What’s better than a classy restaurant situated on a beautiful park setting in the heart of a major city? Why, a classy restaurant situated on a beautiful park setting in the heart of a major city with a brewery attached, of course. And that’s exactly what you will get when you visit Atlanta’s Park Tavern Brewery and Eatery. Park Tavern does not sit across from Piedmont Park, it is literally adjacent to it, and you can walk directly from the beer garden out into the park itself. 

Somehow, I had missed this particular brewpub in my crawls through Atlanta’s drinking and eating establishments. My beloved Barbara, however, managed to find it one day whilst browsing for a place to visit, and since we were already at the park for the Dogwood Festival this past weekend, we decided to drop by for a bite to eat and a beer or two. 

We were very glad we did. This is a wonderful place to sip a brew and wile away an afternoon, and an even better place to enjoy a fine meal. Of all the brewpubs I have ever visited during my long and storied beer career, Park Tavern wins the gold medal for best atmosphere, at least when the sun is shining. The view is spectacular, overlooking the scenic park and an assortment of Atlanta’s skyscrapers. The brewery itself is every bit as beautiful, covered with ivy in places and turreted in the center. It’s truly delightful whether you sit outside during the day or at night. 

We enjoyed the food every bit as much as the view. Simple appetizers are available for munching, including classic Buffalo Wings ($6.99) with the added touch of Cholula sauce for a distinct house signature. Calamari ($7.99), a personal favorite, is also on the menu, along with various dips, fried oysters, and salads. We were disappointed to find no soups. 

Sandwiches range from the Cuban ($8.99), consisting of smoked pork roast with ham and Swiss cheese on Cuban style bread to classic burgers and chicken and fish sandwiches. Ted’s Buffalo Burger ($9.99) is made with buffalo meat in lieu of beef, and an interesting diversion from the norm. Sandwiches are served with your choice of side. 

Park Tavern is also famous for their pecan wood smoked barbecue, and they serve up full and half slabs of ribs ($18.99 and $13.99 respectively), and there is barbecued chicken and pulled pork too. Want a steak? Try the amazing Makers Mark Filet Cut Sirloin coated with a Maker’s Mark demi-glaze and topped with crumbled bleu cheese. The tender steak melts in your mouth as the slightly sweet glaze and pungent blue cheese contrast nicely. Served with a hearty portion of garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, beer battered onion rings and a house salad; this is a truly formidable meal. 

It was my beloved Barbara, however, who ordered what we think must be the most delicious item on the menu. The Georgia Pecan Mountain Trout (14.99) is absolutely delightful. The trout was crispy on the outside, lightly crusted with pecan and lightly seasoned with a brown butter, pecan and cider sauce. It was incredibly tender and delicious, and three good-sized filets are served over a bed of rice pilaf with crisp green beans on the side. A house salad rounds out the meal perfectly. 

Unfortunately, as I type this update on October 10, 2004, park Tavern seems to be cutting back on their entrees, and the rice is no longer included with this dish. The same is true of the Atlantic Salmon ($14.99). This very tasty, tender and flaky filet used to be accompanied by asparagus and mashed potatoes; they've scratched the asparagus. 

Park Tavern is a brewery, so as you can imagine I was very interested in tasting their offerings. Overall, I found the beer to be enjoyable. Each beer was quite good, though not spectacular. I was inclined to overlook this, however, as I overlooked the beautiful park, enjoyed my meal and enjoyed Barbara’s company. 

Druid Hills Pilsner
A crisp malty brew, light bodied but with a tasty delicate malt body. Balanced finish could use a touch more hops.

park tavern has offered dollar drafts when the weather goes south. "When it rains, we pour". Can't argue with that.

If you (perish the thought), don’t drink beer but prefer wine, then Park Tavern has you covered. They offer a respectable wine list, each selection pulled from the Wine Spectator Magazine best buy list. 

Finally, the service here was excellent. Even though the restaurant was packed because of the Dogwood Festival, our waitress was wonderful. Our glasses were never empty, our food arrived quickly, and she had a smile on her face. 

I would break down my rating of Park Tavern like so: 

Food: ***** 

Atmosphere: ***** 

Beer: *** 

Service: ***** 

This gives an overall rating of four and a half stars. We will definitely be back here, since Barbara and I were both very impressed. 

 And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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