Mc Kinnon's Louisiana

Had a great time with friends, drinks were nice and food was great, and services we quick. we all will be returning again. more

We have driven by this restaurant for the entire 20 years that we have been visiting Atlanta and have never been in. It always looked interesting, but with a name like McKinnon's I could imagine an Irish or Scottish Pub, but not so much Cajun/Creole. Well, I bought a coupon (not knowing that I could have gotten the same thing here, for free, on the website) and we came in for dinner tonight. I must say that it was FANTASTIC! Our waiter, Ebi, suggested that we get the mixed sampler platter for an appetizer after he found out that we were smitten with the menu and he was right on! We also oinked our way onto the oysters Rockafeller. Wow, the calamari was fried *perfectly*, the poached shrimp and remoulade were outstanding and the crab claws were outstanding. I haven't even gotten to speak of the oysters that were served with homemade (!!!) hollandaise! If there had not been other tables in the dining room, I would have licked the shells! Our entrees were similarly outstanding. We got the soft shell crabs with lump crab and hollandaise and the bouillibase. We had to have more bread to soak up the bouillibase soup which was incredible. Oh! I forgot about the gumbo! I hate it when gumbo spends all day on the steam table and that was really not the case here. The seafood was barely, perfectly cooked in the best gumbo that I have ever had, hands down. Wow! My hub and I spend a lot of time in New Orleans but the food here was head and shoulders above the seafood dishes that we have had there and the service was outstanding. I cannot believe that I was too blinded by the funny (Cajun?) name to come in before. I haved learned my lesson and will be back in again and again. I only wish that they were open for brunch on Sunday....can you imagine a fried soft shell crab, hollandaise and a poached egg? Nevertheless, we will be back and back and back. It was cozy, the service was great, we met the owners (who were similarly outstanding!)and the food was to die for! By the way, it's also a totally great deal, the prices are unbelievable. Ask for Ebi if you go and say hello to Aziz and his wife! more

I am from south Louisiana and moved to Atlanta in '02. I kept looking for a restaurant that had authentic Louisiana food. I found it at Mc Kinnons. I have yet to be disappointed with the food. Granted, some dishes are better than others, but nothing I have had has been a disappointment. The prices are reasonable, especially considering other fresh seafood establishments in Atlanta are much more costly.\r \r The outside of the building needs work (it's located in a small strip mall one block off of Peachtree just south of the Piedmont/Peachtree intersection) and the inside could use a little sprucing up, but all in all it has a very nice charm. It reminds me of the old time neighborhood restaurants in New Orleans and Lafayette. The wait staff is extremely efficient. A water glass never goes unfilled and they extremely professional. I would put the wait staff up against any five star staff.\r \r The piano bar is festive on Friday and Saturday nights. It's mostly an older crowd, but a fair amount of guests from my generation (I'm 35) are there as well. It's a nice mix. Pros: Food, Service, Piano Bar area Cons: Located in old Strip Mall more

Its a little hole-in-the-wall but the Manager Aziz makes it all worth your while. Good food and drinks! Romanic and cozy. Pros: Good Seafood more

I don't think of McKinnon's as a Cajun retaurant, its where we go when we want a quiet, elegantly appointed restaurant with good food (we're especially fond of the seared tuna), professional wait staff, and a full bar at reasonable prices. This is a place where you feel like you're getting real value. It is not a ""happening"" place, but it is special. Pros: elegant, quiet, great service, good food, reasonable prices Cons: ugly on the outside more

We're from Boston, and yes we are pickey when it comes to seafood. We found this little hole-in-the-wall, right in the heart of Buckhead. The moment we entered, the owner Aziz, made us right at home. The martini's were good. But the cajun-style seafood was excellent. We had already been to another well known TV chefs restaurant in Buckhead, but this is the real thing. The gumbo, and the snapper were unreal. And it was free parking, and the staff were longtime employees. This says something about McKinnon's. Pros: Authentic Creole Dishes! Great Drinks! more

They have some of the best food....my 2 favorites are the calamari (no one can beat them) and this oriental type fish. I have gone many times w/my husband, friends. This is my favorit restaurant to recommend. On weekends they have a live piano player which enhances the ambience. It's priced above average but defintely worth it. Pros: Everything Is Great Cons: N/A more

the place was definitely warm and inviting, although at first glance, it reminds me of christmas time at an elderly community. good for bringing your good friends, biz partners or a nice romantic dinner. aziz will tell you that all their fish plates are unbeatable. i wouldn't wholeheartedly agree but most of the time they were excellent. the white wine i had there, as recommended by aziz, was very good and supplemented my snapper well. the wait staff are polite and to the point. one very minor thing i found refreshing was that i didn't get 3 different sheets of paper with the amount due, receipt or anything. it was just one bill that i had to fill and sign. done. \r \r anyways. go. enjoy. Pros: Ambience, Food, Parking, Service Cons: music a little distracting more

There was a time when you could have a nice night out in Atlanta. However, since the growth of hip-hop, there are just too many young people here with lots of money and limited home training! Yeah, I said it! I've worked in rap/hip-hop for the last 16 years. In fact, I moved to the ""ATL"" from Los Angeles BECAUSE of an untapped potential client base. And the city lived up to my expectations....THEN.\r \r NOW, you can't get into a well-publicized or ""celeb-locale"" (Cheesecake Factory, Justin's, Cafe Dupri) without dining in a sea of young people with cellphones in their faces. McKinnon's, with it crusty but homey atmosphere, lounge singers belting out tunes like ""Zippa Dee Doo Dah"", and tenured wait staff, is a welcomed ""O-A-S"" in a desert of ""M-N-M""!\r \r In it's effort to be ""The NYC of the Dirty South"", it's hard to find good southern food in Atlanta. Here, the Seafood Gumbo is some of the best that I've ever tasted that didn't come out of MY kitchen (our family is black Creole from New Iberia, LA). Exhibiting proper grey-brown hue of a Louisiana bayou, the gumbo is perfectly seasoned, surrounding a scoop of rice. Other favorites include the Java Shrimp appetizer, Crab Meat au Gratin, Ginger Crusted Salmon, and the Crawfish Ettoufee. I'm an adult but veggies are still a hard sell for me. Not the crisp green beans and flavorful red potatoes which accompany just about every entree. Stuffed after appetizer, gumbo AND entree, I always have a serving of the delicious Bread Pudding to go. \r \r Another thing that's nice about McKinnon's is the owner, Aziz Mehram, who takes the time to stop by every table, makiing you feel like family. And the prices are in line with many such restaurants in Buckhead.\r \r If you want crowds, a noisy atmosphere, fellow diners more interested in rims than roux and in Cristal than crayfish, then go to Pappadeaux's (or Mardi Gras!). For a great meal with dignified quiet ambiance, McKinnon's Louisiane is the spot! Pros: Excellent service; Great food; Ambience Cons: Limited parking early in the evening; Not for kids who don't know how to act in public! more

Long before Emeril brought his corporate restaurant to Buckhead, in fact before he moved from Boston to New Orleans, Billy McKinnon opened his little Louisiane place on Cheshire Bridge in 1972. Today, McKinnon's is in Buckhead, and now owned by longtime employee, Aziz Mehram. Gone are the tacky red & white curtains, or other early arifacts of old New Orleans. What has remained is the original receipes, long time employees, and a non commerical feel, found so often in Buckhead restaurants. We went recently for a birthday party, and were personally attended to by Aziz. The food is still the same great items, from the spicy Chicken Livers with Andouille Sausage, to my personal favorite, Blackened Amberjack, topped with BBQ Shrimp. And it's 501 miles closer than New Orleans. It you want the real deal, great Creole/Cajun food, this is the only orginal place in Atlanta. See and be seen types, please stay away, and leave the food to us! Pros: Orginal Creole/Cajun, Personal Service! Cons: No Valet Parking, But Who Cares! more

I have been to McKinnon's dozens of times over the past 9 or 10 years, and am never disappointed. It 's a quiet place that is perfect for a romantic dinner. The service and food are outstanding. Most of the wait staff has been there since I first visited there nearly a decade ago. And Azi always treats you as if you are family. When you have finished your meal, they let you enjoy your wine and atmosphere without immediately bring the check indicating that they want you out.\r The location and decor are a bit interesting... not the new retro-modern feel of many of the newer restaurants in Buckhead. Nor is it the crowded and over-pretentious place that many other restaurants are. You get to park your own car (no valet parking is required) which I like. The only thing I would improve on is the wine list. The wines on the list are very good and not over priced (average price around $35/bottle), but there just aren't that many on the list. I will say that I have always been able to find a wine that I have really liked.\r One tip: the parking lot is very small, so if it is full, you can always park in the lot across the street.\r In summary, I highly recommend this little gem. Pros: Service, great food, romantic atmosphere more

a quiet repose from the hubbub of the working world; friendly, down-to-earth service and treatment. Watched the AL playoffs from the bar and struck up a great conversation with others and there. Crab cakes by Billy were fantastic. Fish was mediocre. Nice place if you've had a long tired day and need a rest from the public. too many people smoking near the front. Pros: service, people, appetizers Cons: , smoke more

From the moment you walk in and are warmly greeted by either Billy or Azi, you will feel welcome. The restaurant is very romantic, with low lighting, flowers & candlelight, and live piano and torch singing in the dark bar. The food is wonderful, especially the oysters rockefeller and the Snapper Patout. A definite respite from the crowded ""Buckhead"" scene. more