We’ve been living in Atlanta, Georgia for about 4 months now and have seen and done a lot of different things. One of the things Meagan and I told ourselves when we moved here was that we would branch out and try a lot of different food. Looking below you can see that we have done that! There is so much good food here that it is hard to decide where to go sometimes. We have taken to using sites like UrbanSpoon, ScoutMob, Yelp, and Google Reviews to narrow down the best of the best (which doesn’t always yield good results, as you will see).
Grading Scale:
- 5: Most amazing thing ever.
- 4: Great, highly recommend.
- 3: Good, would return.
- 2: Didn’t like, but give it a shot yourself.
- 1: Terrible, don’t go.
- 0: Close this place down immediately!
Things We Have Done/Eaten
Food
Aloha Asian Cuisine and Sushi (4/5)
This is our go-to Chinese takeout now. We have tried about 4 others close to us that deliver and this one is by far the best. They have amazing egg drop soup, cheese rangoons, and their fried rice is the best I have had so far in ATL. The entries are good (we usually get Tangerine Chicken or General Tso) so this is definitely a great place to check out.
Antico Pizza (4/5)
This place is great. It has awesome pizza and the atmosphere is very unique. I went here for my interview at Georgia Tech and Meagan and I went again about 2 months ago. Everyone sits family-style around these big industrial tables while they cook the pizzas in these huge pizza stoves beside you. It’s hot and noisy but a really cool place to go.
Bacchanalia (5/5)
This is consistently ranked one of (if not the) best restaurant in Atlanta, and it lived up to its name. We went here for our anniversary and it was delicious! We had a 5 course meal with wine pairings throughout. We ended up spending over $400 (!) but it was worth it in our opinion just for the experience of going once. We had delicious sweetbreads, beef tartare, pork belly (oh my god amazingly good), and much more. I wasn’t thrilled about the cocktails we had but Meagan liked hers a lot. We probably wouldn’t go again because the cost was only worth going once.
The Barrelhouse (3/5)
A nice pub in the middle of Tech Square. We met up with some of her grad school friends and had some drinks, no food. It wasn’t terribly cheap but the atmosphere was cool and they had a wide selection of beer. Can’t give it more than a 3 since we didn’t have too many drinks and didn’t eat.
Bone Lick BBQ (3.5/5)
We had not had any BBQ in Atlanta yet so we decided to try Bone Lick which is right down the street from us. We had read the reviews and everything seemed pretty good but we really had no idea what to expect. The atmosphere is pretty much a bar. They had a big counter car with a shoddy looking stage with some booths jammed into the corner. We ordered the Fat Ass Sampler which has all of their meats (5) and got a Side Sampler to go with it. The most delicious thing on the sampler was the Beef Brisket and the Jalapeños Mac ‘N Cheese. They were both excellent and I would definitely get a plate with just them for lunch if we go back. The BBQ chicken tasted really good and had a nice smoked taste to it. We didn’t care much for the sausage they brought out and the ribs so we probably wouldn’t get those again. The collard greens were excellent and the BBQ itself tasted yummy. They had about 5 different sauces you could try too and most were good.
Chai Pani (5/5)
Not much to say about this place except that is was freaking fantastic! All the food tasted amazing and came out pretty quickly. We loved everything we had, especially their lunch burgers. We will go back here many times in the future I hope and I suggest you do the same!
Chin Chin Chinese Restaurant (3.5/5)
One of the other Chinese restaurants close to us. We have not had takeout yet from them but we went there for the 2014 World Cup and had a very enjoyable meal. I thought it was a little bit pricey but the food was really good so I can’t complain too much.
Chops Lobster Bar (5/5)
Wow, such a cool place to eat! The theme was like a NYC subway station that was tiled. When you walk in there is a huge bar with ice and oysters. We sat at a normal table but I think it would have been fun to sit at the bar. The food we had was unbelievably good. They have the best crap cakes we have ever had in our entire lives. It was literally just crab meat, somehow stuck together with some sort of delicious food glue. All the sides were super yummy and I had a really good German black beer. We spent about $200 and really loved this place. We will definitely be going back, and hopefully soon!
Community Q BBQ (3/5)
This is supposedly the best BBQ place in Atlanta but it left a lot to be desired. We liked the food but it wasn’t anything amazing, it was just good food. I was expecting something spectacular since the reviews are so great. However, the food just didn’t live up to the hype. The best part were the ribs and mac ‘n cheese. We also had the brisket (not bad), collard greens (pretty yummy), and cole slaw (also yummy) but it wasn’t better than Meagan’s dad’s ribs and sides (which are amazing). Jim has ruined ribs forever.
Cypress Street Pint & Plate (2.5/5)
Another pub close to Tech Square that we have visited a few times with Meagan’s grad school friends. It is okay but the drinks and food are both pricey and not worth it at all. We played trivia there one night and Meagan and I spent like $90 on drinks and food which was ridiculous! I have also had a few more food items there and they have just been blah bar food. Not somewhere I would really recommend for a fun night of drinking and hanging out.
DaVinci’s Pizza (5/5)
Our go-to pizza delivery place! It is awesome, seriously. They have amazing bread sticks and cheese sticks and the pizza is some next-level sh$!. The bread sticks come with an Alfredo sauce that makes you want to die when you eat it, so yummy. And the cheese sticks are so garlic-y and cheesy you could just eat them and be happy the rest of your life! We usually get the Cheesapaloosa pizza which has lots of different cheeses on it. We had one of their meat pizzas one time but it wasn’t as good as the cheese ones. We haven’t been to any other pizza places (except the chains) yet so maybe there are more that are awesome but this place is definitely on the top for us for pizza.
Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand (4/5)
The best sausage we have ever had! We had a taste of their Smack n’ Cheese at the Atlanta Food Festival and had to go try it. Meagan follows them on Instagram and they are always posting yummy looking food. We ordered the Smack n’ Cheese and the Senior Chorizo. They were both good but we think they brought too much to the plate and it over powered the delicious sausage. Next time I think we will stick with more simple options. We also had the side of grits which were also amazingly tasty.
FLIP Burger (5/5)
Some of the best non-standard burgers and fries I have ever had! This was one of the first places Meagan and I went when we moved here and we have been back 2-3 times since. The burgers are delicious and the fries are to die for. They come with a side of smoked mayonnaise that doesn’t even make sense it is so good. I’m not fond of their cocktails but we have been happy just getting water and eating yummy burgers. It is more pricey than say Five Guys but it is definitely worth it for a burger that is just different than the norm. I love Five Guys, probably the best standard burger I have ever eaten (along side In-n-Out) but if you want something different, check out FLIP burger. Also, their onion rings are crazy good but unfortunately you only get like 6 and they cost like $5 so not worth it.
Fogo de Chao (5/5)
We have been to a Brazilian steak house before when we went to Washington D.C. and loved it so we couldn’t pass up going to the one here in ATL. It was amazing as always! The fried bananas are to die for and the meat was out of this world. The Filet Mignon was delicious and we loved it.
Gu’s Bistro (5/5)
This is consistently rated the number one Chinese restaurant in Atlanta and we have to agree, it is great! The food is delicious and the flavors are amazing. We started off lunch with their Szechuan Dumplings that were served with a really nice sauce that had tons of flavor. When then followed this up with 2 main dishes: chicken with broccoli & twice cooked pork belly. I really liked the pork belly but Meagan was less impressed. Everything tasted great and they served it with a side of white rice. We will most certainly be going back here!
Jeni’s (5/5)
The best ice cream we have ever had. Ever. There is ALWAYS a line going out the door and the wait is sometimes more than hour but it is still worth it. The Goat Cheese and Cherries and Dark Chocolate are by far the best ice creams on the menu. They pair well together and they each are so rich and delicious. I can’t say enough good thing about this place. Also, it has the highest user ratings of places to eat in ATL, who would have thought an ice cream shop would be rated best?! Well deserved, Jeni’s, well deserved.
JCT Kitchen & Bar (5/5)
A very cool place to go eat lunch or have a dinner. We ate lunch there when we first moved to ATL and had some really fantastic food. Their style is southern cuisine and they know what they are doing! We had some deviled eggs that were amazing and our sandwiches were fantastic. Definitely going back here soon!
Kilwins Atlantic Station (3/5)
We had ice cream here one night while in Atlanta Station with my niece. It wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t great. Compared to Jeni’s there is no contest. But if you are in need of a chocolate fix, I’m sure this place would tide you over till you could get something better.
La Fonda Latina (5/5)
A classic Cuban restaurant that we love. The food is Cuban comfort food and leaves you feeling great after eating it, like a home cooked meal from your Cuban grandmother. We have ben here several times and it never disappoints. Their salsa is crazy good too!
Malaya Atlanta (3/5)
This is one of the Chinese restaurants that we first tried for takeout. It was horrible but also wasn’t great so we moved on and tried other places. YMMV.
Masala Indian Cuisine (5/5)
We had the pleasure of going here when my parents and sister came into town a few weeks ago and it was fantastic. So delicious and it was a buffet so I would get what I wanted (which I always love). The food tasted fresh and the waiters were attentive to our drinks and naan supply. I thought it was really good food and look forward to going back again!
Morelli’s Ice Cream (4/5)
Meagan and I were driving around ATL and decatur one day and had a yearning for some ice cream. We weren’t near Jeni’s so we took to Yelp and found this place. The reviews were great so we gave it a shot. It turned out to have really awesome milkshakes! I have a dark chocolate one that was amazing. Meagan’s was good but nothing to write home about so we couldn’t give this place a 5. Would definitely return though!
MuLan Atlanta (5/5)
MuLan has the #1 rated General Tso’s Chicken in all of ATL and for good reason, it is amazing! I have no idea what they do but it is crazy good. Their fried rice is also some of the best I have ever had. One downside for us is that they don’t deliver to our apartment which sucks. This would probably be our number 1 takeout if they did deliver here. I’m looking forward to having a sit down meal there at some point.
Ormsby’s (4/5)
We went here for lunch one day and it was a really cool bar. They have a lot of board games on the wall that you can play while eating. They also have an entire downstairs devoted to games that we haven’t gone to but think about be a pretty cool place to go on a weekend to chill and drink. The food was good pub food and we enjoyed it very much.
Osteria del Figo (0/5)
And now we’ve gotten to the only 0/5 rated restaurant. It was seriously a disaster of a meal. Both Meagan’s and I’s food was microwaved, there was no other explanation for parts of both of our dishes to be boiling hot and others to be cold. We will not go back. I’m not sure why people even go? It was not good food, the service was mediocre, and we just didn’t enjoy ourselves. I find it even more crazy that they are opening another one right down the road! They should both be closed!
Ray’s New York Pizza (1/5)
We got delivery from here but decided to go with a white pizza so that might have been the issue we had. The pizza was just not good. It tasted bland and had no real “meat” to it. NYC pizza is usually big with yummy greasy flavor packed into it. This place pretty much just served us cardboard. Probably won’t be going back unless we just get a cheese pizza.
Satto Thai & Sushi (3.5/5)
This is a Thai/Sushi place right on the west edge of GaTech’s campus. It seems like lots of Tech professors and students come here from some mid-day sushi as it was packed when we first went. The food was pretty good and I liked the restaurant itself. We have been back once again and I branched out and got a lot of different types of sushi. Some I didn’t like (octopus, squid) but the others I did (salmon, eel) so it was a good experience. Probably the best sushi place we have found so far that isn’t crazy expensive.
Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House (2/5)
We had high hopes for this place. The reviews are great and everyone said they have really good seafood. However, our experience was not that great. The food really wasn’t that good and was WAY over priced. We ended up paying like $70 for ours which was crazy given the quality of the food. Probably won’t go back but it could have just been that one time since everyone else seems to love it.
Sprinkles Cupcakes, Ice Cream and Cookies (3/5)
This is apparently the first place to popularize the ‘Cupcake ATM’ which is where I got 2 cupcakes for Meagan and I: Dark Chocolate and Banana Dark Chocolate. They were good but nothing to write home about. I would get them again but only if I was crazing a dessert.
Ssam Burger (4/5)
Ssam Burger was a refreshing change to the typical food we eat. They have Korean inspired burgers and drinks and they are really good. Their lotus flower fries are exceptionally good and were a highlight of our lunch. Meagan had a yummy tea with yogurt balls and I had a coke. Will definitely have to make a trip here again!
Taqueria del Sol (4/5)
I absolutely love this place, the Shrimp Corn Chowder is one of the best soups I have ever had in my entire live. Meagan likes it too but likes LaFondas better. I’m not sure I entirely agree but they are both fantastic. The one thing I really like about del Sol is that is very cheap and the food is still really good. They have seasonal Green Chilies and I get them whenever I go, so yummy.
Thali Indian Vegetarian Cuisine (4.5/5)
My brother came down for the weekend a few months ago and his girlfriend wanted to go eat Indian food. So, we decided to go here. They left since it was vegetarian but Meagan and I decided to stay and I’m glad we did. Everything was traditional Indian cuisine and most all of it was amazingly good. I had never heard of half of the stuff we ate and I loved 3/4 of what we ate. I did not care for some of the yogurt based drinks we had or some of the cold dishes but all-in-all a great experience that I would love to try again.
Tin Drum Asiacafe (5/5)
We go to Atlantic Station every once-in-a-while and like to try a new restaurant when we go. We just recently saw some delicious looking pictures in the window of the Tin Drum and decided we would try it. It was freaking fantastic! I had a Korean BBQ Kimchi dish with an egg on top plus a cheese ‘n crab spring roll. Both were unbelievably good! Meagan had Basil Fried Rice with chicken and a vegie spring roll which was also amazing. This place is definitely a better deal than all of the other take-out Asian places we have been, I just wished they delivered! We will definitely be going back here.
The Varsity (2/5)
Everyone in ATL LOVES this place so we were super excited about going. However, it turned out to be a terrible place to eat. The food was awful, it was kept under a heat lamp and just tasted blah. The best thing was the slaw dog but I could make a better one at home so I’m not sure what they are getting at here? The onion rings are so greasy you can hardly eat them (in fact I’m pretty sure we threw most of them away). Not going back here.
Vintage Frozen Custard (3/5)
Eh, is all I can say about this place. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t bad, it was just okay. It is right beside LaFonda’s so it makes a nice after meal dessert but not something I would just go to out of no where like I would Jeni’s.
Wasabi Grill (3.5/5)
A small Japanese grill beside my work that has good food and sushi. Nothing to write home about but is good for a lunch close to work. I had a Tempora Bento Box which was really yummy.
West Egg (4/5)
Delicious coffee and the food is fantastic. However, every time Meagan and I have gone we have had to wait anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour which we aren’t sure is worth it. We would rather go get really good breakfast at Cracker Barrel then wait that long. But the atmosphere is awesome and the food is incredible. Their potatoes are super yummy!
Yeah! Burger (4/5)
Another burger joint in ATL that is really good. I would put them as an upscale Five Guys with some unique burgers on the menu. Not as good as FLIP burger but still really tasty. We have ben a few times and I have only gotten one bad burger so far (had blue cheese on it, should have known better). We like to go here for lunch on weekends when we aren’t doing much else.
Yoforia (2/5)
I would have thought a yogurt place like this would be good but we were severely disappointed. It was way overpriced and the yogurt was just okay. I’m sure if you love yogurt then this place might be good so I ring it in at a 2 out of 5.
Events
AJC Decatur Book Festival (4/5)
We didn’t plan well for this festival because my parents and sister were in town. They had tons of cool events going on but we didn’t get to go to any. Another terrible thing was that it was so damn hot! Within like 10 minutes of getting there we were drenched in sweat, it was horrible. That’s why we gave it a 4 instead of a 5.
Atlanta Street Food Festival (3/5)
Just as with the Book Festival, it was sooo hot when we went to the Street Food Festival. We took my niece and there was a tremendous amount of people there and the lines were so long. Maybe if it had been a little bit cooler it would have been more fun but we didn’t stay long.
Cirque du Soleil - Almaluna (5/5)
This isn’t an Atlanta event but I couldn’t not put it on the list: it was freaking incredible! They has their tent set up at Atlantic Station and we got tickets through our complex for super cheap. It was well worth going, the stuff they did was amazing and it was all very entertaining. I would most certainly see them again!
Maker Faire Atlanta (3.5/5)
There were a lot of neat things going on at this festival. The live glass blowing was super neat and there were a ton of robots and 3D printing. The people seemed really passionate about what they were doing which made it interesting to hear them talk about their stuff. We didn’t stay long since it didn’t take too long to see everything. I really want to do a project and have a tent next year.
Taste of Atlanta (4/5)
We didn’t really know what to think about this festival when we bought tickets ($25 each). With each ticket we received 10 food tickets where each “piece of food” costs 1-3 tickets. We definitely had a good time and would liked to have spent multiple days their and bought VIP tickets (drink tickets and other things included) but we just bought 1 day tickets for the last day. One of the coolest things to me was Coca Cola giving out free drinks and stuff at their super tent, it was really neat. We had samplings from a lot of different places including Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand, BurgerFi, Mi Cocina, Makan, and some others. The burgers and fries from BurgerFi were really good and we are looking forward to going there to get a meal sometime. Mi Cocina had a delicious shrimp ceviche that Meagan and I both loved. We will definitely have to go try it sometimes soon!
Attractions
Aarons Amphitheatre at Lakewood (3/5)
We took my niece to her first concert here: Paramore and Fall Out Boy. The venue was nice and we had a great time. Nothing spectacular so only giving it a 3 out of 5.
Atlantic Station (4/5)
The closest movie theater is at Atlantic Station so we go there ofter. It is a really cool microcosm that we might eventually end up living in. You can do all of your shopping and fun right outside your door step which is pretty cool. Lots of places to eat too!
Bodies: The Exhibition (5/5)
This attraction is at Atlantic Station and super awesome. It is mind blowing the amount of detail that plastination can yield.
Centennial Olympic Park (4/5)
A really nice park in downtown ATL that was build for 1996 olympics. There are tons of places to eat and attractions to go to (Aquarium, Coca Cola Museum, Civil Rights Museum, etc). We walked around with my brother and it was very peaceful for being in the middle of a metropolitan city.
Charis Books & More (4/5)
We love books stores, especially used books stores! This one is the oldest feminist bookstore in Atlanta and it was a neat place to visit. It was not huge but they have a lot of interesting selections that other places don’t carry. Some of Meagan’s profs are on the board of directors so hopefully we’ll get to attend some exclusive events there with authors or something!
Eagle Eye Bookshop (2/5)
Another bookstore! This bookstore advertised “over a mile of books” but Meagan and I were not very impressed. After falling in love and always going to McKays Books in Tennessee (sometimes making 2 hour detours to do so), we are forever tainted when we go to new bookstores. They have to be really special for us to like them. This place seemed overpriced but they did have quite a few events with authors which is cool. We will keep an eye on their events.
Eclectia (3.5/5)
I don’t think this is really an Atlanta attraction but it was a neat place to go. They have LOTS of interesting things to look at and the prices seems pretty reasonable. We didn’t buy anything but we might go back to look for something for Halloween or a neat piece of furniture to add to the house. They apparently supply the ATL movie business with stuff (sometimes?) so that means they keep a good assortment of things around. Pretty neat place to go look around at.
Emory University (4/5)
Emory has a really nice campus. Meagan and I only looked around for a little bit but we liked what we saw. There are some really neat looking buildings and the the architecture is cool, I like it a lot better than GaTech’s campus. The area around campus looked nice too, might have to start looking at places to live over in that area.
Georgia Aquarium (5/5)
Meagan and I love the aquarium! We decided to become members before we even went for the first time! We now are members AND have 2 guest passes so we have gone quite a few times in the past 4 months (4 times now I think). The Ocean Water tank is extremely impressive and the White Beluga whales are crazy cool.
Georgia Institute of Technology (3.75/5)
Georgia Tech’s campus was a lot nicer than I thought it would be but it still isn’t as pretty as Virginia Tech’s. I never knew how much I liked Hokie Stone until I left. I really like that GaTech is in the middle of the city but I wish the building architecture was nicer. Walking around doesn’t really feel special like it did at Virginia Tech.
Lenox Square (3/5)
A big fancy mall with lots of shops that are expensive. I’m not into shopping that much so I thought it was just okay.
Patel Brothers Indian Marketplace (4/5)
This is where Thali’s and Masala’s Indian restaurants are and also an awesome Indian grocery store with tons of things you can’t find at your local markets. Meagan and I really like the store and all the shops around it. A cool place to visit with fantastic food.
Perimeter Mall (3/5)
A big fancy mall with lots of shops that are expensive. I’m not into shopping that much so I thought it was just okay.
Piedmont Park (3/5)
The Atlanta Street Festival was held here along with almost every other festival in ATL. It is a nice big park with lots of room. Nothing to complain about but also nothing to brag about.
Six Flags Over Georgia (5/5)
Six Flags is always an awesome time. We took my brother and Meagan’s brother there for Georgia Tech night where GT rented out the entire place! It was a lot of fun and the lines were super short. The only bad thing about it was that I get motion sickness. I took Dramamine but it didn’t last longer than 5 rides so I didn’t get to ride some of the best rides like Goliath. I’ll be sure to take 2 next time!