Happened to be in Clayton staying at Julep Farm... This place was recommended to us by several folks. We sat at the bar since the place was packed. Excellent atmosphere, good food, great beer selection. Next time there, I will go back. read more

Open now... We had a large party, and they were very nice to accommodate us. We had pizza, burgers, and 19ngs and everything was good read more

Solid 4 stars for fried green tomatoes and New York steak. I'm admittedly no expert on fried green tomatoes...these still felt undercooked but compared favorably to the ones I had in Atlanta the night before. They came with cheesy grits and a creamy ham sauce, topped with sauteed spinach. But I'm an expert on steaks and this was a very nice New York steak served at perfect temperature. It was blackened as per the bartender, and I suspect there was also a hint of cold smoke. Very enjoyable. I didn't try dessert, they don't have beer on tap , and the dirty Martini was shaken before my eyes forever and ever while I was thinking "please stop stop stop" ...it was mostly water. As for ambiance, I think it's the nicest and coziest place in Clayton and the patrons I talked to at the bar were equally delightful. read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - New York steak, medium rare, with au gratin potatoes - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

We enjoyed a well prepared and creative dinner at this lovely establishment. Started with a delicious arugula salad with breads-ask and they can provide gluten free biscuits that are light and delicious. I ordered the trout and my companion went for the filet. We shared because both were so flavorful! Sadly, we had no room for dessert or cocktails but will better plan upon our return. Service was also outstanding. read more

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This was our second visit to Fortify and they are 2 for 2! We have zero complaints. Everything we had was delicious and the service is excellent. We started with the Gouda fritters, and grilled Ceasar salad. Both delicious. For our entrees we had the elk and scallops. My husband loved the Elk and I thought the scallops were cooked perfectly. We try and visit every time we are in town. The cocktails are also delicious. What a gem! read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Gouda fritters - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

Great service and cocktails. Had the burger, filet, and gouda fritters ... all of which were truly delicious!

Most amazing food in North GA. Inspiring farm to table menu revolving with the seasons. Full bar with craft cocktails and beer. The staff is always on point-well dressed, well spoken, and up to speed on the various specials. There is always a vegetarian off menu special so be sure to ask if that's your bag. Save room for desert! read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Chickpea falafel with rice, pickled onion, goat cheese and sprouts with a side of asparagus and a side of multi colored carrots. Sour Ale. - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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This place is a must if you're in Clayton. The service, atmosphere, food, and drinks are top notch. We've eaten here for many years while staying in the area and it's consistently impressive. The shrimp and grits are amazing, as well as the specials/seasonal items. They have a full bar and delicious concoctions (including mocktails) . You won't be disappointed! read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Ambiance - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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The food was good I wish there would have been a little more flavor to everything, I was really excited about the bread and butter being pregnant that is one of my cravings.. didn't really meet my expectations but it was reasonable. The server was very attentive, very nice. The dimming of the lights made everything feel so fancy. read more

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Great service by waiter Joseph. Food was great. I would get the fried green tomatoes again! Nice ambience. Make a reservation if you are planning to come on the weekend. read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

We were hungry and looking forward to a nice meal at Fortify after an article recommendation and good online reviews. Although service was pretty good and ingredients seemed fresh, the presentation of the food was a bit flat. Additionally, the restaurant was very cold and the kitchen didn't time the food and delivery well enough to send it out hot. Our warm food cooled pretty quickly at our table under a blowing A/C vent (it was only 60 degrees outside). We didn't feel like drinking. And, as I'm constantly amazed about...servers NEVER make suggestions from the restaurant menu. Care to talk me into a $10 mocktail? We might have taken them up on it, but nah....suggestive selling is too much work for servers I guess. We were served ice water, cold bread (French soft bread served as slices and squares with Asiago baked into the top-which is not focaccia) with a cream cheese spread and a soft cold scoop of what they called duck fat butter. Spreads were okay, but bread was disappointing. My husband got a salad with peaches, crumbled blue cheese ( I think) and pistachios. There were peaches on the salad too, and the texture made them seem like canned. It was a very small salad for the price. We had the trout and shrimp and grits. I probably would have liked everything better if it had come out hot. Side veggies were just warm as well. The grits with the shrimp were almost non existent under a white sauce and gravy (etouffee?). S&G definitely needs a little kick. Shrimp was a bit salty and the rest is rich...but no spice whatsoever. Trout was fresh, but presentation was very flat and ordinary and the entree wasn't very flavorful. Sides of greens and squash were tasty, but pretty standard. This appears to be one of the nicer spots in the area. It wouldn't take much to create a true destination. read more

Phenomenal food, drinks and service. My wife and I were in town for a brief visit and the innkeeper at our inn recommended Fortify. We sat at the bar and the servers/bartenders were wonderful! The cocktails were great, the food was delicious! I have a gluten intolerance and was pleasantly surprised by the number of gluten free options on the menu. I can't recommend this place enough! read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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When I'm on the road for work, one of the great pleasures is asking locals and searching reviews for the best food experiences. When I finished teaching a class nearby, I knew I wanted a really phenomenal meal, and somebody who lived in the area said I had to try Fortify. I am so, so glad I listened. I've been traveling for the past month, and I've had a lot of fantastic meals from New Mexico, to Colorado, to Dallas, and Philadelphia. But this was, hands-down, the best meal I've had in a few months. My waiter was outstanding, not just on the ball and excellent with timing, but he really helped me curate a great meal experience from start to finish. I think his name was Joseph, and I feel bad I can't remember because he deserves a lot of praise! Every dish I got was honestly better than the next. The flavors were spot on, everything was very fresh, temperature and presentation were perfect, just a fantastic experience. Hope to come back if I'm in the area again. read more

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Pricy but good. Excellent and large portions, great place to try a new wine at the bar with an old friend.

An enjoyable experience from cocktails to food. The Bartender was an expert mixologist and creator of the craft cocktails and knew the food menu very well. Everything was tasty. I especially enjoyed the Spring Negroni, Gouda fritters, Korean meatballs. The fried green tomatoes with pork belly were delicious. I'll be back for sure. read more

We made 6pm reservations while in town, but were in the area just after 5pm. I asked the hostess if we could possibly sneak in early, and she gladly made it work for us. We were seated quickly and waited on promptly. The food was amazing, as was the ambiance. We ordered the gouda fritters for an appetizer. I could eat a bushel of these. The taste, the goo of the cheese, the outer crust, and the red pepper jam for dipping made each bite memorable. For my main course, I ordered the pork chop. It was cooked perfectly and was so tender and tasty. It came with a side of roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower. The only thing left on the plate when I finished eating was the bone, and that was stripped clean too. I would definitely come back here again and again when visiting. read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Pork Chop - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

Fortify is a legend in the north Ga area. There is nothing within 2 hours that can compete. Food and service amazing.

One of the best restaurant meals I've had in a long time. There were 5 of us and all agreed that the food was fabulous. Service was fast, efficient and professional. Our waitperson (Yanet?) was excellent. The ambiance was nothing special, though it was quite pleasant. I have no reservations about recommending this place. I'd give it 6 stars if that were possible. read more

This has turned into one of our favorite consistently good date night spots. Shout out to our server Yanet? I think I got that correct. She is excellent. She is just very pleasant and sweet and is on top of it. Tonight I chose the salmon special. Salmon was cooked perfectly and the curried side was delicious and interesting with the salmon. Brussels were good. Boyfriend had the fish and grits. Took a bite. it was delicious too. There is a reason this place is always busy. read more

The special, crab stuffed Flounder was very good. The service at the bar was excellent and the Old Fashioned wasn't too sweet. Very good vibe. read more

We had another surprisingly very good dinner experience at this restaurant in the small mountain city of Clayton, Georgia. The concept at this restaurant is farm to table and they pride themselves on cooking with seasonal, fresh ingredients. Our meal was overall very good, and we even got to try some decent local Georgia wines. We started with the octopus and pork belly appetizers. I musts say the refried beans served with the octopus was the only ingredient that didn't mesh quite well with the rest, otherwise all the dishes were enjoyable. The fried chicken in the grit bowl was especially delicious. read more

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Great food, staff, and friends. Always happy to go there for a good meal when we are in town read more

We have been to Fortify at least 15 times. This restaurant is consistently great. Tonight I had the pork and grits. I went out on a limb to try something other than the unbelievable filet, tasty scallops, and fantastic shrimp & grits. Well, Fortify did not disappoint. The pork was so tender . . . I just loved it. Our party of four have had Daniel as the server at least three times. He is excellent. He knows what you need before you know what you need. read more

Whenever I'm in Clayton, GA on business I always make it a point to dine at Fortify. The food and the service is always topnotch. If you're looking for a fine dining experience I can think of no other restaurant within 25 miles of Clayton that offers anything comparable to Fortify. read more

Drinks were great. Food was below fast food quality. Had to send my food back for being overcooked. I ordered a steak medium rare. Cardboard would have tasted better. I understand there are new owners and the quality has gone down. This is not the old Fortify that we loved. Not the way I wanted to spend my birthday dinner with my family. Paid the bill just to get out. Much better options around Rabun. read more

Meh. Considering the prices and reviews, I found the food surprisingly mediocre. My choice was the wagyu beef burger ($23 -- cooked correctly, but served on a [possibly stale?] bun that refused to compress enough to make the burger fit my 50th-percentile mouth, and bearing too little of the special sauce advertised on the menu); my wife's, a chicken special that she pronounced good but not spectacular. The service was subpar for the ratings, as well. Although I had requested a quiet table for a special occasion, the hostess seated two noisy parties next to us when half-a-dozen other tables were still empty. One of waitresses sported black tattoos on her arms. (Don't restaurateurs understand how unappetizing this looks?) Our waitress pronounced French wine names wrong, even after I repeated them correctly (i.e., she didn't take the hint). She also continually asked "How are we doing?" (even after my initial reply to this foolish mannerism: "I don't know about YOU, but WE are doing fine!"), and -- strangest of all -- came to our table just before our entrees arrived, opened a wooden chest full of identical steak knives, and asked, "Can you choose a dinner knife for me?" (I wanted to say, "For you? I thought it was for me!") I did ask why she didn't simply lay down a steak knife for me, since they were all the same. She replied that she had been taught to do this. I'm 75 and can't recall seeing this strange practice in any restaurant, from the greasiest spoon in my rural-Pennsylvania stomping grounds to the fanciest eateries in New York and Paris. The ambiance could be improved, as well. The space needs potted palms, cloth wall hangings, or other accouterments to relieve its cavernous, gray, echoic feel. And although it boasts spotless, well-appointed restrooms, the high-end impression is spoiled by -- you guessed it -- gas-station toilet paper. To the management's credit, however, the waitress listened carefully to my critique, thanked me, assured me that her employers loved feedback, and promised to pass it on. Would I go back? Maybe, but this eatery seemed to me a bit pricey ($128 for two medium-level entrees, no salad, no dessert, no cocktails, three higher-end glasses of wine, and a 20-percent tip), considering its quality. On the other hand, however, a) this was my first visit, b) we sampled only two entrées (luck of the draw?), and c) I have never dined anywhere else in Clayton and have no idea how it compares locally. Keep in mind, too, that Fortify has survived for ten years, so far. That's not easy! read more

This was my first time and Fortify, and came here to celebrate my mother's birthday with my parents. I knew it was a nice restaurant, but the dining experience truly exceeded my expectations. Firstly, non food related...I appreciated that the music wasn't overwhelmingly loud, that seems to be a common issue these days, and is just one of my personal irks. Anyway, first thing we ordered cocktails, all of which were great! The complimentary bread is delicious and this particular evening it was paired with a duck fat butter and I believe a Parmesan/herby butter as well, both of which were delicious and a nice touch. We ordered the Gouda fritters as an appetizer which were to die for, and they came out warm, crispy and tasty. I ordered the pork chops, my mother ordered the chicken (with risotto), and my dad ordered the Frutti de Mare. Because the restaurant is nicer, I was expecting smaller, more dainty portions; however, all our entrees were very generously portioned and honestly felt that they were very fair for the price (I couldn't even eat all of mine). My entire family enjoyed our entrees and although I could go into meticulous detail describing why they were all good- you'll just have to trust me, we were extremely pleased. They came out in a timely manner and were hot, which seems to be rare for restaurants these days. Additionally, the service was some of the best I've gotten in a long time, and the entire wait staff/hostess/waitresses were fantastic. All in all, the ambiance and restaurant itself was lovely, service immaculate, and food was divine, 10/10 dining experience and a gem in Clayton, GA! read more

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My hubby and I like totally different pizza toppings. The personal pizzas are perfect for us and leaves some for leftovers. Always super delicious, dough is fantastic, pleasant staff. A perfect spot to sit at a historic Main Street sidewalk table, bring the dogs, and people watch. read more

I think that Fortify is experiencing some competition from the new restaurants in Clayton. Their menu is stale and has no new innovative choices. Food was average and service was fine, but they need to up their game... read more

What a find! Having not been to Clayton, we were not sure what we'd find food-wise. Fortify is up there on any list. Make a reservation now, and enjoy your meal! The butternut squash soup looked tempting with red pepper, peach and maple syrup as ingredients. For mains, the lamb shank was calling my name. When ordering, I asked our waitress how big it was so I could gauge whether I had room for the soup. "10.5 ounces so pretty big" is how she answered. Ok. So the soup will need to wait for another day. Hindsight: should have gotten it to go since they are closed in Mon/Tues. Was the shank worth it? A resoundingly yummy yes! And my husband ate every bite of his NY strip steak. The grilled Caesar salad even got a "wow, that is really good dressing" from him. Delicious craft cocktails to boot with the bartender willing to make simple subs. P.S. The kids chicken fingers looked amazing... read more

Amazing menu, just delicious "hostess could be friendlier and a bit more polished. Every meal we have tried is awesome!

Fortify has two entrances and options.... Casual on the left, dressy to the right. Make a reservation. Larger groups: conversation will be difficult, it's loud. The menu is limited but let me tell you why that's a great thing. In a group you get to try everything and wow you WILL NOT be disappointed. If the trout is still in the menu, start there. It's absolutely the best thing on the menu. But. Nothing was short of delicious. The wine list offers about four selections per grape and prices range so the best is still an option. Beer: craft is limited but I'd say order a cocktail. You can't go wrong. The lighting is great and you can actually read the menu. If you are traveling through and want a classy meal, worth every bite/moment. read more

This is one of the best restaurant experiences we've had in years. Everything on the table was excellent... From the appetizers to the bread, through the main course and the sides... even the drinks. The service was top notch and the ambiance was lovely. read more

Um, YUM!? This was totally worth the hour wait. We were able to walk around town and shop, they texted us when a table came up. Tip for others, get a reservation. LOL We were from out of town and had no clue. We had the gouda fritters(who would think cheese and jam would be good together?)-OUTSTANDING. Could've been dessert, no lie. Fried green tomato caprese was a good amount (we split it all), wish the heirloom? tomatoes had a little more flavor. Smoked trout cakes were perfect. The Southern Tabouli was a fun and flavorful addition. Nothing else to say about them. Just PERFECT. Here's how good it all was. I LOVE to take pictures of my food. I forgot, I was too busy enjoying it all! Hope to come back someday! read more

Great place to enjoy an excellent meal. Well trained servers and staff. Casual ambiance.

Never disappoints, excellent service, amazing food, great atmosphere, favorite place for sure!

An excellent meal, to say the least. The gluten free fried oysters were delicious. The scallops were out of this world. Our waiter Daniel knew the ins and outside of the menu and the wine offerings and steered us to an excellent wine choice. If you are near Clayton, you need to definitely try Fortify. read more

Fortify Kitchen and Bar - Gluten free fried oysters at Fortify. - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

Fantastic pizza, lots of variety but also ate on the regular dinner side, had the salmon it was awesome. Little pricy but very good food

Didn't expect fine dining in the hinterlands of North Georgia, but here it is. Excellence from service to cuisine to presentation. We started with brut bubbly. The wine list has something for everyone. I had rainbow trout with okra and corn. Superb! My wife had shrimp and grits and loved it. It was the usual fare with an added twist of including a fine piece of chicken. The bread is fresh and had savory bread straws with it. No room for dessert but it looked good at the surrounding tables. My fish was so fresh I suggested maybe wild bears catch it for them. They said they do, but they're trained - not wild. read more

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Great food, great staff! Anniversary dinner with friends. So glad White Birch Inn recommended you to us. Thank you for making our anniversary weekend wonderful! read more