The Most Expensive Restaurants in Atlanta: Where to Splurge on a Luxury Meal

If you’re searching for Atlanta’s most expensive restaurant, you’re probably not just looking for high prices—you’re looking for a true fine-dining experience: chef-driven tasting menus, top-tier service, special-occasion ambiance, and often, a serious wine list.

Atlanta has quietly built a strong luxury dining scene. While the exact “single most expensive restaurant” can shift over time as menus and chefs change, a few spots consistently sit at the very top end of Atlanta’s price range.

Below is a clear, Atlanta-focused guide to the most expensive dining experiences in the city, what you can expect to pay, and how to decide which one fits your special night out.

What “Most Expensive” Really Means in Atlanta

In Atlanta, when locals talk about the most expensive restaurants, they usually mean places where:

• The average check per person can easily exceed $150–$300+ (before tip).
• You might choose a tasting menu instead of ordering à la carte.
• There’s often a dress code or at least an expectation of elevated attire.
• Reservations are highly recommended, and in some cases, essential.

You won’t find a posted “most expensive restaurant” list from the city itself, but within the industry and among diners, a small handful of restaurants consistently come up as the priciest options in Atlanta.

Atlanta’s Top-Tier, Most Expensive Restaurants

Atlas (St. Regis Atlanta – Buckhead)

Neighborhood: Buckhead
Style: Refined American / Contemporary fine dining
Typical Spend: Very high (especially with wine pairings)

Why Atlas is considered one of Atlanta’s most expensive:

• Located inside the St. Regis Atlanta, Atlas is known for luxury tasting menus, art-filled dining rooms, and white-tablecloth service.
• Multi-course menus, premium ingredients, and an extensive wine list can make this one of the highest total bills in the city, especially for multi-course dinners with champagne or rare wines.
• Atlas is often a go-to for anniversaries, business celebrations, and high-end date nights where budget is secondary to the experience.

What to know before you go:

• 🎟 Reservations: Strongly recommended, especially on weekends.
• 👔 Dress: Upscale attire is expected; this is not a casual jeans-and-sneakers kind of place.
• 💳 Budget: Plan for a premium experience—this is one of Atlanta’s best candidates for “most expensive restaurant” if you order liberally.

Bacchanalia (Westside)

Neighborhood: West Midtown / Westside Provisions area
Style: Seasonal American tasting menu
Typical Spend: High to very high

Bacchanalia is one of Atlanta’s most established fine-dining landmarks and frequently comes up when people compare top-price tasting menus.

Why it ranks among Atlanta’s priciest options:

• Known for a multi-course, chef-driven menu that focuses on seasonal, often local ingredients.
• The format leans toward fixed-price tasting experiences, which naturally push the overall bill higher than typical à la carte dinners.
• Wine pairings, cocktails, and additional courses can quickly raise the per-person cost into special-occasion territory.

Good fit if you:

• Appreciate thoughtfully plated, creative dishes.
• Want a structured, multi-course evening instead of ordering individually from a large menu.
• Are celebrating a milestone or hosting out-of-town guests you want to impress.

Lazy Betty (Candler Park / Intown)

Neighborhood: Candler Park (intown east side)
Style: Modern tasting-menu focused restaurant
Typical Spend: High to very high (tasting menu format)

Lazy Betty is another tasting-menu-focused restaurant frequently mentioned among Atlanta’s higher-end choices.

What makes it expensive:

• Offers carefully curated tasting menus that unfold over multiple courses.
• The focus is on technique, presentation, and seasonal ingredients, which naturally leads to a premium price point.
• Again, adding wine pairings or cocktails can place the total cost among the top spending levels for Atlanta dining.

Who it’s for:

• Diners who like a chef’s-choice experience and are open to experimental or modern dishes.
• People who enjoy making dinner itself the centerpiece of the evening, not just a quick stop.

Umi (Buckhead)

Neighborhood: Buckhead
Style: High-end Japanese / sushi
Typical Spend: Can be very high, especially with omakase and premium fish

If you’re looking for the most expensive sushi in Atlanta, Umi is often at or near the top of the list.

Why the bill adds up quickly:

• Focus on premium fish, specialty rolls, and often higher-end preparations.
• Ordering omakase (chef’s selection) and pairing it with multiple rounds of drinks can put you solidly into luxury-dinner pricing.
• Located in Buckhead, it attracts both locals and visitors seeking an upscale night out.

Good to know:

• 🎟 Reservations: Recommended, especially for prime dinner times.
• 💵 Price range: You can control cost somewhat by what you order, but if you lean into specialty items, the tab can rival that of the city’s top tasting-menu spots.

Marcel (Westside)

Neighborhood: Westside / Howell Mill area
Style: High-end steakhouse with a classic, old-school feel
Typical Spend: High (very high if you choose large steaks and top-tier wine)

For many diners, the most expensive meal they have in Atlanta is at a steakhouse, and Marcel is frequently cited at the top end.

Where the cost comes from:

• Prime cuts of beef, large-format steaks, and premium sides can add up quickly.
• The ambiance is deliberately luxe—dim lighting, plush seating, and a “special occasion” feel.
• A full dinner with appetizers, steak, sides, dessert, and multiple drinks can place Marcel squarely among the city’s most expensive overall experiences per person.

Who it suits best:

• Steak lovers willing to pay for top-quality cuts and preparations.
• Groups celebrating promotions, birthdays, or bachelor/bachelorette events who want a classic, indulgent steakhouse environment.

Other High-End Spots to Know

While the restaurants above are some of the most frequently mentioned at the very top of the pricing ladder, Atlanta has a broader group of restaurants that can also become very expensive depending on what you order:

• High-end steakhouses in Buckhead and Midtown (both independent and national names)
• Upscale hotel restaurants in areas like Buckhead, Midtown, and Downtown
• Specialty, chef-driven restaurants that offer limited-seat tasting experiences or omakase services

These may not always be the single “most expensive,” but they can certainly reach that level for a table that chooses premium items and drinks.

Quick Comparison: Types of Most-Expensive Dining in Atlanta

How to Decide Which “Most Expensive” Restaurant Is Right for You

Since there isn’t one official winner, think in terms of experience, not just price:

• Want a drawn-out, chef-guided evening?
  Look at Atlas, Bacchanalia, or Lazy Betty.

• Craving steak and a classic splurge?
  A place in the Marcel-style category is likely your best fit.

• Want top-level sushi and Japanese cuisine?
  A high-end spot like Umi is often the go-to.

• Hosting out-of-town guests in a luxury hotel?
  Restaurants inside Buckhead or Midtown hotels often combine convenience with a high-end setting.

Practical Tips for Booking an Expensive Dinner in Atlanta

• Reserve early.
  For prime weekends, book at least 1–2 weeks ahead, more for popular holidays or large groups.

• Check current menus and formats.
  Many fine-dining spots adjust menus seasonally and may change from à la carte to tasting menu or vice versa.

• Ask about pricing when you book.
  It’s normal to ask for a price range per person or the cost of a tasting menu so you aren’t surprised.

• Plan for tax and tip.
  In Atlanta, your final bill at a luxury restaurant will often be significantly higher than the menu total once tax, beverages, and tip are included.

• Consider parking and timing.
  In areas like Buckhead, Westside, and Midtown, plan for valet or deck parking and give yourself extra time for traffic, especially on weekends.

If You’re Visiting Atlanta vs. Living Here

• Visitors to Atlanta:
  Splurging at one of these restaurants can be a way to experience Atlanta’s modern dining scene, especially if you’re staying in Buckhead or Midtown and want to keep things close to your hotel.

• Atlanta residents:
  Many locals save these spots for major life events—engagements, milestone birthdays, or big promotions—while using more casual intown neighborhoods (like Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, or Decatur) for frequent dining.

Bottom Line: So, What Is the Most Expensive Restaurant in Atlanta?

There is no single, uncontested “most expensive restaurant” in Atlanta at all times, because:

• Menus and formats change,
• Wine or omakase choices can dramatically affect the total,
• And what you order matters.

However, if you’re looking for the highest-end experiences where a dinner can easily become one of the most expensive in the city, you’ll usually be choosing among:

• Atlas (luxury fine dining at the St. Regis in Buckhead)
• Bacchanalia (longstanding, seasonal tasting-menu icon in Westside)
• Lazy Betty (modern, tasting-menu-focused intown restaurant)
• Umi (premium sushi and omakase in Buckhead)
• Marcel (top-tier steakhouse experience in Westside)

Any of these, ordered generously with drinks and extras, can deliver exactly what people mean when they search for the “most expensive restaurant in Atlanta”—a memorable, high-end meal where the focus is on experience, not economy.