Cafe Vena At Vinings

The owner tried to upcharge us for the music AFTER the meal. Food was fair. They were out of some items.

My husband and I came here for a Friday date night. We looked at mixed reviews online but love live music, so thought we’d try it out for ourselves. Bad choice.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is very odd, the first thing you see when you walk in is a puppet behind the bar which looks like it came out of the Muppets and red velvet curtains with purple glitter restaurant sign. The tables had leather tablecloths and outdoor wicker chairs.
We ordered a bottle of overpriced wine ($ 10 retail, $ 30 restaurant) which took about 15 minutes to be delivered to our table. Once the wine was open, the server never poured our wine again. We placed our order of Bruce’s Pasta (shrimp, parm, penne pasta) and Lasagna. The food did not take long, about 20 minutes to get to our table.
The lasagna had too much seasoning in it, it took away from the sauce. Bruce’s pasta had good sauce but the shrimp was really tough and chewy. I decided not to eat the rest of the shrimp after trying a few bites, it was that bad. ($ 19 each)
Our plates were cleared in a timely manner after finishing. It took about 20 minutes to get our bill once the plates were cleared. When we received our bill we noticed an entertainment fee of $ 20 (2 people, $ 10 each). This was not communicated to us upon arrival, and we were not expecting it at the least. There are no signs on the door or information on their website about this charge. We asked for a manager to discuss the issue, in which the server responded the manager did not show up that day and there were only 2 servers total on the floor. He was unable to remove the entertainment charge — although the billing system is pen and paper. We were very disappointed in this fact and they were not willing to remove the uncommunicated entertainment fee.
Overall, the music was good but the service, food and atmosphere were very poor. For a bottle of wine and 2 entrees our meal was $ 100. We would have opted for Canoe at this point.

First, they were out of several items on their menu. The food was consistently terrible. It tasted bland and my chicken smelled spoiled. The Chef kept walking around disheveled and it took forever to get our check when there were only three tables seated in the restaurant. The only redeeming thing about our evening was the lovely waitress who starting singing and playing the piano. She had a lovely voice and played beautifully. She made a terrible dinning experience halfway bearable. I will not be returning to Café Vena, or recommending it to anyone.
Please get a new Chef.

Food is so fresh and incredibly tasty. A must try restaurant if you are in the neighborhood!

We visited Café Vena on a Friday evening. This place is tucked away and we almost went into another restaurant. We had a reservation (our friends made the reservation and told us that it took a couple of days before their phone call was returned to make the reservation). At first they couldn’t find the name on the list, but it was the first one on the list.
We were seated by the stage which was thought was great until we realized we were right by the kitchen and the staff walked in front of us all night long. That is my only complaint. There was a limited menu that evening so there wasn’t much to choose from, but what we had was good. There was no Riesling, but I was able to taste other wines to determine what I wanted (they do not have a liquor license at this point).
The entertainment was great. The owner Bruce came up to our table to speak with us and our waitress was attentive to our needs. I think that with some changes to the room setup this place would be could even better.

I’m in Atlanta for business. I came here for dinner with co-​workers. I had the pork tenderloin with chipotle glaze, mashed potatoes and brussel slaw. The others had the meatloaf. Bread pudding for dessert. Everything was fantastic. Generous portions, great atmosphere and ambiance.

Bar none best entertainment in Atlanta on a Friday night. Ambiance is tailored for a relaxed vibe. Good wine selection, chef is diligent and food is made with love. It’s about a 15min drive from downtown but if you are drinking a DDS service will run you about $ 20. Cheaper than a cab or a DUI. I’ve been there only twice but each time I’m engulfed more by the music and the vibe. The owner has a pulse on everything and is there every step of the way. His details from the wine list to the chef to the bathroom is beyond impressive. Take a business meeting or a date worthy of your time and money. Won’t be disappointed.

Seriously this is a hidden gem in Vinings! The food is nothing short of amazing. Server was great, and got a chance to meet the owner Bruce. Bruce is awesome! So hands on and helping w needs of customers. Definitely will be back!

We used a Travelzoo voucher, thank goodness. Beet salad tasted canned, they were out of short ribs, cod and salmon were pretty good and wine list was short and not impressive.
Entertainment was pretty good, although for a venue of that size, you can lose the mic on the drums! The part that made us say «never again» was the surprise $ 10 «entertainment fee» tacked onto the bill. Really? That’s just so tacky we couldn’t believe it and it became the butt of the joke all evening.

Ok so I tried the food this time and it was great. Took wifey here for her birthday. Bruce really makes you feel like he wants you to be there. This is truly a hidden gem. Kudos.

Very conflicted about giving a bad review, but honesty is the best policy.
Bruce is a colorful owner and our waitress really did give us the «awesome» service she promised and the soulful singer was a nice touch, BUT… the food was mediocre at best. Beet salad tasted like canned beets, butter tasted like it had been sitting open in the freezer overnight and the croutons on the salad were damp. We were a little more impressed when the entrees arrived, meatloaf and sweet tea chicken, but not overwhelmed. At the end of the meal, we just had a bad stomach ache.
All this being said, you really want Bruce and Café Vena to succeed!!!
Bruce obviously has a «dream» inspired by his mother and having live entertainment in such a small venue really makes for a delightful evening, but at the end of the day, dining out is mostly about the food.

I have been to Vena on many occasions. I have seen every entertainer they have had. Bruce is very selective of the type and sets they play. If entertainers are disrespectful or play any inappropriate songs he quickly steps in to keep it classy. This is one of the classiest places you can find in Vinings.
The food here is awesome. Bruce recently made some staff changes to the kitchen. The food has always been good, but since the changes the food has gotten even better!
Bruce is always open to any comment from a diner. He takes all of his reviews and comments to heart. He has poored his heart and soul into his restaurant. He quickly addresses any issues that arise. We have been going since it originally opened and have never had any complaints to give.

I’ve been here a couple of times for dinner and it’s just NOT worth the time and price to eat here. The entertainment is fabulous, but everything else is sub-​par at best.
The wine list is chintzy to say the least… For example… A $ 9 (retail) bottle of Sauvignon Blanc sells for $ 9 a glass for a 4 Oz pour…
The café specialty of hanger steak has never been available… And both times, I was seated at 7:30 PM and was one of 4 tables in the entire establishment…
Ordered the meatloaf and it was small and arrived below room temperature.
Ordered the sweet tea chicken and it was barely room temperature.
The entertainment has always been great. Had the opportunity to see Hilary Paige and Nick Morrett. One BIG downer is the pre-​intermission speech given by the owner about his café being a place for dreams… Should be a place for good food and socializing and special events for the customer… Not a time to bring the whole evening down with a hippie speech!
All in all, I’d find better places to spend my money and not deal with this Café’s type of ‘magic and sparkle’…

Café Vena is an experience, a good experience that is much more than the food.
Hidden away in the corner of a classy supermarket shopping center, Vena is a unique find for the area. Nightly vocalists belt out jazz standards, Motown classics, Sinatra and some familiar pop songs from an in-​the-​dining-​room stage. The folks that perform here are terrific, and the setting makes the performance very intimate — perfect for a date night with your favorite someone.
Décor is upscale with linen tablecloths and napkins. The space is dimly lit, focusing you on the stage area. The volume level of the performers is perfect — not too loud, not too soft — although Vena is not the ideal venue for that big business deal. It’s more of a romantic destination.
As noted in other reviews a notable feature of Vena is the owner’s presence in the dining room, greeting and checking and delivering and otherwise chatting up the clientele. It’s a nice touch, and his hospitality makes it feel like you are in his warm, comfortable house.
Other staffers are also quite engaging, and they work hard at keeping everyone in the small-​ish dining room happy. Service does get a little frazzled when the place gets busy, but one can overlook a lot when you feel so welcome.
Having been here multiple times I can say the food is good. The pork belly appetizer is meaty piggy goodness. Bruce’s pasta is angel hair in a rich, buttery sauce with finely chopped, sautéed button mushrooms and four shrimps. The dish is lighter than it sounds, but the portion is huge, so calorie friendly it is not.
Vena’s bread basket is just average, but note that I am a Yankee in a southerner’s world. Cute little corn muffins are sweet and are meant to be slathered with the accompanying honey butter. For me, the corn muffin alone is even too sweet and casual to compliment the classy apps and the entrees. I’d prefer to have a serious crusty Italian-​style bread or baguette as a preface to the nicer dinner selections, but maybe that’s just me. Your opinion may vary…
Hangar steak comes sliced over chunky mashed potatoes. Presentation is very nice accompanied by colorful and perfectly grilled asparagus. Though tasty my bull meat was a little tough.
The wine list is uncomplicated, short and sweet with familiar names and varietals familiar to even the novice vinophile.
Café Vena is a romantic choice in the Vinings area. Casually sophisticated, the food is decent and the overall experience elevated by the upscale décor, friendly staff and remarkable vocalists.

First let me assure you that I love this place! The atmosphere, music, and food are wonderful. My only complaint is that I feel that the size of the food portions are small for the price. With larger portions I could give Café Vena 5 stars with no hesitancy.

A novelty is what I would call this place. Small and quaint with interesting live entertainment. Food was fair with one of two entrees coming out cold. Wine is only alcohol. Service was slow for size of place and number of staff there.

I have not had such good food in a while from a small, however so special. An evening of pleasant surprises. Tempe Otto was amazing. Guest appearance by Guyton Maurice. Great Pomelo white wine (New to me) loved it. Owner operated makes it a home run. Make your next night out this amazing restaurant. You won’t be disappointed. The food is worth the wait, so sit back, relax and enjoy your experience.

This place is hidden. It was like discovering a speakeasy. Café Vena is located next to Riverview Veterinary Hospital in the same shopping center as Kroger, C&S Oyster Bar, and others. It looks deceiving because the café looks like it’s part of the restaurant next door.
When I walked in, I couldn’t believe how the place looked. It looked too fancy for me. It had wine glasses, tablecloths, and folded napkins everywhere. I came in dressed dumpy and got worried that I might be underdressed. It looked like not many people knew about this place because there were only one other table open – at least for lunch.
The space is cozy and intimate. They even have a stage that’s close to the tables. They have live shows for dinner on Wed, Fri, and Saturday. Based on how close the stage is to the tables, I bet the show will be very intimate.
For lunch, their menu consisted of salads and sandwiches. I tried their salmon sandwich. It tasted good. They cooked the salmon medium. It came with potato chips and a pickle. For a fancy looking place, they sure have a not-​so-​fancy looking lunch item. Oh well, at least I liked the sandwich.
I think this would be a great, intimate dinner date place.

Hidden gem in Vinings! Conveniently located near 285 & 75… on the end of Paces Ferry where is meets Cobb Pwky…
Imagine black leather booths, cozy tables & southern food with a gourmet flare. Can’t wait to try the entire menu. For now… its wine time!
FYI Not open for lunch on Monday or Tuesday*

An Enchanting Experience!
I visited Face Vena for a Friday date night, and it was one of the best date spots that I’ve been able to enjoy in months.
Food
The foods was spot-​on! We had the meatloaf and the chicken. The meatloaf could have been a little warmer, it seems like it got to sit for a while waiting for the chicken to finished cooking.
Live Music
What made it all even better was the live music! The lady performer sung a variety of songs, all which set the mood perfectly for a fun date night.
Staff
All of the staff was very helpful. An engaged and helpful set of people, not just someone waiting until their shift ends.