Best Cozy Restaurants in Venetian Hills

End of the week connection time for wifey and I over dinner at The Optimist was perfect. The ambiance, food, and the personableness of our server were all aligned for a great night out.

Between the excellent food, drinks and service, it’s impossible to come here and not have a good time. The lobster crawfish wontons and fried green tomatoes with Korean beef are must-haves. I have yet to find a great bao spot in Atlanta but was so happy to try their duck bao special which was so good! The Asian fusion cuisine here is solid but the bartenders here show an equal passion for their cocktails and deserve their own shout out. Their “Pho” drink… what?! Don’t ask, just order it. When it comes to food reviews, I care about taste above anything else… ambiance, service, noise… idc, but I do want to mention that you will not find a poor server at Poor Calvin’s… every single person who works here does their best to ensure you’re having a good experience and it shows.

I apologize for not remembering the name of our server. Hopefully you can look this up under our reservation. But that gentleman, overheard me discussing my birthday and the birthday of my daughter. He brought us free dessert, wished me a happy birthday, knowing my daughter was not at the dinner with us, and wish both of us a wonderful birthday and a happy life. He was wonderful. 

Food was good but I just love the atmosphere. Price wasn't too bad, good vibes, a very enjoyable restaurant to go to.

Great overall experience. Sushi was fresh and met expectations. It wasn't very busy that evening and service was friendly and prompt. Definitely a whiskey bar type atmosphere with dim lighting, which is not a bad thing. Prices are what I'd expect for the locale. Otoro carpaccio was probably the highlight of the dishes ordered.