Inside: Modavi Restaurant and Lounge

No longer will metro Atlantans in the Northeast need to trek down yonder highways and byways to enjoy Buckhead caliber drinks, food and nightlife. Let’s face it, sometimes the trek isn’t worth the gas bill anyway. Modavi Restaurant and Lounge is a great spot to have a “Midtown good time” without having the hassle of traveling and looking for parking.

This trendy restaurant and nightspot might seem a bit out of place being that it’s in the fairly new and expanding John’s Creek area. However, it’s the best place for suburban dwellers who seek to eat fine cuisine and party hard without having to leave the neighborhood. There are two sides to Modavi, the restaurant has a large main dining area with a private section in the back and the lounge room features a bar and dance floor.

The Décor: Sophisticated and trendy with romantic accents is the best way to sum up the look of Modavi. Big palm trees glowing with white Christmas lights add a bit of pizzazz to the main dining room where each of the mahogany colored booths are simply set with glasses, napkins and silverware. A miniature glowing lamp adds a soft romantic touch to each intimate booth. The tables are mainly reserved for the VIP, or private event room at the back of the restaurant, but there are roomy corner booths available if you come with a large party.

In the bar and lounge area there are a couple of booths along the wall and the bar is in the center of the room. On the opposite side of the bar is the lounge area, that doubles as a dance floor after-hours and opens up onto the patio. Sip on cocktails like a lemon drop or chocolate martini while sitting at any of the four tables surrounded by big comfy chairs, perfect for drinking and chatting with friends. Walk out on the patio to enjoy a drink or a little fresh air if the lounge area gets a little too smoky.

The Atmosphere: The lighting is set low in the main dining room as well as in the bar area. During the day, the large windows in the main dining area shed some light into the low-lit restaurant. At night, the mood is set to romantic for you and a date to enjoy a great dinner before moving over to the bar and dance floor for some after-hours drinks and dancing.

Food: Not just a place to play at night, Modavi offers fine dining for both lunch and dinner. Known for its awesome certified black angus steaks and daily fresh seafood, Modavi’s menu is nothing short of a fine feast of prime and select delicious entrees. The range of dishes is a plus here for those whose tastes aren’t quite that particular. For lunch, they have a selection of burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads that will treat your wallet just right. The Modavi Club is stacked with smoked ham, maple glazed turkey, apple smoked bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and herb mayonnaise on toasted sour dough bread. It is a good choice for a midday meal before heading back to the office.

The dinner menu is the “grown folks” menu. The bulk of the carte being prime rib, steaks, chops, ribs, fresh fish and seafood entrees. If a big meal is what you crave, the 18oz. cowboy cut bone-in ribeye, with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms on the side, will fill you up. If the fresh catch of the day is your hunger’s desire, the blackened grouper, served over roasted red pepper mashed potatoes with haricot verts and sun dried tomato vinaigrette, is probably going to be one of your top choices. There’s talk of a sushi menu soon to come.

Though Modavi is in Gwinnett, don’t expect to see the same crowd over and over again. The crowd at Modavi has a good mixture of Atlantans from all over the metro area, looking for a different scene outside of I-285. Here, you’ll see the 20-something’s dining, dancing, drinking and having a good time as well as the seasoned professionals letting their ties loose and doing the pre-weekend unwind.

After Hours: On Friday and Saturday nights after 11 p.m., the restaurant ends and Club Modavi gets jumping. The DJ starts spinning the latest and greatest Top 40 hits and takes requests if you don’t hear the jam you’re waiting to groove to. The crowd ranges in age from 21 to 40 and the scene is a mixture of couples and singles looking to mingle and party until 4 a.m. in the morning.

Modavi Restaurant and Lounge does a pretty good job of bringing a Buckhead atmosphere to Gwinnett County. So, before you spend $80 gassing up your SUV, go up the street and around the corner and check out this in county favorite.

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