Let's get this out of the way up front: Hal's on Old Ivy is not the kind of restaurant beloved by critics. It's not chef driven; the food is not locally sourced; the menu not seasonally inspired, and its offerings haven't changed (much anyway) since the restaurant opened 18 years ago. Cigar smoke hovers in the air above the bar, and makes its way easily into the dining room. The attitude is clubbish, as if one needs a password to get past the front door.
Just the type of breeding ground a critic likes to pick on, and just the type of neighborhood "spot" — the neighborhood, is, after all, in the middle of Buckhead's country club cache — the public adores. The "public" in this case is everyone from up-and-coming twentysomethings escaping the pick-up scenes at the Twists and Shouts of the city to Atlanta city councilmen and venerable Coke executives.
Hal's offers them something other places can't, or won't — a decent steak, a well-made martini and a sense of belonging. They crowd the bar three-to-four deep on weekend evenings, clamoring to drink, eat and be heard, and it doesn't seem to matter who's listening.
The waiters are the type customers ask for by name — crisply pressed and starched, polite and well versed in wine, Hal's menu and current events. The hostesses have long legs, long hair and wear very short skirts.
Distinguished owner Hal Nowak figured out a long time ago how to make people happy, and he offers it without apologies for a reasonable price compared to other steakhouses in the city.
Hal's is, for want of better comparison, Atlanta's own Rao's — the famed Italian restaurant in Harlem. It's that rare place where everyone wants to be. Eating at Hal's is the first link to becoming the completely made man or socialite; once you're considered a regular here, you've arrived. The food then becomes simply one slice of this incredibly successful — and well-connected — restaurant's pie.
Some of the menu is devoted to Nowak's hometown of New Orleans, a place he says he still visits about three times a year for "speech therapy," since his accent drips with the spellbinding drawl of a Crescent City native. Largely forgettable dishes of Louisiana gumbo and shrimp with remoulade (on the menu as a "white" sauce) flesh out a menu of steaks, lamb chops and a surprising selection of fish. For those so inclined, there's a couple of pasta dishes.
The chopped salad is perhaps Hal's best-kept secret (and this restaurant has so few). A generous portion of fresh-chopped veggies in a tart vinaigrette is among the best of the appetizers, since the calamari, though crisply fried, has the feel and flavor of something that came from the freezer. Oysters on the half shell are pleasing and fresh, served with crackers, cocktail sauce and an extra serving of horseradish. Nothing to find fault with there, critic or no.
Hal's most popular steak, the filet, is a canard, since the 18-ounce "cowgirl" cut, bone-in ribeye and 16-ounce New York strip are far better offerings — rich, marbled and delicious. Creamed spinach is over-creamed, but creamed potatoes are a buttery delight. And all night long the waiters keep bringing slices of light, airy garlic bread drenched in butter and speckled with seasonings.
The restaurant is always crowded, even on weeknights, though Fridays require special navigation through the bar (where there is always live music) and the dimly lit dining room (where the lack of space between tables makes me wonder how the restaurant passes the fire code). Plans are in the works for a second floor.
But it's all part and parcel.
After splurging on a filet smothered in rich, sauced-up crabmeat, desserts of tipsy bread pudding in a bourbon sauce that is definitely not G-rated and a towering slice of chocolate cheesecake seem almost lean by comparison. If only the bar stocked Limoncello ...
It doesn't matter. This pampered set of patrons doesn't need anything more —or different — than what Hal's already is: a well-heeled, well-mannered, well-stocked watering hole for the well to do, and all others vying for the next spot on the list.
Food: Steakhouse
Service: Seasoned, professional staff who knows their stuff, especially in how it pertains to Hal's.
Address, telephone: 30 Old Ivy Road, N.E. (just off Habersham Road), 404-261-0025
Price range: $$$
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners
Hours of operation: Open for dinner 5-11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Bar opens at 4 p.m.
Best dishes: French-cut "cowgirl" bone-in ribeye, New York strip, chopped salad, oysters on the half shell, mashed potatoes
Vegetarian dishes: Salads and a variety of side dishes
Children: Yes, for early evening hours, but on busy nights it can get smoky
Parking: Complimentary valet
Reservations: Yes
Wheelchair access: Yes, but space between tables is very cramped
Smoking: Cigar and cigarette smoking at the bar only
Noise level: Medium to high
Patio: No
Takeout: Available
Website: www.hals.net
KEY TO RATINGS
Outstanding: Sets the standard for fine dining in the region. 
Excellent: One of the best in the Atlanta area. 
Very good: Merits a drive if you're looking for this kind of dining. Good: A worthy addition to its neighborhood, but food may be hit or miss. 
Fair: The food is more miss than hit.
Restaurants that do not meet these criteria may be rated Poor.
PRICING CODE: $$$$$ means more than $75; $$$$ means $75 and less; $$$ means $50 and less; $$ means $25 and less; $ means $15 and less. (The price code represents a meal for one that includes appetizer, entree and dessert without including tax, tip and cocktails.)
