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    The Optimist

    4.3 (2.4k reviews)
    Closed 3:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    By appointment only

    The Optimist Photos

    Business Info

    THE OPTIMIST ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Optimist

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    Reviews With Photos

    Trout dip
    Melissa G.

    I enjoyed this restaurant during my short trip to Atlanta so much that I had dinner here 2 nights in a row. It was fairly easy to make a reservation on Open Table but they also had seats available when I arrived. The first night I sat at a table by the oyster bar. The second night I sat at the bar in the main dining room and has great experiences both times. Despite it getting busy and full after I arrived, service was quick and attentive. The dining room is large so it can get pretty loud when it's busy. They have lot of seafood options to choose from so I sampled a few different items each time. It is definitely on my list of places to return to when I'm back in town. P.S They also have a small 3 hole mini golf outside to enjoy m.

    Optimist Lobster Roll (maine style, house potato chips)
    Deja' M.

    The Optimist has some of the freshest seafood I've ever had. I went for the first time to celebrate my husband's birthday and needless to say I will be back! We made reservations which I highly recommend. Our waiter was so amazing and he set the tone of our evening. The ambience and decor is perfect for date night, celebrations, or catching up with friends. For drinks I ordered the Second Sunrise (jasmine green tea, lemon hibiscus, soda) and it was SO refreshing! For my entree I ordered the Blackened Redfish (garlic confit beurre blanc) and the Braised Greens (bacon, potlikker, hondashi). The flavor of the food was delicious. The fish was fresh and buttery and the greens were a hit! I love that they included the potlikker, it gave them so much flavor. My husband ordered the Optimist Lobster Roll (maine style, house potato chips) and he loved it!

    Crispy Haddock
    Nicholas M.

    The redfish, Cod cheeks, and Haddock were all good. I was expecting more peas in the lady peas, but it seemed like quite a lot of beans too. The hamachi was decent, but not much quantity for its price. The Oysters were overall pretty good, but one of them seemed to be spoiled unfortunately.

    Kimmy H.

    I came here years ago with my nephews and finally had the chance to come back. Wow!!!!! They've completely remodeled the restaurant! I absolutely love the aesthetics and the overall vibe. The space is beautiful, welcoming and perfect for a date night. The food was fresh, flavorful and everything came out perfectly. A special shoutout to Carrie for providing amazing service and making our experience even better. She was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. If you're looking for a great spot with a cute atmosphere, delicious food, and excellent service, definitely check this place out. I'll definitely be back!

    English peas
    Jessie Y.

    Beautiful atmosphere and lovely server. Came here for a very late Sunday lunch and happened to be there when they had oyster happy hour as well. The oysters were fresh but small but for $2 each it was good. Also tried their cod cheeks which was my favorite thing I had at this restaurant, and hamachi. For entrees the lobster was very good as well as the redfish was tender and delicious. Flounder was ok, kind of dry. For dessert I tried the peach sorbet and I love the thick texture and fruity peach flavor. They even gave us a souvenir keychain to take home. So cute!

    Crispy Fried Oysters
    Kendra G.

    This restaurant in my neighborhood so I've been meaning to check it out. The service was wonderful and all the staff were great. It's a perfect spot for girls night or even date night. I started off with the strawberries and beet salad. Very fresh, and a good way to elevate a beets dish! I also ordered the fried oysters which I had been waiting on! They were delicious and it was the perfect breading to oyster ratio which I loved. For the entree, I ordered the scallops which was the star of the show. So tender and juicy and it was accompanied by a hollandaise sauce that was perfection. Also a major shout out to those rolls! I was so excited when that I forgot to snap a pic, but omg they are so delicious and dangerous. I had to stop eating it to not spoil my appetite.

    Elizabeth D.

    I always enjoy my visits to the optimist. This particular time went for an early dinner with my husband to enjoy the oyster happy hour. We ordered a good amount of appetizers so for dinner I enjoyed an entree of just oysters and it was perfect. I highly recommend trying the shrimp if you're eyeing it as an appetizer. Our server was Raquel and she was amazing. Very sweet, knowledgeable of the menu and attentive to our needs. The optimist is what I'd consider fine dining. The atmosphere is very clean, and high quality. I love this restaurant and will definitely be back for more.

    Monkfish
    Lily S.

    Was in the neighborhood, can't stop thinking about the shrimp Al plancha and the milk bread, we stopped by Sunday evening at 9:15. Still having residual diners finishing up, Chris our server was attentive and patient Curry rice w chili oil: 5/5 amazing with lump crabs, great rec by Chris, paired with the blackened red fish in a creamy avocado sauce; Roasted oysters: 3.5/5; not as good as C&S but still yummy and buttery; fried oyster: 1/5; was too juicy and big, not a fan; Shrimp al plancha: 5/5; my personal fav here, however first time trying the peeled version. Like the no peeled better but this is way less messy.

    Crispy Haddock
    Joseph S.

    We returned to the Optimist - not so much because we were so satisfied with our last meal - we weren't. However, it's Mother's Day weekend and there was little availability. The meal last time was good - however - portion sizes were some of the smallest I've seen. In addition, the entrees have NO SIDES - not a little potato or veggie - which I find disturbing because the average price of an entree is between $30-40 - sides are $10-$15. Get it? Okay enough of that. I ordered the Blackened Red Fish. I didn't finish it - I can't remember the last time I didn't finish a piece of fish that cost $40!! It had no flavor - even a slight fishy taste! I was in disbelief! Luckily, my partner has ordered the Crispy Haddock - which she had the last time. It was amazing! Last time - the size of the haddock was as big as a McDonalds fish filet - there's a picture attached! This time, it looked like a piece of beer battered fish I would get in England !! It was as large as any I've seen - the beer batter coating was fried perfectly and the haddock inside was as tender and tasty as you'd expect from this classic white fish!! She gave me half of her order - and that was my meal!! We also ordered the thick chips (fries) that were very good - and the Hush Puppies. I'm not sure why the Optimist increased the size of their Crispy Haddock, but that's the dish you should order!!!

    Doreen C.

    Came here with a party of 6 for dinner and it was great! Highly recommend coming here with a larger party so you can try more things. The dishes work very well family style. Everything we ordered was very tasty. The dinner rolls are free and they are SOOOO GOOD. we had 3 plates. Out of the thing we ordered I particularly liked the cod cheeks, local lettuce salad, redfish. The sauce for the cod cheeks was sooo flavorful and we kept dipping the bread in the sauce. The service was amazing too. Overall a great dinner place to celebrate a special day. Highly recommend and one of our favorite places in Atlanta!

    Greens
    Jennifer L.

    We had an excellent experience. Chris, our waiter, was so amazing. He gave excellent recommendations, was very approachable, and checked on us regularly. The deviled eggs were delicious and packed with flavor. The Optimist (a cold seafood platter) was very fresh and a good portion. The Shrimp a la Pancha was definitely a highlight. It was packed with flavor and comes with bread so you can enjoy you and more of that creamy goodness. Our waiter said that the greens were disrespectful because of how good they are, and he was not wrong. They are absolutely amazing, filled with bits of bacon goodness, and could easily be eaten as a full meal. The redfish was good, but after enjoying so many other delicious items, we would have been fine not having it. It was a little loud, but we could still hold a conversation sitting next to each other.

    Roasted Half Chicken with Kedgeree (basmati rice, smoked haddock, peanut and lime)
    Jojuane P.

    A great meal from start to finish. I sat at the bar and was warmly greeted by Mia (been with Optimist 4 months) and Wolf (been with Optimist 4 weeks). They were working hard caring for guests at the bar while whatever orders were coming in. Scale: 1 = poor / 5 = oh yeah Deviled eggs: 5 Fried oysters: 4 Kedgeree: 5 Roasted half chicken: 4 Service: 5 Not sure what's taken me so long to get here, but it will be in rotation for future visits.

    Duckfat Poached Swordfish
    Jay S.

    While visiting friends in Atlanta they took me to one of their favorite spots near their house, The Optimist. Being an optimist myself, I was already intrigued. And boy was my optimism correct, everything here was fantastic! From the speed of the service to the the taste of the food, everything was superb. They were very attentive and great with the little things, like the water refills, asking about allergies, etc. The ambiance was great, but the food was even better! Everything we tried was rich with flavors, from the sides, to the well prepared fish, and even the dessert hit the right notes! Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4.5/5 Value: 4/5 Overall: 4.67/5

    Lobster roll

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    2 months ago

    The Optimist is an easy 5-star call. The overall impression is strong, and it feels like a place worth prioritizing. I'd happily go back.

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    Page 1 of 61

    The Optimist Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Optimist

    How much is the lobster roll what's the range?

    $40

    Do you have a happy hour menu?

    Yes they do. $1.5 from 5 to 6 on Weekedays

    Has the oyster happy hour special returned?

    Yes. They had it when I was there a few weeks ago!

    Is there parking close to the restaurant?

    Hi! Yes, there is! There's also optional valet for a very affordable price.

    Is there outdoor seating?

    There is! And the weather is getting nicer! Come visit us.

    Do they still have the oyster bar with the $1 oyster happy hour? I don't see it on the website anymore.

    The bar itself is closed due to COVID restrictions as of 7/27/2020. However there is an oyster menu ($3 each ), the prices may vary for happy hour. I went for dinner. I hope this was helpful.

    How easy/difficult is it to find parking?

    There is valet parking that is currently $3. You pay via their app. They do not take cash.

    Can you order dessert or sides at the oyster bar?

    Absolutely! During dinner service our full menu is available in the oyster bar. The only exception is our weekend Oyster Happy Hour from 3:00 to 5:00 on Saturday and Sunday. During this time our main kitchen is not open, but we do offer several… 

    What vegetarian options are there? Looking to come this weekend.

    We have several options and can always customize something for you!

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    Fire Maker Brewing

    Fire Maker Brewing

    4.8
    (74 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $

    The food is ordered from a trailer outside. Good stuff wings, fries etc. The beer was fantastic…read moreand the service was great. They have a variety of beers and make their own alcohol. I went during Tiki Week and watched World Cup and it was a good time. So much so that I went back the next day!!! I really enjoyed the ambiance. The outside patio and around back is another outside area with a bar and seating.

    My husband and I were huge fans of Urban Tree Cidery who closed last year and after receiving an…read moreemail regarding their relaunch in partnership with Fire Maker Brewing, we decided to make our way and see what this place was all and we had such a fun time! We arrived around 1 pm on a Saturday and had issue finding parking in their main lot. There is an overflow lot behind the building and there is signage to direct there if needed. When we arrived, we smelled something delicious coming from the on-site food truck, heard some great live music coming from inside and there were a ton of folks inside and outside just having a good ol time. Once we walked inside, there was plenty of beer on tap but I appreciated that there were frozen drinks available and with their partnership with Urban Tree, I was excited to see some of my old favorite ciders. The guy that helped me was super sweet and helpful. He made some great suggestions and I had a vodka blueberry lemonade, came back later for a water-marita which was my favorite. We order some loaded fries from their onsite food truck and the fries were amazinggggg! Huge portion, hot, and just the right amount of food. They have plenty of other stuff on the menu but the fries were good enough for the both of us. I totally forgot what drink my husband got but I do remember he enjoyed them. We had a great time just people watching, listening to music and chatting with folks. This is a good place to just come and hang for awhile for sure and we'll be back sooooooon.

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    More interior seating
    More interior seating
    Honahlee Triple IPA
    Honahlee Triple IPA
    Fire Maker Brewing

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    Holeman and Finch Public House

    Holeman and Finch Public House

    4.1
    (161 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    We had brunch at Holeman and Finch Public House yesterday (Saturday). Everything was outstanding…read more This restaurant continues to be an Atlanta institution and one of the best in the city. Holeman and Finch is known for its burger, and deservedly so, but I can't stress enough how good the other food and drink are here. Looking at the current list of Atlanta restaurants in the Michelin Guide, I think Holeman and Finch deserves to be included. I wonder why they got snubbed. Holeman and Finch relocated to Colony Square in Midtown in February 2023. The restaurant validates parking in the Colony Square garage for two hours. We stayed just over two hours and ended up paying $6. I like to enter and exit the garage via Peachtree St NE. There's also an entrance/exit on 14th St NE, next to The Starling hotel. We used to go to the original location in Brookwood/South Buckhead circa 2010 when only 24 burgers were made per night and released at 10pm. Holeman and Finch existed in that location from 2008 to 2020. It was quite the Yelp hot spot: https://www.yelp.com/biz/holeman-and-finch-atlanta-2 This new location at Colony Square is way more spacious and looks great. There's indoor and outdoor (covered and uncovered) seating. The atmosphere is that of a modern, upscale pub. It's nice. Reservations can be booked on OpenTable, so get those dining points. Our server said the brunch menu was served until 4pm. Here's what my wife and I had: Drinks: * H&F Bloody Mary ($14) * Iced Tea - half sweet, half unsweet ($5) Graze: * Naturally Served Oysters ($5 each) - cocktail sauce, mignonette, buttered saltines, horseradish - Lowcountry Cups - Charleston, SC - Dukes of Topsail - Topsail Sound, NC - Dixon Point - New Brunswick, Canada * Deviled Egg Trio ($9) - classic, country ham, and Pickapeppa mayo * Hand Chopped Sirloin Steak Tartare ($20) - capers, horseradish, egg yolk, chips * Simple Lettuces ($15) - citrus vinaigrette, crisp shallots, fromage blanc, pecans Sandwiches: * H+F Cheeseburger ($28) - certified Angus and Hereford beef, onions, Kraft, fries Plates: * Housemade Scottish Gravlax ($18) - toasted brioche, fried Pantelleria capers, lemon dill clabber * Holeman + Finch Vegetable Plate ($32) - "all that is best from our Southern farms" Dessert: * Sticky Toffee Pudding ($14) - vanilla ice cream Everything, down to the sweet tea, was fantastic. The Bloody Mary was strong and so delicious that I gulped it down. All of the dishes were beautifully plated and finished. The oysters were fresh, superb quality, and cleanly shucked. They forgot the crackers, but that's okay. I highly recommend the deviled eggs. They were perhaps the best we've ever had anywhere. If you're unfamiliar with Pickapeppa, it's a sweet and savory Jamaican brown sauce that is used to make the mayo for this dish. There was nothing "simple" about the Simple Lettuces salad. It was pretty much a perfect, tasty, and refreshing salad. As for the H+F Cheeseburger, it's a classic and continues to be one of the best burgers around. Every bite is just so good, and the ketchup and mustard remain distinct. If you've never had the burger before, get it here or at H&F Burger at Ponce City Market. The Truist Park version isn't the same and I've never tried the Mercedes-Benz Stadium version (the old Turner Field version was legit, though). If you like gravlax, wow - the gravlax here is amazing and really well made. The Vegetable Plate was terrific as well. It featured potatoes, okra, beans, succotash, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and more with a fried onion ring on top. It's a great dish to share. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was top-notch - exceptional texture and flavor, and perfectly paired with a scoop of dense vanilla ice cream. Our server was Jonathan R. He was friendly and took great care of us. A manager checked on us too.

    The burger was an 8.75/10, and the fries were an easy 10/10. It came with what tasted like homemade…read moreketchup and mustard on the side, and both were fantastic. I usually drench everything in sauce, but this meal honestly didn't need it. I also ordered a sweet tea nothing fancy, just a classic sweet tea that hit the spot. My waitress was lovely, and I really enjoyed spending a relaxing afternoon here. My only complaint is the price. While the food was good, I'm not sure the meal was worth the $28 price tag. Other than that, I had a great experience and would definitely consider coming back.

    Photos
    Rabbit/hare tabletop decor and centerpiece flowers in our booth. Nice little touches here.
    Rabbit/hare tabletop decor and centerpiece flowers in our booth. Nice little touches here.
    Complimentary roll, butter, pickles
    Complimentary roll, butter, pickles
    Inside. Dining room. Host stand. Facing the front of house and patio.

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    Inside. Dining room. Host stand. Facing the front of house and patio.
    The Office Bar

    The Office Bar

    4.2
    (75 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    While in the area, my husband and I decided to eat at The Office Bar before our play at the Fox…read moreTheatre. There's a parking garage, but we later discovered that they will validate your parking if you valet at Epicurean. The validation is for four hours if you spend a minimum of $25. It was a steady crowd, but we managed to find a table close to the bar. Mika greeted us and took our cocktail orders. I opted for the lychee lemon drop martini, while my husband chose the classic old-fashioned. We ordered the Sealed & Signed Lobster "ROLL" and the Nashville Hot Fried Chicken with the sauce on the side for entrees. Both dishes came with fries. Our cocktails arrived promptly, but our food took a bit longer to arrive. However, once it did, everything was hot and fresh. Mika also made the cocktails, and they were delicious. The Office Bar also hosts happy hour between 12 PM to 2 PM and 4 PM to 6 PM. Whether you're working, studying, grabbing a cocktail, or a bite to eat, The Office Bar is a great place to be!

    I wanted a change of scenery for my workday, so I decided to check out The Office Bar, and I'm glad…read moreI did! The ambiance was really nice, and the service was spectacular from start to finish. One of the best perks is that you get 4 hours of complimentary valet parking when you spend $25 at The Office Bar, so I definitely recommend valet over self-parking. I also appreciated that they offer two happy hours each day, from 12-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. I ordered the burger with fries, and it was really good. I also tried the wings, which were just okay. My only complaint was that the music was a little too loud, making it less than ideal if you're planning to take work calls or attend virtual meetings. Overall, it's a great spot for remote work, happy hour, or unwinding after work. I'll definitely be back!

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    Homage to Bern's Steak House Sandwich (G)
    Homage to Bern's Steak House Sandwich (G)
    LYCHEE LEMON DROP

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    LYCHEE LEMON DROP

    The Optimist - seafood - Updated August 2026

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