During the last year of the five-and-a-half decades my mother lived in Athens, she survived a…read moreserious medical crisis and endured the sale of her longtime home and preparations for a move to my brother's city. A chaotic period, and when my brother and/or I were in town to help out with these exhausting and time-consuming tasks, finding quick, reasonably priced, somewhat healthy, and hopefully tasty food was challenging indeed. I unfortunately didn't discover Maepole until 2025, but it nicely ticked off those boxes. Maepole is basically a "fast casual," Southern-inflected "bowl" place, with a much heavier emphasis on the nutritious and fresh than is typical of traditional Southern cooking. You start with a base, just like at Chipotle or Cava--greens, sweet potatoes, or quinoa, etc.--and top with veggies or salads, and, if you prefer a protein, you can add chicken, pork, or tofu. Or you can just go full-on veggie plate. Top with a flavorful sauce; my favorites were the spicy avocado and lemon herb. My general impression of the food quality was that it wasn't quite at the five-star level some of the time--veggies weren't always cooked to perfection, for instance--but the general experience and value, as well as the bold flavors, argue for bumping this rating up to five stars. Plus, every time I think about Maepole, I sure wish my current city had an option like it.

First time here and recommended by a colleague. I was a little concerned about dining out in Athens…read moreduring a busy Saturday afternoon but fortunately the N Chase location is perfectly tucked away, distant enough from the downtown area. I was 3rd in line and pleasantly surprised + pleased. Think Chipotle meets Chopt (the salad bar ). Fresh ingredients. LOTS of mix and match options OR preset menu items. And just as many drink options, including locally made kombucha. I ordered the winter salad and low country plates. With the exception of the turmeric ginger dressing (a little too zesty for me) and the hoppin John salad (hoppin John OR salad ... not both ) EVERYTHING was delicious. I enjoyed the salad way more than I thought I would. The spicy avocado dressing is YUMMY! The greens were cooked to perfection - another shocker. The edamame crunch, tofu and crunchies were just as delicious. I will visit the Atlanta location just to try the fritters! A wonderfully healthy and scrumptious delight !

Super awesome chicken sandwich and fried okra!!!!! Excellent…read moreservice!!!! What PLACE am I at? Ohhhh The PLACE is the excellent!

Not a long wait on a Saturday night, drinks were good and service was good. Not too big or loud but…read moreloud enough where you can talk to your friends and have a good time. Dim lighting but games still on. Only reason we didn't do 5 stars is because his steak was over cooked but it happens! Would go back.

The food and service was wonderful!! Very casual, laid back atmosphere!! The sweet potato purée…read morewas outstanding!! Can't wait to go back!!

Warm informative reception by staff upon entrance and list of daily specials- the fried chicken,…read moremeatloaf , beet salad, sweet potatoes purée, collard greens and Mac and cheese were spot on- comfy casual setting made for a great dinner- excellent choice for a tasty upscale meat and three with the home made chef prepared quality - will definitely be back !!

Service was well done, and the food selections were tasty. I had the BLT, and my wife had the…read moreburger. Both were very well prepared, and the fries were outstanding.

Super cute space‼ Great ambiance and romantic spot with soft…read moremusic The service was great. The waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable The food was wonderful The tomatoe bisque was great. We ordered the crab cake which was delicious. My husband loved his Seafood Pasta. I had the special, Grouper with Shrimp with Beurre Blanc sauce which was excellent

This restaurant gets an absolute A+ all the way around. We headed over to wire Commons for the…read moreSummer jam and stumbled into this fabulous place. Period it was fairly crowded. We did not have a reservation. They were so kind at the front sat us within five minutes. There is also outdoor seating that was pretty crowded too. The menu is very affordable. The portions are generous in the food quality is fantastic. My husband got the fried fish, I got the Carolina burger, which are sweet server. Told me is their most popular. It is a double smash burger with pimento cheese, bacon, jam, and a Black Eyed Pea Bass, just a little and it is delicious. The star of the show is the sauces for the fries. The fries are hand cut, and there are six different sauces to choose from. We had garlic aïoli, beermustard, and smoked paprika. There is a 50 Cent charge if you get more than two, we were happy to pay it. They were out of the hand peach pastry pies, again, who knew they were so popular we will get one for sure next time because we will go back. Really really enjoyed it

This place is AMAZING! I had the Belleize Bacon Chicken and it was excellent. It came with…read moredelicious, fresh fries and flavorful Gouda Mac and cheese. The Garlic Aioli dipping sauce was amazing. The best part of our experience was our amazing server, CJ! This place has an amazing ambiance and I'd definitely recommend it!!!

Pretty good farm to table concept counter service restaurant. Their flavor is southern style. On my…read morefirst stop in I got a greens and sweet potato base with roasted potatoes and Mac n cheese for sides. Chicken was the protein and I tried the lemon herb vinaigrette. It was all pretty tasty. There is limited seating inside, but all very clean. Would definitely go again.

I visited the Athens area for work recently and loved Maepole so much that I ate here twice. How I…read morewish they had locations in Colorado! They do a wonderful job of making Southern food that is not only tasty, but healthy and nutritious. I wholeheartedly recommend the Sriracha honey sauce as well as the mac and cheese and green beans.

Amazing. The Greek omelet was something special. Not one bit watery. Packed with Greek flavors…read morewith a spice dusting that really impressed. The latte was perfect. The apple tart was delicious. I would suggest heating it up a bit. Service was friendly and prompt. Lovely ambiance. In a residential looking area off a main road.

Food was great, had the breakfast biscuit with sausage, scrambled egg, Swiss cheese and potatoes…read moreand aioli on the side. Service was great, lined moved well and didn't have an extended wait. Vibes were great, people were sitting outside and inside. They have a good sized patio area. Parking was accessible.

Tazikis's is fantastic. My office is nearby so I get to eat there fairly often. They are great for…read moreevents and always well organized. Thank you!

Great Greek Salads. We got chicken and Salmon. Hummus and Pita. Excellent food. We will return…read moreagain soon! Service was excellent!

Just loved this place. I used to eat Ethiopian food every Friday in New York for years. This was…read moreequivalent. Really tasty, enjoyed it and will be back!

If you want real Ethiopian or Eritrean food, you're going to have to drive southwest to Decatur,…read moreClarkston, or Atlanta. This isn't ethiopian food. the authentic flavors simply are not here. Once you taste the real thing, this place won't even cross your mind again -- and that's no disrespect to the very kind owner and staff, but the food speaks for itself. I'm honestly shocked this restaurant has so many high reviews. I'm assuming the owner wants to accomodate the flavor palate of the type of clientelle in the area. I know for sure most people reviewing have never had actual East African food before. Authentic Ethiopian cuisine has bold, unmistakable spices and deep, layered flavor. This food was extremely mild, bland, and nowhere near authentic. It tasted like the dishes were made with basic black pepper, paprika, and turmeric instead of traditional spices like real berbere, mitmita, korerima (black cardamom), or mekelesha. These spices are what make Ethiopian food taste like Ethiopian food. Without them, it's just another stew. If you're truly looking for authentic Ethiopian food, go to a restaurant in the city. You will not regret it.

I stopped by to grab a to-go plate, and I have to say, this restaurant is SO cute! I absolutely…read moreloved the industrial loft vibe--it gives the place so much character. The service was really nice, too. I sat at the bar to place my order, and luckily, the bartender was vegetarian and pointed me in the right direction when it came to choosing what to try. The collard greens weren't really my favorite, but the tots and mac & cheese? Absolutely delicious! Those were definitely the standouts for me. This is definitely a spot we'll be visiting again in the near future. My only wish is that they offered a few seafood options, but there were still plenty of things to enjoy. Parking is a little limited, but the area is very walkable, so that definitely helps. Overall, super cute spot, friendly service, and some really good food!

I absolutely want to give this place more than 5 stars, and I would give them more but for one…read moremajor factor during our brunch this Sunday. As it is, I'd still give them a 4.75 stars for such a lovely experience. I would still say you NEED to eat here if you are here on Sunday! Just be warned to wear not slip shoes! They actually take reservations for Sunday brunch, so that's already a plus. When we were running a bit late, Indie was truly a joy to talk with, and she made the change without a hiccup! Once we got there, she was even more welcoming and got us seated in no time. Before I explain my concern, let me make it clear that we will certainly be back when we visit Athens! The location is so close to the UGA campus it's a no-brainer. There was plenty of street parking around, including handicap, so it's easy to get to. While the front entrance is almost hilariously plain and non-descript, the interior is really beautiful!! I felt like we walked into a The Great Gatsby. My daughter was tickled by the ever-changing ticker sign over the bar. Everyone loved the stained glass and deep colors. Even the bathrooms were like being at Grand Central Station in the 20's. And the food!!! We tried all the classic Southern Soul Food staples, and they did NOT disappoint! From the fried green tomatoes, to the shrimp & grits, to an enormous French Toast, they put their foot in it!! Bravo! I have to note that the fried chicken is truly crave-able--crispy, juicy, & flavorful!! The fried green tomatoes were cornbread crispy and delicious! Fair warning that they do have a bit of a bite to them, so check with your littles. We appreciated that they offered egg whites in any dish with eggs, but I wish there was a non-pork substitute for some dishes. There's a vegan selection, but it's just not the same, so we didn't try it. Maybe next time! I lived my goat cheese omelette, and the portion was big enough I got to take some home with me. Just wonderful food all around. The beignets were divine! And it ended up being my daughter's birthday dessert/app. And then we just kept ordering more. Cannot say enough great things about our server--and my mind goes blank because I wish I could remember her name!! She was great the entire time for our whole 9-top group. She kept the waters filled, she cleared plates along the way, she was welcoming and engaging, and we just all enjoyed being here because of it. While we waited for some of our party to arrive, we were directed to a beautiful lobby adjacent to the restaurant. Unfortunately, the floor was exceptionally slippery--like an oily kind of slippery that is not conducive to an 88-year-old using a walker kind of slippery. I was a little worried for my F & MIL. The elevator is so far from where we needed to be that it wasn't worth the risk, so we chose to go up the 2 steps at the front entrance. Luckily for us, everyone was able to move around with care this time.