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The Optimist, Atlanta, GA

The Optimist

4.7
4.7
9176 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 90 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Hot spot
  • Lively
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

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 9,176 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Atlanta

    Seafood

  • Atlanta

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Optimist offers a delightful seafood dining experience in Atlanta. Guests rave about the "phenomenal" food, especially the oysters. The ambiance is vibrant, creating a perfect setting for celebrations. With "exceptional" service from knowledgeable staff like Amanda and Savannah, visitors leave satisfied and eager to return. Highly recommended for seafood enthusiasts seeking quality and creativity.

9,176 Reviews

  1. KristiF

    Atlanta18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waitress was excellent, very friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, polite and professional.

    Is this helpful?

  2. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston1 review

    3.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    One of the best meals I’ve had this year. Come if you have plenty of time.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jovi

    Coastal Georgia10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place to meet friends, good service, delicious food.

    Is this helpful?

  4. ROY VIP

    Atlanta196 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The bread service is spectacular. She crab soup was tasty

    Is this helpful?

  5. Julian

    Atlanta2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    as usual the food was amazing and our server amanda was incredible and friendly and made the evening even better

    Is this helpful?

  6. Kelly

    Atlanta1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best bred I have ever eaten in my life, not even being dramatic. It was amazing. Wood grilled oysters, lobster twin rolls, hush puppies, striped bass were all delicious. Wonderful service with a very friendly, timely waitress. Great ambiance, clean restrooms, fun experience. Can’t wait to return. Everything was perfect.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Christa

    New York City4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic night out with the family! Food was great!

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Atlanta3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    I’ve dined here several times and have always enjoyed but this time the quality of the food was nothing like the food in the past. The presentation of the food made us chuckle. The opti old fashioned was served with small cubed ice, not to clown the bartender but any 15.00 dollar drink should be well prepared. The she crab soup had enough parsley for two bowls. The mahi mahi was served in a small bowl and it was one of the higher priced meals on the menu. I thought that I’d play it safe and order the burger and fries but that too was a disappointment as well. The key lime pie had a crust that we thought was candy because we had to break through it for each fork full. Sorry Optimist but you guys failed us last night.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Lindsey

    Atlanta7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful! The beets and strawberries were amazing, and the Mahi was killer. Shout out to Chef Tyson and Brett! Our server Damien was knowledgeable and unintrusive as we definitely took our time ordering/eating while catching up. We will be back!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Lynne VIP

    New York City12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is amazing and our server Damien was incredibly attentive. I would give this restaurant ten stars if I could.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

The Optimist is rated 4.7 stars by 9176 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 90 times today

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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