Lusca

Service was extremely slow. It took over 15 minutes for two drinks. $ 19 for a saki in an aluminum can? Rip off.
Food was overpriced and unseasoned.
Complete buyers remorse!

Omg. Less than average at best. No doubt this restaurant is closing within the next couple of months. Food, service and ambiance was less than average. Menu was very limited and uninspiring. House wine and many others, as advertised, were not available. Got the grilled, whole Branzino that the waiter offered to fillet table side and he made a complete mess of the fish. Also got a side of field peas that were barely cooked. Unbelievable. No doubt this place is closing soon. Can’t believe that Eater ATL included this in their top 38. No way.

The room and food are great, but our waitress forgot about us the entire evening. Not sure if we will be back as there are so many other great choices near by.

After wanting to come here for over a year… I wish I hadn’t waited that long!!! My experience tonight was SUBLIME!!! All the food and the service were amazing! Creative, unique & well balanced! Textures, flavors, eye appeal… everything in its place! The salmon app was to die for, my rabbit tagliatelle was perfection and the turnips were ridiculously good! The grouper, the lamb and the risotto were also delish! Desserts were unique and new! My fave was the churro cake!
My only critique is that the charcuterie board needs a little help and possibly add a vodka or gin drink to the cocktail menu. But I will say my Cosmo was flawless! :)

Currently Lusca is located on a busy corner in Buckhead. I decided to come with part of my foodie family while visiting from out of town and chose the spot as a place to impress. I did lots of research and found Lusca through an article in GQ. When Googling you will find a number of helpful information including: the secret salmon roe toast (yes as good as it sounds), the chef’s love and appreciation for Japanese seafood and their quickly upcoming closure. Yes, don’t fall in love with Lusca as you know it too much because they are closing shop in Jan 2016 and moving to a new location on the beltline. I have lived away from Atlanta for a while now but I’m told this is the new hip area to be in. The current building is going to be used for catering apparently.
Either way we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. As it should be the evening was filled equally with excitement in conversation and gluttony. I started my night at the bar waiting for the rest of the group to show and was welcomed by the bartender Matt who poured a great pint of beer. The bar area (s) have two beautiful murals of an octopus that you may have read about as it’s a prominent feature in the restaurant. For the meal I tried the: salmon roe toast, sea urchin egg scramble and the whole branzino fish. The egg was so rich and wonderful. I always get excited when sea urchin shows up on a menu. The smoky and earthy tones balanced well with marine flavors of the roe. Every bite of the whole fish was different and the chili sauce notes would show up only when needed. I as well as many others will be sad to see Lusca go but I know on the bright side where to come on my next visit to Atlanta. Thanks!

Overall pretty good experience (3.5÷5, it wouldn’t let me do a half star)
1. Free valet which is a huge bonus considering parking is very limited nearby.
2. Ambience: modern minimalistic wooden/​metal tables and chairs (seemed maybe a touch sparse? Too much like a lunch spot.) Dim romantic lighting, a cool octopus mural behind the bar.
3. We got the Domaine du Verger brut cider which was very good. Very light and bubbly/​refreshing (comes in a wine bottle, great for sharing).
4. The menu is very small. The dishes we ordered were the arctic char and the flank steak. The flank steak was super smokey and chewy, and as other reviews on here say, it was okay. I wouldn’t order it again. I think fish is there main focus here.
5. The arctic char was perfectly cooked and very good, however, the accompaniments (couscous, fennel, olives, tomatoes) were cold (not what I was expecting) and lackluster and in my opinion, detracted from how good the fish was.
6. In terms of service: very average, except when we got our bill I noticed that we had been charged 32 dollars for the arctic char when it has been $ 28 on the menu. We alerted our waitress who offered a meek apology and gave us four dollars in cash. It just seemed a little odd and left a bad taste in my mouth overall.
In summary: if a group of friends asked me to meet them there for dinner, I would agree and I wouldn’t force everyone to go somewhere else, but I would probably never go back here on my own when there are better options out there. It’s a decent choice but leaves you wanting more.

Stopped in to Lusca on a recent business trip down South after flying in. Found it nearly empty, but still possessing a nice dose of atmosphere and charm. Ended up bellying up to the octopus bar for a few drinks and a meal. Began with a couple exquisite beausoleil oysters. Followed that up with the single best Caesar salad I’ve ever come across. That is saying something. Absolutely perfect.
Went with the scallop bucatini, a simple preparation of chopped scallops, lemon, garlic and chile. The homemade pasta itself really stood out. Got a side order of their «signature?» torn potato. Absolutely fantastic idea in theory. Overall execution of flavor left a little something to be desired. Cam across as too bland and could have used more salt/​cheese to make you forget you’re eating pieces of fried baked potato.
Had a wonderful bourbon cocktail from the knowledgeable bartender alongside a fantastic glass of chardonnay that paired perfectly with the pasta.
Requested a sip of port with something chocolaty for dessert. Out came the churros cake. Exactly as it sounds. And twice as good.
Overall, a more than solid experience and the best eating I’ve done in my few times to Atlanta.
4.5 if I could.

I’ve been wanting to go to Lusca for a while… overall it was a lovely meal.
Loved the cider… wine-​sized bottle of a great, very drinkable cider… definitely would do this again.
Skip the charcuterie… we really did not love what was provided.
Entrees were very, very good… I had the duck… think it was papparadelle… my husband had the flank steak which was OMG good. Kind of a Vietnamese preparation and they had smoked the steak… SO GOOD. The duck was lovely… especially the mushrooms which were substantial and flavorful… I’d go again in a heartbeat.

Food was absolutely delicious and I’d return for that, but the service was really piss poor. There was no clarification as to who our server was. If you’re seated and then wait for a server for long enough for you to realize that you haven’t been helped yet, than it’s a real problem. It was half empty and we likely sat for 15 minutes without any service. Not the most warm, friendly, wait staff, I guess that’s my overall consensus. Food is great, though, so if good staff is not a priority than check it out.

Convenient, free valet parking in the back, easy location and comfortable décor couples with delicious food and a hearty wine list. The octopi (?) murals are amazing and makes me want to have one of them tattooed on me! We started with their charcuterie, which included the super tasty chicken liver pâté! There were plenty of ooooo’s and ahhhhh’s around the table about the dishes and we were a sharing group (#twdfamily is like that) so all got a taste. The grouper was awesome, perfectly done and the squid ink pasta was an interesting combination of flavors, but the sure-​fire winner was the burger! Put this one on your list!

Are you serious?
This place doesn’t even feel like it’s trying. The scallop pasta lacked everythig resembling flavor and we thought Carrabas might do a better job. They chop the scallop which ain’t my style.
The flank steak was ok, the field peas fairly tasty and potatoes were unsatisfactory.
There’s just nothing special about the restaurant and we won’t be returning. The squid ink pasta and risotto dish were not on the menu, adding to our dissapointment along with a $ 200 check for subpar food.
My company was a beautiful Russian accomplice, so that rocked.

This place is special. I had whole Branzino which was perfect with crisp skin and simple seasoning and we also had the flank steak which was excellent. Their menu is ever changing and very creative. The sushi quality is great although pricy for what it is considering Atlanta’s excellent sushi bars. The space is really cool and servers know their stuff.

Not impressed. Sushi was of the same quality you’d find at most strip mall sushi joints.
Couldn’t believe they were serving saccharine, pink dyed ginger at such a place considering the lengthy description about the sourcing of the porterhouse.
How much effort does it take to pickle ginger? The oysters were ok.
Cut our losses, left and went to a better restaurant. I will not return.

Walk into a magical ambiance.
.into a romantic setting with candles at each table.
Be delighted with a short menu, relatively few in options but not lacking in quality.
Uni tagliatelle has the right amount of creaminess. The pasta was so thin and delectable.
Pork chop was savory with the right amount of fat to give it a juicy bite.
Yellowtail was fatty and satisfying.
No otoro to my disappointment (shipment from Japan did not arrive). However, I did not come for sushi.
Come here with good company and try more unique dishes.

Awesome nigiri and great oysters. Soft shell crab was cooked just right. Other items seem a bit overpriced though… Understandable to pay for the location (Buckhead) and place, which is spacious and trendy. Crab rock tastes good. Lamb neck is tasty and tender, however too salty.
Definitely will be back for nigiri and oyster, not sure about the rest.

I went to Lusca on a business dinner with some people from out of town. They’d read about it in New York. I thought that if word had reached that far, then I needed to try this place!
We wen there with a group of six, and I think we may have ordered most of the menu to taste and share. We started with Oysters, the baby bib lettuce salad, and the cauliflower, all of which were delicious. Next we had the ragout, risotto with white asparagus, fish, steak, scallops, and lamb neck. I was a little worried about the lamb neck, but it was really delicious. The fish was served with head and tail on, and it was suggested that someone eat the fish’s cheeks. One of our party did and said the meat was really good. We asked to have the fish filleted, and that really helped. This was some of the best tasting fish I’ve had.
To finish the meal, we had a chocolate tart and two hot fudge sundaes. The chocolate tart was a mixture of sweet and savory, and there was a little bit of a chewy bit at the bottom. It was really, really good. The sundae was really good, too, but the chocolate tart was the table favorite.
Lastly, the environment is great. It’s not overdone or over-​decorated. The tables are wood, and the chairs are like vintage school chairs. Over all very cool.
They have valet parking, too, so you don’t have to worry about finding a spot.

I’ve been wanting to try out Lusca for awhile because of my previous dining experience at Octopus Bar. While I appreciate how creative the menu is at Lusca, I’m not quite sure that the food you get is worth the price for most people. Lusca is in Buckhead so go figure. Great food quality & each plate is crafted creatively, just very small portions overall. Some items were very good & some not memorable at all. Out of everything we tried, the only items we really enjoyed were the nigiri (very fresh), rock crab small plate, & sea urchin pasta. We’ll definitely come back for oysters & nigiri but not sure about everything else.
Valet parking behind restaurant. Full bar. Only open for dinner.

I always like to keep my reviews short so people can read it when they are in that proverbial moment with their friends and need a place to go out for dinner and drinks.
Although everything but the name of the place gives it away, this is a seafood restaurant so if you have people who only like legged animals this will be easy dis qualifier.
The oysters here great! They have their own dedicated oyster bar which means they are serious about them so if you or your party is the mood for those you’ve come to the right spot.
They have also have around 10 cocktails they put in their rotation which means plenty of choices.
Dinner-​wise, the menu is little small and somewhat on the more refined side of seafood, no fish and chips here just fyi.
I think this place is really good for happy hour and and private dinner.

My dinner at Lusca was the best meal I’ve had in Atlanta in a long time. The food was delicious and the service was excellent.
The menu is very seafood-​centric, but there are definitely great options for the meat lovers out there as well. The dishes I tried were: the grilled bread special (sourdough with honey and trout roe), the scallops, brussels sprouts, rock crab, lamb neck, goat & pancetta ragu, chocolate tart. Every dish was so flavorful and carefully thought out. It’s also a great place to go and share a bunch of dishes (clearly I didn’t eat all of those on my own). I can’t wait to return to Lusca for another meal. Check out all the details on my blog:

I have driven by Lusca several times over the last couple months and, after reading many glowing reviews, I decided to give it a shot.
From the outside, it doesn’t seem to be the most stellar choice, but inside there’s a really cool vibe (subway tiles, old school wooden student chairs, a giant octopus painted on the wall, etc). I was with a party of 6 and they seated us without our entire party there, which is not the norm at many places I frequent.
The waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and was able to provide helpful recommendations. My table shared the sweet corn and brussel sprouts – both amazing. The brussel sprouts were shaved thin and served with sliced apples and walnuts, so not your typical sprouts dish. I would highly recommend both dishes. Bread came with our shared plates and let me tell you, there is something addictive about Lusca’s butter! I don’t think I’ve ever eaten that much bread before in my life. If I could, I would buy that butter for my own kitchen.
For my entrée I ordered the roasted half chicken. I have to admit, it wasn’t the best chicken I’ve had in Atlanta, but it was flavorful. The okra it was served with had to be my favorite part of the dish.
With an ever-​changing menu, I’ll definitely be checking out Lusca again to see what the chefs come up with next.