everything was beautifully plated and delicious!
The only frown I experienced during my meal was the free mini appetizer we received. I believe it was a black bean paste served with a crunchy flatbread of some sort. The dish tasted fine, but it did not look appetizing: pretty much a smudge of poop dusted in sea salt with 2 sad sticks. Thank goodness the rest of the meal was not only refined looking, but appetizing. In fact, the following dishes blotted out the memory of what could have been an unforgettable bad taste in my mouth. And it was free, so I will overlook the sad sticks in my review. Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but because I couldn’t try everything this time around, I do expect to come back again!

Ugh, a frustrating evening. The menu is always changing, and today the menu was better than most days, although the execution was soft. I’ll give more on that in a second, but my biggest frustration is service and ambiance. I’ll take the last one first.
They put us back by the bathrooms. Despite my prior review, we still get to see and hear every person in the restaurant as they go into the bathroom to do their business. There’s even a doorway there, so they could at the very least put some kind of eye barrier if not a sound barrier.
The menu tonight was better than it usually is. The watermelon was great! They also did a kind of deconstructed lamb tamale that was solid. I only tried the corn soup with a fried jalapeño, but trying it was all I wanted. I didn’t think much of the dish.
The second courses were a bit wanting however. I did the beef short rib, and it seemed to have been pressure cooked today with little development or sauce or anything else that added much depth of flavor. The cut had obviously been rushed through it’s tenderizing process. Quite disappointing.
My bigger issue came later in the evening. Better Half was only about half full tonight… despite it being a Friday. They only did one table turn for each table and only about ¾ of tables were ever taken. Somehow as my table was laughing at a funny story one of my friends was recounting, the person running the floor came over and told us we needed to be quiet?
I think this comes down a little bit to one of my frustrations with the front of the house — truly the back of the house is one of the best in Atlanta — but I don’t think Better Half hospitality staff know their customers. Usually when I go into places, the management and staff have some inkling of how often I dine at their restaurant. I don’t think Better Half has ever recognized me. Most restaurants at this price point do this through some sort of CRM system. If I go to Tomo, they know I want to be a the sushi bar. If I go to Aria or Restaurant Eugene, they know I want to be in one of the «u» tables. The one thing I’ve ever asked Better Half is not to put me back by the bathrooms, and yet most every time that’s one of the first places they seem to seek to fill.
I have had mixed service at Better Half. Three weeks ago or so, I had excellent service. Last time I did not. I think service depends somewhat on luck of the draw with the waitstaff but also depends upon when you sit down.
Their wine list needs some work. Also, they use stemless glasses like you use next to the pool for wine.
For a restaurant like this, I think they need to offer espresso drinks. This Foodie in particular wants an espresso after my meal not a pot of coffee.
So all that said, I had really been in love with the quaintness of Better Half, but my most recent experiences show that the rubber is coming off the tire. Sadly, while the chef is really ingenious, the restaurant is very poorly managed. Service is subpar for the price point.

Oh man, what a disappointment. I was so hyped about this place, but things fell short.
First of all, I have no idea where to park. It isn’t clear. You can park at the gas station next door. But they have like 8 spaces total. There has to be some other places to park. I guess you can park in the streets of home park.
Their décor is trendy and quaint. It’s also kinda hipster-​ish too. Maybe a rich, hipster type vibe. That’s cool.
First, let me mention that their presentations are beautiful. On the menu, all of their dishes sound mundane. But they really make the dishes look amazing and delicious. For example, their tortilla soup is the most amazing looking tortilla soup I’ve seen.
To start, I tried their duck flatbread with machengo and wild mushroom coca. I liked this dish. The flatbread was baked well and tasted great. The duck was good too. The fennel jam was all bunched in the corner of the bread. So it was hard to spread it everywhere. It was still a good dish though.
For my entrée, I got their Crispy Flounder. This didn’t taste good. When they say, «Crispy» they meant make it look like filet o fish. Like their other dishes, they made the dish look amazing, but when you really look at it, it’s just 2 filet o fishes from McDonald’s with the blood orange aioli drizzled around it artistically.
Speaking of the blood orange aioli, that did not match with the flavors of the fish. It was too sour. Maybe if we had fresh blood oranges? I dunno. I didn’t like the dish at all. The flavors were too contrasty and didn’t work well for me.
Oh yeah, the roasted fennel it came with was too tough. I couldn’t cut it with my dull butter knife they gave me. So I had to shove that whole thing into my mouth. Argh.
The Filet o Flounder was probably the most expensive entrée on the menu. My friend and I found this place overpriced. After spending about $ 100 for the both of us (without drinks or dessert), we just went home hungry and disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, this place doesn’t suck. I liked the presentation, the creativity of the menu, and the duck flatbread. The flounder just killed it for me. Oh well.

Beware: be careful where you park. I almost got a ticket. But thank God I ran fast enough to get to my car before the guy could write a ticket. Whew. Park on the streets AFTER 7!!!
Got the 5 course tasting meal. Some of the dishes are smaller, but as you go through the course — you’ll get full. It was about 50 bucks. I have a small stomach, so I was happy by the end of the course, but if you have a huge appetite, I don’t think this will satisfy you.
Service was AMAZING. The place was pretty packed. The environment here is awesome too. :)
Some foods I liked, some I didn’t; I am fairly certain every course given at any restaurant has a dish or 2 that’s not super popular. But I did expect to have more Yes dishes than No dishes.
1. Flan — So, I don’t like flan in general; therefore, I only had a few bites before I let someone else have the rest. But the bites I had were good/​ok; tasted too buttery. I just can’t eat too much of it b/​c I have a sensitive stomach. The mushrooms on top of the flan were pretty tasty. Ok dish — only b/​c of the mushrooms.
2. Flounder — So… not really a fan. Missed the mark on this one unfortunately. Just didn’t mix well with me. I ate it regardless, but I don’t think I’d order this individually. Too much walnuts :(
3. Steak — I actually think the steak was the reason why I bumped up my 2 to a 3. Great taste & done correctly. I also liked the huge onion that was included hah. The steak for sure trumps the flounder. I wish they added more portions! :(
4. Cheese — Hmm… kind of basic. I liked the mini bread that was included. Cheese wise, it was ok. Oh — but the Strawberry (?) & Raspberry (?) Jam were delicious… so ½ yes and no for me.
5. I love dessert so this was my #2 favorite. Coco with the Orange piece with ice cream. Nomnommm. The orange was a great add. Nicely complimented the dish.

I wanted to come here and try it due to all the great reviews. I might come back just to try their menu changes. I think perhaps what was in season and on the menu this night just wasn’t my cup of tea. My friend didn’t like it either, she won’t be coming back.
I got the chef tasting menu with 5 items for $ 50. Think tapas. They ended up being very pretty yet overpriced items that looked better than they tasted. I don’t mind paying more for less food but it has to taste amazing (quality over quantity). It didn’t.
I tried the pecan crusted white fish with bacon– it was very bland except for the spoonful of bacon garnishing it. Then the garlic flan– it was tasted like eating butter which isn’t my favorite thing to spoon into my mouth. Then came the steak– this was great. But as I told my friend-​you can’t mess up steak, you put a piece of it on the grill and leave it medium. The cheese wasn’t bad (i mean it’s cheese) but the cornbread cracker served with it wasn’t very good (very dry) although it did have a watermelon jam on it that was great (again yummy garnish). Dessert was coco and chocolate ice cream with a chocolate cookie. This wasn’t bad but the cookie was tough to chew.
The wait staff was friendly but didn’t come by as often as I expected. They came with a dish but never came to see if we needed anything in between. Only came back to clear up our dish and bring back another.