Cocktail bar Mistora misses the point in Piedmont Heights neighborhood
Mistora, the mysterious cocktail bar that opened last year in Atlanta’s Piedmont Heights neighborhood, put a bad taste in my mouth before the first dish even touched my table.
Located in an old house on Piedmont Avenue once home to the French bistro Atmosphere (and, before that, Cafe Anis), the restaurant has a tiny parking lot and zoning regulations that require valet parking. The mandatory valet service costs $10, and Mistora is almost inaccessible except by car.
The ownership group believes the charge is necessary to help cover the cost of the valet service, which Mistora must pay whether customers show up or not, according to co-owner Olajide Olaolorun, who spoke with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But that very cost (which is listed at the top of the restaurant’s profile when you search for it on Google Maps) might be one of the reasons why the dining room was so empty both times I visited.
Requiring people to pay for valet parking when there is an empty lot does not feel very hospitable; it gave me the sense that Mistora exists purely to extract money from customers, not to provide a great experience. That sense stuck with me throughout my meals at the restaurant, which is co-owned by Jacob Isliker, Aida Lemma and Peter Ugbiyobo.
The menu is a bit of a mishmash, with Spanish American and Caribbean influences. It includes a few successful dishes, like Cajun wagyu meatballs, which had an intriguing hint of spice, and a side of well-executed corn “ribs,” the trendy presentation that turns a whole ear of corn into easy-to-eat finger food.
The flavor of a caprese naan flatbread, however, was dominated by the overapplication of an ultrasweet balsamic glaze. Wonton tacos with chicken were also poorly executed; a small tureen of what the menu described as “creamy butter sauce” arrived at our table so cold it had coagulated into a solid. The sauce didn’t budge even when the tureen was turned upside down.
The worst offenders on the menu, though, were the overpriced, undersized steaks. I thought our table was being pranked when our $65 herb-basted rib-eye was delivered, it was so small. The weight was not noted on the menu and beef prices are historically high, but even in that context, the steak was a poor value. And it was cooked well above the requested medium temperature.
Ordering the $32 skirt steak on another visit resulted in an almost identical reaction. I would be shocked if my second serving of steak totaled 4 ounces.
According to Olaolorun, Mistora’s food and cocktail menus were both developed by consultants who do not work at the restaurant full time. It’s hard to imagine a head chef who takes pride in their work sending out either of the steaks I was served, or overlooking our wonton tacos’ solidified sauce.
The lack of a bar leader could also explain why our cocktails took so long to prepare, and how the bar could run out of elderflower liqueur, a common ingredient in multiple drinks on the menu.
Mistora’s case is all the more puzzling because the same group owns Verdure Kitchen and Cocktails, the modern West African restaurant just down the road. Verdure (which received a two-star review in 2023) is much more polished, but it’s also actively helmed by an experienced chef who’s been at the restaurant since it opened.
Mistora does have at least one very strong card to play — a lovely interior design.
It leans into some trends that might be slightly overdone, with emerald green and gold bar stools and some fake greenery hanging from the ceiling, but the lighting is warm and the velvet banquets are inviting. The modern trends blend well with elements of the old building, like the uniquely shaped tile, Roman clay walls and arched doorways.
The service was also a bright spot, friendly and conversational, though it could be concerningly slow at times, especially considering how few tables were occupied during my visits.
Despite the bright spots, dining at Mistora is a bit like staying at a short-term rental investment property in a touristy area. The design is slick and the photos are beautiful, but the most important elements are outsourced and impersonal.
Hospitality is all about effort, care and attention to detail; when done well, it feels like an act of generosity.
Mistora missed this point. Every choice felt calculated to minimize loss in an investment rather than create a great experience for the diner.
Mistora
0 out of 4 stars (not recommended)
Food: Global fusion and cocktail bar
Service: solid overall, though occasionally slow
Noise level: moderate to loud, depending on music volume
Recommended dishes: chickpea Caesar salad, patatas bravas, street corn ribs, Cajun wagyu meatballs, brioche sliders, mango passion fruit cheesecake
Vegetarian dishes: chickpea Caesar salad, Greek yogurt and cucumber salad, caprese naan flatbread, Brussels sprouts, red pepper hummus, creamy kale dip, patatas bravas, street corn ribs, quinoa garden bowl and sides, including french fries, asparagus, cauliflower, coconut rice, purple sweet potatoes, cubed potatoes and rice and peas
Alcohol: full bar
Price range: $50-$100 per person, excluding drinks
Hours: 4-11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 4 p.m.-midnight Sunday
Accessibility: ADA accessible thanks to ramp on front porch
Parking: $10 valet
Nearest MARTA station: none
Reservations: yes, available on OpenTable
Outdoor dining: yes
Takeout: no
Address, phone: 1620 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta. 470-788-8105
Website: mistorakitchen.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critics conduct reviews anonymously. Reservations are not made in their name, nor do they provide restaurants with advance notice about their visits. Our critics always make multiple visits, sample the full range of the menu and pay for all of their meals. AJC dining critics wait at least one month after a new restaurant has opened before visiting.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.
More Stories
The Latest
