No. 246

Always amazing service with a smile. This is a wonderful date night and also a fabulous brunch with the girls kind of place. The meatballs are a must! And just about everything else on the menu too :). Top Notch!

We had a seat right in front of where they cook. At first i thought it would be noisy but it made the experience even better. I had a margherita and it was really delicious. Definitely will be back to try more of their stuff.

Hello McFly, is anybody home?
We sat at our table for 15 minutes during lunch, and the wait person never appeared. The restaurant was only ¹⁄₃ full. We got tired of waiting and walked out. We went next door to Leon’s Full Service and had a great meal.

I was here recently to catch up with a friend over the holidays, and I can’t remember the last time I had such great service. Yes, the food was good, and yes, the drinks were good, but it was really the service that brought this up to a 5 star review.
We ate at the bar, so this is entirely a review about our bartender’s service. I had had a terrible day at work and was in need of alcohol and venting to my friend, and he completely recognized that. He gave us great recommendations about our drinks, and when we had had several without even looking at the menu, he took the opportunity to go ahead and put in an order for some popular salads. This was such a thoughtful step and went along perfectly with all of his recommendations. I don’t even know how many types of wine he let us try to find the right ones!
The food was also great. Salads, great. Lamb, great. Sides, great.
Seriously, you can’t go wrong here.
Decatur parking tip — the courthouse is free after hours. It’s a little bit of a walk (~5 blocks maybe across the MARTA station) but easy to find parking there.

One of Atlanta/Decatur’s best brunch.
The breakfast pizza with sunny side up eggs is my favorite on the menu. It’s very fresh and light, yet still has the authentic pizza flavors. Do ask for their special chili oil, just a few drops and it adds a little heat to the pizza.
I’ve had the famous Naples pizza featured in Eat Pray Love, and though that’s still my fav, but the breakfast pizza is quite up there.
As for cocktails, I’ll recommend the ginger martini. It has vodka and the flavors of ginger go great with the champagne.
Of course the modern décor, large windows, and people watching adds more fun to the brunch experience.

Consistently the best food in Atlanta. The squid pasta gets me every time. The Meatball is a must have and any beef entrée is done superbly.
I’ve been here 3 times with my wife and we both say this is our favorite restaurant in Atlanta.

This place is wonderful!
I have been to 246 about 5 times now and am constantly impressed.
The food is always delicious, fresh and a good sized portion.
The service staff is knowledgeable, friendly and entertaining.

We had plans for the night but we ended up in Decatur walking around, searching for a nice place to have dinner. The area is full of cool places but for some reason this place attracted me the most.
The hostess was very sweet and laid back. The restaurant was almost full but we got to choose where to sit.
We ordered Brandy Negroni and pimm’s cup for the fall. The Negroni was full of taste and strong. The other cocktail was a super fresh drink.
All tables get hot bread, olive oil and slices of red Ga apples.
We had calamari appetizer, eggplant ravioli, wise guy pizza.
Eggplant ravioli was my favorite. Smooth pasta that melts in your mouth with some homemade cheese on the top. They make their own pasta and cheese which makes everything taste better.
The x factor in this place was the service. Kristen was our waitress. She has an amazing personality. She described every option on the menu perfectly. You can tell that she has passion for what she does and for where she works.
Small notes: there is a counter that you can sit at in case you want to see the chef cooking, there is a ping pong table in the back.
I am definitely coming back here at least for a drink

Great experience. Friendly. Trendy/​Hip vibe and décor. The food is good (but not out of this world – not even out of Italy really). I give it 4 stars for the overall experience. We ordered the fruiti di mare appetizer. It was lightly fried in batter and served with a side sauce. It was quite tasty though, not delicate or refined. They brought warm bread to our table with olive oil and a couple of olives. As a main course we got the black ink and shrimp pasta (very tasty), a butternut squash and truffle vegetarian pizza (good), a vegetarian tagliatelle pasta with puttanesca sauce (ok), and some meat sauce in a shell-​like pasta (i’m blanking on the name of this dish), it was good. I also got a glass of the Brut, and a moscow mule (the sparkling wine was quite good, with fruity notes, and though sweet – not overly so; while the mule was very basic and somewhat mediocre).
Nothing was outstanding, or memorable enough to warrant an immediate return, but everything was consistently good. Delicious experience (as a whole, rather than delicious food). What was outstanding was the décor and the service. We had one server, but all servers and hosts/​hostesses were professional, friendly, and made the overall experience a really positive one. There is no parking, and good luck finding a spot nearby on a Friday or Saturday night. We went on a very rainy night and the hostess was really sweet to let us borrow her personal umbrella to go get the car. Really fantastic service.
I have a feeling this restaurant might have a bit of hype built around it, it was so so busy, hard to get a table, the bar was poppin’ and the floods of customers continued to arrive regardless of the heavy rains. I would certainly eat here again and try many of their other dishes, but I’m not rushing to get back there anytime soon. If I had to break down the rating into categories:
Food: 3 stars
Décor/​Location/​Ambiance: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Total Overall Score: 4 stars

Definitely nice atmosphere. The signature pasta, squid ink, was not up to my expectation. The strong taste was more salty than flavorful. Texture was a little bit harder. Pan-​fried fish was actually well prepared. Although not as flavorful as expected, the texture was great.
The ok main was compensated with excellent appetizer. The thinly sliced beef was excellent. Calamari was at just the right size and texture. The flavor of both were great.

My boo-​thang knows that I love to eat, so what better present for my 30^th birthday than seats at No. 246’s chef’s counter? She definitely scored some relationship points that night, and it helped encourage me to propose to her three days later. So, it definitely worked. Haha.
*****
I. FOOD & DRINK
If Chef Ford Fry ever reads this review, please message me because I want your autograph. I ate some of the best shrimp and grits at JCT Kitchen & Bar, and knew that I would probably experience a high-​quality dining at experience at this eatery. And I was right!
But about the food, it’s new Italian-​American with a straightforward menu that doesn’t try to do too many things. (Their food must be good, if they can concentrate on each individual dish they serve.) My girlfriend and I had a five-​course meal there, and I ate all of it. And if you eat at the chef’s counter (2 – 4 people), they slightly alter their menu.
*Farro Salad: Apple, fennel, mustard vinaigrette, cheese, cilantro, and other noms. This gigantic, hearty dish made me full, and we had just begun. Personally, I think it would’ve been better without the cheese, but it was still pretty great.
*Beef Carpaccio: Large slices of beef with figs, fried slices of potato, tomatoes, peppers, beets, cilantro and cheese. I loved everything accept the fried slices of potato. Figs were a nice touch!
**Tagliatelle: My favorite dish of the night! I could’ve eaten three more plates of this pasta! And it went really well with the ground-​up rabbit.
**Pan-​Fried Fish: I forget what kind of white fish they had that night, but they perfectly pan-​fried it and sat this beauty on top of beans and vegetables. My second favorite dish of the night.
***Pumpkin Bundt Cake: Really soft and airy. Not thick like others I’ve had. They also topped it with caramel (maybe?) and ice cream. So awesome.
****Fireside Chat: Throughout the meal, I sipped on this apple cider, dark rum, and cocchi torino concoction. Really great for the chilly weather that night.
So, my take on the five-​course meal: lots of similar flavors in all of the dishes, with the exception of the tagliatelle and bundt cake. And, I don’t want to come off as ungrateful for the very generous portions that they provide, but I would rather have smaller portions and more variety. Also, the meal, overall, was very heavy. But hey, I had a lot of fun! Every food lover should check it out.
Other Notes:
–Bread is from Alon’s Bakery. (Always a great choice.)
–They try their best to source local. (Woot woot!)
–A few other Unilocalers told me they have the best meatballs ever.
–Chef’s counter, again is for two or four. And from their website…
Sunday-​Thursday, at 6:30pm
Friday & Saturday, at either 6pm or 9pm.
II. SERVICE
I forget who served us, but she was very nice. We went on a Saturday night around 9pm, and despite being slammed, the food came out at a nice pace.
III. ATMOSPHERE/​DÉCOR
They have really nice furnishings throughout the restaurant. What did it look like? I felt like they bought stuff from Room and Board and put their own twist on things. Haha. Also, if I can remember correctly, they have the coolest ceiling fans.
IV. PRICES
THIS PLACE IS A STEAL! I cannot say how affordable No. 246 is. An outstanding five-​course meal for $ 50 per person? Um, that’s more than reasonable, especially considering the quality of food.
V. OVERALL
Taking everything into account, I really loved No. 246, and I’m so happy that my now fiancée took me there to celebrate my 30^th birthday. Thanks for the wonderful time, No. 246.

This review is not for their restaurant (as my sister and I didn’t try the cuisine), but for their AMAZING bar.
Being a NJ native, I’ve gotten so used to the shortcuts and lack of artistry in bartending. Many bars nowadays do NOT practice the techniques of old… Making everything from scratch, proper measuring, fresh garnishes, being creative with cocktails by adding complex ingredients/​flavors, & all of the other criteria that would qualify one as a pure MIXOLOGIST. This establishment has employed the highest caliber of true mixologists in sticking to their very classy, upscale restaurant/​bar. They use fresh (and probably organic) fruits, fresh juices, complex liqueurs & flavors, top-​shelf spirits, and are just overall creative.
My sister and I had different drinks. She tried «A Sparkling Mule», which contained: prosecco, vodka, ginger, lime, & benedictine… It was absolutely balanced and varying in flavor-​sensations.
I had my favorite drink, but in a way that I’ve NEVER had it. I drank a Tennessee Tea (bourbon-​based «tea» drink), but with all FRESH ingredients! Normally, a Tennessee Tea is made with bourbon (Jack or Jim, usually), triple sec, sour mix, and coke. This one was made with no pre-​bought mixers, but with fresh lemon juice and just a HINT of something (maybe agave nectar) to barely sweeten the cocktail. It was the most BRIGHT, acidic, and complex one I’ve ever had. For the first time since I started drinking Tennessee Teas, I could actually sip one to really enjoy it!
As a bartender myself (one who actually went to school, then taught at a school, and STUDIES the constantly changing world of mixology), I really appreciate their attention to detail, and the fact that they strive to be different in what they serve to their patrons. Not to mention, their bartenders are dapper AF. There was a gentleman behind the bar that was not only attentive, but highly trendy in his fashion. Lovely plaid shirt with PROPERLY rolled-​up sleeves, suspenders, and a dashing haircut. I love gals, but I’d be totally ghey for this fella. Okay not really, but he’s very reminiscent of the classic bartenders of yesteryear (The ‘50s maybe?), with today’s hipster appeal. The young lady who made our cocktails was JUST as dashing on the female level. I forget her name, but she’ll see this and know I’m speaking of her.
Overall, this bar was lit. I’m going back EVERY time I’m in Georgia.

CONSISTENTLY AMAZING
/​/​great service + amazing drinks
YUM/​our faves for dinner:
* Shrimp & Squid Ink Pasta
* Spaghetti & meatball family style
* Eggplant Ravioli
* Margarita Pizza
* White/​Bianco Pizza
* Calamari — Frito Misto
* Pumpkin Bunt Cake
* Zucca Ingles — chocolate goodness in a cup
MEH…
* Lumache
* Fungi Pizza — too salty
Brunch faves:
* Breakfast Pizza
* Radiatori Pasta
[ Our 4^th visit & counting… ]

Came here with a friend for dinner. They were a bit late so I had a cocktail at the bar. Service was great and they were really acomodating while I waited for them to arrive.
The spinach fettuccine was extremely delicious. I also tried the No. 246 award winning meatballs which were also very good. They are in the appetizer section but I could easily have had this as an entrée, its really tasty!
As is the case with most Decatur restaurants, the only downside is parking but there are a few lots around the corner so it’s not too bad.

Let me start off by saying the food is great and one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had was at No. 246. …but we only got to enjoy it all when we actually got served.
I made a 7:30 reservation for last night. We got there, wanted to sit outside on the patio (because the inside seating quite honestly can be pretty crammed and uncomfortable) and were led outside by the hostess. There were about 5 other tables and I saw two different servers handling them. Someone brought out bread and water and we told them we’d be ready to order drinks and food in just a minute. I had questions about some of the items on the menu, but those were never answered because after 15 or more minutes of watching other tables around us being served without anyone so much as batting an eye over at us, we got up and left. Thanks for the free bread, I guess.
The service truly leaves something to be desired at No. 246. That’s a shame because the previous times I’ve eaten here, the food has been on point.

No. 246 is a rather upscale Italian restaurant located in of downtown Decatur and if you’re not looking to spend some money this is not the place for you.
I’ve been here for both brunch and dinner. The brunch menu is a lot more bigger than the dinner menu. I actually like the brunch menu items better. The dinner menu is limited so just be aware of that. Check out their website for the full menus if you decided to go. Food is very good so you definitely get what you paid for.
My Recommendations:
–Deviled Farm Eggs
–Margherita Pizza
–No. 246 Meatballs
Menu:

My husband took me here for my birthday. The food and drinks were good, but spendy. I ordered a Pimm’s and was surprised when it arrived in an old-​fashioned glass. I was expecting a little more for the price. Hubby and I shared the notorious meatball and veal scallopini. The meatball was quite good, but the veal scallopini was out of the world.
The industrial chic interior felt a little too spare and harsh to me, but I can see why many people like it. Service was good.

I know it’s an Italian restaurant, but we tried their American brunch items. It turned out to be pretty good.
Not so many people in Decatur downtown in a Saturday morning. We enjoyed a peaceful brunch. They had a good collection of music, and it was far from loud. They had an open clean kitchen, and chic décor.
Instead of pages of menu, No. 246 only has 2 page menu, making choosing a lot easier. For some reason, we skipped all the Italian dishes, and ordered brunch dishes.
Did I tell you than their espresso was Octane quality? The espresso cup was warm, espresso was chocolaty taste, and it was paired with biscuit-​like bread stick. My GA White Shrimp with polenta was awesome. Shrimps were very fresh, not straight from freezer quality. My friends ordered breakfast burger and broiche French toast. The burger plate had nice presentation, crispy chips and the sunny egg was the best. French toasts were generously seasoned, maybe a little over-​seasoned.
Our waitress was very nice, and obviously loves working there. So far, I couldn’t find any flaw about this restaurant. Five-​star!

Worth a visit. Not into carb loaded Italian, no problem. They had a small pasta section but most the menu didn’t appear to be traditional Italian. I had a roast chicken with a balsamic glaze that cooked perfectly and was very moist. The rest of my group had pizza and a shrimp pasta dish and everyone left saying how much they enjoyed the food.
The cocktails were very good, but not as strong as I would have hoped for the price. The staff was very friendly, the location was perfect, there are high tops outside where they allow dogs, and the inside was beautiful. However, I couldn’t give it 5 stars because it lacked originality. There are a handful of other places that are similar enough to it that it just didn’t excite me. Still, it’s worth checking out and judging for yourself. You definitely won’t leave disappointed.

This is a restaurant my husband and I have wanted to try for some time now. First of all we LOVE The Optimist and JCT Kitchen, so how could we go wrong, right? I even like St Cecilia a lot… pretty much all things Ford Fry are on point! In the past, we found ourselves walking by No. 246 on our way to Leon’s or spotting people going in/​out as we sat on the Parker’s patio. Finally, we decided to have dinner and I was excited about the possibility of finding a nice, rustic Italian spot to frequent.
Perhaps the anticipation made my expectations too high… maybe. This restaurant had all the ingredients for a great experience, but I was left underwhelmed at the end of the night :-(. First, the ambience in the restaurant was nice, but very loud. So, expect to yell or not hear your dinner mate (s) at all.
I should have braced myself when we found out that the our top two Small Plate options were sold out – Stuffed Mushrooms and the Artichoke… bummer. However, we know how to improvise so we took a recommendation from the server and instead we ordered the Meatball, which was the best dish of the evening… and the Lump Crab, which came out with a salad type preparation on toast that looked nice, but I didn’t care for the flavors.
For our main dinner, my husband ordered the Margherita Pizza, which was bland with slightly burnt crust… really? This was supposed to be a no-​brainer for an Italian restaurant. I ordered a light Ravioli dish with peas, which was pleasant and clean… but the undersized portion left me hungry. By the time we got to dessert, I just couldn’t get myself to try anything else on the menu (hate when that happens). Bottom line – I wanted to add No. 246 to my list of «Loves», but it’s not going to happen. We will definitely try this restaurant again one day, but I doubt that will be anytime soon. Happy Eating!