Jeremy J.

I really like cookout they are very cheap fast food that you get a lot of items were not a lot of money so a lot of people that are college kids or late night drinkers and different things definitely got a cookout. I have been here a few times and I've always enjoyed their burgers and their food

Richard R.

After a recent talk thread about where to find great hamburgers, CookOut was mentioned enough times for me to take notice. I love burgers so much my children sometimes refer to me as Cheeseburger Papa (true story), but this burger chain is mostly located in North Carolina and I figured I wouldn't have a chance to taste it anytime soon. Oh how the burger gods do smile down on me, because to my delight I discovered they have a remote location in the college town of Athens, GA, just 30 miles up the road from my home via Hwy 316. I know what you're thinking: "SAY WHAAAA? 30 miles for a burger? Is you a fool Richard?" Yeah, I kinda am, but I like to refer to myself more as a food slut than a fool. If you puttin' out that good food crack then baby, I will happily place it in my mouth. I'll travel just about any distance to get a food fix!!! I have actually planned entire vacations to different cities based on some restaurant I saw on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives, Man vs. Food, Best Food I Ever Ate, Food Wars or even No Reservations. So while you may think that's cray-cray I'm here to tell all you non-adventurous types that we've experienced amazing family adventures to destinations we may have NEVER otherwise traveled had we not been interested in the local food. Sometimes we discover something delicious, other times we don't... but it makes for great memories either way. THE EXPERIENCE I use food as a reason for any road trip, especially if it's within just a few hours. So 35 minutes from my home was a no-brainer in my book. CookOut claims to have outdoor style homemade food, I suppose like you would find in an average American backyard cook-out (thus the name). The building itself looks like a small strip mall. So many neon signs that I thought it was more than one business inside at first glance. The store on the outside is made up of several different building materials and looks kinda like a sample wall you would find at a stone or brick yard. The diversity of materials continues on the inside with stone, metal, tiles and a variety of different shades of wood, including logs (as in log cabin). The furnishings are rustic and tables and benches are shellacked to a awesome shine with 'cook out' burned into the surface. I've been told this place is always jam packed, however I came on a great day as there was plenty of open tables and no crowd. Whooo hooo! THE FOOD Okay, truth be told - this will probably never go down as my favorite fast food burger, nor would it make the top 5. Yet I will say it I enjoyed it very much and the value was most certainly a factor in my star rating. It lived up to being billed as homemade, which I liked a lot!!! Homemade as in the bun was kinda soggy from the juiciness of the burger, it was sort of sloppy with the toppings plus they put a whole HEAP of grilled onions on this bad boy. Probably too many for most people, but I grew up in Chicago where there were nearly as many grilled onions on your burger or hot dog as there was meat. I didn't feel like I was eating a fast food burger and for that reason I was an instant fan. What really surprised me was the price. $5.45 AFTER tax which included: * Big Double Tray cheeseburger w/grilled onions, relish, mustard, mayo * 3 Chicken Nuggets (because you are allowed two sides and yes nuggets are a side) * Cajun Fries (although I almost went with the onion rings) * Large Sweet Tea NOTES: The chicken nuggets were nothing special, same taste as the frozen Tyson nuggets we get for the kids @ the grocery store. The Cajun seasoning on the fries was okay, but I could have lived with or without it. THE VERDICT I think this place is going to slowly grow on me. It's been a few hours since I finished my meal and already I'm thinking I'd like to pay them another visit. Maybe next time I'll get one of their famed milkshakes to go with my burger. Although, since I'm lactose intolerant, that might be a long 35 minute drive home for my family :-)

Lindy F.

"Corndogs, Jackie! Corndogs, for all these people!" -- Semi-Pro (2008) I finally get the chance to try Cookout - and it is in Athens. Why? Because there were no lines. On my way home from a weekend jaunt to Athens, we passed Cookout and were starving and we decided it was as good of a time as any. Plus, who doesn't love a milkshake at 2pm? We went inside and were overwhelmed by the menu - the Cookout tray alone ($4.49?!) for an entree and 2 sides (which are basically their own entree items). Madness, I tell you! After gawking at the menu for at least 5 minutes, I just rattled off 3 items that interested me. I picked chicken fingers with a side of corn dog and hushpuppies (I am a founding member of the Fritter Fan Club, after all). I also selected the Peanut Butter Fudge "Fancy" milkshake for my drink. I mean, wow. After 2 or 3 minutes - I had my food. I asked for some sauces and sat down. My plate of fried looked like too much to handle - but why not? I started with the chicken fingers - meh. Nothing to write home about. Not hot really, and without the buffalo sauce to dip in, I probably would have stopped eating for lack of flavor. I think these are the same ones I can buy in my frozen food aisle at Super Target. Been there, done that. However, the sides... The corn dog was delish - everything I had hoped for. Crunchy, HOT (aka freshly fried) and even if it was previously frozen, this item I could not tell. They handed me a small container of yellow mustard to dip it in - but for me I probably needed 50% more. But I made do. And the hushpuppies - equal parts crispy outside and bready inside. I may have needed a little ketchup for these, but overall I enjoyed them as is. As for the shake, so thick a straw was a challenge. This is why they hand you a spoon. Really, it was a cup full of mushy ice cream - and that is no complaint. Rich and flavorful, but it was so packed full of peanut butter flavor that if there was fudge in there - I never tasted it. Again, no complaint. Overall, I did enjoy my Cookout experience. I think it is gimmicky, but I think it is also supposed to be. I'll definitely skip the chicken fingers next time and try another entree instead, but I don't think this will be some place that I will frequent - my arteries just cannot handle it.

Tanya C.

Everyone has been raving about Cookout for ages. I've been trying to get to the new Cookout location in Atlanta since it opened, but I have absolutely no patience for the long lines at all hours of the day. I happened to be in Athens with some friends for a weekend and we decided to make a pit stop here on the way back to Atlanta. I ordered a burger. Honestly, it wasn't the best fast food burger I've ever had, but it was decent. But, omg, the sides! You can get almost anything under the sun as a side. Screw french fries and onion rings. Boring! Bring out the chicken nuggets, corn dogs (!!!), hushpuppies, and quesadillas. You can choose two things as side items. I picked a corn dog and hushpuppies. The corn dog was great while the hushpuppies were not so great. I like the variety of sides. The combo also comes with a drink. You can be unoriginal and pick a soda. Or you can go for a milkshake. I opted for water. The nice thing is that they give you a bottle of water for your drink when you order it with a combo. That was nice of them. I'm glad I had a chance to visit this place, but I'm not quite sure it lives up to the hype. Yes, it's super cheap. But, I will not be waiting in a line to eat at Cookout. I'll wait until the line at the EAV location in Atlanta dies down or I'll just stop here the next time I'm in Athens.

Kristin B.

My dirty little secret is a deep love and appreciation for fast food soft-serve ice cream and frozen treats, particularly in the summer, and Cook-out takes the cake (er, ice cream?) for milkshakes. Their 40 flavors of "fancy" milkshakes are all delicious (or at least the ten or so flavors I've sampled), and they are a bargain at under $3 for a generous portion. While the combo trays are a popular entree selection, I usually stick with just a 99 cent corndog. While burger afficianados may hem and haw over the preparation and adornment of the Cook-out burger, and chicken finger enthusiasts may bemoan the lack of hand-breading, I have never heard a bad word about the Cook-out corn dog. Perfectly fluffy yet crispy salty batter around a hotdog, the corn dog is your guaranteed menu win at this reliable chain. Cook-outs are also always clean with fast service, making this a good spot for a pit stop on a road trip for multiple purposes.

Cristina M.

Love this place .. Awesome burgers, fast service and cute atmosphere! Be careful during lunch times this place is nuts

Philip W.

Cookout is the best. We are North Carolina transplants here in Athens Ga. Now home is a little closer with cookout moving into town. Just ate there and it's really good with low prices.

Wow - came into cook out today and it wasn't busy. They were slow. They forgot my straws to my drinks and also my portions for the trays were a complete joke. It looks like a kids meal. I did a double portion on the cheese quesadilla but come on now for the onion rings and cheese bites for the burger?