A classic Athens spot that lived up to its reputation. My chicken was perfect with a juicy center and crispy, hot outside. The tea and lemonade mixed for the perfect Arnold Palmer to compliment my meal. The mac was slightly underwhelming as you could tell it had been prepared earlier and was the last of the batch. While the building is small, you can tell it is a historic establishment. I will definitely be returning and sampling the rest of the menu items. read more

Weaver D's - Dark meat plate - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

An Athens' staple. A damn good one at that. You'll find Mr. Weaver on sight and ready to serve...automatic. Side note: whoever had the audacity to name their pizza business Automatic in this town, has some nerve. Rant over. Weaver Ds is all you can dream of. It's for your soul awesome. Fried chicken, mac n cheese, potato salad, cornbread, red velvet cake and sweet tea. And hell yeah, I ate it all. Did I leave in pain? Yes. Worth it? Hell yes and amen. Just on the edge of downtown, this quaint green house calls to you. What's in there you wonder. Then you smell it. Oh, lort. read more

What a great southern food experience. Had the fried chicken, green beans and field peas and it was yummy! My husband had the pork chops and those were also delicious. Both were cooked perfectly and not dried out like some places. The coating on the fried chicken was flavorful light and crispy! We showed up not too long before closing and they were so hospitable in letting us sit and eat in. We've heard about this place because of the REM connection and finally got around to going there. We don't live here full time so it will be a nice treat when we come to town. read more

do not go here during the pandemic. lines are waist to waist no mask policy constant sneezing, coughing, and sniffling around you at all times most unsafe restaurant in all of athens (maybe even in all of georgia) read more

Oh my goodness this place is fabulous! Athens biggest secret in my opinion. Fried chicken, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce and macaroni and cheese which are all homemade. Spouse got the chicken, collards and macaroni and cheese. Chicken was crispy not greasy. No old grease taste. Very good pricing. First place to remind me of my mother's cooking. If you want a good home cooked meal this is the place to go ! read more

Weaver D's - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Automatic for the people, indeed. I'm at a loss for words. What to say about a perfect restaurant? This place is everything it should be; nothing good can be added to it except at the expense of something else. It's perfect. God bless this fine place. Thank you, Dexter Weaver, for your delicious fine foods. I tried Wilson's, and even went to Peaches. Neither came close. Try the fried chicken. Try the barbecue. Try the greens. Try the cornbread. Try the mashed potatoes. Don't worry about dessert--you won't need it, because the sweet potatoes are that sweet. They're loaded with marshmallows, nutmeg, pecans, and cinnamon. Wash it down with some (very) sweet tea or lemonade. There's chow chow for your greens and hot sauce for everything else. God have mercy... I so desperately miss real southern cooking--the bowdlerized, greasy fare that passes for soul food out here just doesn't cut it (Sandra Dee comes the closest, though). Sitting out on Weaver's rickety bench overlooking the Oconee River, roasting in the thick, fat, sweaty southern air, talking Georgia football with weird old guys--I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. The south is so much better when you don't live there... read more

After four years in Athens, I decided I had to try Weaver D's at least once before I left. With all the years of anticipation, perhaps I should've been on alert for a bit of a letdown, but I ended up disappointed with the Weaver D's experience. Waited in line for awhile, then waited even longer for the food. The interior was cramped and poorly laid out for the long lines that formed at the lunch rush. Service was okay, but nothing special (note: you have to wait in line for the food yourself after you order). I get that this is part of the restaurant's ambiance, but it's hard to get enough room for people to sit down to eat, stand in line, and get up to get refills, etc. under the current setup. The best adjective to describe the food was bland. I got a meatloaf special with a few sides and lemonade and really nothing was anywhere above average. The meatloaf was oddly bland and the sides of mac and cheese and fried okra were just okay; I've had better at other places. I did appreciate the random slice of watermelon, but it was sadly just like the rest of the food: average. Lemonade tasted like lemon-flavored kool-aid; Chick-Fil-A has better. I seriously tried to find things to like about Weaver D's, but it ended up being one of the more disappointing culinary excursions that I had in Athens. read more

Wow....14 years later...I finally tried Weaver D's. Maybe I wasn't being adventuress enough, or maybe I didn't notice their unassuming location, or maybe I didn't understand where 1 of my favorite 90's albums namesake came from...but finally...I've tried Weaver D's. We decided to change up our game day routine this year and try a different restaurant. So, we got there a little bit later in the afternoon (~2pm) and already kind of had in mind what to order. I went with the Fried Chicken (white meat), mac n' cheese, and the squash souflee. The meal also included a cornbread muffin and a drink for about $9.50. There's also a $0.25 upcharge if you pay with a credit card - FYI. Dexter Weaver was running the register himself and it was pretty slow inside. Probably because it was game day and also it was kind of in between lunch and dinner. From there, you walk a few short steps towards the kitchen (which is all open - as in you can see the stove top) and another employee will serve you up your food. The chicken must have been cooked right on the spot, but the sides were scooped out of some rather large tin foil-esque platters. I actually asked for the broccoli souflee, but she must not have understood or something and she gave me the squash souflee. No matter, I'm sure they were similar. So...this is Southern Soul Food, so don't come here if you're health conscious. There will be heaps of salt, butter, and cheese on most anything you eat there so just be warned. As other reviewers commented, if you get there late, then the sides really aren't very fresh. They're warm, but certainly not hot. So, if you do decide to check this place out, be sure to go before 12 noon in order to truly enjoy what they're making. The fried chicken was flavorful and 1 of the 2 pieces had a fair amount of meat on it. The 2nd piece was about half the size and didn't have much meat on it. It was flavored well and tasted fresher than the sides. Again, I'm the kind of person that really prefers HOT food, so the sides were a bit on the disappointing side. The mac n' cheese was pretty decent, but not the best I've had by any means. The mac is made with...you guessed it macaroni. It reminded me of a friend's homemade mac n' cheese. Now, I did enjoy the squash souflee. It was creamy, buttery, cheesy, with just a smattering of squash in there. All in all a good choice for a side. The bathroom is in sad shape. No where to dry your hands and you literally have to walk between the kitchen and where the register is to get there. I felt like I was walking through someone's house. I did briefly talk with Mr. Weaver and he didn't come across as brash and when I put a couple of bucks in the tip jar, he said, "Automatic". That in itself bumped this up to 4 stars from 3. I may not go back anytime soon (as I really only make it up to Athens about once a year now), but I'm glad I finally made it through the doors :) read more

So delicious. So greasily good! I love the chicken plate with two sides. The desserts are nothing to write home about, and they're expensive (at least it seems to me). Ordering a meal means you get a sweet tea or lemonade! Dexter Weaver is sometimes jovial, sometimes all business--but always friendly. If it's crowded, he may ask you to walk behind the counter and fill up your cup yourself. You can also get Weaver D.'s to cater for you. I've never done this, but the mere thought makes my stomach grumble. read more

So LOVE Weaver D! OMGEEEEE! Hadn't been in for years but felt like home! I called Weaver 30 minutes before and sat and waited for them to open! I just love the food, atmosphere and Weaver D's awesome spirit! read more

As I approach my return to the beloved "Ath" for a football game there are several landmarks that I anticipate visiting. There are of course the Arches, North Campus, Sanford Stadium. I can't forget the bars where I spent so many nights as a young man reveling with friends. I also very much enjoy driving to the top of the parking deck and taking in a birds eye view of the town below. Off to the eastern side of town, past the railroad tracks is a humble, one story structure that looks more like a small house than it does a restaurant. That place is called Weaver D's and is arguably the most important landmark in Athens. There are so many reasons that exist "on the plate" to love Weaver D's. And yet there are more reasons to love Weaver D's for what is "off the plate." What do I mean by "off the plate?" I mean the atmosphere. The smells. The greeting. Heck, the gravel parking lot. If that parking lot were paved perfect, it would not be the same. You follow? Most importantly, what exists off the plate is the culture. The family. The community. The history. All of these forces come together at Weaver D's to form an experience that is so much more than the fantastic sweet tea or world famous fried chicken. Take your time over there and observe a lesson in Southern culinary history. If you open your heart and let yourself experience the magic of this timeless institution, you will have a spiritual catharsis. read more

Weaver DELICIOUS. Holy crap. This food was so good that I took a picture. And now I've developed a pavlovian response to the picture. And now I'm sad that I can't get more Weaver D's until I make another trip to Athens someday. *sigh* Perfection is their dark meat fried chicken. I had the sweet potato souffle (sweet and creamy and dessert-like) and collard greens (well done, not slimy and overcooked, and probably the healthiest thing there). I tasted The Boy's mac & cheese, which was also very good. But I think the thing that really threw it all over the edge was the uber-buttery biscuit thrown on top of all the other goodies. Oh my, that biscuit. I think I'm swooning as I write this. I made myself an Arnold Palmer with their jugs of lemonade and sweet tea to wash it down. Mmm... It was a bit of a wait, but certainly nothing intolerable. It was, after all, game day at lunchtime. They were slammed, but I still got to sit down and eat in 15-20 minutes. That's not bad, considering. I suppose it's a good thing I don't live in Athens, because I would very quickly gain 50 pounds on Weaver D's Fine Foods alone. read more

Homestyle heaven. Greeted with a warm hello and smile every time, AUTOMATIC! I've never had something as heavening as Weaver D's fried chicken, extra leg for dollar and a quarter. And make sure. No really! Make sure that you get the apple cobbler. You NEED to have some. And if you don't know, this Athens, GA gem was made famous when R.E.M. titled one of their albums "Automatic For The People" which is the motto Weaver D's is founded on. Be there, be happy, and come on back down! read more

If you want great home made fried chicken gotta give this a place a try. A plate of fried chicken with sides, cornbread, and a drink for only $5. Make sure u go around 12pm for the freshest fried chicken. read more

Weaver D's - Great fried chicken plate $5 - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

First time here and hopefully not my last when I visit Athens again. Small place, but with a big southern heart. Food was very good and I felt welcomed as I walked in. Got the chicken and gravey special. Lots of food. read more

Weaver D's - Chicken and gravey special. $6.00, plenty of grub - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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Side note... regularly locked up my office and walked the three quarters of a mile to have lunch at Weaver D's... Automatic baby! D's is a hometown southern/soul food dinner in a major university city. A city full of highly trained chefs, big money concepts, and high flow bars & night clubs. Even with all that fancy competition Dexter Weaver's little dinner is one of the most stop by to eat spots in town. The meats on menu are the stars of plates and the sides I rate as ok (always need extra seasoning or a condiment but this ain't a fancy place so I wouldn't expect a Harry met Sally moment on the mac'n'cheese). I do like their boiled yellow squash, collard greens, and the sides with gravy are always pretty good. Getting an "Automatic" from Dexter always puts a smile on my face. read more

Not only is he a great cook, he's a class act as well. We worked with show dogs together once in a while and he met my husband a few times along the way. When my MIL died Weaver showed up at my home with a van full of food, drinks and paper products for us and a staff to bring it in and help set it up. No Charge! He was truly a blessing to a family he knew, but not that well. If you see this Weaver, Thank You! read more

My husband is in love. He said that Weaver D's filled that hole in his heart and in his soul that he never knew was there until he tasted their food. I can get behind that. My love of soul food came later in life because I was raised on the stuff. I didn't really learn to *appreciate* it until I lived without it for a while. And now that I've been living apart from a wealth of soul food offerings (where the soul food in the Northland tends to be more fancypants than down-home), I have this to say: Weaver D, I would like more of that squash casserole Right Now. Automatic, y'all. read more

Weaver D's is a simple southern dinner. Weaver himself is a nice outgoing guy who greets you with any icy cup of sweet tea or lemonade. The actual food is different though. Weaver doesnt have every dish on hand and makes them to order. Its nice to have it made right then, but it also can be a little bit of a wait. Later on in the day he runs out of food aswell. I got the whiting fish with a side of green beans and mac and cheese. The fried fish was delicious but the sides that complimented it were not. The green beans were watery and the mac and cheese came out with table pepper already sprinkled on it. The biscuit served with the meal was bland and lifeless. If you want old school southern black cooking this is the place to go. Dont expect anything else. read more

Ok I'm a little embarrassed to admit that as a native Athenian I hadn't been to Weaver D's until 2 years ago. (What did I do the first 20 years of my life? I dunnoo...) But yeah Weaver D's is the bom diggity that everyone says it is. If you want good old southern soul food..look no further. All the sides are superb. Cobblers are delicious. And the price is great. R.E.M. has good taste. Nuff said. read more

First let me start off by saying that the food is amazing. It is some of the best southern style soul food I have ever had. On my first trip to Athens, I ate here and I was definitely not disappointed. The price isn't bad either. If I remember correctly, you'll pay around $8-10 for a plate. The only downside to the place is that the owner was extremely rude, especially if you have any questions. The poor service by the owner is the only thing keeping me from coming back so often. Also, aren't they closed on Sundays? Has to hurt their business a good bit, and thats a very common day that college students would go eat there. read more

The fried chicken was amazing - crispy on the outside and moist in the inside. We really loved it!

Weaver D is an icon. The food is delicious and the service is exact. You get what you came for, great down home cooking. A small place but always busy serving up only the best. I come here from Los Angeles every couple of years and always make a point the eat here. The cook book is also a treat. read more

I really enjoyed my visit to Weaver D's. Dexter seems like a character and I'd definitely go back. The fried chicken was very decent, but I'd avoid the baked. The sides were REALLY good - I had the broccoli rice casserole and the fresh corn. His restaurant will always have a place in my heart because they had yellow cake with chocolate frosting the day I went. My favorite kind fo cake and you can never find it. Everyone always has fancy-schmancy cakes. The cornbread wasn't my kind of cornbread. I'd much rather get the cornbread at Five Star Day. read more

All food experiences are subjective, but Weaver D's is downright authentic and delicious. The food is the most authentic southern soul food experience I've had in Athens to date. I had the fried chicken (dark meat) with sides of green beans, mac n cheese, and a roll. The chicken was juicy and delicious and the sides were to die for. The food was simple yet special. My date had collard greens that I tried and were also very good. We shared some apple cobbler to end our meal and it was to die for The decor is a little odd and the owner, Dexter is quite eccentric. If it is nice outside, I recommend getting your food to go and eating on the park tables just outside the restaurant along the river. I'll be back soon! read more

It has been several years since I visited Weaver D's but the food is still excellent. The fried chicken was perfectly prepared as were the vegetables. Generous portions and a friendly staff rounded out a wonderful lunch. It will not be as long between visits as this last time. read more

Best fried chicken in town! Show up early, this place is packed at lunchtime. I also recommend the max&cheese and the broccoli casserole.

Weaver D's has established itself as a can't miss experience in Athens. I do not understand why this is when there are many better options. So what if R.E.M. is connected to the place. The food is good but it isn't the best southern cooking I've ever had. Not even close. It's also a little high on price if you don't get a special. Both times I've been they were out of several items on the menu....of course this always included the specials. The primary reason for my dislike is that Weaver is just not a friendly guy at all. Apparently he missed the southern hospitality gene. Both times I have been to Weaver D's I was rushed into placing an order. Each question about the menu was greeted with a level of impatience that is quite unacceptable if I'm paying $10 for a standard southern meal with no table service. I don't understand the love affair with this place in a town with such superior alternatives all around you. Good (not great) food with terrible customer service = not going back. read more

Always great food and friendly service. This is the definition of soul food. True southern cooking at its finest! You can't visit Athens , ga without eating at weaver ds. It's a very small restaurant so I would go during off peak hours. read more

I loved this place back in the day but it has progressively gotten worse. I gave it two more tries before I decided to write this review. The fried chicken is always good and that's about it. I've had way better southern food from my hometown in central GA and other places. The vegetables taste more store bought than anything. The service is not great. They would not take our Groupon deal because Mr. Weaver wasn't there??? Overall I was very dissatisfied and not just once but the last three times over the past year. read more

Just tried to eat at this local soul food restaurant today(Saturday). Made a point of checking ahead on the website to confirm that they were open Monday through Saturday starting at 11 AM. Pulled into the parking lot just as another family pulled in as well. We all creeped around to the front door only to see the interior dark and a closed sign in the window. I think it's everybody's right to have their place of business open whenever they wish but for gosh sake's tell someone if you're going to close! Don't put hours of operation on your website and on your business that you're open then just decide it's not busy enough to suit you so you inconvenience all of your customers who were relying on your consistency. Not cool! Totally unprofessional. read more

I for the life of me can not figure out the appeal of this restaurant--not very sanitary, and the food was very, very average. I guess having an REM connection elevates it in peoples' eyes. I was far from impressed. read more

Don't know what the big deal is. The food was okay nothing special and it is hard to find when they are open, they have really crazy hours. the building is cool though. read more

Weaver D's, I just don't get it. What is all the hoop-la about. For years I wanted to go to Weaver D's because I'd heard so much about the place. I could never get there because the hours of operation are so funky and never allowed me to go. Well, my daughter and I finally made it and I will say the place has an ambiance aobut it but why ? Is it because Weaver D and the hours of operation are so mysterious, so elusive. The food was absolutely mediocre. I can cook better than all of the cooks with one arm tied behind my back. And the prices ! What a rip-off. Smh ! I won't even talk about what I had because I've forgotten already ! read more

This is definitely a gem located in Athens, GA. Mr. Weaver runs the front of the house with a smile and humor and his staff in the back cook the best homestyle soul food you can get. I had the best fried chicken ever, collards and buttered potatoes and it was all awesome. It reminded me of just how my grandmother used to make everything. The only surprising thing on the menu was the HOT banana pudding. I've lived in Georgia all my life and had never heard of such a thing. I was leery at first, but took a bite to sample this oddity (in my mind). It was AWESOME! It had good banana flavor, the Nilla wafers still had some crisp and the meringue was toasted just right. If you're in Athens, you need to make sure to get to Weaver D's for the best home cooked meal. And don't forget, this is where R.E.M. found their inspiration for their 1992 album "Automatic For The People". read more

Welcomed as soon as i entered...ordered a 2 piece snack including broccoli casserole and banana pudding for dessert...simply delicious!! Reasonable prices too!!! read more

For those of you who live in Athens and have not ventured to the neon green establishment that is Weaver D's, you bring shame to your family. Chicken plate, collard greens, sweet potato souffle, cornbread and sweet tea... my mouth is watering. Closest thing to perfection for those days where the last thing you want to do is work out or eat right. Because we all have those days sometimes. Get yourself down there. Now. read more

Weaver D's catered an event I attended recently, and it was nothing short of amazing. Even for catered plattered food, everything was cooked to perfection- from the chicken all the way down to the cornbread and sweet tea. The owner helped deliver the food and was very prompt, courteous, and polite and even helped serve the drinks. No complaints whatsoever. read more

"Automatic for the People!!" Classic Soul Food in Athens GA. Don't get me started on his fried Chicken!! Weaver was our cook at the ATO house back in 1989. Not sure many of us had had chitlins or ox tails n gravy before that :) Weaver D is soul food and it is delicious! if you go to school at UGA - YOU HAVE TO GO TRY IT!!! read more

This is the place that I miss most in Athens. Nothing better than a hungover Saturday meal a Weaver D's. Chicken dark...two sides, sometimese three (buttered potatoes, mac and cheese, squash casserole) and a piece of cobbler. A couple of delicious sweet teas to wash it down. AUTOMATIC!!! read more