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    Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar

    3.6 (141 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    RAFFERTY'S RESTAURANT & BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Nutty honey pecan croissants
    Dani S.

    We came to Rafferty's for dinner tonight. We were here last year at the same time. My father in law loves this joint so of course we had to come back. We came for an early dinner tonight to beat the crowd. Walking up the ramp, we were instantly greeted by one of the hostesses. She had the door open for all of us to trickle in. One hostess got our menus ready and the next host got us sat at a table/booth combo table. Deanna (I believe that was our servers name. She had on really cute flamingo earrings.) greeted us with her beautiful smile. She got our drink orders started while we were looking over the menu. Our drinks were dropped off and orders were taken. We started off with the nutty honey butter croissants. I remember eating these vividly last year so it was a must have today. They were so soft and buttery. The sweet glaze on top was so good. These things could ruin me if I lived here. It was hard only eating one. I ordered the sunshine salad tonight. Chicken salad with a side of fruit. The fruit had a citrus topping on it. I'm not gonna lie, the chicken salad didn't do it for me. It had a good amount of apples, celery and grapes in it. The chicken was nicely diced and mixed well into the salad so you got some in every bite. The dressing of the chicken wasn't my favorite. After a couple bites I knew it wasn't for me. The fruit on the other hand was delicious! I love love loved the citrus topping they used on the fruit. It was so good! I enjoyed the strawberries, cantaloupe and honeydew very much! I ended up swapping out the chicken salad for more fruit and I'm not mad about it! My husband ordered the pineapple soy marinaded ribeye for dinner. He did start off with a delicious Cesar salad. The salad was heavily dressed and the greens were so crisp. I got a few bites of his ribeye and it was so good! The steak was tender and so flavorful! It had beautiful char marks on it! I was jealous at how tasty his steak was! We were talking about our future meal next year and this steak will be my next meal for sure! I also did get a taste of the fries, which were so good! The fries are limpy and soft which are my favorite! The chicken tenders were good, especially dipped in the honey mustard sauce. Needless to say, I got a bit of everyone's meal and it was all fantastic! I want to compliment Deanna. My father in law ordered sweet tea and it did come out pretty light. It was expressed to us that there was something wrong with the ice tea machine. Deanna brought a fresh soda out for my father in law. While we were eating, Deanna brewed fresh ice and sweet tea for us! She brought out a fresh glass of teas and brought to go cups as well so we can drink the rest of it later. Servers like Deanna are special and I'm happy she served us tonight. Tonight's visit was nice. Even though I didn't like my chicken salad, Deanna made sure I left happy. She went above and beyond and I appreciate her for that! I look forward to coming back next year and having the same ribeye as my husband did.

    Very tender and tasty
    Debra A.

    Haven't been in a while but got the deal of the day,,, Prime Rib and it was tasty. Tender and very flavorful and the salad is always great. Tuesday is the day for special price on PrimeRib.

    Menu 1
    Stephen S.

    Fantastic Fried Mushrooms! Sorry no pi, we ATE THEM TOO FAST!!! We both had burgers they are huge & cooked to order! We love Raffertys!

    Bacon burger with baked post
    Kenneth J.

    My new favorite place to eat in Athens Ga. This is one of the few locations that offer a 8oz burger. Mine was delicious! It's served with fries or another side of your choice. As an appetizer I ordered some croissants, which taste incredible. They are large, hot and melt in your mouth. You could get a drink and 5 croissants and have a wonderful evening. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I love the environment, there's plenty of parking, and the servers are pleasant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Gabby was our server and she is the best! They even use her as a trainer whenever there are new employees. This is the best place because prices are reasonable. A basic dinner will set you back maybe $50 w soft drinks and $40 before tip if you don't order drinks. I generally tip 25% for good servers and 15-20% for average servers. I was just there last week, so go check it out! You will fall in love.

    Bacon Cheeseburger
    Mark H.

    First time visiting for a decent mid-afternoon Sunday experience with immediate seating and consistent service. The Nutty Honey Butter Croissant is a sweet, warm, light appetizer. Our table's entrees included the half club / soups, chicken fingers, cheeseburger and bacon cheeseburger. All of these were delicious and filling. The only feedback to the restaurant is to consider an alternative ketchup without high fructose corn syrup.

    Famous Potato Soup, topped with cheese, chives and chopped bacon
    Ashley M.

    On a recent business trip to Athens, my colleagues suggested we try one of their favorite local restaurants, Rafferty's! We arrived right before noon and the restaurant was packed. The interior of the restaurant is bright and welcoming with a slightly upscale feel. We were seated right away in a booth at the middle of the dining room despite the lunch crowd. Torn on what to order, and wanting to try everything, I enjoyed the following: - Famous Potato Soup, topped with cheese, chives and chopped bacon - Nutty Honey Butter Croissant: hot-from-the-oven Croissants drizzled with honey butter then topped with Candied Pecans - Rafferty's American Cheeseburger: A thick juicy Black Angus chuck patty grilled on hickory wood then topped with American cheese, crispy lettuce, sliced tomato, onion, pickles, mayo and mustard. Served on a fresh brioche bun. - Hand-Cut French Fries My absolute favorite thing I ate was the nutty honey butter croissant, but that should be obvious, right - who doesn't love sweet, flaky bread? I also enjoyed the famous potato soup but have definitely had better elsewhere. The fries were good but the cheeseburger was very thick and overwhelming - I would probably choose another dish on my next visit. Maybe just an entire order of the nutty honey butter croissants. Service was great! Our server did not miss a beat and even recognized my colleagues from prior visits. Drinks were full the entire time and our server always came back with a smiling face. I'd love to come back and try other offerings on the menu!

    The waiter here was okay but the food was terrible. The club sandwich had brown bacon on it that looked disgusting and old and the sandwich was very dry. This place has really gone downhill over the past year. I will not be returning because the food just isn't the same anymore! This bite in the picture was all I ate because I didn't want to get sick.

    House salad  with the house dressing! Hot bacon  honey  mustard dressing!

    Food is always great! Service for years has been one of the best in Athens! [[HIGHLIGHT]]You always feel at home at Rafferty's![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Substituted French fries for Mac and cheese
    Cyndi C.

    First time here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is really comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was quick and the waitress was nice. Wouldn't recommend ordering the Mac and cheese. My husband substituted french fries for it.

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    30 days ago

    Thank you for taking such good care of myself and my Mom yesterday. We really enjoyed our meal and the servers were excellent.

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    3 months ago

    Emma gave us the best Mother's Day service that one can ask for. The food was deliciou.

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    1 year ago

    Broad menu. This is one of our regular stops with friends. Usually a line but wait times are usually less than what they tell you.

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    1 year ago

    Rafferty's is always superb. The prime rib is outstanding, the menu is affordable and the staff is excellent. Never disappoints!

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    2 years ago

    Always love going here. They have the best steaks and fried mushrooms. Great service too

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    "There's something magical about rooftops. You feel like you're in 'Mary Poppins."…read moreGeorge Clarke There really is something special about being on a rooftop on a perfect summer evening, and it's great to have it right in downtown Sugar Hill. I would like to say I planned the perfect date, but as some of the best things in life, this was just an impromptu visit to cap off an already great evening. Outside of being on the rooftop, the bar itself is upscale yet approachable, service was fast and friendly. Being a bit of a self engrandized home bartender I'm a bit critical when out of my home lab, but their Smoked Old Fashioned wasn't bad. ("Wasn't bad" really means very good.") While I don't love the prices and hate paying a cover charge, when you throw in live music, a great vibe, and a view, I can't really complain. The owner made an announcement that whoever tipped the band $10 would get a free drink, and since most drinks were over $15 I thought that was cool on many levels. Will definitely be back to The Rooftop!

    We stepped in not sure what to do as no one greeted us, they were not very busy and the bartender…read morelooked to be having a conversation with someone at the bar. We walked around and finally ran into a waitress who told us to sit anywhere we wished inside or outside. The only area festive was inside a closed igloo and no heaters were on outdoors which was just a tad too cool for me despite the super nice weather that day. It would have been so to sit outside but without the warmth of the heaters we headed inside. We placed our order and explained we were just there for a pre-dinner drink and wanted to check out the venue so we didn't leave our tab open but we were quickly served the fabulous taking drinks on their menu(s). The Old Fashioned was on the regular menu and the Russian was on their seasonal tabletop menu. Server was very nice and took photos for some ladies we met. The only reason I can't give them a 5 star is they claim they are big on hospitality but yet we were not acknowledged upon arrival. Many restaurants and even some retail stores have a way to ensure they say hello/welcome immediately when you enter and without a hostess - the mindset should be that the bar or wait staff have a way to immediately say hello or welcome so those who have never been feel welcomed as well as those who frequently come. It would be nice to have a more festive decor for the holidays but that didn't affect my review; just a statement to say that the entire Sugar Hill area was pumping and themed with the holiday spirit then we walked in the only area decorated was not even accessible nor was it offered as an option to enjoy.

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    Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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