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The Optimist, Atlanta, GA

The Optimist

4.8
4.8
9102 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 77 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Hot spot
The Optimist brings a seaside fish camp experience to landlocked Atlantans. The ever-changing menu features high-quality, sustainable seafood masterfully paired with fresh, local ingredients. From sophisticated, daily-catch dishes to crudos and beachside classics, chef-owner Ford Fry’s the Optimist transports guests to their favorite coastal haunts.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (404) 477-6260
  • Website
    https://www.theoptimistrestaurant.com/atlanta
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Eddie Barrett
  • Private party facilities
    The Optimist has a variety of event spaces that include bar events, restaurant buy outs, private dining up to 20 guests, semi-private dining for up to 50 guests.
  • Location
    914 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318
  • Area
    West Midtown
  • Cross Street
    8th Street
  • Parking details
    $5 Valet service is offered through the Brady parking garage, located on property. Additional surface street parking is available throughout the neighborhood, as well as additional lots in the area.
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Featured in

Experiences

  • Copy of Valentine's Day Prix Fixe at The Optimist!

    US$125.00 per person

    14 Feb 2025 only
    The best way to spend the evening with your special someone is "coast side!" Celebrate Valentine's Day at The Optimist with a four-course prix fixe menu Executive Chef Edward Barrett for $125 per person. Wine pairings available for and additional $45 per person. Premium wine pairings available for and additional $85 per person. Enjoy oysters on the half shell, coastal inspired cuisine and much more! We look forward to celebrating with you!

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 9,102 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Atlanta Metro

    Seafood

  • Atlanta

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Optimist is a seafood lover's paradise, celebrated for its "amazing food" and "exceptional service." Diners rave about the "freshest oysters" and "outstanding hospitality," making it an ideal spot for special occasions. While some find prices high, the "vibrant atmosphere" and consistent quality make it a must-visit.

9,102 Reviews

  1. Whitney W

    North Georgia

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Highly recommend this fine-dining seafood experience.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Monique

    Atlanta Metro

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The experience was great! The food was awesome but I wish I had sides. The lobster didn’t come with anything. But it was delicious.

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  3. Aaron

    Atlanta Metro

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have very high expectations for The Optimist. It’s one of our favorites dining experiences in Atlanta, and has delivered in consistency and quality every time. Understanding the complexity and difficulty of a NYE service, I was left a little disappointed in what we got especially for the price point. It is very important to clarify that the service was impeccable, as always. However, some of their signature dishes were over simplified (She Crab Soup) or prepped in batch leaving them dry and lacking freshness (grilled octopus, Swordfish). I would also say the wine pairings were not worth it. I’m not educated enough in wines to discern what I’m drinking and they didn’t offer any info on the wines provided. Not terrible, but most prix fixes I’ve had give a brief name + region + description of the wines provided. I should be clear that other stellar restaurants have left us scratching our heads for a NYE prix fixe. Ultimately, I think it’s just a tough concept and volume to execute well. We’ll stick to regular dinner reservations at Optimist from now on.

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  4. THOMAS

    Atlanta Metro

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our third year in a row doing New Year's Eve at the Optimist and it was another exceptional evening. The service is very good from front desk, the bar and the servers. The menu can be a little pricy, but the food is always very well prepared and fresh making the dining experience well worth it. The menu is not too extensive but has a nice variety of items to choose from. We will definitely be back and highly recommend it to anyone looking to have a special evening!

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  5. Destiny

    Atlanta Metro

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved my whole experience! Every course of food was phenomenal! Amanda provided excellent service with fun and kind spirit! Wine pairings were perfect. Honestly the best way to bring in the new year! Thanks Optimist 💖

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  6. Kay

    VIP

    Austin

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous fun service. Food was interesting and good.

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  7. Daryl

    VIP

    Austin

    73 reviews

    4.0

    73 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    I don’t think the restaurant showed its best but it was NYE and understandably they were trying to accommodate a full restaurant. Overall food was just ok, nothing was served very warm/hot. Wine pairings were very mediocre. Service had some mis-fires. I would like to give them another shot on a more regular evening.

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  8. Amanda

    VIP

    Greensboro

    35 reviews

    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a fantastic experience at the Optimist! Amanda was the best server, being attentive and accommodating; also very thoughtful. The food was delicious in every way: taste, texture, temperature and presentation! It was a special dining experience!

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  9. Candace

    Atlanta Metro

    31 reviews

    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This has been one of my favorite restaurants for years and every time I come back, the quality of the food, the vibes and the service has never disappointed!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Steven

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was delicious and the service was top notch!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Optimist offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (404) 477-6260.

The Optimist is rated 4.8 stars by 9102 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 77 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Optimist

914 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    8th Street
  • Area
    West Midtown
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    $5 Valet service is offered through the Brady parking garage, located on property. Additional surface street parking is available throughout the neighborhood, as well as additional lots in the area.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Eddie Barrett
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining
  • Website
    https://www.theoptimistrestaurant.com/atlanta
  • Phone number
    (404) 477-6260
  • Private party facilities
    The Optimist has a variety of event spaces that include bar events, restaurant buy outs, private dining up to 20 guests, semi-private dining for up to 50 guests.

Featured in

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