The Dining Room - Madison (GA)

5 /5 Andrea Cesare: We had a superb dinner at the dining room this past Friday! We stayed at the Georgia Safari Conservation Park and made the quick trip into Madison to The Dining Room. The decor and atmosphere are on point - the music and lighting set the tone - you know you are somewhere special when you walk in the door and take it in! The service was excellent - thank you Andrew! Andrew also created our cocktails and did not disappoint. Everyone we came in contact with was warm, welcoming and wonderful! I haven’t even commented on the meal yet!! Delightful, delicious, creative, surprising are all words that apply. The plates were gorgeous and Chef killed the presentation. We chose the Chef’s Selection 4 course menu with wine pairings. We were not disappointed. I told my husband that the actual course experience blew away the description (impressive) of the course on the menu…. This is rare and seldom happens. Don’t miss dessert… The Dining Room excels at all things baked, whipped, creamed and sugared! It was my 60th birthday and it was amazing! Thanks you for making it so memorable and special. We will be back!

3 /5 Courtney Lesnick: We had dinner on a Saturday night and there was only one other group in the dining room, which already seemed like a bad sign. We were asked if we wanted drinks before we were given menus which was a bit confusing. I thought maybe a pre-drink was included in the price, but definitely not! We ended up ordering off the a la carte menu. The food was ok but I have had much better, especially at this price (>$400 including drinks). The salad was extremely bitter. The quail was salty. The duck was excellent but had no sides and was served on limp lettuce. My husband enjoyed the beef tartar, but the veal chop was just ok. The desert was good. Overall a decent but underwhelming experience at a price point where better service, atmosphere, and food was expected.

5 /5 Chelsey VanDrisse: Hospitality was excellent to the point it felt like we were being hosted at someone’s house. Drinks were magnificent. Food was absolutely divine. We had the salad, trout with collards, veal with potatoes, and ice cream with nougat dessert. Easily the best meal I have ever had. We did the wine pairing which was an amazing addition to the food and its own experience independent of the beautiful four course meal. I will be going here often and look forward to enjoying the food, drinks, and service. Hats off to the chef, Thomas Jacobs, certainly an up and coming of the new generation. The sommelier, Andrew, chose amazing wine pairings to go with the chefs selections. Some of the best wine I’ve had in a long time. Just an all around beautiful dining experience.

5 /5 Lisa Renzi Hammond: We are Athenians who love to go to Madison when we can. For years, we have wished for a really lovely “foodie” spot in Madison, something along the lines 5&10 or other fine dining spots in Athens. The Dining Room is that spot, and more. I am not sure I have ever had better or more personal service, the wine was absolutely stellar, and the food was delicious and creative. We learned a ton about the wines we tried with our meal and discovered some new favorites. We watched other diners summon the chef to thank him personally, something I have not seen in a restaurant in years. We share a sentiment those diners expressed - fear that leaving positive reviews and letting “the cat out of the bag” would mean that the restaurant would become so popular and crowded that we’d never get a table in the future. This place deserves to shine, though, so we’re risking it. These folks deserve the business and the success. The whole dining experience is really special, but if you’re just looking for snacks and a lovely glass of wine, rather than the full dining experience, this is *also* your place. We’ll be coming back in the future, just to have a glass of wine at the bar or sit on the patio when we don’t have time for the whole dining experience. What a treat!

5 /5 Julie Glawatz: We parked right across the street. Walked in and were graciously welcomed and seated immediately. There is a bar if you want to have a drink before being seated. The restaurant is small, cozy and decorated nicely. The tables are situated for privacy. Everything was wonderful…..service, food and dining atmosphere all excellent. If you’re looking for an exceptional fine dining experience, The Dining Room is the place.