While staying in Auburn we also had the chance to dine at 1856, and the experience was just as impressive as the hotel itself. The restaurant has a very polished but comfortable atmosphere, and you can immediately tell that a lot of care goes into both the service and the presentation of the food. Every dish that came out looked like a piece of art. The plating was thoughtful and beautiful without feeling overly complicated, and the flavors backed it up. One of the highlights was a perfectly cooked scallop served in a rich, flavorful sauce with mushrooms and vegetables. The balance of the dish was great and the scallop had a beautiful sear. We also had a fresh Caesar-style salad that was loaded with flavor, crisp lettuce, shaved cheese, and crunchy bites that added great texture throughout. Another dish that stood out had an incredible presentation with a rich sauce and carefully placed garnishes that made it almost too pretty to eat. What made the experience even better was the attention to detail throughout the entire meal. Every plate felt intentional and well executed, which made the dinner feel special from start to finish. If you're visiting Auburn and want something that feels elevated and thoughtfully prepared, 1856 is definitely worth experiencing. read more

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Oh my goodness this was one of the best dining experiences ever! The food, service and ambiance were superb. It is such a wonderful concept to have a teaching restaurant with renowned chefs and sommelier on site. There was great attention to detail including the handwritten note at our table to welcome us for our girls night. I definitely recommend. read more

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While the cost is high for Auburn, this is definitely worth the price tag. Incredible food and spectacular service. Each dish tells a story and the setting is quite intimate. Be sure to get a reservation 3+ weeks in advance. read more

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We had lunch yesterday in this beautiful space and as an alumni, I was THRILLED to see such an incredible space with that caliber of food and wine as a teaching space for AU students. I hope the community knows how lucky they are to have it and support the restaurant fully. We made a reservation a while back and let them know of my husbands allergy to certain seafood and our excellent server Angel was astute enough to warn him off of a dish we normally wouldn't have thought would be a problem, avoiding an unpleasant experience. I had the Kaizen which was a perfectly portioned lunch with a choice of 2 entrees. The flavorful coconut soup could be sipped from the small cup, a nice touch. I chose the scallops which were cooked to perfection, and an appetizer of the smoked salmon was a perfect accompaniment. A chocolate mousse for dessert was delicious, but we also ordered the crème brûlée just to try it. Both were wonderful! I was in Paris 2 yrs ago and had a mixed experience with highly recommended restaurants, but this rivaled anything we had there. And the wine list is top notch. The by the glass selection is well thought out and balanced. At the end of the meal we were served a small plate of house made sweets that they kindly boxed for us to take with us. Overall this was a wonderful experience for us. I read the few negative reviews here, but giving this experience 1 or zero stars because they couldn't accommodate your small child with a separately made dish, or not allowing you to bring outside food in for them is ridiculous. There might be inflexibility because they are teaching students from a specific menu, as well as to use seasonal ingredients. Deviating from that may disrupt the training that is being offered to the students in the kitchen. Understanding this before going will help you appreciate the experience more fully. If you want your young child to have something they love and not cry and disturb other diners, feed it to them at home. Or better yet, leave them at home for a nice adult night out. This experience is for mature diners whose senses are open to new tastes and sights and an acceptance of what the program is offering the students. My advice is this...Go! Enjoy! It's worth it!! At least try lunch as a first time there. Leave the little ones at home unless they sit quietly to enjoy a succulent chicken dish with a fine Chablis. read more

1856 - Culinary Residence - The smoked salmon appetizer on the Kaizen board. - Italian Near Me - Auburn, Alabama

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This place was a treat for lunch. The menu changes frequently as new chefs come to visit the culinary school. Great service to accommodate our every need. Chef Leo Maurelli III knew what he was doing. I got the oxtail grilled cheese. definitely recommend this spot. read more

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Amazing fine dining experience with fantastic wine pairing. Really highly recommended. Gnocchi was delicious along with the foi gras appetizer read more

1856 - Culinary Residence - Italian Near Me - Auburn, Alabama

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Absolutely amazing! This is the real deal if you are experienced with traditional Europe dining. The food is fresh and exciting presentations. Service is on par with Michelin one or two star. Master sommelier on staff to present and serve wines perfectly paired. They even serve caneles. Last time I had that was in France! Bravo to the AU team!! read more

Big disappointment. Had heard great things but was unsure of spending $200+ for dinner so opted for lunch. Started out fine--the shrimp remoulade was superb. Then it was downhill. The N.C. flounder sandwich was inedible--too much breading and mush in the center. The excellent fries couldn't compensate for the fish. My companion had a $21 add on of grouper to her salad that was overdone and dry. She managed to eat 1/2. To cap it off, our dirty plates sat for almost ten minutes in front of us reminding us of what we couldn't eat. For all the hype, then should be doing MUCH better. Staff are friendly, but so is the staff at any other restaurant. read more

My recent visit to 1856 - Culinary Residence Restaurant was, in a word, abysmal. This unforgivably pretentious and inhospitable "fine dining" establishment. Is nothing more than a mediocre dining experience draped in self-importance. We were well aware that this was a fine dining prix fixe restaurant and that it might not be ideal for children, but having traveled extensively with the family, including dining at top-tier restaurants/ Michelin star restaurants across the US and Europe, we assumed there would be some modicum of flexibility. We were gravely mistaken. From the moment we sat down, it became clear that the management's inflexibility was not just a policy but a point of pride. Despite our polite requests for a simple substitution or even just a small plate of something basic for our 8-year-old daughter, we were met with a stone-cold refusal. The audacity of this place knows no bounds--they wouldn't even let us bring in outside food for her! Our daughter sat there, visibly upset and hungry crying while we endured course after course of bland uninspired, pretentious food that she couldn't eat. They even suggested we go outside in the middle of our meal, feed our daughter with outside food and then come back to finish our meal. This restaurant has the pretense of a Michelin star establishment without anything to show for it. The food definitely wasn't worth the discomfort and frustration of staying any longer. Ultimately, we couldn't endure it any longer. We left in the middle of the meal to find somewhere else where we could feed our child, who was understandably distressed. The only saving grace was our waitress- she was great very welcoming. She really tried to help. In all our years of dining out with our child, we've never encountered such a lack of empathy or hospitality. A restaurant that values its ego over the comfort and satisfaction of its patrons, especially a child, is not one worth visiting. Avoid 1856- Culinary Residence restaurant at all costs unless you enjoy paying exorbitant prices for mediocre food and being treated like an inconvenience. This place is nothing more than a hollow shell of pretension, with no substance to back it up. Auburn has so many great restaurants- skip this one - your palate and your wallet will thank you. read more

Food is just alright, more pretentious than good , and management that refused to accommodate our needs. We came with a child who prefers simpler food, the restaurant refused to accommodate and did not allow us to bring food from the outside . We live in NYC and have been to multiple Michelin star restaurants with our child. To have the restaurant refuse basic food to a child is unthinkable. read more

We had the mahi sandwich (with sweet potato French fries) and the shrimp & grits. Best food we have had in Auburn.