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The Optimist, Atlanta, GA

The Optimist

4.7
4.7
9191 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 69 times today

About this restaurant

  • 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
  • Neighbourhood
    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
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wine

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Private dining

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 9,191 people are saying

The Optimist reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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

Loved For

  • 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.

9,191 Reviews

  1. Sydney

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tristan was amazing! I came in last minute with my partner for our anniversary after getting extremely poor service from restaurant where we were prior. They still had plenty of reservations! We came in an hour before closing and they were still respectful. They even put "Happy Anniversary" on our menus and gave us 2 free glasses of wine! Everything was stellar from the front door (the host Fabian was great) from the moment we left. Definitely will come back. Since we came so late we didn't wanna get anything super heavy to give the kitchen and staff some grace so we simply just had some cocktails, the wood roasted oysters ( so good we had to order two) and dessert. We both can't wait to come back and experience you all again! Thank you all for accommodating.

    Is this helpful?

  2. John

    Atlanta1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and services was amazing as always! Consistently one of the best restaurants in ATL

    Is this helpful?

  3. Todd

    Atlanta1 review

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a wonderful experience, but it was overpriced.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kevin

    Atlanta5 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I eat at nice restaurants all the time and this has to be at the bottom for me . Drinks were sub par. Food was ok. Ambience was great waiter was dope also. Parking had valet .

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kim

    Atlanta1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was absolutely outstanding and the service was fantastic.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Christopher

    Atlanta2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I brought my fiancée here to celebrate a milestone accomplishment. Coleman provided an amazing experience. Everything was amazing from the staff to the food. We will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Kevin

    Atlanta6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Decided to go here on the recommendation from some friends. So I with some friends and had an amazing time! Holden was our server and did a wonderful job. We started off with two lemon drops, the deviled eggs, she crab soup with the shrimp toast (unbelievably good), strawberry salad and the roasted oysters. Everything was just very flavorful. The bread was amazing as well! Pork Belly, Schnitzel, and Burger entrees were fantastic as well. The house vanilla ice cream was fantastic too. I see why this is one of my friend’s favorite restaurant. Will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Atlanta5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The family was very happy with the food, drinks, and service. The noise level made it challenging to have a conversation and would be the only drawback.

    Is this helpful?

  9. OpenTable Diner

    Atlanta1 review

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Everything was delicious, service spectacular, Just felt like we were.practically sitring in our table neighbor's laps. Space was so close I'm sure my derriere was on their tables as I squeezed through to my seat. If we go again, will have to request a different table.

    Is this helpful?

  10. kevin

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a wonderful time celebrating my daughter’s 10th birthday here. Our server Autumn went out of her way to make it a really special experience for us! Oh and food was delicious too.

    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 9191 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 69 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Optimist

914 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    8th Street
  • Neighbourhood
    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
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wine
  • 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.

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