The SpenceGreat FindEven though it is in the city, The Spence is not particularly "close" to anything else. That said, it is worth the effort to drive/walk there for dinner. The inside is a bit noisy, but they have fabulous outdoor patio dining. The food is outstanding, as is the service. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a special place for dinner and, in particular, on a nice mild evening. There are even trees to keep the sun out of your eyes. I am sure it is equally great for outdoor dining at lunch.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic meal for nine peopleWe made reservations for 8, but showed up with 9 and then asked if they could seat us outside (even though they went to all the trouble of setting up a big table inside). The staff handled the request with grace. Our server, Tim, was excellent. Attentive, pleasant and very professional. The food was uniformly excellent, especially the beef short rib, the creme brule macaroni and cheese, and then sautéed brussels sprouts. They ran out of the fish but the chef provided an alternative that was great.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSmall, terrific dishesMenu is written with a sense of humor that runs to puns. The small dishes are mostly big enough to share, making a tapas-like meal the best way to navigate (although a few I-want-my-own larger-portion dishes are available, too). The menu changes a lot, which makes it fun to return for a new experience. Once in a while a dish doesn't work perfectly -- e.g., the fried gnocci were melt-in-mouth wonderful, but the accompanying okra was stringy -- but most of the chef's risks pay off perfectly. It's a lot of fun to eat here, especially for foodies. Don't miss the baby kale salad, which seems a perennial. And their take on a burger is something you have to try at least once.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best servers weOne of the best servers we have ever had! Food was great!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMVery PleasedHad a very nice experience here. Great customer service! The greeter and waiter were very attentive and acknowledged my request to recognize my note for my reservation to wish my date a happy birthday. I was pleasantly surprised with flavor of my dishes. The spaghetti dish was very good and waiter did a great job sharing what to expect with taste. I enjoyed the spin on brussel sprouts dish, very hearty and flavorful and I had a great burger (Juicy Lucy). Portion size is slimmer than what you make expect, however it is just right if you want to be satisfied and not stuffed.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMA great new findWhen we reviewed the menu on the website, some of the items looked complicated but so glad we took a chance because everything we tried was delicious. The mix of flavours was well thought out. Our Server was quite friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. We have already recommended to friends and look forward to returning.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGastronomic gemIf you are into cutting edge and creativity in the kitchen, this is your place. Fantastic flavors matched with service excellence.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThe SpenceWent to The Spence on Friday for a bachelor's party. The restaurant was perfect for the occasion. I called ahead and asked for some special request before the party and all of them where met. The server was very knowledgable. The atmosphere was very fun and exciting. We sat next to the kitchen which was very exciting to see the chef's create the dishes. The food was great. The party ordered a many small plates to start. We had many plates but my favorite were the bone marrow and tuna tartare, oysters and pearls (not as good a TK but still good), potato croquettes, and pork terrine. We all had the Juicy Lucy for dinner which might be the best burger in the city. But the best item might be the brussels sprouts. AMAZING! Its a must go!!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Anniversary DinnerTraffic was bad and we were 15 minutes late, but The Spence didn't miss a beat and helped us celebrate a fantastic anniversary dinner anyway. The service was great and Jessica went out of her way to make sure we had a fun and enjoyable evening. The food was fantastic--try the Sunchokes if they have them on the menu!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMNicely tucked awayRight in the middle of Ga Tech square, Spence has a great location with a courtyard surrounded on 3 sides by buildings - but VERY open. We sat outside. Was with a friend and we wanted to talk and outside was very quite. Any restaurant that will still serve me a rare cheeseburger is my friend. I got the burger - stuffed with cheese - and their fries. Now, i could make a complete meal out of those fries. Crispie on the outside and fluffy inside. Honestly, in real life, i only see those fries on the food network. they were the best!!!! Service was excellent. our waiter was very knowledgable and made great suggestions. my friend if a vegetarian and they offered to make her a special plate if she didn't see anything on the menu. GO!!5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and atmosphere!Great restaurant! It was our 2nd visit. We had 3 of the smaller plates and a dessert. The bone marrow is unique and fantastic! Don't let it scare you, it's delicious. The rigatoni was unique as well... like a cuban sandwich in a pasta version. I know it sounds strange, but it was great. The pork terrine was not good. I don't think it was that the chef did a bad job. I think it's just that I had never had terrine and didn't know what to expect and it turns out I just don't like terrine. The wine, cocktails, and dessert were great!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best spots in AtlantaOne of the best spots in Atlanta for dinner! I love the choices on the wine list, which always has some surprises in addition to some very reliable choices at reasonable prices. The oysters and pearls, the beef marrow and tuna tartare and the gnocchi were outstanding and my wife loved the burger.
Well worth the visit.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMTop Notch FunMy wife and I are big Top Chef fans from Roswell and have been critiquing Richard's food for years...only we've never actually tasted it. We came at The Spence from that perspective, wanting to try to get a taste of what we've been watching him do on TV, and were pretty quickly disarmed at the door.
The Spence stands on its own merit and blends neatly into its landscape, designed not to promote existing laurels, but more to offer something exciting and necessary to Tech Square. Like any great neighborhood restaurant, once inside The Spence, we found the atmosphere to be fun and friendly, and like most successfully upscale restaurants, it was all smartly done.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMMemorable MealFamily dinner Saturday night. Wonderful from the oysters to the last sip of wine. The food was very creative and we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered. The best part of the evening was the service. Our waiter, Tim, was just great. The place was packed, but he took time to help with our wine choice and answered every question. His recommendations were spot on and he was very entertaining.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMCocktails and pork from heavenHad six different dishes and sampled all the cocktails on the menu. Delicious, imaginative, wonderful! Great value, too!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food enjoyable atmosphere.Great food enjoyable atmosphere. Need to work on the check presentation. Everything was great up to then. It is the little things that count.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of our favorites in AtlantaWe have been here several times and each time we enjoy an incredible meal with excellent service. We now have a favorite waiter who always stops by our table to say hello if he's not serving us, and at Easter brunch, the pastry chef delivered our dessert herself. We recently had a baby, which means we won't be able to go as frequently, but we took our month-old son for Mother's Day brunch and had a wonderful meal as expected.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful dining experienceThe Spence is a real treat. The small plates allow you to enjoy many of the wonderful dishes. Can't wait to go back.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMore than expected food quality,More than expected food quality, service, and menu prices / options. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone willing to experience something different. Hands down, this place is on my top tier list.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMHad brunch on Mother's Day.Had brunch on Mother's Day. Food was terrific, service was amazing, Richard Blais never ceases to amaze...5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMA must stopGreat to enjoy what Richard pours his heart into. The dishes were amazing!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSpectacular dinner at SpenceWhile visiting Atlanta, we decided to try one of Richard Blais' restaurants. Our server, Rory, was outstanding: knowledgeable, attentive, and a great representative for the restaurant. She even arranged for Blais himself to stop by our table. She guided our whole experience quite ably. (The rest of the staff was great, too - jumping in to help as needed, and to answer questions about specific ingredients.)
Ah...the food. We ordered a mix of small plate items, and each was special and delicious. Some of the items we ate were the roasted bone marrow with quail eggs, pea papardalle with beef cheek, turnips, fried kale, barbecue chickpeas, shortribs, and a great violet ice cream. We will definitely be back, and will recommend to others.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMMidtown GemThe Spence is one of my new favorite restaurants in Midtown. It is constantly providing fantastic service and delicious foods. I highly recommend a visit - and the wine list is wonderful!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMBlazin it upMy wife and I got to take a picture with Richard which I know sounds cheesy but how often is a celebrity chef working when you go to one of their restaurants. The food and drinks were also exceptional. My wife's short ribs were incredible and the my lamb osso bucco was as well.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was fantastic. TheThe food was fantastic. The green gazapacho was the best I've ever tasted and the short ribs were so fabulous. I ordered the bone marrow tuna which I read everyeone raving about and it was ok but not my favorite dish we ordered. and I got a pic with Richard which was great. The only issue was the 15+ minutes in between our appetizers and second course. The waiter was professionally apologetic but it was truly an awful flow of food. Desserts were mediocre in comparison to the other dishes. Overall a great experience especially since I got to take a pic with Richard Blais :-)5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed lunchReally enjoyed the lunch I had there. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Delivery of the food was timely and ambiance was great. I look forward to dining there again the next time I am in Atlanta.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAn adventureI'm no stranger to fine dining and great cuisine. I've been to many of the best restaurants in Atlanta. I grew up in a family of chefs. This meal was easily the best I've ever had at a restaurant. The creativity of the dishes, combining "foodie" ingredients with familiar presentations and flavors (mac and head cheese?), the excellent service..even the drinks from the bar were memorable. This is the standard on which my wife and I will judge new restaurants.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMSo Happy To Serve!The staff is geared to service and knowledgable about The Spence product. Everyone comes off as if they are fortunate for the experience of Spence employment.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMUniqueExtensive wine list and interesting mixed drinks-inventive but not over the top.
Food was a fun mix of creative-biscuits and cheese (can't recall the official name), to reliably mundane-juicy Lucy. Everything was a delight and great for tasting. And our waiter was both adorable and knowledgable.
Music volume was a tad loud. Went from energetic to a little overwhelming though the election was good.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGet the brussels sprouts!!I can't recall ever tasting ANYTHING more delicious than the brussels sprouts at The Spence. They were divine. I made this reservation for my dad's birthday, and by mentioning it when I made the reservation, the staff gave my dad a complimentary "blueberry cheesecake"...only it was terrifically innovative and modern. Memorable and wonderful night.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very good as usual.Food was very good as usual. My only complaint would be that the service was a little aloof and could have been more attentive. Otherwise, this should be a must visit for those looking for adventurous dining options.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!Everything was so creative and fresh! Chef Richard Blais does it again!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGenius!How does one describe the dining experience at The Spence? We were graciously greeted, seated and made welcomed by staff. We received our drink order and an introduction to the many tempting dishes on the menu. I chose the risotto with parmesean foam,the oysters with frozen pearls of heat, and the charred asparagus salad with egg truffle and brown butter. Oh my were they fabulous! Chef Blais creates genius on every plate. His food is a symphony of flavors! I can't wait to go back again!
How does one desribe the dining experience at the Spence? Memorable!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMA delicious evening...We had a wonderful experience at The Spence. The food and drinks were absolutely beautiful, creative and delicious. The service was on-point, and the ambiance was excellent... casual, yet energetic, hip and interesting.
I will definitely be back to try more dishes, but some were so good I know I will be ordering them a second time. I believe my favorite thing I had all evening was the crispy skin on the duck.It was unlike anything I have ever tasted, perfectly cooked with a rich depth of sweetness that rounded out the dish beautifully. My other favorite of the evening was the March Hare. Absolutely the most "complete" cocktail I have ever had. The black tea cube and chai bitters were really quite perfect. I can't wait to go back! Thank you4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was excellent. IntriguingFood was excellent. Intriguing and creative dishes. Service was equally capable. We had a great time.
The only negative was parking. The valet took a long time, and the attendants said the reason is the parking deck is three blocks away. Not a lot of people waiting but still took 10-15 minutes to get the car, and there is no convenient (or warm) place to wait. This needs to be improved on since the options for self-parking are limited.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMI wish they would open a locationI wish they would open a location in New York! Food was awesome especially if you like trying new things. Service was also great from the hostess to waitstaff and management (even the valet guys). Definitely try this place if you want something different thats tasty and inviting while in Atlanta.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMThe environment, food, andThe environment, food, and drink were absolutely amazing! The only problem was the service. There was no host to great us and after waiting several minutes we were hosted by the bartender. Once at the bar we were virtually neglected for 5-10 minutes before our first point of service. Finally, when we were seated at our table we had three different servers approach us within 20 minutes, each of whom asked if they could help us but none of whom claimed to be our server. They each said, "I'm not your server but I can help you," one of whom was blatantly rude. It appeared as though none of the servers were assigned to our table and the make it up the manager apologized and treated us to a round of drinks. All-in-all a good experience!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service and wonderfulGreat service and wonderful food! Next time I'll just order a bunch of appetizers/ small plates they're more interesting than the larger entrees. I'll definitely return to the Spence on my next trip to Atlanta.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, great service!The food was great - innovative and well prepared. The service was impressive. We mentioned in the reservation notes that we were celebrating our anniversary - the entire staff was aware and made our night extremely memorable. Our server was excellent - personable, on hand when needed and respectful of our time together. Overall a great night!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall Loved It, but a Little LoudThis was my husband's & my 1st time at The Spence. We had 6:00 pm reservations: it wasn't crowded, and we were not rushed. It was loud, but they turned the music down for me. Very creative food. We will be back!
Our server, Sabrina, gave us some of the BEST service I have ever had.
My husband & I ordered 3 small plates & 1 Brussels sprouts to share, plus 2 entrees. The small plates were large enough to have a nice nibble, the entrees were large & very rich. The Brussels were more than enough for the 2 of us. Next time I will skip the entree & have more small plates.
Oysters & pearls: loved it. Marrow: very good if you like marrow. Beet salad: okay. Brussels: good, but mine are better. Short rib: yummy & rich. Pork leg: excellent4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMI absolutely loved The Spence!I absolutely loved The Spence! Everything we put in our mouths was wonderful from the fried brussels sprouts, to the asparagus and strawberry salad to the bone marrow w/ tuna tartar. Richard Blais and his staff always exceed expectations!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI enjoyed my first experienceI enjoyed my first experience there quite a bit. This was my first venture into eating bone marrow and it was quite good. Juicy Lucy was outstanding and the service was great. The decontructed dessert was just OK.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMMust Eat HereThe small plate selection was fantastic and tasted even bettter than expected. This is a must eat at place for ATL! The service was top notch and quick, great people all around and not afraid of doing what it takes to make customers happy. We gave a special challange to the bartender and he delivered! I will be back, and I will recomend it to all that come to Atlanta!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLot of fun. Richard BlaiseLot of fun. Richard Blaise was in attendance, which apparently makes a difference, but we thought the service was outstanding and the food kept pace. We look forward to returning!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went to Spence for EasterWe went to Spence for Easter brunch. We had a fantastic experience! The food was wonderful, innovative and flavorful. The service was exceptional-Attentive without being intrusive. They held an Easter egg hunt for the kids that were there in the outside dining area (too cold to eat out there that day!)that was really sweet and the kids really liked it-a nice touch. The room is nicely appointed, and I like seeing the action in the kitchen, however the room has a lot of hard surfaces and high ceilings which make it a little louder than I would like. It wasn't unbearable, just a little noisy. We look forward to returning for dinner soon.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a great Easter brunchWe had a great Easter brunch at The Spence. We ordered almost everything on the menu between the six of us. We especially loved the juicy lucy, the lamb panini, and a few brunch things. Richard Blais was cooking and even dropped by our table to chat.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful experience (again!)OMG - the marrow with tuna is amazing!! The oysters were out of the world.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I went to theMy husband and I went to the Spence because we love watching Richard Blais on Top Chef, and we saw a little bit about the opening of this restaurant on Life After Top Chef. We were in Atlanta for a night and decided to pay a visit. We had some of the best food we've ever had, including: Apps - lobster rolls, squid ink spaghettini w/ pork meatballs, and baby kale caesar. Mains - Duck w/ bok choy and blood orange and chocolate sauce, Steak w/ chimichurri, and the Juicy Lucy with thrice fried frites. Sides - mac & cheese with head cheese and brussel sprouts. Every single bite was excellent; seasoned perfectly, great flavor combinations, beautiful presentation. I wish we lived closer so we could frequent this place!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMSoul-inspired foodLoved it! Heart and soul transfused into every dish. Original and perfectly prepared. Felt the heat off the wood fire grille just as we walked through the doors. Lively crew with character. We were well taken care of. We will be back!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went to the Spence forWe went to the Spence for my wife's birthday and were so excited to try all the menu items that we don't typically have. The oysters and pearls, tuna tartars and bone marrow, and kale ceaser were all great and our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable. Their wine list is excellent and expansive. They only have a few beers, but it's quality over quantity no bud lights in this house. We has the duck and char as mains and finished with the cheesecake and pineapple cake which were both fantastic. Our daughter came, and though it's not a kid geared place they are certainly welcome and its loins enough that a singing kid doesn't get noticed.
Overall double A plus.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM