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The Optimist, Atlanta, GA

The Optimist

4.8
4.8
9072 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 85 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Good for groups
The Optimist brings a seaside fish camp experience to landlocked Atlantans. The ever-changing menu features high-quality, sustainable seafood masterfully paired with fresh, local ingredients. From sophisticated, daily-catch dishes to crudos and beachside classics, chef-owner Ford Fry’s the Optimist transports guests to their favorite coastal haunts.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (404) 477-6260
  • Website
    https://www.theoptimistrestaurant.com/atlanta
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Eddie Barrett
  • Private party facilities
    The Optimist has a variety of event spaces that include bar events, restaurant buy outs, private dining up to 20 guests, semi-private dining for up to 50 guests.
  • Location
    914 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318
  • Area
    West Midtown
  • Cross Street
    8th Street
  • Parking details
    $5 Valet service is offered through the Brady parking garage, located on property. Additional surface street parking is available throughout the neighborhood, as well as additional lots in the area.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Ring in the New Year with The Optimist!

    USD 125.00 per person

    31 Dec 2024 only
    Spend this New Year’s Eve “coast-side” with a four-course, prix-fixe meal from executive chef Eddie Barrett! $125 per person with wine pairings available for an additional $45 per person. Premium wine pairing option available for $85 per person. Menu choices include tuna crudo, lobster & potato bisque, duck fat poached swordfish, special desserts and more! Preview the menu here: https://bit.ly/optinye2024

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 9,072 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Atlanta Metro

    Seafood

  • Atlanta

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Optimist is a seafood lover's paradise, celebrated for its "amazing food" and "exceptional service." Diners rave about the "freshest oysters" and "outstanding hospitality," making it an ideal spot for special occasions. While some find prices high, the "vibrant atmosphere" and consistent quality make it a must-visit.

9,073 Reviews

  1. bahnson

    VIP

    Atlanta Metro

    76 reviews

    5.0

    76 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Dependably good food and service. Great variety of oysters, shellfish, and fish. The service was excellent. The wine list could be stronger.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Rachel

    Portland

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service! We had appetizers rock shrimp and halibut cheeks, both were excellent. They make a good old fashioned. Definitely recommend this place.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jason

    VIP

    Atlanta Metro

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Overall a great experience. The server was amazing. The bread is to die for. The oysters were delicious. The peel /eat shrimp appetizer was great. The octopus appetizer was great. We also had the she crab soup, the mushroom side, the hushpuppy side. The entrees were the scallops dish and the flounder dish. Overall great. The wait time between dishes seemed very long. Not a place to go if you are on a tight schedule for event after dinner. Suggestion may be to order everything early on and let them glow it. Definitely will be back for oysters and appetizers.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Mary

    VIP

    Atlanta Metro

    26 reviews

    2.0

    26 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Took over 30 minutes to get a glass of wine. Food was not good. Oysters were good. A spot light from a nearby building shined straight into our eyes. A simple shade would solve the problem. My daughter had razor clams and could not eat them they were so tough. Staff was not trained and didn’t know anything. Bad experience.

    1 person found this helpful

  5. Bill

    Jacksonville

    10 reviews

    3.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waiter was great but we were left waiting a while after our reservation before we were seated even though we could clearly see tables available

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Henry

    Atlanta Metro

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is an awesome seafood restaurant.. probably the best I’ve been to in Atlanta. Parking was a breeze with the valet. Ambience was awesome. Fresh. Amazing service and super awesome menu. Non alcoholic beer selection too. Good

    1 person found this helpful

  7. Catherine

    Tahoe

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Our waiter was very nice (Andy). However, we ordered one of the fish dishes very well done and it was not at all well done. My husband made it very clear he wanted the fish well done knowing that most chefs don’t like to cook it that way. Andy did not check the order before serving it!

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Virginia

    VIP

    Atlanta Metro

    71 reviews

    5.0

    71 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service was excellent. The octopus appetizer is amazing and the rolls are to die for. Each of our party of 5 loved their entrees. Our server was wonderful and was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu items. Love this place.
    The OptimistResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you for your review Virginia! I'm so happy to hear that you had a great experience here and hope to see you again soon! Best, Mark Cioccia AGM

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Matt

    VIP

    Atlanta Metro

    28 reviews

    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service at our favorite special occasion restaurant! Had a great experience as usual.
    The OptimistResponded 2 days ago
    Hi Matt, thank you for the kind words! I'm glad to hear you had a great experience and hope we see you soon! Best, Mark Cioccia AGM

    1 person found this helpful

  10. Kevin

    Atlanta Metro

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
    The OptimistResponded 2 days ago
    Kevin, thanksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!! Hope we see you soon! Best, Mark Cioccia AGM

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Optimist offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (404) 477-6260.

The Optimist is rated 4.8 stars by 9072 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 85 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Optimist

914 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    8th Street
  • Area
    West Midtown
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    $5 Valet service is offered through the Brady parking garage, located on property. Additional surface street parking is available throughout the neighborhood, as well as additional lots in the area.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Eddie Barrett
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.theoptimistrestaurant.com/atlanta
  • Phone number
    (404) 477-6260
  • Private party facilities
    The Optimist has a variety of event spaces that include bar events, restaurant buy outs, private dining up to 20 guests, semi-private dining for up to 50 guests.

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